Sorcerer’s Handbook

The first possibility of death is naturally the soul returning to the Virtual Realm, descending into hell.

But in Senlo, death is not limited to just one possibility.

Being polluted by Choking Green, transforming into a Green Beast, eternally exiled in endless pain, is the second possibility.

However, besides these, there is a third possibility, one that countless people of Senlo yearn for, revere, and pray for.

"Demi-God."

Vesser said, "Demi-God is the existence closest to a deity. If there is any power in Senlo that can contend with divine intervention, it is none other than the Demi-God."

Ashe recalled something and took out his belt and transformation card. Vesser remained silent, watching him attempt to transform and fail, before saying, "The Silent Spiral isolates both inside and out, not to mention the Transcendent Demi-God, which might have been shredded by the Ink Green Storm by now."

"What about your Demi-God?"

"I managed to gather seventeen Demi-Gods to open the Silent Spiral, which is already my utmost effort. Even if I wanted to find more, other cults wouldn't give me the chance, hiding their Demi-Gods very deeply," Vesser said. "Moreover, whether those Demi-Gods would be effective against the storm is uncertain. Demi-Gods of fire, ice, lightning, and the Physical Sect might only enhance the storm's power."

"Who said we don't have a Demi-God?"

Vesser pointed at him, then at herself, "Aren't we ourselves?"

Ashe was taken aback, then realized something.

"Having undergone the Divine Fire Trial Cicada Lurk, you and I are destined to become divine fire seeds after death. Unlike other Demi-Gods, if we become Demi-Gods here, the effect will inevitably suppress or even dispel the Doomsday storm according to our wishes."

"We," she lowered her head and said softly, "are the last hope."

Indeed.

The two of them are divine fire seeds, destined to become Demi-Gods upon death. The effect of a Demi-God is determined by the originals' wishes, which is why the dove Dagger Qing Ji, Fire Cat Knowing Guard Fire, and Bluebird have multiple effects that even Vichy covets.

As long as your wish is strong enough, you can set your effect as you please.

However.

"Only after death can one become a Demi-God," Ashe said. "So, is it you, or me?"

Vesser turned to look at him quietly, and Ashe looked back at her. Gradually, Vesser's lips curved, her eyes smiling, revealing a beautiful and radiant smile, "We'll see when the time comes. Who knows, we might both die halfway and both become Demi-Gods."

With that, she continued walking forward, and Ashe followed closely. However, it wasn't long before Silver Lantern initiated the conversation, "Ashe, did you know I like you?"

"Mm."

"You knew? Well, I did make it quite obvious. But I also know that being liked by someone like me must make you a little smug, but mostly disgusted, right? But who can I blame for accepting the Inheritance of the Gray Fox sorcerer and falling for someone like you? Even a seed blown to the wrong place can't stop itself from taking root and growing."

"Even if we can stop the divine intervention storm, the people of Senlo will probably be mostly dead. Your companions are likely gone too. Would you be willing to start anew with me, who no longer has a mission to bear?"

"Oh, I forgot, you mentioned you have someone you like in another Kingdom." Silver Lantern lowered her head, her cheerful voice turning somber, "And… even if you didn't have someone you liked, you certainly wouldn't be with me, I know that."

"My only goal is to destroy the world. After destroying the world, I have nowhere I want to go, nothing I want to eat, and even the person I like doesn't like me…" Silver Lantern turned to look at Ashe, her expression both pitiful and pleading, "If I die, will you remember me for the rest of your life?"

Ashe looked at her, saying nothing.

Silver Lantern shrugged, "You won't even make such a promise, you're so cruel to me. Do you think you've got me wrapped around your finger? But, who can I blame for being such an empty person, with you being the only one I care about now?"

"Alright, alright, I'll die as a Demi-God, as atonement for the past," she said, feigning lightheartedness, "You can go find the person you like with peace of mind… hmph."

Ashe looked at her with a very subtle expression, "Mm-hmm."

By this time, they had entered the eye of the storm and saw the dove and Bluebird not far away. The two deities were imprisoned in a green birdcage, their eyes closed, whether unwilling to look or in slumber was unknown.

"So soon," Silver Lantern blinked, looking at Ashe pitifully, "Actually, I was just joking earlier…"

"Let's try a normal attack first." Ashe summoned his Substitute, using the Miracle 'Substitute Splashing Ink', but the ink marks splashed outside the birdcage and were quickly wiped away by the storm.

Silver Lantern also emptied a magazine from her Assault Gun, with no effect, and sighed helplessly, "Looks like death is inevitable."

"Well then, I'll head to the eternal future. Goodbye, Ashe." Silver Lantern took a deep breath, expanded her Sanctuary, and prepared to step out of the sword body barrier, "Wait, use me well, or perhaps…"

"…let me use you!"

Bang!

The Sanctuary instantly burst through the sword body barrier, and Vesser turned, raising the gun to aim at Ashe! The sweetness in her smile transformed into malice, the gentleness in her eyes vanished, leaving only cruelty and killing intent!

Her finger had already pulled the trigger, the hammer had pierced the bullet's gunpowder!

Anyone could see at a glance that she was Silver Lantern, weaving betrayal with honeyed words!

That should be enough, Vesser thought.

She'd actually considered whether to keep her words from sounding so exaggerated, but given Ashe's intelligence and his surplus of trust, if she wasn't obvious enough, she felt Ashe wouldn't realize she was acting. Besides, only with such blatant theatrics could she say those jokes…

She'd also thought, since she was going to die anyway, should she just walk quietly into the grave, should she confess that Yolan Vesser was Silver Lantern. But for some reason, a strange rebelliousness toward Ashe welled up inside her-since Ashe didn't like her anyway, why bother leaving a good impression?

Just treat it as a gift.

Or perhaps, a curse.

Vesser's spellforce had long been exhausted, the Sanctuary shattered in a flash. Ashe only needed to gently swing his Heart Sword to easily take her life. The evil Silver Lantern dying in a conspiracy-this was the ending everyone would rejoice in.

Looking at Ashe's calm eyes, Vesser felt a little sour, a little relieved-he really wouldn't even spare a hint of emotion for me…

Bang!

The gunshot rang out. Vesser staggered, and was yanked back into the sword body barrier by Ashe grabbing her wrist.

She looked up and saw a bloodstreak across Ashe's face from the bullet. Her beautiful eyes widened, her face full of incomprehension: "Aren't you afraid I'd kill you? I was just joking just now!"

Ashe's expression grew a bit complicated. He sighed and said quietly:

"When you confessed to me in the Dead City, I wasn't actually asleep."

Vesser froze, then blushed furiously, her face red to the ears. She bit her lip so hard it bled, her eyes staring fixedly at Ashe, making Ashe feel a bit guilty and he turned his head away, saying: "And I'm not so dumb that I couldn't tell those were jokes."

Vesser let out a soft laugh, her voice faint: "…But you're not that smart, either."

"So," Ashe looked toward the nearby birdcage, "is there any way?"

"There is." Vesser nodded heavily, then suddenly leaned close into Ashe's arms, cupping his face with both hands.

There were no shackles, no restraints, but Ashe didn't dodge.

But it was only a light kiss, its taste of rust, lemon and orange so fleeting it seemed like a delusion. Before Ashe could react, he saw a radiant Silver Lantern, and…

The spirits that were delivered into his soul through the kiss.

Square Cicada flew over with a faint cry, merging once more with Ashe's Round Cicada.

"In the deepest room of the Sanctuary, the Gray Fox sorcerer left a message," Vesser said. "Anyone who inherits their mission to destroy Senlo will become a deity upon death."

"The reason is simple: since their ideal is to destroy the world, and now the world has already been destroyed, that means the ideal is fulfilled, and they ascend directly from Demi-God to deity."

"A Demi-God may not be able to stop the divine intervention storm, but a deity definitely can."

Ashe scanned the new spirits appearing in his soul, his mind utterly overwhelmed. He immediately grabbed Vesser's shoulders, stammering: "You… Silver Lantern… Yolan Vesser?"

Doll spirit, moonlight spirit, thousand changes spirit! These spirits of Yolan Vesser, Ashe recognized at once. In that instant, many coincidences and confusions in his mind were resolved, and more importantly-

"Mhm." Vesser revealed a satisfied smile. "It's been so long since someone called my name in reality… It feels so strange."

"As for the delusion spirit, I'll keep it as a burial gift. I can't give it to you."

"Wait!" Ashe shook his head, shouting, "There's no need-we can still try-"

"Ashe."

Vesser's body was like burning paper, turning to ash bit by bit.

"Everything between us was a delusion."

Ashe grasped at empty air, watching her shatter and scatter in the wind.

"If…" She looked at Ashe, eyes brimming with crystalline tears, but Ashe could no longer hear her question.

The moment the ashes scattered, Ashe saw a silver fox walking through the void. In the very next second, the silver fox curled up, and at the same time Ashe's sword body barrier shattered.

But he was not engulfed by the Ink Green Storm, because gentle silver light was caressing him.

A little girl with five silver tails was born in the silver light. She carried a silver lantern in her hand, blue hair under a white soft cap, a dark red cape, white-gold priest's robes, hands in long black gloves, round glasses-a perfect likeness of the weeping little girl Ashe had seen in "Rejuvenating Return."

Step by step, she walked up to Ashe; wherever the silver light reached, the storm retreated.

A single Silver Lantern, banishing the long night.

She bent at the waist in a bow and said respectfully, "I am Silver Lantern. Please use me well."

Ashe crouched down, carefully asking, "Do you know me?"

"I don't." She shook her head. "But you are one of only two people who can use me."

Ashe stared at her in a daze, tears falling unconsciously. The little Silver Lantern reached out and wiped away his tears, tilting her head in curiosity: "Why are you crying?"