Mage Manual
Chapter 334 - Chapter 334 Chapter 283 You Gaze at Ash the Observer Gazes at

Chapter 334: Chapter 283: You Gaze at Ash, the Observer Gazes at You Chapter 334: Chapter 283: You Gaze at Ash, the Observer Gazes at You “Good evening, I’m here to develop your Mage’s Handbook!”

Planning to deal with us first? A great idea, to guide the attacks of smart machines, we must use our eyes to lure them on-site, so we are indeed the most apparent weakness in drone tactics.

But at the same time, it is… the most insidious trap!

Agitated by the Spiritual Scream, Maynard’s mouth slightly curved upwards as he lightly tapped his toe. The concrete ground immediately burst into countless spikes, entwining the attackers like wildly growing vines!

As a victim of “Mage Duel 14,” Maynard had focused on Earth Magic from a young age, dreaming of someday befriending a girlfriend like the Earth Empress, only to find out when he started working that the construction site environment was so harsh that female Earth Mages were virtually nonexistent.

However, his combat abilities went far beyond what the Earth Magic faction could conceal, and he was soon taken in as a member of the Family Reunion Office, primarily responsible for combat within the city.

For him, a Mage who had once carried bricks on construction sites, the urban steel jungle was filled with weapons he could utilize!

During the recent drone attack, Maynard had already silently set up the precursor tracks for a Miracle. However, Earth Magic miracles that significantly alter the terrain require a longer casting time, and casting them on the fly was absolutely impossible. But a Mage could prepare all the precursor tracks of a Miracle in advance and then trigger the final steps when needed.

This kind of Miracle technique, politely called ‘Prophet,’ but crudely called ‘fishing.’

Designed to trap and kill enemies!

“Hmph.”

Faced with the spike hell, Ash was neither sad nor happy, not only because Igula had pre-administered a Stimulant boost to him but also because he had been through too many battles himself.

Being around talented operators like the Sword Maiden and the Witch, even if Ash liked to depend on others, he had already forged a Mage’s heart through relentless trials. Perhaps even Ash himself hadn’t realized he was a completely different breed from the small corporate drone who had just transported here a month ago, whether navigating a barrage of gunfire or facing the threats of Miracles, he handled everything as adroitly as handling business.

It was life and women that had shaped him into this form!

Sweet words and a hidden dagger drew a deadly Sword Net in the air, strangling all the vicious ground spikes!

Ash had not used any Miracle but simply added ‘Slicing Sword,’ ‘Heart Sword,’ and ‘Sword Trace’ Technique Spirits in his slashes, but his swordsmanship was sufficient to pierce through traps–he was, after all, a man who possessed 50% of a Sword Maiden’s swordsmanship level!

Watching Ash elegantly land, Maynard and Liss took a step back, preparing to bury him under concrete and drones.

A mere Sword Master had no capital to contend with them–the era of cold weapons was long past–

Thud!

Thud! Thud!

The next second, Ash raised his head, and Maynard and Liss finally saw the full picture of this bad man, their hearts pounding intensely.

In the vision of the two officers, this man in the dark red coat began to distort, his shape spreading like ink in water, the air danced because of him, and the light sang because of him, the concrete walls bowed to him.

It was as if someone had unlocked the explosion deep within his genetic material, quietly prying open their skulls with a memory that didn’t belong to them, pouring into their brains and stirring their thoughts–

‘He walks above the heavens, with eternal dusk of day and night chaos behind him, the sun and moon frantically fleeing before him, hailstorms on his left, and the roaring earth on his right.’

‘He walks above the earth, riding a vehicle forged from white bones, turning every ground he passes into desolation, every city into ruins, leaving corpses everywhere he goes, and a murky, fearsome world in his wake.’

‘He walks above the sea, riding a boat woven from fingernails, blowing the horn of doomsday, and the black water follows him rushing towards the land, submerging all civilizations, destroying all buildings, creatures crying, and the Divine Lord silent.’

‘Blood, bones, the demonic red, collapsing buildings, dirty toys, wreckage, charred bodies, crematoriums, hands in the soil, corroding metal…’

Terrifying apocalyptic scenes flashed back and forth in the eyes of Maynard and Liss. Before they could recover from such a massive volume of information, Ash’s sword was already eager to bid them farewell.

“You–”

When they looked at Ash, their minds conjured the image of the man walking in the apocalypse.

Their images completely overlapped, as if behind Ash was the Black Sea, the corpses, the eternal dusk!

He brought the disaster of doomsday with him!

Indescribable fear gripped the throats of the two officers, blocked their noses, and clenched their hearts!

What Earth Magic miracles, what drones, they had forgotten these trivial matters, only thinking of leaving quickly, getting away promptly!

Cling!

Ash showed no mercy because of the enemies’ fear; a sword stroke severed Liss’s neck–in the brief combat before, this woman had completely ignored Ash’s arrival, and from her gestures and gaze, Ash deduced her task was to control the smart machines!

She was the key to this battle!

Blood eagerly fled from its panicked host, the suffocatingly catalyzed fear nearly crushing her soul, and Liss fainted right away.

Even with his companion’s neck cut, Maynard had no thoughts of retaliation. Instead, he hurriedly grabbed Liss and jumped onto the Floating Car on the balcony, then viciously kicked the Floating Car, swiftly breaking away and fleeing without delay!

Tat-tat-tat-tat…

Without the Mage’s control, the drone quickly fell, making feeble noises like a broken cicada. Everyone glanced at each other and realized not only was no one missing, but there was also the addition of a delicate and cute girl–though Harvey quickly made her go back to the coffin to continue sleeping.

“They escaped? What’s the damage?” Hanna asked, a flash of purple light in her hand turning the submachine gun back into an amethyst earring that she hung on her ear.

“The men are fine, but I slit a woman’s throat; she will need some time to recover,” Ash mused. “I don’t know why they suddenly became so scared. Could it be because I am a Sword Master…?”

Igula wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and said with a pale smile, “Are the Sword Masters here untouchables?”

“Well done!” Hanna said, a hint of joy in her voice. “Liss is injured; we can take this chance to leave on a floating car… Banjee!”

“Coming!”

A large floating car appeared outside the riddled balcony, and as the automatic door of the floating car opened, Ash and the others realized they really had to run away again. Due to the urgency, they not only didn’t have time to pack their bags, but Ash was even still in his slippers.

But he had nothing to complain about, Hanna was still in her pajamas.

“Luggage–”

“No time!”

“Wait, what about my coffin?” Harvey asked, his expression sour. “It’s crucial equipment for me.”

This was the biggest drawback of a coffin–it was too inconvenient to transport.

“Mr. Harvey, please leave it to me.” Banjee went over with a suitcase, opened it, stuffed the coffin inside, then closed the suitcase and picked it up. “Alright, let’s go.”

Hmm?

Hmmmm?

Wait, was there something wrong with that procedure…

Everyone glanced at the suitcase, but now their bodies were governed by the dictatorship of the survival instinct, curiosity being a mere jester with no say. They could only temporarily suppress the matter and all squeezed into the floating car.

The floating car quickly descended to the ground and started moving, allowing everyone’s hearts to also settle–now, even if the car exploded, they would at most die from burning or being blown up, not from free falling.

“Where to next?” Igula asked. “If hostile firms dare to attack directly in the city, it means they are completely disregarding the law–”

“Then let them care!” Hanna exclaimed. “We’ll find the Red Hats; they are Azura’s strongest violent institution, and as lawful citizens, we can apply for special protection. The Family Reunion Office wouldn’t dare to attack the Red Hats unless they want to taste ruin.”

Ash curiously asked, “I’ve always wanted to ask, why do they call it the Family Reunion Office?”

“Because their name is Family Reunion, yet the tasks they take generally result in family ruin,” the young housekeeper explained. “Though they aren’t usually this violent, they have too many ways to achieve any dark end without alarming the Gospel Book.”

“Will the Red Hats protect us?” Harvey naturally disliked law enforcement. “Are you sure they won’t strike a ‘big deal’ with the lady, like the Family Reunion Office?”

“The Red Hats are the most law-abiding people; even the slightest misstep will immediately reflect in their ranking on the list,” Hanna confidently said. “As long as we don’t break the law, the Red Hats will be our best umbrella, not to mention I’m friends with ‘Crying Red Hat’ Cleos–”

Suddenly, everyone’s Gospel Book automatically popped open and turned to the same page:

“Wanted Notice”

“Ash Heath”

“Reward: 500,000 points (alive) / 100,000 points (dead)”

“Witnesses can contact the Red Hats to report, rewards available based on the validity of the information”

“Issuer: Empire Red Hats Headquarters, Signatory: Ewart Higgin.”

Only Ash’s page was slightly different–

“Red Hat Azura, Golden Eagle Street Headquarters: …”

“Red Hat Azura, Sea Spirit Street Branch: …”

“Red Hat Azura, Bearwolf Street Branch: …”

Damn, are they suggesting I turn myself in?

Liss spoke softly, “Sister Hanna, you just said about Cleos…”

“Yes, Cleos is my friend,” Hanna said. “So she’s already sent messages through Veil hinting and asking where I am. For a higher ranking, she would definitely betray us.”

“Fortunately, you all are accepted citizens of the Gospel… Even if it’s the imperial royal family, they cannot use the Gospel Book to locate you, so at least everyone’s starting line in this cat-and-mouse game is the same.”

“So, we’re being hunted by the underworld office and wanted by the law-abiding Red Hats?” Ash held his forehead and sighed. “I didn’t receive such treatment even in Blood Moon… In crime movies, characters who offend both the underworld and law enforcers usually don’t live long, right?”

“There are exceptions, like the producer.”

Igula’s sarcastic remark was the warmest word spoken tonight.