The Sorcerer's Handbook-Chapter 65: Whirlpool

The Whirlpool, also known as the Shortcut of Fate, the Staircase to Advancement, or the Last Fortune of the Cursed, was an extraordinarily rare natural wonder found in the Sea of Knowledge.

Knowledge Creatures had their own habitats, while Inheritance and Serendipity Islands could remain unchanged for millennia until a sorcerer set foot on them. Compared to these phenomena, natural wonders were entirely different. They appeared at random times and locations, and disappeared just as quickly. They were so rare and mysterious that sorcerers often regarded them as absurd rumors or myths of the Virtual World.

For the unluckiest sorcerers, it was only a matter of time before they stumbled upon a Knowledge Creature, an Inheritance Island, or a Serendipity Island in their lifetime. But the Whirlpool was a different story. Even the luckiest among the sorcerers might never encounter a single one. It was the ultimate test of fortune.

The Virtual World's Whirlpool came with its own formidable power. It was also the source of all the envy, jealousy, and admiration directed at those who encountered a Whirlpool. The power was Virtual World Teleportation. Any sorcerer who stepped into a Whirlpool would emerge at another Whirlpool somewhere else in the Sea of Knowledge.

Despite how magical it sounded, the mere act of spatial transfer alone wasn't enough to intrigue the sorcerers. The true wonder lay in the Whirlpool's mysterious passage. It allowed a sorcerer to cross vast regions of the Sea of Knowledge in mere seconds, all while the fundamental law, that the farther a sorcerer sailed in the Sea of Knowledge, the more mana they absorbed, remained fully intact.

If two Whirlpools were separated by thousands of miles, passing through them would be the same as sailing that equivalent distance across the Sea of Knowledge. This meant the sorcerer would instantly absorb enough mana to condense a complete Silver Wing. And this was what drove the sorcerers into a frenzy.

An ordinary sorcerer would typically need two to three years of sailing to condense a Silver Wing, provided they survived. Beyond the Cooldown Time, which imposed harsher punishment the more mana accumulated, another Sword of Damocles[1] hung above every sorcerer. As their accumulated mana increased, so too did their chances of encountering danger.

Each time a sorcerer opened a Door of Truth to enter the Virtual World, they would arrive at a different point than on their last visit. The more abundant their mana, the closer they would be to the core of the Sea of Knowledge. Inheritance Islands and Knowledge Creatures near the core not only offered richer rewards but also posed far greater dangers.

Countless sorcerers, on the verge of condensing their Silver Wing, had been attacked by Knowledge Creatures the moment they entered the Virtual World. In their retreat, they encountered even fiercer creatures and faced relentless assaults until they were forced to quit in frustration. Sorcerers close to perfecting their wing often faced the harsh reality that minutes of exploration could result in days of cooldown.

It was for these reasons that the Whirlpool earned the nickname The Last Fortune of the Cursed. Encountering one wasn't just a matter of consuming a lifetime of luck; it also meant that a sorcerer, suddenly boosted with mana, would face overwhelming challenges in high-difficulty areas. Sometimes, these challenges were so intense that they could crush even the strongest sorcerers.

Yet no sorcerer could resist the lure of the Whirlpool. In areas with a large sorcerer population, a lucky few might encounter one. Leona, for example, was suspected of having encountered a short-range Whirlpool, based on how quickly she had condensed her Silver Wing. This sparked envy among many students.

After hearing Sonya's explanation, Ashe couldn't help feeling excited. More than ever, he needed strength. With each additional gain in power, his chances of breaking out of the prison would rise.

On top of that, with three new spirits in his possession, Ashe needed more mana to sustain them. Swordheart and Wind Barrier weren't an issue, but Earth Sword was a Two-Winged spirit. It drained his mana like an open faucet, yet it was barely able to unleash even a fifth of its true potential.

Earlier, Ashe had shown off in front of the Swordswoman when he created a sword barrier that even the lightning sorcerer couldn't break. But it had come at a steep cost. Now, with less than one-fifth of his mana remaining, he needed to figure out how to manipulate the Swordswoman into expending more effort in combat.

Their small boat cut through the thick white mist, and soon, the Whirlpool appeared before them.

True to its reputation as a natural wonder, the Whirlpool was both strange and eerie. As its name suggested, it was a swirling vortex, but the waters surrounding it remained unnervingly calm, like bystanders to the spectacle. The current around the Whirlpool remained completely unaffected.

Even when the boat came within two meters of it, no force tugged at the vessel. An inattentive sorcerer might pass right by the Whirlpool without ever noticing the natural marvel before them.

"Go, go! The Whirlpool could disappear at any moment!"

"Wait a second."

After entering the Whirlpool's area, Ashe noticed that the map's exploration range had suddenly expanded, revealing two long routes. At the farthest points of each route, two messages appeared. They were Wait a Moment and No Danger, But There's a Chance You May Not End Up Here.

"I think we should wait a moment," Ashe said.

"Is that the effect of your perception ability?" Sonya asked.

"This Whirlpool seems to lead to two others. One path requires us to wait, while the other is safe."

The last time Ashe had chosen to wait, they'd managed to take advantage of the Foxlight Dragon while it was asleep. Naturally, Sonya trusted Ashe's judgment.

However, after several tense seconds, she saw the Whirlpool shrinking and grew anxious. "Even if we die, it's worth entering! A few days' break from the Virtual World isn't a big deal!"

Ashe shot her a glance. "If we can't enter the Virtual World for a few days, my chances of collecting all the required spirits for the Slash Me Miracle will drop even further."

Sonya fell silent. She knew that compared to life itself, gaining mana was trivial... but still...

She stared at the shrinking Whirlpool and seemed hesitant. Words caught in her throat.

Ashe immediately saw through her intentions. "Are you thinking of going in alone first and letting me enter once you confirm it's safe? Sounds feasible, but it won't work. You may have forgotten that I can't open a Door of Truth from inside the prison. If you die, I still won't be able to enter the Virtual World. We're bound together; what happens to you happens to me."

"Still, I can't be sure if my judgment is correct. There's a fifty percent chance you'll reach the safe Whirlpool. Even if luck fails and you land in the dangerous one, you might survive. But if we miss it... It would be truly lost. If you want to go, I wouldn't mind."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Will you secretly hold a grudge or take revenge on me?"

"No."

"Will you bring it up later to blame me?"

"No."

"Really?"

"Yes."

Sonya sighed. "You, Watcher, are so dishonest. You'd even lie to me, a female university student."

She slumped and stared at the Whirlpool. "If we really miss this chance, every time you make a mistake later on, I'll bring this up and scold you."

"I really don't mind."

"I don't believe you. If it were me, I'd remember this grudge for life. Until my last day, I'd never forget missing the opportunity to enter a Whirlpool."

Ashe laughed. "That's you, not me. I'm not... as petty as you."

Pouting, Sonya muttered, "I only trust myself, so I trust you're the same kind of person. I'm not selfish enough to assume everyone else is selfless. Anyway, I've waited with you this time. You'd better remember my sacrifice. Write it down in your little notebook and make sure I get a cut of any benefits later."

Ashe froze for a moment. He suddenly realized that he might have gained another reason to escape the prison. Perhaps this world wasn't full of strangers he shouldn't care about. Maybe... not entirely.

"Of course. From now on, whenever I have a bite of meat, I'll make sure to call you over to smell it."

"You really are a little trumpet..."

1. Sword of Damocles refers to an ancient Greek story in which a sword hangs by a single hair above a man’s head, symbolizing a constant, ever-present danger that can fall at any moment. ☜