Galaxy Era, Swordflower University
"…Of course, I knew it was a vortex! Damn it, why couldn't I have your kind of luck? My Silver Wings took me countless sleepless nights to condense!"
"Ugh, no! The more I think about it, the more annoyed I get! People like you, lucky and gifted—I hate you the most. Just get out of here already!"
"And don't forget to polish your swordsmanship. If I find out you're slacking off because of a little success, prepare to be incinerated by the flames of my jealousy…"
With that, Sonia was unceremoniously kicked out of Professor Telozan's research lab. She stuck out her tongue at the door and skipped off with a bright smile—Professor Telozan may have been harsh with his words, but he was extremely generous with his rewards.
Not only did he gift her two precious sword-based spirits from his personal collection, but he also shared two advanced sword miracles with her!
The two first-wing spirits were "Sword Sheath" and "Sharpening Blade." Sonia had seen the first one before when Senior Sister Celia used it. When a sword rests in the sheath for over 15 seconds, it enhances the next strike.
The second spirit, "Sharpening Blade," activates when the blade is honed with a whetstone, making the sword edge sharper, more resilient, and less prone to breaking or chipping.
The two miracles—"Sheath of Radiance" and "A Decade of Sharpening"—are both derived from these spirits. Sonia, however, still needed to purchase auxiliary spirits to activate them.
For instance, "A Decade of Sharpening" requires time-based spirits like "Second," "Minute," "Hour," "Day," "Month," and "Year."
While time spirits might sound expensive, they were surprisingly cheap and abundant, readily available on the spirit trading platform.
This affordability was due to the sheer number of these spirits found on the Continent of Time in the second layer of the Void. Any second-wing sorcerer could collect dozens of them in one visit.
Since they were second-layer resources, their high supply drove prices down. That's why Professor Telozan didn't hesitate to teach Sonia this miracle—he knew his talented apprentice came from humble beginnings.
Thanks to the spirits she sold from her Void expeditions, Sonia's finances were in better shape than usual. She had been debating which spirits to buy to enhance her combat system, and Professor Telozan's guidance had solved her dilemma perfectly.
These two miracles also revealed the professor's current training plan for her: improve her realm, master her spirits, and learn to wield miracles.
It made sense. Sonia had condensed her Silver Wings in a record-breaking eight days, but her swordsmanship realm lagged far behind her explosive growth in spirit power.
The insurmountable obstacle before her now was her Swordsmanship Realm. Without raising it to the Golden level, she couldn't summon second-wing spirits, access the second layer of the Void, step foot on the Continent of Time, or even begin condensing Golden Wings.
A sorcerer's promotion required a balance—both spirit power and realm had to meet the threshold. Only then would the Void unlock its greater mysteries for them.
Even though Sonia had fully formed her Silver Wings, she'd need at least a year to strengthen her swordsmanship realm before she could advance to the second wing.
Ironically, Sonia's rapid spirit power growth came with its own risks. From now on, every journey into the Void would land her in the core zones of the Sea of Knowledge. With bad luck, she might even encounter mature Knowledge Beasts—monsters far beyond what a first-wing sorcerer could handle.
This was why Professor Telozan had set such high expectations for her. If she slacked off, she'd risk repeated deaths in the Void, damaging her soul, losing vital spirits, or worse, stagnating her realm progression.
Complacency after lucky breaks was the death of many sorcerers. Those who soared after a chance windfall often crashed hard, taught a harsh lesson by the merciless Void.
The Void wasn't a charity. For every stroke of fortune it granted, it exacted an equivalent price.
Unless Sonia stumbled across another golden opportunity—like finding a Golden Fish to bypass the barriers to the Continent of Time—she couldn't skip the hard work of raising her realm.
But not even Professor Telozan, let alone Sonia, considered that an actual possibility. Even the Observer hadn't found a Golden Fish.
At the thought of the Observer, Sonia's earlier excitement began to fade.
She sighed quietly and headed back toward her dorm. The campus was still under lockdown—no classes, no one allowed near the White Tower.
But just as she exited the research building, she spotted a familiar silver luxury car parked along the road. She tried to walk around it, but the window rolled down, revealing Felix's annoyingly handsome face.
"Get in. I'll give you a ride back."
The demand was non-negotiable, but Sonia wasn't in the mood for conversation. She ignored him and kept walking. Felix drove alongside her, his voice calm but probing.
"You ran into a vortex, didn't you?"
"Yes."
By now, the entire university knew Sonia's secret. A small-town newbie who had barely started exploring the Sea of Knowledge and already encountered a vortex? The rumor had spread like wildfire.
If Sonia had shown off some rare spirit, people might have muttered things like, "Is she being sponsored by someone?" But her rapid spirit power growth left no room for debate. There was only one explanation.
No one could "sponsor" someone with a vortex.
And dismissing it as "luck" only invited ridicule in the university's discussion forums. Every legendary sorcerer had luck on their side—those without it were just Void victims whining in the corners.
Felix fell silent as Sonia approached the dormitory area. Then, he suddenly asked, "After crossing the vortex, did you encounter a wounded Bladefin Dragon and claim its Killing Intent Sword?"
Sonia paused. Whatever she had been thinking, her response was dictated by her pact. "Yes."
Felix's surprise was evident. He hadn't expected her to admit it outright. Knowing Sonia, she could have effortlessly denied it without leaving any clues behind.
Tapping his fingers on the steering wheel, Felix asked, "What will it cost for you to sell the Killing Intent Sword to me?"
Though Sonia wanted to answer firmly, "Not for sale," her mouth betrayed her. "A noble title."
Felix blinked. "Didn't I already suggest marriage before—"
"I don't like you."
The words landed like a cold slap. Felix almost shot back with, "It's just a deal!" but stopped himself. Her serious expression stole the fight out of him.
"If you won't take that route, then I don't have anything else that can sway you… wait here."
Sonia shrank back into the dormitory area, half-wondering if Felix planned to snatch her sword by force.
Instead, Felix scribbled something onto a piece of paper and floated it over to her. "Burn it after you've read it. Is this worth one favor?"
Sonia opened the note, her eyes widening. It was a miracle schematic—"Killing Intent Activation"—designed specifically for the Killing Intent Sword.
Compared to simple power boosters like "Evil Light Slash," this miracle was a masterpiece. It converted killing intent into personal buffs, enhancing strength, reflexes, endurance, and more. And the more intense the killing intent, the stronger the effect.
For a first-wing sorcerer, it could boost performance by up to 150%. A miracle like this would cost Sonia her entire savings and still leave her wanting.
"Is this enough for a favor?"
"Yes, but only worth a single silver coin. If your request exceeds that value, I'll refuse it, albeit guiltily."
"You're awfully precise, aren't you?" Felix chuckled. "Fine. I'll make sure to use this silver coin wisely."
Without waiting for thanks, he drove away, leaving Sonia stunned. "Rich kids," she muttered.
Even if Felix had no use for the miracle, casually giving it away as a favor showed his magnanimity—or insanity.
That evening, Sonia's mind remained restless, her thoughts bouncing between spirits, miracles, and… the Observer.
At 11:00 PM, she entered the Meditation Hall as usual.
Finding the Gate of Truth brought a twinge of unease, but she pushed through it.
The Observer might have been absent last night, but something told her he'd be waiting.
And when she opened her eyes in the Void, there he was, perched on the familiar little boat.
"Evening, Sword Maiden," he said, his tone as casual and grating as ever.
The tension in Sonia's chest dissolved. She exhaled in relief, clutching her heart with a small smile.
"You're okay. That's all that matters."
Her words caught the Observer off guard, his retort momentarily silenced. But before he could reply, a golden light burst forth from Sonia's chest.
It formed into a radiant first-wing spirit—a translucent butterfly with a single wing that shimmered like a rainbow in motion.
In that instant, both of them instinctively knew its name.
Sincerity.