"But you still haven't resolved your most pressing crisis," Sonia said, resting her chin on her hand. "From what you've described, the Blood Moon Trial on the 27th is bound to claim many lives. What if you're selected for the trial? The more thorough your escape plan gets, the less likely you are to survive long enough to execute it. Feels like some kind of ominous premonition."
She didn't stretch her legs toward him after all. The boat wasn't particularly comfortable for lying down—definitely not like a bed. She was just teasing Ash, testing the limits of his patience.
The results, of course, were excellent.
Soon… she thought. The day I break free from the Observer's influence and turn him into my steed isn't far off.
Unaware of Sonia's scheming thoughts, Ash's attention was fixed on the Void Map. "Then we'll accelerate the plan and trigger a full-blown prison riot."
"But without a ship—"
"Even without a ship, there are ways to cross the shark-infested waters of Lakebreak. They'll cost some blood, though. The real problem is getting to the shore safely—there will undoubtedly be hunters waiting to recapture escapees. While it's nearly impossible to survive that, it's better than waiting to die in the Blood Moon Trial."
Sonia nodded in agreement. It was, indeed, the best option in the worst-case scenario. Her perception of Ash subtly shifted. After his "pleas for comfort" last night, she'd pegged him as someone hesitant and delicate. Yet when decisiveness was required, Ash didn't waver.
While Sonia could prattle on about strategies and contingencies, she wasn't sure she'd have the resolve to break out of a fortified prison like Lakebreak if their roles were reversed. Escaping wasn't just about breaking free—it was an act of defiance against an entire system. Even if successful, the escapee would face endless pursuit, living under constant threat with no safe haven.
The oppressive weight of that reality might be scarier than death itself.
Yet Ash, despite occasional signs of vulnerability, displayed no fear of the Blood Moon Kingdom's overwhelming power.
She could only attribute it to his "strongman revival" aura—or perhaps…
He was simply born without fear.
"Up ahead! A juvenile Slashfish Dragon," Sonia called out. "Should we take it on?"
"Absolutely. I've got a perfect opening move that might knock it out cold!"
As their boat cut through the white fog, Sonia began to sense faint signs: the sound of blade-like fins scraping against the seabed, bubbles rising from the water, the salty tang of the air. While she wasn't as perceptive as Ash, the Expulsion Toxin allowed her to pick up traces of knowledge beasts through the fog, preparing her for battle. Her hand instinctively gripped her sword hilt.
"Hey!"
The boat suddenly swerved, and Sonia's building momentum dissipated. "What are you doing?" she asked, annoyed.
Ash's voice carried a note of excitement. "There's something unusual behind the Slashfish Dragon—a potential miracle island!"
His Void Map showed a radiant silver glow in the area behind the beast, accompanied by a sparkling prompt:
"Come here!"
"Finally, another miracle island?" Sonia straightened up, her fatigue forgotten. "This time, we're taking everything—no escape for any spellcores!"
But as they approached, both of them noticed something amiss. The surrounding fog grew thicker, turning into a milky haze so dense that even on the small boat, they couldn't see each other.
The air became saturated with knowledge streams, feeding directly into their minds. For Ash, it was merely a distraction, but for Sonia, it was a revelation. Barriers in her swordsmanship shattered one after another. Concepts that had stumped her for weeks suddenly clicked, and she couldn't wait to test them in practice.
Sailing through the Void typically provided small increments of experience. But the density of this fog was comparable to consuming an experience pearl, fueling significant breakthroughs in her understanding.
Creak.
The boat stopped abruptly, and the fog parted to reveal the hidden island.
What they saw made their faces pale.
If the island had been home to a knowledge beast, a mage projection, or even other travelers, they wouldn't have been so alarmed.
Instead, they were greeted by two chairs.
Just two chairs.
Their eyes met, both filled with unease.
"You recognize this place?" Ash whispered, his voice unusually subdued.
"No," Sonia replied, equally uneasy. "Let's leave."
Their fear was warranted. If there had been one chair, they might have dismissed it. But two? That meant the island had anticipated their arrival, knowing there would be two of them.
How could that be? In the Void, mages always traveled alone.
It felt like stumbling upon a note in an unfamiliar city that read: "Hello, Ash. Spend this $100, it's yours."
The implied surveillance was unnerving.
Ash checked his Void Map again. The prompt still urged them, "Come here." Gritting his teeth, he resolved to investigate.
"Don't worry," he said. "At worst, we lose our first life in the Void. We've already spread our Silver Wings, so there's not much to lose."
"But what if it's another inescapable trap, like the Expulsion Toxin?"
"Trust me!"
When Sonia hesitated, Ash grabbed her hand and dragged her toward the island. He was scared too—but he wasn't going alone.
The chairs were unremarkable, ordinary in every way. After a moment of shared hesitation, they sat down simultaneously.
Nothing happened.
No tentacles emerged to bind them; no traps sprang to life.
Moments later, they both felt something on their laps. Looking down, they saw pieces of paper that had appeared out of nowhere.
The instant they picked them up, the rules of the game were revealed in their minds:
"Answer the questions presented to you. Incorrect answers end the game immediately. Correct answers allow you to continue. After one correct answer, you may ask your own question."
Sonia's paper glowed faintly, displaying a single question:
"What is the root cause of the rift between the Sword Maiden and the Observer?"
1. The Sword Maiden resents the Observer's indifference.
2. The Observer believes the Sword Maiden is uncontrollable.
3. Unequal division of spoils.
4. All of the above.