Human ability is finite; truth is infinite.
In a world where knowledge can summon Soul Arts, and Soul Arts can birth miracles, sorcerers are driven by an insatiable instinct to pursue understanding. Yet, as sorcerers forge ahead on this path, one insurmountable barrier stands in their way: learning efficiency.
Regardless of their race or level, all sorcerers share the same learning process—memorization, comprehension, mastery. Each race has its strengths: the sharp-eyed Sky-Dancers excel at memorization, the spiritually attuned Elves thrive at comprehension, and the instinct-driven Orcs master practical application with ease. Though unequal, every race has the potential to become a sorcerer.
But within the boundless Knowledge Sea of the Void, even the most gifted sorcerer's racial advantages seem laughably inadequate.
No matter how talented they are, their ability to absorb knowledge is akin to drinking the ocean through a straw. The only difference is the diameter of the straw.
To combat this, sorcerers devised numerous methods: miracles like Photographic Memory, Accelerated Cognition, and Instant Insight to enhance learning efficiency, or simply extending their lifespans to make up for their inherent limitations.
Yet, the eternal conflict between the infinite thirst for knowledge and the slow drip of learning efficiency remains a core struggle for all sorcerers.
But the Void itself offers a solution: Experience Orbs.
"This is a Light Affinity Experience Orb."
Sonia held the luminous, translucent orb gently, her voice soft, as though afraid speaking too loudly might harm it. "Whoever absorbs this, even someone completely ignorant of the Light Affinity, will immediately gain the equivalent of silver-level knowledge and become a Light-specialized sorcerer."
She stared at it with reverence. "Once they return to reality, with just a little study and refinement, they could even summon Light-related Soul Arts. The orb grants not just theoretical knowledge but also the practical experience—everything the Starveil Fox had mastered."
"It's no exaggeration to say that while Soul Arts are priceless, Experience Orbs are truly invaluable."
Her voice trembled slightly as she continued, "Even the poorest sorcerer would never sell an Experience Orb. And even the most generous sorcerer would covet one. Although Experience Orbs can be taken out of the Void, nearly no one does—most sorcerers absorb them the instant they acquire one."
Nearly every legendary sorcerer has absorbed countless Experience Orbs in their lifetime. These orbs make it possible for sorcerers to master multiple disciplines, innovate within existing fields, create new miracles, summon fresh Soul Arts, and even establish entirely new affinities.
The rapid advancement of sorcerer civilization owes much to the existence of these orbs.
Ash nodded, recognizing their significance but failing to share Sonia's excitement.
"You make it sound like these orbs are incredibly rare, but didn't we just get one so easily?"
Sonia took a deep breath, silently repeating, The Observer is a lovable idiot, three times before explaining.
"True, in theory, any knowledge entity can drop an Experience Orb when defeated. But let's break it down:
"First, knowledge entities usually have the combat power to defeat sorcerers of the same tier.
"Second, even if you find one you can defeat, there's a high chance it will run away when it senses danger."
"They can run?" Ash asked, surprised.
"Of course! They're living beings with survival instincts. Do you think they wouldn't flee?" Sonia shot him a questioning look.
Ash felt like she was insulting him, but he had no proof. "That would suck for the sorcerer."
"Not entirely," Sonia replied. "Knowledge entities know how to 'cut off their tails to escape.' When they flee, they'll often leave behind a Soul Art to distract their pursuers. So, as long as you can overpower one, you'll at least walk away with a Soul Art."
"Well, that's not bad. A win's still a win."
"Sometimes winning is even more frustrating. If you accidentally destroy the Experience Orb during the fight, you'll walk away empty-handed."
"What?"
"Experience Orbs aren't created upon the knowledge entity's death; they already exist inside the entity's body. Because knowledge entities dissolve upon death, no one knows where the orb is located—its position varies between entities.
"If you're not careful during the fight, you could easily destroy it."
"Does that mean most battles end without an orb dropping?"
"Exactly. Sorcerers often don't know whether there was no orb to begin with or if they accidentally destroyed it.
"Now you understand how fortunate we were to get this one," Sonia said, glancing at the spot where the Starveil Fox had disappeared.
"If the fox hadn't been asleep, if we hadn't targeted its head, if the orb hadn't been located in its head, or if the fox had fought back effectively—any one of these factors could've made it impossible for us to claim this orb."
Sonia turned to the Observer with awe-filled eyes. His earlier delay had clearly been to wait for the fox to fall asleep. Such underhanded brilliance—it was incredible!
Ash nodded in agreement, his gaze fixed on the orb.
Sonia's grip tightened as her body trembled slightly. But after a deep breath, she handed the orb to him.
"Here, take it."
"You're giving it to me?"
"You're the one in danger, right? If this helps you grow stronger, it's worth it." Sonia tried to sound casual. "I can wait for the next one. Just don't compete with me for any sword-related orbs."
"Deal!" Ash reached for the orb but found it wouldn't budge.
"Let go already!"
"I'm trying, but my fingers won't listen to me!"
Eventually, Ash pried her fingers off one by one. Sonia watched the orb leave her hands with an expression of deep reluctance.
As the orb rested in Ash's palm, a warm sensation spread through his body, accompanied by a message:
Light Orb
"The distilled essence of the Starveil Fox's truth. Contains secret knowledge unattainable by ordinary sorcerers. Absorbing this orb grants extensive Light Affinity experience."
"Moonlight is the fox's dance; the fox is the moon's wanderer."
Ash felt a deep yearning, an almost primal hunger. His mind and body screamed at him to absorb the orb, pushing aside all other concerns.
It was an overwhelming sensation, stronger than the desperation of a cliffhanger, the anxiety of missing exam answers, or the frustration of a stalled download. Every fiber of his being craved this knowledge.
But just as Ash was about to succumb, a thought flickered through his mind—an inkling of clarity amidst the storm.
Wait. I smell opportunity.
He re-read the orb's description. It explicitly stated, "Absorbing grants extensive Light Affinity experience."
"Sonia, you should absorb this."
Caught off guard, Sonia fumbled the orb before clutching it tightly. "What? Are you saying your Light Affinity is already at silver level?"
"Nope. I know nothing about Light Affinity."
"Then… is it incompatible with your current affinities?"
"Nope. I don't even have any affinities."
"Then why—"
"Because we're connected," Ash said matter-of-factly. "Your strength is my strength."
For the first time, Sonia truly understood what the Observer meant when he said they were "bound."
Without hesitation, Sonia shattered the orb, absorbing its essence. Her body trembled as a wave of knowledge surged through her, her cheeks flushed, and she let out an involuntary sigh.
Though undeniably captivating, Ash was too distracted to notice.
The sensation wasn't one of absorbing knowledge but of recalling it—like suddenly remembering a teacher's lesson when faced with a tough math problem.
From knowing nothing about Light Affinity, Ash now possessed a mastery equivalent to that of a specialized sorcerer.
It worked!
He confirmed that 30% of the experience Sonia absorbed was shared with him.
This was precisely why he had given her the orb—she absorbed 100%, and he gained 30%. Together, that was 130%, a clear gain over absorbing it himself.
Moreover, as Sonia continued to deepen her knowledge, Ash would benefit from her progress indefinitely.
It was a long-term investment—a win-win for their bond.
"Thank you," Sonia said earnestly, the flush of knowledge still fading from her cheeks.
"Don't let me down. Dive deep into Light Affinity while keeping up with your sword training!"
"Absolutely!"