"You get out the same way you got in."
Ash immediately caught on. "You mean... the prisoner transport ship?"
The medical officer nodded. "Lakebreaker Prison is located in the center of Fragmented Lake. The only way to reach it is by ship or by air. But the surrounding airspace is a restricted military zone. Any unauthorized flying objects are scanned and shot down by the prison's Lex Rapidfire Cannons.
"As for the lake itself, it's crawling with Finger Sharks. Unless you're from an aquatic race like the Merfolk, even a defense-specialized mage would find it impossible to swim out alive."
"Escaping from here has always had just one feasible route: hitching a ride on the prisoner transport ship. It's the same ship used to ferry guards and supplies to and from the prison. There are no exceptions."
Ash furrowed his brows. Sure, it was obvious the ship would be heavily guarded—smuggling himself aboard sounded like an impossible task. But at least he now had a realistic starting point to plan around, rather than wasting time on ideas like digging through the sewer only to end up as shark bait.
"Really? No exceptions?"
Ash asked on a whim, not expecting much. But after thinking for a moment, the medical officer surprised him with a nod.
"There's actually one exception," they said. "According to the law, if the sitting mayor of a city is accused of severe misconduct but no direct memory evidence can be found, they must immediately step down from their position and be temporarily detained in the nearest Blood Moon Prison."
"In the case of Kaiman City, that would be Lakebreaker Prison. The mayor is held there in isolation until the Crime Hunters finish their investigation, at which point they're either reinstated or formally sentenced."
Ash raised an eyebrow. "But if they can't find any memory evidence, doesn't that mean the mayor is innocent?"
The medical officer nodded, then shook their head. "Typically, yes. But there are mages with memory-altering miracles—abilities like 'Overwrite,' 'Cut,' or 'Erase.' These memory-editing techniques are high-grade felonies. Both the mage and the subject would face severe punishment, but that hasn't stopped corrupt politicians from using them."
"That's why investigations into high-ranking officials are so exhaustive. They'll often check the memories of anyone close to the accused as corroborative evidence. If nothing comes up, it's treated as a false accusation."
"Has this ever happened to a mayor before?"
"Three or four times in history," the medical officer said. "In every case, the mayor was eventually cleared of all charges, reinstated with an even stronger reputation, and often re-elected."
"So the process proves their innocence?"
"That's the general consensus," they said lightly. "After all, the procedure is airtight—on paper, anyway."
"But no system is perfect," they added, their tone turning wry. "The ones carrying it out are only human."
"Is that the excuse you used when the Crime Hunters caught you?" Ash quipped.
The conversation shifted to other escape ideas. Ash proposed several outlandish schemes: disguising himself as a guard, clinging to the underside of the ship, or hiding in the garbage bins. The medical officer dismissed each one with a mix of logic and exasperation, though the last idea elicited visible disgust.
As they chatted, a distant bell chimed, and the medical officer suddenly stiffened. "It's midnight! Get back to your dorm right now. If a guard catches you, just say you were delayed by treatment. But don't wander or take detours—nighttime roaming costs you contribution points."
Ash nodded and laced up his "Shadow Monarch" series boots. The sleek design looked utterly out of place against his drab prisoner uniform.
"Wait," Ash froze mid-step. "What time did you say it was?"
"Midnight. That was the bell for mages to enter the Ethereal Plane. After midnight, the Blood Moon strengthens our connection to the plane, speeding up soul energy recovery during exploration." The medical officer shrugged. "Not that it matters to you."
A bead of cold sweat formed on Ash's forehead.
He usually met up with Sonia in the Ethereal Plane around 10 p.m. If it was already midnight…
The Ethereal Plane – Sea of Knowledge, Legacy Isle
Zzzzap!
Crackling lightning danced wildly, coiled around a pair of iron whips that slammed into the ground with devastating force. Stray bolts arced through the air, while the sandy surface below melted into shimmering glass under the heat.
"I walk the righteous path with veiled fury, connecting dreams to enlightenment."
The Stormbringer chanted in a hoarse, guttural tone, his tattooed, muscular body swaying as he twirled the electrified whips. Each whip created a protective wall of pure lightning, making him seem untouchable.
Sonia gasped for breath, using her wooden sword as a crutch. Her once-pristine hair was singed and smoky, and her form flickered faintly, on the verge of dissolving into white mist.
"Is this it? My first death in the Ethereal Plane?"
She glanced briefly at the swirling sea beyond the island's edge.
If she timed it right, she might be able to jump into the water and make her escape.
The Stormbringer would definitely pursue her but wouldn't stray far from the island. With any luck, the water might weaken his attacks just enough to give her the edge. From there, she could retreat to the Door of Truth within her soul to exit the plane entirely.
Just a little closer.
A sudden, electrified whip lashed out, morphing mid-strike into a lightning spear aimed straight for her chest.
Now!
Sonia fired a Wave Slash for cover and leapt backward toward the sea.
But the Stormbringer was one step ahead. With a sharp twist of his wrist, his second whip unfurled, spinning through the air like a thunderous boomerang aimed directly at her legs.
Sonia clenched her teeth.
If she jumped higher, she'd evade the whip—but leave herself open to the spear. Staying low would mean certain entanglement.
She had no choice but to gamble:
Outrun the spear.
She kicked off the ground, her body arching midair as she pushed her reflexes to the limit. But just as she thought she'd cleared his range, the Stormbringer's whip surged forward, its tip bursting into a deadly volley of electrified shards.
"You've gotta be kidding me!" Sonia cursed aloud.
And then—thud.
Her flight stopped abruptly as her back collided with something solid.
She froze.
What the hell is floating in the middle of the sea?
The Stormbringer's whip shot forward, crackling with lethal intent. Sonia squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for impact.
Clink!
Instead of pain, she felt... nothing.
Opening one eye cautiously, Sonia found herself standing on the deck of a familiar little boat, surrounded by a glowing barrier of swordlight that deflected the whip's strikes.
Behind her, stepping out of the mist, was the unmistakable figure of her guide.
The Observer.
"Well," he said smugly, folding his arms as if this were routine. "Aren't you lucky to have me?"
Sonia stared at him, half in disbelief, half in sheer annoyance.
Damn it. He stole the spotlight again.