Mage Manual

"Is this... Senluo?"

In the Kingdom of Senluo, on the vast and boundless earth, a group of people dragging their luggage walked out of the Sky Gate and gazed up at this world that was both strange and familiar. The sky was as clear as a blue lake, the wind like a transparent river, and the light was a warm Rain Curtain. Although the land was desolate, with only sparse grass growing skyward, compared to the previously dark, murky wasteland that was perpetually overcast, like a blend of black and white, this world was breathtakingly beautiful.

The Earth Mage lay on the ground, listening to the heartbeats of the earth; the Wind Mage raised a hand to feel the skin of the air. Mages used their most familiar methods to sense this world. An elderly mage suddenly knelt on the ground, tears streaming down his face, while shouts rose around him.

"We are back!"

"We’ve returned to Senluo!"

"We really... came home..."

On the other side of the Sky Gate, in the palace of the Wish Pool in the Heavenly Kingdom of Thousand Wishes, Ash watched as batches of three thousand Senluoians crossed the Sky Gate, returning to their once-lost homeland.

"Even though there are better countries accepting them, they all chose to return to their barren homeland," said Diya, sitting by the pool without fearing the Wish Pool’s water that might react intensely with Magic Power, dipping her feet in the pool. Some Technique Spirits approached and circled her feet, and she tightened her foot arch, gripping with her toes as if soaking in hot water: "Senluoians are strange."

"Indeed," Ash said as well. "I don’t know about Earth Abyss and Paradise, but if it were the citizens of Blood Moon, Gospel, or Dazzling Star, they probably wouldn’t have such strong ties to their homeland because the people of these countries live in peaceful times, with no external enemies or internal troubles. Most people focus on their daily affairs rather than grand narratives."

"But Senluo is different. Senluo entered the wasteland era two hundred years ago. Every Senluoian wakes up to a fragmented wasteland world upon opening their eyes. They struggle for survival from birth. If they don’t become mages, they rapidly age and die after their prime, reducing the population burden... Although the Faith Wars stemmed from Lord Senluo’s guidance, faith indeed had a positive aspect during the wasteland era. Living under a lead-gray sky, without the guidance of faith, most people would live like walking corpses. They need this glimmer of hope to persist."

"And because of this, grand narratives are engraved in the souls of Senluoians as a civilizational instinct. Different denominations differ only in what Senluo should become, but the consensus is to make Senluo better. If they can’t survive and escape elsewhere, that’s one thing, but now that they can return, they naturally want to continue their unfinished business."

The Sword Maiden and Witch thoughtfully nodded, and Weiser exclaimed with a look of sudden realization, "Is that really why?"

Ash snorted, "You’re a Senluoan yourself, don’t you know?"

"Unless you’ve traveled extensively like you, normal people can’t distill their country’s cultural characteristics," Weiser pinched Ash’s cheek. "Don’t even mention cultural traits. Can you distill your most prominent feature?"

Ash pondered for a while and squeezed out a word, "Devoted."

Diya: "Playful."

Vishi: "Trash can."

Sonia: "...Chubby?"

"Why is there not a single good word?" Ash’s mouth twitched, "Forget Vishi, why are you, Sword Maiden and Witch, joining in bullying me?"

"Huh? Are you serious, Ash?" Diya blinked innocently. "I thought you were joking."

While speaking, two figures flew towards the palace by the Wish Pool. On the left was a Dreaming Divine Being with five fox tails, and on the right was Black Crow, clad entirely in black and wearing a fierce crow mask. When Black Crow landed, she exchanged a distant glance with Ash, suddenly raised her hand to make a beckoning gesture, and then both vanished on the spot, reappearing in a cross pattern in the middle, bursting with a cloud wave under extreme air compression!

Fist! Foot! Elbow! After three rounds of punches and kicks, Black Crow drew a shield axe, and Ash likewise shook out dual swords from his sleeve without retreat. Within seconds, they clashed dozens of times, trembling the technique spirits in the Wish Pool, who hid at the pool’s bottom shivering. The Dreaming Divine Being anxiously circled around but dared not disturb the two.

Clang!

With a clear sword ringing, the sudden fight finally halted, Black Crow’s transforming shield axe pinned to the ground by Ash’s left-hand sword, with his right-hand sword pressing against Black Crow’s neck. The outcome was decided.

"You’ve gotten much stronger over the year," Black Crow released her hand and said softly, "Even in combat, I can’t beat you now."

Ash smiled, shaking his head, "This is just because the soul body’s physical qualities far exceed mortals. Maybe when you advance to Demigod—"

"No need for modesty, the essence of technique is to fully utilize one’s physical strengths. There are plenty of mages in the world with power they can’t correctly wield," Black Crow retracted the shield axe, saying, "Whether through combat or other means, strength is strength, and weakness is weakness. If I keep looking for excuses after losing in what I’m best at, it would be losing twice."

Ash blinked and patted her shoulder, smiling, "You really haven’t changed a bit."

"You think so?"

"Yes."

Black Crow lowered her head, shoulders trembling slightly, "I’ve trained diligently for a year without a day’s slack, fought two hundred and fifty-six battles undefeated in the Void Realm, autonomously summoned the Four-winged Death Technique Spirit, yet in your eyes, I’m still unchanged, with no progress compared to a year ago..."

Ash was stunned, "I didn’t mean that—"

"No need to explain. You’re stronger now. I’ll remember this humiliation!" Black Crow clenched her fist, "Just wait, though I may never surpass you in magic, I’ll definitely defeat you in combat!"

Ash scratched his head, feeling that Black Crow was like a passionate player in a fighting game who lost and wanted to turn the tide. But it seemed all his friends were like this; if he surpassed Igula and Harvey in mind games or necromancy research, those two would probably be stewing with anger, eager to regain their standing.

However, he didn’t dislike this kind of obsession.

"Sorry."

Ash blinked, unsure why Black Crow suddenly apologized.

"When you had trouble a few days ago, I couldn’t do anything," Black Crow said, her voice full of shame as she lowered her head. "If it weren’t for Freyja telling me, I wouldn’t even know I forgot about you... Even though I was right in the Seven Heavens, I couldn’t leave the Heavenly Kingdom, clueless about what’s happening outside..."

Ash thought for a moment, "Stretch out your hand."

As soon as Black Crow extended her hand, Ash threw her over his shoulder, dazing her head, then pulled her up, casually saying, "Next time you can’t help, a shoulder throw won’t suffice as an apology. At least a spanking."

Black Crow didn’t fear the shoulder throw, but upon hearing the new punishment, she instinctively protected her backside, hurriedly pledging, "Next time, I’ll fight bravely for you!"

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