Although they had wanted to loot a second resource point, they crossed paths with an old acquaintance on the way—a Fishcleaver Dragon. Thinking of it as running into an old friend in a strange land, they decided that no day was better than today and promptly engaged in a friendly exchange right then and there.
Even without an ocean, a Fishcleaver Dragon on land was not to be underestimated. What was more, this was no juvenile or adolescent; it was a massive creature nearing maturity, measuring a full twenty meters in length, with half its scales having turned a dark red.
Once all of its scales turned dark red, it would fully evolve into its mature form, a Ragecleaver Dragon, capable of rivaling top-tier Two Wings sorcerers. At present, however, it was at most a half-step toward full maturity, just a tiny bit away from evolution.
What, you ask why this Fishcleaver Dragon deserves such a detailed introduction?
Because it was loaded.
After a hard-fought battle, this lucky Fishcleaver Dragon dropped a ground full of loot. Prepared well in advance, the three struck simultaneously and caught every fleeing sorcery spirit.
First, it dropped a Two Wings 'Slash Sword' sorcery spirit and a Two Wings 'Sword Mark' sorcery spirit. Sonia wanted to follow the traditional path of a sword sorcerer, intending to upgrade the three foundational spirits—Slash, Thrust, and Cleave—herself to build a solid foundation in swordsmanship. Thus, Yaxiu claimed 'Slash Sword'; he didn't care about foundations anyway.
As for Sword Mark, it paired well with most swordsmanship sorcery spirits. Sonia was not lacking in damage output and didn't need Sword Mark, whereas Yaxiu, who currently only had Heart Sword for ranged attacks, could attempt to combine Heart Sword and Sword Mark into a new miracle, which might yield a stable, efficient means of dealing damage.
Besides swordsmanship sorcery spirits, the Fishcleaver Dragon also dropped a Two Wings 'Water Erosion' sorcery spirit.
Diya claimed this one. Her 'Water-Born Line' was originally an offensive method based on water sorcery spirits and manifested through the fist and claw faction. The Water Erosion spirit fit seamlessly into her combat system and might even form a new miracle.
Aside from these, the Fishcleaver Dragon's other sorcery spirits were hardly worth mentioning and were all recycled by the Yaxiu-brand garbage disposal.
Beyond sorcery spirits, the Fishcleaver Dragon also dropped a Swordsmanship Orb!
The orb was naturally accepted by Sonia with a smile. Although she politely demurred for a moment, asking if Yaxiu wanted it, her hand gripped the orb tightly without letting go, and Yaxiu couldn't even be bothered to call her out on it.
A single Fishcleaver Dragon had brought gains to all three of them.
Fishcleaver Dragon, you are truly so gentle.
Still, a near-mature Fishcleaver Dragon hadn't grown up eating seaweed. It had thick health, high defense, and rapid, ferocious attacks. Unfortunately for it, Yaxiu and Sonia had killed nearly double digits of Fishcleaver Dragons back in the Sea of Knowledge. The moment the dragon lifted its tail, they knew whether it was going to piss or shit; the moment it raised its head, they knew it was about to let out a voice-cracking roar. Their old strategies applied perfectly.
Even if something went wrong, the three could coordinate and cover for one another. The Fishcleaver Dragon never got a chance to go berserk from start to finish, thoroughly frustrated and toyed with until its final second.
Although they successfully slayed this half-step fully mature knowledge creature, the battle lasted half an hour. Yaxiu and the others had depleted most of their sorcery power and soul energy, leaving them unable to continue exploring.
Sorcery power was like a mana bar—once used up, resting in the Void Realm could restore it. Soul energy, on the other hand, was like a combined health and stamina bar; sustaining injuries consumed energy, and physical exertion consumed energy as well. It could not be replenished within the Void Realm. Once soul energy ran out, one had to exit the Void Realm, or their soul would suffer damage.
After sorting out their spoils in the sports car, Yaxiu spoke up. "Everyone did great tonight. Let's keep it up tomorrow night. Tonight's results will be tomorrow's baseline—strive to make a little progress every day! Well then, we shall—"
"Watcher," Sonia suddenly said, "there's something I want to talk to you about."
"Sure, go ahead," Yaxiu replied readily.
Diya tactfully stood up. "I'll go practice with my new sorcery spirit over there. Let me know when you two are done."
Once the Witch's figure was swallowed by the reverse golden rain, Sonia looked at Yaxiu. A torrent of words surged in her throat, but in the end, it all condensed into a single sound: "Hmph!"
"No way, are you still angry?" Yaxiu was caught between laughter and tears. "Didn't you already accept the Witch joining the team just now?"
"I'm not... it's not just that... forget it."
Sonia waved her hand dejectedly, then suddenly asked, "Can you not hear my inner voice in the Void Realm?"
Yaxiu was somewhat baffled, but still replied, "Of course not."
Not only in the Void Realm, but at no time ever.
Wait, could the game have a feature for listening to an operator's inner thoughts? Was that why the Sword Princess thought he could hear her heart?
Come to think of it, this sort of collection and character-raising mobile game did tend to have similar mechanics. Specifically, when a player tapped an operator's portrait, the operator would voice a few lines. As the operator's trust level grew higher, the lines would become increasingly intimate and heart-stirring.
Yet back in Shattered Lake Prison, when Yaxiu had been bored and examined the game system inside and out, he hadn't found any other functional modules... Damn it, could it have been lost long ago and never repaired?
"Sigh..."
Leaning against the back seat, Sonia gazed at the golden rain outside and sighed softly.
This was the first time Yaxiu had ever seen a sorrowful Sword Princess. In his impression, the Sword Princess had always been a character surging relentlessly forward. Even when facing setbacks, it would only ignite her rebellious will to win. She was like an overbearing blossom holding a stubborn fire within, determined to release her fragrance with uninhibited brilliance, determined to outshine all other blooms, beyond anyone's restraint.
Yet right now, she was like a shadowy flower blooming in the secluded depths of a courtyard corner, quiet and self-pitying, possessing a strangely heart-stirring charm.
However...
"Your face really doesn't suit deep contemplation."
Yaxiu reached out and poked her forehead, teasing with a smile, "Did you run into some trouble? Tell me, give me something to laugh about."
"You mean it doesn't suit sorrow!"
Sonia shielded her forehead, snapping testily, "How are things on your end right now?"
How did the topic suddenly turn to me? Yaxiu blinked. "Thanks to you, I'm getting by."
"Be specific." Sonia gave him an annoyed glare. "Have you left the Blood Moon Country? Is where you're staying safe? Are you in danger day to day? Are there any imminent problems? I might not necessarily be able to help, but at least I can offer some advice."
In truth, Sonia had wanted to ask for a long time. But upon entering the Void Realm, her attention had been hijacked by the Witch joining the party, and then the Watcher had brought out a sports car to explore the Void Realm, with the Witch beside them the whole way. She simply hadn't found an opportunity for a private conversation with the Watcher.
Seeing that they were about to disband and disconnect from the Void Realm, Sonia had no choice but to take the initiative and ask for a private word with the Watcher. Strictly speaking, she didn't have to ask; after all, that the Watcher could enter the Void Realm proved he was already safe in reality and even had a stable dwelling—a homeless vagrant sleeping under an overpass wouldn't dare undertake Void Realm Exploration.
Yet she wanted to ask.
Yaxiu gave her a thoughtful look and suddenly chuckled. Sonia grew flustered under his smile and pouted. "What are you laughing at?"
"Nothing. I'm just happy that you care about me."
"I—I'm just—"
"Don't explain. Just let me hold onto this touching moment," Yaxiu said with a grin. "While on the run, I was wondering how you were doing too. I figured you had to be missing me as well. This proves that a sacred bond truly connects us."
Sonia was slightly startled. "You were thinking of me while on the run too?"
"Yeah." Yaxiu nodded. "Unfortunately, the deeper our bond grows, the less we can meet in reality. From now on, we can only meet in the Void Realm."
If the Witch hadn't told Yaxiu about this rule, he might still have been secretly grumbling about the Sword Princess not visiting him. Aside from the pay-to-win mechanics running flawlessly, this game system had far too many bizarre flaws everywhere else.
"So that's how it is..." Sonia nodded thoughtfully.
No wonder the Watcher hadn't come to her dormitory room to see her for so long. It turned out he could only appear before her in the early stages when their bond was weak. Once their relationship grew close, he could no longer enter her private space, much less listen to her inner thoughts... Come to think of it, this restriction actually seemed quite considerate of her.
However, I don't really mind him entering my private space anymore...
And, I've also learned how to conceal my inner thoughts...
This restriction really came... at the worst possible time.
Chapter 223