Sorcerer’s Handbook

In the Stars Kingdom, in Gales, at the Sword and Rose Sorcerer College.

“…When facing a Turbid Heart Monster, unless a Swordcerer can pierce its brainstem at the first instance—decapitation is useless; as long as the Turbid Heart Monster has a brain, it can launch an attack—the sorcerer will be affected by its spirit ‘Rampage.’ When one starts to feel agitated, the Swordcerer must pierce their own thigh with a sword to maintain clarity through pain, allowing the other ranged sorcerers in the squad to kill the Turbid Heart Monster…”

Only the voice of the teacher droning on filled the stepped classroom. Sonya, seated by the window, watched the three bright stars in the sky outside, the warm sunshine spreading over the lawns, the pathways, and the benches, making every part of the world gleam.

“Sonya!” Engulite whispered urgently, “Don’t get distracted during class.”

Sonya, resonating with the real light, smiled faintly, “It’s not like it’s an important class. My Bracelet is recording the notes anyway, even if I get distracted…”

“This is the most important ‘Swordsmanship Introduction’!” Engulite said sternly, “Don’t you plan to venture into the Abyss in the future? Aren’t you afraid of danger? What use are recorded notes from a Bracelet? This is the most crucial class for knowledge against foes, and one can never be too attentive when it comes to safety!”

“Cough, cough!”

The teacher on the podium coughed twice, and the two students quickly straightened up and listened attentively.

‘Swordsmanship Introduction’ is not about teaching hollow theories but about discussing the responses a Swordcerer must make against various enemies in different environments. The reason for this course’s existence is its direct relevance to the future career paths of Swordcerers.

Swordcerers are, without a doubt, pure Battle Sorcerers, unlike Water Art practitioners who can become Healing Sorcerers or mechanical sorcerers who can become Creator Sorcerers. If it were a time of absolute peace, Swordcerers would undoubtedly decline and might even face the extinction of their Inheritance.

The prosperity of swordsmanship in the Stars Kingdom is because the world is not safe, constantly threatened by the Abyss.

The Abyss is not a fixed place but a randomly appearing Monster Nest. It’s said to be random, but there are patterns: it only appears in populous cities, or rather, the more sorcerers there are in a place, the more likely an Abyss is to appear.

As the core city of the Stars Kingdom, Gales naturally suppresses the largest Abyss.

To date, no scholar has been able to explain the cause of the Abyss’s formation, but the threat it poses is one that must be addressed. The Abyss cannot be eradicated; the deeper it goes, the more powerful the monsters become, and it’s even possible for Deep-layer Monsters like Tri-wings Sanctuary or Quadruple wings Legend to emerge. However, surface monsters are also problematic.

Since the Abyss undergoes significant geographical changes periodically, sorcerers can’t build permanent camps within it. Also, the Abyss has outbursts at intervals, during which time legendary monsters may venture to the surface, forcing sorcerers to retreat from the Abyss during these times.

Due to various Restrictions, ‘periodically clearing the Abyss’ has become a crucial societal role. Apart from a few individuals who can become Nobles or ‘Riot Consultants’ for corporations, most Swordcerers form squads with other sorcerers, embarking on regular Abyss Adventures to clear out the monsters.

This wasn’t a dirty job and was, in fact, a very good career path because, in addition to the Extinguishing rewards given by the state, the various trophies dropped by the Abyss monsters were extremely valuable. Sometimes, scarce resource points could even be found within the Abyss.

Countless Nobles originated from Adventure Teams in the Abyss, and an innumerable number of Sorcerers had found Adventure within its depths.

But the risks were proportional to the rewards; nearly all Abyss monsters were possessed by spirits, making their combat power no less than that of Sorcerers. Every day, many Sorcerers perished in the Abyss, and sometimes entire teams would be wiped out, becoming nourishment for the Abyss itself.

That was why Engulite was so dissatisfied with Sonya’s attitude: every extra second paid attention in the Swordsmanship Introduction class could add a measure of caution in the face of danger during an Abyss Adventure!

But Sonya had just absorbed an Experience Orb and was excited like a child with a new toy, her mind preoccupied with validating the knowledge of the Radiance Faction. Besides, she didn’t see herself venturing into the Abyss for Adventure—there might have been a possibility before, but now with her talent, plus the support of the Observer, she could progress methodically and achieve the status of Tri-wings Sanctuary. Why bother struggling and risking her life in the Abyss with others?

The Swordsmanship Introduction class ended, and next was Swordsmanship Practice, a sparring class among students of the Swordsmanship Department. While walking to the Combat Hall, students observed Sonya along the way and whispered among themselves.

Sonya wasn’t surprised by this; she had become the focus of her fellow students after Professor Trozan had her bypass all procedures to transfer into the Swordsmanship Department, a hot topic of daily conversation.

But today was a little different—aside from Sonya, the students were also observing Felix.

“Look, it’s her who dumped Sylvia…”

“Sonya will probably be dumped soon too…”

“I knew she was that kind of person the moment I saw her…”

Although she only caught bits and pieces of the conversation, Sonya had a good idea of what had happened—news of Felix breaking up with Sylvia had spread, and as the woman who had recently been seen with Felix, Sonya inevitably became the center of attention.

‘Don’t bring me trouble…’ Sonya thought, wanting only to keep a low profile and accumulate experience without being drawn into these trivial matters.

But women have a strong prophetic ability, especially when it comes to predicting bad things—at the entrance to the Combat Hall, Sonya noticed many unfamiliar faces, and the only one she recognized was Sylvia, her senior.

Sylvia was dabbing her tears, her eyes red and swollen, and dressed in simple elegance, she was the picture of vulnerable beauty. Although Sonya was confident in her own looks, Sylvia had the advantage of temperament, atmosphere, and the ‘tearful makeup’ effect. At this moment, Sonya couldn’t compete with her.

“Engulite, I want to skip class.”

“Okay.” Engulite expressed her understanding.

However, just as Sonya was about to leave the Combat Hall, a loud shout shook the dust from the ceiling.

“Felix, come here!”

A tall, black-haired Swordcerer yelled loudly, “You dare to toy with my sister’s feelings, you wouldn’t dare not to show up, would you!?”

Upon hearing this, everyone’s attention immediately turned to Felix and Sonya. Felix appeared calm, seemingly accustomed to such situations, and entered the Combat Hall nonchalantly. After a brief internal struggle, Sonya also abandoned the idea of fleeing—she couldn’t just slink away silently. To leave would signify weakness, and to run away would be to concede.

In the countryside, weakness and concession only make you an easier target for bullying.

The same is true in the big city.

There’s no essential difference between country mice and city mice when it comes to short-sightedness.

“Good morning, Lorein, Sylvia,” Felix nodded to them, “Shall we have lunch together later?”

“Forget it, your face makes me want to vomit right now.” The Black-haired Swordcerer didn’t mince words in front of Mr. Vlozrada’s son, “Draw your sword, let’s see the backbone of the Vlozradas.”

Whispers spread among the nearby students at his words, and Engulite couldn’t help but exclaim in her mind, “It’s Senior Lorein!”

Thanks to Engulite’s introduction, Sonya learned that this Senior Lorein was also a noteworthy figure—a Swordsmanship genius in his third year. Although not favored by Professor Trozan, he had become a Research Apprentice to a Golden Swordcerer and had achieved the rank of Silver One Wing a year ago. He was a member of the Swordflower College competition team!

Coming from a middle-class Noble Family, Lorein’s future was bright enough to at least reach Golden Two Wings without needing to respect a mere son of the Vlozrada Family. Those who stand on their own two feet have a certain toughness about them.

Lorein and Sylvia were not siblings but cousins, as their fathers were brothers. They also attended the same school and were in the same grade, which made their relationship quite close. It was almost an obligation for Lorein to stand up for Sylvia.

However, Felix didn’t accept the challenge immediately but instead looked at Sylvia, “Senior, is this really what you want?”

Others might have thought Felix was backing down, but Sonya knew he was genuinely puzzled—as someone who could change girlfriends four times a month, Felix naturally didn’t harbor any feelings for them. He assumed other women knew this and approached him with that understanding, so his philandering had never led to serious issues.

But Sonya noticed the way Sylvia looked at Felix and suddenly understood everything.

It was supposed to be just a fling, yet Sylvia had fallen for real.

Only true feelings could explain why Sylvia was being so irrational now—cutting off her last possibility with Felix and engaging in a futile gesture.

Emotions are the most unpredictable things, and even Hunters can fall into their own traps.

Women always think they’ll be the last, while men assume they’re the first. Those who fall into the trap and harbor unrealistic fantasies always end up as the losers.

Without getting an answer from Sylvia, Felix turned to Lorein, “Senior Lorein, are you saying you want to… beat me up?”

“This is the Combat Hall. Let’s have a bout of Combat Training,” Lorein said with a cold smirk. “The Infirmary is right next door, and I’ll try to hold back so the Vlozrada Family won’t lose a promising member. You’re not scared, are you?”

“Alright, very well, how could I possibly be afraid? A freshman versus a junior in a friendly spar, a newly minted Sorcerer against a Swordsman who’s been at it for over a year—why should I be scared?”

Felix flashed a bright smile, his teeth gleaming as he subtly accused Lorein of bullying the underdog. As a Noble’s son, he wasn’t foolish enough to fall for such an obvious taunt.

The surrounding students clearly didn’t approve of a fight where the strength difference was so pronounced; it was no different from bullying. However, Lorein’s expression remained unchanged as he shifted his gaze to Sonya.

Sonya immediately had a bad feeling.

“Felix, I heard you’ve recently taken a liking to a pretty ‘junior sister’. The two of you even summoned spirits during battle, which must mean you’re ‘quite close’ and have a ‘deep private relationship’.”

Lorein emphasized his words with a sarcastic tone, implying: “As the Senior, of course, I won’t bully the younger, but I’ll give you the chance to gang up on me—I’m doing this for Sylvia, so it’s not enough to confront you alone, Felix. Let your ‘junior sister’ join in too!”

“I’ll fight both of you on my own!”

Although Lorein didn’t say it outright, every word he spoke carried an undertone:

I’m here to beat down you two, the lovebirds!

Sonya’s mood was to smash the heads of the Observers—how did she, a bystander who minded her own business, get dragged into this mess?

Now all eyes, including Felix’s, were upon her.

Without moving forward, Sonya stood next to Engulite, her expression one of confusion: “Sorry, Senior Lorein, I’m not sure what you’re implying—I study with Felix under Professor Trozan, but we hardly interact outside of that. This is a personal matter between you two, and I see no reason to get involved.”

Should Sonya jump into the fray alongside Felix just because Lorein was being offensive?

She was no longer a child, and personal likes and dislikes were not the sole basis for her actions.

Her goal was to grow while keeping a low profile, and she had no interest in Felix’s friendship. Plus, this was the perfect moment to set the record straight—if she really teamed up with Felix against Lorein, it would only confirm the rumors of being ‘lovebirds’.

No matter how she looked at it, stepping away from this whirlpool was the wisest choice.

Lorein turned his attention away from Sonya, sneering, “It seems your charm isn’t all that, Felix.”

“You’re mistaken,” Felix replied calmly, undoing his Sword bag and drawing a wooden sword, the atmosphere becoming tense.

Just as Sonya thought she could skip the whole ordeal, a hand suddenly landed on her shoulder.

“This isn’t fair—a fight with such a huge gap in strength is no different than bullying. As a member of the Disciplinary Committee, I cannot allow such a one-sided situation to occur.”

An impressive orange-haired Female Swordsman held Sonya’s shoulder, nudging her forward. Sonya turned to see the Swordsman’s badge pinned to her chest: ‘Swordflower Disciplinary Committee: Leoni Vickt.’

“It’s Senior Leoni!”

“Why is she at the school?”

“It’s the Orange Dancer herself!”

The orange-haired female swordsman dragged Sonya to the center of the arena, her grip tight as a vise. Sonya couldn’t break free.

“Felix, my junior, and Sonya, my junior sister, you two should really communicate more. Professor Trozan would be so disappointed to know you can’t even manage to help and love each other.”

The orange-haired female swordsman looked at Sonya with a smile on her face.

“While Lorein may be suspected of bullying the younger students, you are Professor Trozan’s research apprentices. If he bullies you, it’s like insulting the Hidden Hand Sword Saint. How can you stand for that? You must understand that Felix now represents not only himself but also as one of only two apprentices to Professor Trozan. You get that, right, Sonya?”

Sonya hesitantly nodded then shook her head, “But this is their personal grudge…”

“When Lorein declared a challenge against you both, even if it’s to uphold the reputation of the Hidden Hand Sword Saint, you must accept the challenge. Moreover, with two against one, your odds of winning are huge. If you refuse, it would seem too cowardly.”

“As a Swordcerer, you should have the courage to charge forward and the confidence to speak with your sword! Defeat your enemy and you have the ultimate reason!”

“What do you think, Sonya?”

As soon as the orange-haired female swordsman invoked Professor Trozan’s name, Sonya knew she couldn’t escape this battle.

Regardless of whether Trozan really cared or not, Sonya didn’t dare to gamble.

Professor Trozan was her biggest supporter at present. She wouldn’t risk anything that might affect his perception of her, especially not with hundreds of people watching. News of her backing down and tarnishing Professor Trozan’s reputation could spread throughout Gales in less than ten minutes.

But she detested this feeling: being manipulated, forced, schemed against, and finally having to participate in a battle she didn’t want to join!

A strong sense of frustration and humiliation fermented within her, causing Sonya’s shoulders to tremble uncontrollably.

Yet, she was the girl who had traveled alone from the countryside to Gales, and her rationality soon took over.

However, just as she was suppressing her discontent, a familiar voice sounded in her ear.

“Do you need my help? I promise to rid you of your dissatisfaction.”

“Yes!”

“That’s your promise, remember. I’m off then, don’t—blame—me.”

The Observer walked past Sonya and disappeared into the air after speaking.

The next second, Sonya looked at the orange-haired female swordsman.

“Your decision now, junior Sonya, is—?”

“I refuse!” Sonya decisively shook her head, “I will not get involved in their personal grudge, I will not fight alongside Felix, and I will not battle Senior Lorein!”

The orange-haired female swordsman raised an eyebrow: “But if that’s the case…”

“But!”

Sonya looked at the orange-haired female swordsman, enunciating each word with force and determination.

“As an apprentice to Professor Trozan, I cannot stand you repeatedly provoking me with Professor Trozan’s reputation, cannot stand you trying to incite students and question the quality of Professor Trozan’s teaching, and even less can I stand you using our win or loss to smear Professor Trozan’s character!”

“I didn’t—”

“No need to explain. As you said, defeat your enemy and you are the most reasonable. So—”

Sonya untied her sword bag, pulled out her wooden sword, and pointed it straight at the orange-haired female swordsman.

“Leoni Vickt, I challenge you.”