Sorcerer’s Handbook

“The situation looks grim…”

Watching Leoni retreat step by step on the stage, the faces of the Swordflower College competition team members darkened.

They hadn’t expected Leoni, who was supposed to handle the Chief Battle, to already show signs of defeat in the Vice Chief battle.

Although the order of vanguard, front guard, center, vice chief, and chief can be adjusted at will, typically the strongest are placed later, with the strongest as the chief.

If someone wanted to employ dirty tactics, such as using a “strong horse against a weak horse, weak horse against a strong horse” strategy to secure an overall victory in a Friendly Match, it would be within the rules and beyond reproach, but don’t expect other schools to engage with you next year — Friendly Matches are meant to scout talented students among schools, and the outcome doesn’t affect league scores. If you resort to tricks in such matches, don’t be surprised if others refuse to play along next time.

Everyone can play tricks, but no one likes it when tricks are played all the time. Using cunning in Friendly Matches will cost you friendships.

This also meant — Orbit College’s Vice Chief was on par with Leoni, even gaining the upper hand!

Before recommending Sonya, Leoni had been this year’s top contender from Swordflower!

Orbit’s second-best was about to defeat Swordflower’s former number one!

Moreover, they had already lost the vanguard battle, and the front guard, a last-minute substitute, was also defeated, leaving only the center battle with a win. If they lose the Vice Chief battle, the score would turn 3:1, and even if they win the Chief Battle, they would still lose overall.

Not to mention, Sonya was responsible for the Chief Battle. Thinking of this, everyone grew even more pessimistic.

True, the Red-haired Swordswoman had rapidly risen to fame, known throughout the school, and even managed to draw with Leoni in a match, but the competition team members didn’t trust her strength. Despite their reluctance, Leoni and Professor Trozan both endorsed Sonya for the Chief, and the other team members had no choice but to convince themselves with the rationale of “a weaker horse challenging a stronger one.”

Their skepticism towards Sonya was not unfounded—her time as a Swordcerer had been too short, and she had experienced too few battles. Even though the Red-haired Swordswoman had managed a draw with the Orange Dancer, it was because they were both seasoned Swordcerers, familiar with each other’s techniques, which gave them an informational advantage.

However, when competing externally, they would face Sorcerers from various factions, each with their own unique and unpredictable methods. At such times, combat experience becomes crucial. Leoni, having participated in the Intercollegiate League the previous year and spent the last six months intensively battling creatures in the Abyss, had amassed a wealth of combat experience and on-the-spot reaction skills.

In contrast, Sonya had only ever fought against Swordcerers within the school, had never participated in the league, nor ventured into the Abyss. Compared to the battle-hardened Leoni, she was like a naive girl who had never ventured beyond her own backyard.

Even if she encountered battles in the Virtual Realm, how much experience could she really accumulate?

Did she know how to confront a Spear Sorcerer?

Was she familiar with the four tactics against a Fire Sorcerer?

Did she know what to do if a Wind Sorcerer blew up her skirt?

Had she ever experienced the trash-talk storms typical of competition arenas?

Thus, the team was quite pessimistic about Sonya’s prospects in the Chief Battle, feeling that she was merely there to soak in the atmosphere. As for winning or losing, participating was deemed good enough.

If they had won the previous four battles, having Sonya participate in one would have been harmless; but now, with the score likely turning 3:1, and potentially 4:1 after the Chief Battle, they would have to brace for a storm of criticism on the School Forum upon their return.

“Huff.”

The third note of “Melody Rhythm” was abruptly interrupted as Leoni was knocked back three meters. However, she gracefully spun in the air, lightly touched the ground, and steadied herself completely.

“You’ve gotten quite strong, Skoll.”

Standing in front of the Orange-haired Dancer was a dark-skinned man dual-wielding nunchucks.

He was dressed in a glittering Battle Garment that made his dark skin stand out even more, tall and lean, holding ebony nunchucks modeled like bird heads. He shuffled in place with quick, small steps, his movements both agile and sharp.

Skoll, the Vice-Chief of Orbit, majored in one of Orbit College’s mainstream factions—the Nunchuck Faction. This faction evolved from the Fist and Claw Faction and integrated the essence of Sword and Spear Sorcerer factions. It is a Magical Faction that has developed in the last two hundred years, characterized by high speed, flexibility, and explosive power.

Leoni was indeed unlucky. Against a regular Spear Sorcerer, her ‘Melody Rhythm’ with its swift movements would normally allow her to take control of the Battle. Unfortunately, Skoll was also a high-agility fighter, able to keep up with Leoni’s pace effortlessly.

“You too,” Skoll smiled and said, “I didn’t expect that in just a year, you would become the famed Orange Dancer. I regretted not facing you in the arena before, but now I finally have the chance.”

Both had participated in last year’s Intercollegiate League but were merely supporting roles back then, only briefly crossing paths. Now, it was their turn to be the shining main characters.

“However, I thought you would be this year’s Chief of Swordflower,” Skoll glanced at Sonya below, “could it be that your junior is stronger than you?”

“Heh, she is a genuine monster.”

“Then she’s my next target. I hope she won’t disappoint.”

“Don’t rush it.”

Leoni drew a short sword from her waist: “Looking at other pretty girls while on a date with a lady is a Taboo, you know.”

“You should keep focusing on me instead.”

Skoll’s expression became slightly more serious. “Dual swords? Could it be the Rhythm Sword Saint’s…”

“That’s right, exactly what you’re thinking!”

In an instant, Leoni disappeared from sight. Skoll swung his nunchucks across his chest defensively, but his shoulders drooped softly, and his legs slightly bent, appearing completely relaxed.

Miracle: One-Arm Domain!

In this state, any attack within the reach of Skoll’s arm would trigger an immediate, high-speed counterattack. His agility, strength, reaction speed, and insight were all enhanced, coupled with the Nunchuck Faction’s explosive power, effectively restraining Leoni’s movements!

Even at the Silver Rank, the ‘One-Arm Domain’ is a powerful Miracle of the upper-tier radiant silver. Of course, it also has a clear drawback—if facing a Sorcerer proficient in long-range attacks, this Miracle becomes useless. However, if Skoll were to confront a long-range Sorcerer, he naturally has other strategies and could still use his nunchucks to smash the Sorcerer’s head.

The defensive effectiveness of the One-Arm Domain is beyond question. For instance, Skoll’s highest recorded reaction was instantly deflecting five Shot Bullets, proving that within ten steps, not even a Gun Technique practitioner could halt his advance!

If it’s beyond ten steps, then those practitioners also can’t stop Skoll from escaping.

However, at this moment, Skoll’s expression was extremely grave, as if anticipating a significant challenge. Leoni had vanished from the stage, only occasionally flashing a hint of orange.

Her voice drifted across the stage: “Do you know what the most enchanting music in the world is?”

“It’s silence.”

Clang!

Suddenly, a piercing sound exploded through the Shining Trail Church, followed by a brief deafness—the screeching noise, like the most venomous and bloated bug, desperately burrowed deep into everyone’s ears, cutting off all external vibrations!

Silence descended!

Just then, Skoll swiftly turned and swung his nunchuck, unleashing purple lightning like divine punishment aimed at Leoni behind him!

Miracle: Purple Lightning Naginata!

However, the nunchuck passed through, shattering only the image in his mind. The real Leoni appeared at his side.

Skoll hesitated for a split second, and his chest was already pierced by Leoni’s long and short swords. The Orange Dancer, still unsatisfied, tripped Skoll and pinned him to the stage with her sword!

“The match… is decided!” The host, sickened by the piercing noise, struggled to fulfill his duties: “The winner, Leoni Vickt from Swordflower College!”

By this time, others had mostly recovered, and medical Sorcerers eagerly came forward to treat Skoll.

In both Friendly Matches and the Intercollegiate League, students must rely solely on their own abilities without any protective Miracles from their colleges.

For instance, when Sonya and Felix sparred, they were protected by a Star Robe, a privilege for outstanding students within the school, something that wouldn’t appear in official competitions unless the student themselves mastered the Star Robe Miracle.

After all, if colleges could armor their students, the Intercollegiate League would merely become a contest of who has the most layers of armor.

Having no protective miracles means that casualties are inevitable. When injuries occur at the end of a Battle, it’s time for the medical Sorcerers to step in. During the Intercollegiate League season each year, it’s also a period when medical Sorcerers from various schools rapidly gain experience. They almost wish for the Battles to be fiercer, hoping everyone ends up so battered that they’re sent straight to the Treatment room—such scenarios are like experience bonanzas for them.

“Wait…”

Skoll, with the help of medical Sorcerers, struggled to sit up and raised his hand to stop Leoni: “The ‘Silent Rhythm,’ the famous miracle of the ‘Rhythm Sword Saint,’ I remember it’s an upper-tier radiant gold miracle!”

“Are you already a… Two Wings Sorcerer?”

The miracle that had just silenced the entire arena was indeed Nidhogg Professor’s most daunting and nauseating move—Silent Rhythm.

The second shortsword wasn’t for dual-wielding but served as a musical instrument. Leoni had been moving at high speed while scraping her longsword against the shortsword continuously, using the miracle to absorb all the resultant noise and then releasing it in one go, causing a widespread sonic blast that temporarily deafened everyone, friend and foe alike!

As Leoni’s opponent, Skoll naturally received the brunt of the sonic impact, and his hearing was nearly destroyed instantly, leaving him only able to hear his own heartbeat.

Not only that, the intense vibration severely affected Skoll’s vision. Although the One-Arm Domain allowed him to counterattack swiftly, he could only see afterimages left by Leoni; his dynamic vision failed to capture the Orange Dancer at his side!

If “Melody Rhythm” is Nidhogg’s standard attack, then “Silent Rhythm” is his killer move. The wide-range sonic impact, deafness, and blindness make Nidhogg one of the rare Swordcerers who dares to face multiple attackers, allowing him to stand out among Two Wings Sorcerers and soar to new heights!

But the main spirits of “Silent Rhythm” are mostly at the Two Wings level, with no One Wing substitutes, so the minimum threshold to cast it is being a Two Wings Sorcerer!

The Audience was stunned, only the two supervising Professors showed no surprise.

Leoni glanced at Skoll and nodded, “A Silver Sorcerer, I haven’t been one for a few days now.”

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