The unexpected interlude of the Experience Pearl made dividing the remaining three spirit cores an easier and more relaxed task. Although Sonia insisted on giving all three cores to Ash, he carefully evaluated their potential and decided to keep two of the less valuable ones, Foxfire and Lamp Light, leaving the most powerful core, Moon Threads, to Sonia.
Foxfire
One-Wing Spirit Core
Restriction: The caster must possess a tail.
Active Effect: Shoots a number of blue flames from the tail, which cling to specific targets and burn for a duration. The burning does not cause pain and may even induce pleasure.
Passive Effect: The caster's body hair becomes more lush and flammable.
"Pain and pleasure are but illusions. Burn away the surface, and the truth is revealed."
Lamp Light
One-Wing Spirit Core
Restriction: Requires a glowing medium or a nearby light source.
Active Effect: Creates a floating orb of light that moves according to the caster's will.
Passive Effect: The caster feels more energized in well-lit areas.
"Light does not banish darkness. Darkness chases the light."
Moon Threads
One-Wing Spirit Core
Restriction: Requires a glowing medium or a nearby light source.
Active Effect: Generates steel-tough, suspended threads of moonlight.
Passive Effect: The caster feels lighter and more agile under moonlight.
"Listen closely. The moonlight is weaving the night's shroud."
Clearly, Foxfire and Lamp Light were likely the core offensive tools of the Moonlit Dragonfox. Combining the two could create persistent and flexible flame attacks. Luckily, Ash and Sonia ambushed it while it slept. Otherwise, just dealing with this "fire-light combo" would have been a grueling battle, not to mention the deadly Moon Threads. When Sonia tested it, the threads could float midair and slice through enemies with ease—a perfect trap for unprepared foes.
Ash briefly considered keeping Moon Threads but ultimately decided against it. While he remained in the prison, he couldn't use any spirit cores anyway, no matter how powerful. So, he took Foxfire and Lamp Light to sell later, knowing neither of them could use these cores without tails.
Sonia, however, got Moon Threads as her "homework." After all, her progress would directly benefit Ash through shared learning. No way could he let her run out of training material.
Suddenly, Ash had a thought. "Could we trade spirit cores while in the Void Realm?"
Sonia instantly knew what he was thinking. "You're asking me to help you find cores for the 'Sever Self' miracle and trade them to you in the Void Realm?"
"Exactly! Since you—"
"Forget it. Not possible."
"Huh?"
"Never unlink your bond with a spirit core in the Void Realm. It's incredibly dangerous."
Ash gulped. "What… what happens if I do?"
"The spirit core will run. Immediately."
"…Can't I just catch it again?"
Sonia shook her head firmly. "No. No one can catch it again. You might not realize this, but we, as mages, are outsiders here. In the Void Realm, spirit cores are the true masters."
"Spirit cores aren't really alive, are they? Do they even think?"
"Maybe not," Sonia admitted, "but one thing is certain: they have instincts. One of those instincts is an unyielding desire for freedom."
Recalling how quickly unbound spirit cores fled during their last adventure, Ash nodded but still seemed doubtful. "But spirit cores don't exactly move fast. Why can't we just chase them down?"
"That's because those were cores that had never been bound. Think of it this way: which mouse is harder to catch—the one that's been caught before or the one that hasn't?"
Ash frowned. "Still, they're not that fast…"
"They aren't in the real world," Sonia clarified. "Unbinding a spirit core there makes it flee, but the impact is minimal, and it's relatively easy to recapture."
"But the Void Realm is the spirit cores' home—the birthplace of all miracles. Here, the entire realm helps them escape."
"While no one knows what it costs a spirit core to flee, countless records prove this: unbind a core in the Void Realm, and it will vanish instantly. No mage has ever been able to retrieve one."
Another avenue closed, Ash sighed in frustration. Just as he was about to leave the island, Sonia stopped him. "Wait. There's more loot."
From the small tree where the Moonlit Dragonfox had been lying, Sonia picked two small green fruits. She handed one to Ash, who stared at it curiously.
"These are called Void Fruits, Soul Fruits, or Mystery Fruits. They go by many names and come in various forms, but the effect is always the same: eating one restores your soul energy, extending your exploration time in the Void Realm."
"And just so you know," Sonia added, "they taste awful."
Ash gagged after one bite. "You couldn't have told me that first?"
"It's better this way. Now you won't be tempted to eat another." Sonia's face twisted in disgust.
Their luck seemed to dry up after finding the Experience Pearl. The following hours offered no promising areas—only warnings like "Certain Death," "Waste of Time," and even "Run Now." They finally left the Void Realm and returned to the prison.
Ash sold Foxfire and Lamp Light, each worth 10 points. Combined with the 10 points from his earlier sale of Rapid Fire, he had accumulated 30 points—just enough to purchase a Small Source Crystal Pack.
The pack contained six Source Crystals, but thanks to the first-purchase bonus, he received 12 in total. Adding the three crystals from daily logins, Ash now had 15 Source Crystals for five pulls.
Excited for his draws, Ash washed his hands, clasped them in prayer, and whispered: "Oh, great Void Realm, I'm investing your spirit cores into you. It's a win-win. Make me lucky, and you'll benefit too…"
Draw One: White Light—"Energy Potion"
Draw Two: White Light—"Basic Combat Training Card"
Perfect. No rest for Sonia next week.
Draw Three: Purple Light—"Void Telescope"
Draw Four: Orange Light—"Mad Sword Maiden's Silver Coin"
Draw Five: Purple Light—"Awakening Combat Record"
Void Telescope immediately caught Ash's eye. It extended his exploration range by one tile in all directions. From a 3×3 grid (8 tiles) to a 5×5 grid (24 tiles), this single item boosted their exploration efficiency by at least 50%.
Next was The Mad Sword Maiden's Silver Coin: one of three coins the Mad Sword Maiden had once cherished but later lost. Taking this coin to her could bring rewards… or death. Upon using it, Ash noticed a significant update to Sonia's profile:
Mad Sword Maiden (Sonia)
Race: Human, Female, 18 years old.
Bond Level: 1 (35% XP Share).
Bond Resonance—"Greedy Heart": Increases odds of better loot when acting together.
Class: One-Wing Sword Mage.
Class Perk: Sword techniques consume 10% less stamina.
Spirit Cores: Wave Sword, Moon Threads, Torrent.
Sword Techniques: Silver Level.
Light Techniques: Silver Level.
Water Techniques: Uninitiated.
Void Exploration Progress: 0.002%.
Finally, Awakening Combat Record offered a game-changing effect: the selected character would enter a high-stakes training session with 250% boosted combat XP and enhanced chances of breakthroughs. The catch? Moderate danger.
As Ash stared at the record, Sonia's earlier complaints echoed in his mind:
"I have no personal time anymore…"
"I'm exhausted…"
"Can't we cut training down to an hour?"
The prison's morning hymn began to play:
"If pain fills your heart, take hold of the blade,
Cut free the curse of yesterday's shadow…"
Resolute, Ash activated the Awakening Combat Record, selecting Sonia as the target.
"Sonia, this is for your own good!"