Mage Manual

Chapter 62: Chapter 60 The Trial Concludes

How long had Ash known Valcas?

A day, actually less than an hour in total.

What was their interaction like? @@novelbin@@

They fought tooth and nail, Ash covered in blood from cuts by Valcas, his own throat sliced open by Ash.

Ash suddenly recalled, when he asked yesterday, “What trouble would it bring if you lost to me?” Valcas’s answer was very intriguing.

“You’ll know tomorrow.”

Theoretically, losing a match to Ash shouldn’t bother Valcas—his contribution points were plentiful.

Just like Igula, who lost even more to Ash, isn’t he lying comfortably on his dorm bed, sipping wine and slicing steak right now?

Therefore, Valcas being selected for the Blood Moon Judgement list couldn’t possibly be because his contribution points ranked at the very bottom—it was a deliberate setup!

After all, the list for judgement wasn’t bound to follow the order of contribution points. There was a plethora of rules to exploit, allowing the administrator to legally and legitimately send Valcas to his doom!

But why was it arranged this way?

Because he lost to Ash—that was the price for incompetence, Selin’s punishment for him!

And it wasn’t just that.

The preferential treatment Elves received during the Blood Moon Judgement was almost predictable; the moment Valcas appeared in the judgement broadcast, his fate was nearly sealed.

What would a proud, sharp-tongued Elf do when moments before being smashed into pulp, he noticed among the execution candidates was one who not only slit his throat the day before but could even be considered the primary cause of his downfall…

What would he do?

So-called fate is nothing but an inevitable, logical conclusion.

What a deal—getting more without paying extra… Ash let out a bitter laugh, deeply admiring the orchestrator of it all, Professor Selin.

It was a blatant yet calculated scheme. Without Valcas in the judgement, who knows what might go wrong for Ash, but Valcas being there removed any unpredictability from the voting round, and his resentment assured that Ash would go down with him!

When Ash agreed to the death duel with Valcas, his fate had already been authored by Selin—

he’d either be crushed into mud by Valcas in the duel,

or taken down with him on the stage of judgement!

Now no one would save him. Who in the prison didn’t know of his enmity with Valcas? Anyone approaching him now would be voluntarily freeing up a dormitory slot for the prison.

Harvey looked at Ash with a gaze that was both regretful and anticipatory, as if lamenting that such excellent material would be wasted by the Titan Executioner; now all they could do was hope that one more dead convict wouldn’t send the Executioner into a frenzy.

The music in the air suddenly intensified stimulatingly. Valcas within the Sword Qi barrier let out a roar incongruent with his appearance, a visible wave of energy emanating from him, causing Ash and the others to feel a numbing softness in their bodies, even the Purification Flame of the Titan Executioner seemed to dim a bit.

“What a beautiful Sound Technique Shock!”

Nagu explained to the audience while on tiptoes, peering out: “I can’t determine the specific Technique Spirit, but it must be from the Sound Technique school. Due to the way Sound Techniques transmit, Mages prefer to use them to afflict enemies with negative status effects and lower their resistance, rather than direct attacks.”

“First, use Sound Technique to intimidate and reduce resistance, then strike a fatal blow with swordsmanship—this was Mr. Uer’s favored battle strategy!”

“The Heartless Finale, a Composite Miracle with swordsmanship as its core, mixed with multiple factions!

Cling!

With a chime of a sword, suddenly the world fell silent.

All sounds ceased—the sounds of the waves, the wind, Nagu’s voice, the vibrations, even heartbeats—in an instant, tranquility fell as though hearing was completely blocked.

In that extreme silence, Ash watched Valcas leap high, like a meteor piercing the sun, aiming for the Titan Executioner, the brilliant Sword Light overshadowing the moon’s crimson.

The moment the sword tip touched the Titan Executioner’s body, all sounds returned, but everyone wished they were deaf!

Ting!

As though all the disappeared sounds erupted simultaneously, an indescribable noise blasted from Valcas’s sword, the intense vibration piercing through the air and exploding into a storm-like pressure, warping even the beams of light!

Even the Titan Executioner was penetrated in defense and halted in advance!

“Two-winged… Miracle… To reach such a degree…”

Nagu’s voice came intermittently.

But no one was watching the Light Screen anymore; all the convicts were wide-eyed, admiring the dazzling moment.

As strong as Valcas’s sword strike was, the convicts had seen more grandiose Miracles; like when a storm disrupts a major corporation’s outdoor promotion event, a collective of Meteorological Mages would cast spells to disperse the rain clouds and bring back sunny weather, that’s much cooler.

What truly dazzled everyone was Valcas’s courage to attack the Titan Executioner head-on.

Although the convicts were unrestrained for execution, most redeemers either resisted hysterically or gave up completely, waiting for release.

The prison allowed them to use force, but it was merely to spice up the show. No one believed they could resist the Executioner, nor would anyone allow them to survive the judgement. Redemption was the only end for convicts.

Everyone knew Valcas’s resistance was futile.

But they were all hoping for a Miracle, hoping for a hero.

Even villains desire a hero who can save villains.

“Just being able to delay the Titan Executioner speaks volumes about the value of this Miracle. If Mr. Uer releases this Miracle, he’d undoubtedly take the Kaimon Academic Award this year,” Nagu said. “It’s just a pity…”

Foom!

The Purification Flames on the Titan Executioner’s body suddenly began to spin, each flame slicing like a sharp blade. Valcas was struck by a blue flame, his Sword Qi barrier instantly shattered, and his body flew out like a kite with a broken string!

Lorenz commented calmly from behind the Light Screen:

“The moment the Titan Executioner appeared, it incorporated the Purification Flames into its own Miracle System, blending the Purification Flames into the ‘Miracle · Counterattack Storm.’”

“Any sinner who tries to challenge justice, to resist judgement, will have the damage they inflict on the Executioner reflected back upon them equally.”

“When you harm others, you must be prepared to be harmed yourself. Sinners often fail to understand this.”

Valcas tumbled across the ground several times, covered in wounds, vomiting fresh blood.

Despite this, he still clutched the sword in his hand, never once releasing his grip.

Suddenly, multiple Technique Spirits emerged from his body, each one riddled with holes and cracks, rapidly dissipating into points of light after escaping!

“As a Two-winged Mage challenging a Titan Executioner, even if a miracle, the cost is not small.”

Lorenz said: “The scene just now that turned the space into a realm of silence was almost comparable to the Three-winged Holy Realm miracle in might, but the price was that most of Mr. Uer’s Sound Technique Spirits were overloaded and dissipated.”

At that moment, the Titan Executioner unfolded its eight arms and opened its six eyes wide, radiating blood-red light that illuminated Shattered Lake for a thousand miles, dispelling the night for tens of thousands!

When it looked towards Valcas, it was as if the whole world was collapsing!

Its eight arms were not arms, but wings composed of the world, covering the sky and enveloping everything!

“It’s over.” Lorenz clapped softly: “Let us bid farewell to Valcas Uer as he ascends to the Heavenly Kingdom of Blood Moon, may he continue to serve the Extreme Master of Blood Moon with utmost benevolence and goodness in the distant heavens.”

“Ugh!”

Valcas coughed up filthy blood containing fragments of his organs and shattered teeth, his leg bones seemed to have broken, the lower half of his body nearly unable to move, only able to prop up his body with the long sword.

He had never been so ragged before, with half an ear torn off, one eyeball burst out, his body filthy, his features ferocious, bloodstains fleeing down his facial pores…

Selin Dor watched this scene…

Ares was also watching this scene…

No, he wasn’t looking; he was only seven years old and couldn’t watch the Blood Moon Judgement… Thank goodness…

But it was so close, just a little more and he could have taken Ares out of this city to start a new life…

And the reason he ended up in this state was because…

Valcas didn’t look towards the Titan Executioner, but scanned the great platform, his gaze chasing Ash’s figure.

Underneath the blood and disheveled hair, the Elf’s remaining eye conveyed a complexity of emotions that no one could comprehend.

“Ash Heath…”

He called out with a teeth-clenched wheeze.

Boom!

Lightning, blazes, frost, acid, shocks, melt; eight different forces roared in extension from the Titan Executioner’s weapons, and in an instant, it was like the apocalypse.

Shattered Lake boiled over, the night sky trembled!

Valcas seemed oblivious, holding his long sword upside down, desperately trying to keep his only eye wide open, staring at Ash as if his eyeball was about to leap out and bite Ash!

Multiple Technique Spirits even emerged from the sword’s blade, shimmering with light!

As the judgment fell, Valcas threw his long sword!

Ash tried to dodge, but the red chains restricted his movements, and Valcas’s Flying Sword was enhanced with Technique Spirits, it was as fast as a flash of light and could even change direction!

After flinging his long sword, Valcas seemed to have found peace, yet tears of blood suddenly poured from his clouded eyes, and he whispered softly to himself:

“I’m sorry…”

Snap!

The instant he was swallowed by the Judgement Light, Valcas completely disappeared from the world, leaving not even a trace of remains.

Zi!

The long sword pierced Ash’s throat, its powerful kinetic energy nearly tearing his neck apart!

…

Inside the Red Mist internet café’s Light Screen, Ash, with a sword pierced through his throat and chained all over, did not fall but knelt on the ground with his eyes looking up to the Blood Moon, embodying a scene reminiscent of a saint’s suffering.

The patrons were all slightly stunned by this impactful image, until an Elf from the Blood Saint Clan stood up and laughed aloud:

“Haha, I bet that Ash would be killed by Valcas, and I was right! Tonight’s expenses are on me!”

“Good!” The others got up one after another: “To Mr. Bel’s generosity, to the justice of Blood Moon Judgement, cheers!”

Lorenz also stood up and raised his glass.

“Cheers!”

He saw the bar owner, a serpent, looking amused and couldn’t help asking: “Boss, you lost a big sum of money, how come you’re still so happy?”

“Sss, he won this time, he’s bound to lose it back next time, and besides, the café’s mine too, the money’s still coming back to me. And…”

“And what?”

The serpent owner glanced at the Light Screen: “Sss, who says he won the bet?”