The Sorcerer's Handbook

Nagu was still barefoot, wearing only his golden lion socks. Nevertheless, he maintained his professionalism and carried on with the broadcast.

”Currently, the candidate with the highest number of votes is Varkas Uhl. It seems the audience is especially eager to witness the redemption of this elf criminal.

”Allow me to introduce Mr. Uhl’s background briefly. He was born in 1542 at the Emerald Dragon Orphanage. Some viewers may not recognize the name, but it was the predecessor of today’s Emerald Garden Orphanage, the only top-tier dual-class orphanage in Caimon City.

”For three centuries, the Emerald Dragon Orphanage cared exclusively for elves and never accepted infants of other races. That changed in 1600, following the enactment of the Racial Equality in Care Act. Several orphanages, including Emerald Dragon, were merged to form the multi-racial Emerald Garden.

”Since then, Emerald Garden has produced a remarkable number of outstanding individuals, with a success rate of twenty-one percent in training sorcerers. Were it not for his crimes, Mr. Uhl would surely be celebrated as one of its most distinguished alumni.”

Ashe had no idea what a top-tier dual-class orphanage actually meant, but he suspected it was more important than academic degrees.

In a society where state-run childcare was mandatory and private guardianship was illegal, an orphanage effectively became a child’s family. The stronger the orphanage, the better the child’s starting point in life.

If Ashe’s intuition was correct, orphanages likely had the privilege of selecting which infants they accepted. Yes, a child’s future depended on countless factors. However, in the miracle-filled world of sorcery, such institutions could gain an edge by screening for infants with stronger foundations, greater potential, and more stable temperaments before other influences came into play. With superior bloodlines and environments in place, children raised in elite orphanages started life far ahead of their peers.

Had Ashe been an ordinary person in this world, he would have felt utterly hopeless before such an unbridgeable gap.

By the time Nagu finished recounting Varkas’ illustrious past, the vote count had surged by more than ten thousand. Ashe gradually came to understand why Varkas held such overwhelming appeal for the audience.

”After completing his basic education, Mr. Uhl attended Atson Secondary School and later Caimon General University. Over the course of thirty years, he earned Silver Degrees in eleven disciplines, including swordsmanship, painting, music, and Earth Class sorcery. He was appointed a research professor in the Department of Biology and also served as an academic consultant for Forest Biotech Company.

”In 1645, Mr. Uhl ran for city council and lost by a mere three votes. One cannot help but wonder whether he would have remained virtuous had he won, or whether he might have committed even greater sins.

”In short, Mr. Uhl was once a well-born, well-educated citizen who contributed greatly to society. Tragically, he lost his way. He became blinded by desire and committed unforgivable crimes.”

”There is still one minute until the voting ends. Audience members who have not yet voted, please hurry.

”You earn Redemption Points with each vote, which may be exchanged through participating brands. The latest addition to the Redemption Program is Aizhe Jewelry, which offers one coupon for every thirty points.”

”At the turn of the New Year, Redemption Points may also be used for Blood Moon draws. Do not hoard your Redemption Tickets. They will not multiply on their own. Use them when needed. Otherwise, they are meaningless.”

”Every vote you cast helps redeem sinners and brings light beneath the Blood Moon. There’s only thirty seconds left... wow!”

At Nagu’s cry, the ground erupted.

Nagu shouted, ”The voting session ends early! Varkas Uhl has received 384,321 votes, surpassing fifty percent of Caimon City’s electorate! We are proceeding directly to execution!

”This marks the twenty-third time in the city’s history that the voting has ended prematurely! Ladies and gentlemen, before you stands a legendary executioner, one that has appeared only twenty-three times since the very first tribunal!

”Born beneath the crimson moon when a single criminal secures more than half the votes, it represents the Blood Moon’s ultimate redemption of humanity! The nemesis of evil! Purifier of sin! Nightmare butcher across history! And the justice incarnate in the eyes of countless citizens! Behold. The Titan Executioner!”

Glare!

A sound resembling grinding steel echoed across the platform. In the next moment, all six of the Titan Executioner’s eyes opened. Its three mouths opened simultaneously, releasing a long, rolling breath that churned the surrounding air. The Purging Flame of Atonement surged across its body like a storm. Eight steel cables ignited and burned with blue flame as they formed a direct path toward the execution platform.

An overwhelming wave of despair and devastation swept across the field. The death row inmates cowered at the edges, fearful that even the slightest reckless movement might draw the Titan Executioner’s attention.

Ashe glanced at Varkas and instinctively stepped back.

Varkas said coldly, ”Move aside. Don’t block me.”

Every cell in Ashe’s body screamed at him to run. With these two being this strong, it probably makes no difference whether I’m here or not.

However, when Ashe lowered his gaze, he noticed Varkas’s hand trembling on the hilt of his sword.

A few seconds later, Varkas glanced at the shivering Ashe beside him and sneered. ”Really? Are your legs so weak you can’t even run?”

Ashe gripped his sword. His hands trembled so fast that they left afterimages, and his teeth chattered as he spoke. ”When I was in school, I noticed some classmates had no one to play with. They went to the bathroom alone during breaks, stood off to the side in physical education class, and were never chosen for teams on field trips... I made it a point to play with them. Talk with them. Team up with them in class—”

Varkas sneered. ”Hypocrite. You did it to satisfy your condescending sense of sympathy. You gained approval through pity, gratified yourself through charity, and controlled them to feed your pathetic desire for power. That’s no different from a slave owner. The only difference is that the chains they use to bind their slaves are called violence, while yours are called friendship.”

Ashe didn’t deny it.

”Yeah. I know I was putting on a show. I disliked some of their traits, but I still interacted with them to satisfy those dark urges. That’s why, as I grew up, I barely kept in touch with them.”

He paused, then continued. ”But at one gathering, a classmate told me he appreciated that I had played with him back then. Without that, he said, he might have stayed lonely forever. Now he has a girlfriend. They’re planning to get married. He even asked me to be his best man.”

Varkas raised an eyebrow. ”Married? Best man?”

Ashe’s trembling had eased. He looked toward the distant Titan Executioner. ”In short, let me stay here a little longer to satisfy my hypocrisy. When it reaches me, I’ll leave.”

Varkas replied coldly, ”This is boring, irrational, and meaningless. I can’t understand why you’d do this. We tried to kill each other yesterday. Are you trying to craft a benevolent image for the audience and lay the groundwork for your next Blood Moon Tribunal?”

Ashe laughed weakly. ”Oh? That’s a tactic? Thanks for the reminder. Then I’ll stay until the very last second. Don’t stop me. Don’t mind me. A hypocrite like me will run faster than anyone when danger comes.”

Varkas fell silent and calmly studied the oppressive presence of the Titan Executioner. After a moment, he muttered, ”Do as you wish.”

Ashe tried to force a smile. Then a heavy footstep sent the ground shaking, and a chill crept up his scalp.

Boom! Boom!

The Titan Executioner advanced step by step. Violent tremors surged through the steel cables, making it impossible for the death row inmates to even stand.

As it advanced, it raised its weapons, each adorned with Four-Winged spirits. Space collapsed around it, time warped, and the world itself seemed to spin around it.

Nagu’s voice rang out from the screen, ”The Titan Executioner is different from other executioners. It is unlike the Torture Executioner, which awakens conscience through whipping; the Blade Executioner, which cleanses sin with blood, and the Soul-Sucking Executioner, which condemns victims to endless nightmares. The Titan Executioner grants the strongest Miracles to deliver instantaneous redemption. Regardless of gender or strength, it gives its all, showing the greatest respect for every life.”

It sounded unnervingly clear despite the terror thick in the air.

”With solemn death, it forges the immortality of the Blood Moon. Faced with the Titan Executioner, most criminals choose repentance and accept the Blood Moon’s redemption. However, Mr. Uhl seems willing to cooperate to offer us a magnificent performance.”

Ashe turned to see Varkas take up a sword stance. His wings spread wide, and a brilliant Two-Winged spirit danced at the tip of his blade.

Nagu declared, ”No one has ever escaped the Blood Moon Tribunal, but no criminal has ever abandoned hope in miracles either. Let us see whether Varkas Uhl can create one, or kneel in repentance before Caimon City’s justice!”

Boom!

Another deafening step shook the ground. Ashe had started getting used to it, until dozens of crimson chains erupted from the earth, yanking him down and slamming him to his knees. ”What the!?”

He struggled violently, but the chains did not budge. They felt fused to his joints, and every attempt to rise sent searing pain through his nerves, forcing him into a hunched posture of submission.

Nagu announced, ”The first Miracle, Judgment of the Earth! The Titan’s footsteps are the footsteps of justice, and the earth responds to that hope!”

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Varkas sliced through the crimson chains with his sword. Then he noticed that the Miracle had hit Ashe. Just as he attempted to help, the night sky suddenly erupted with howling winds!

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Varkas burst into a swift, dazzling elf-style sword dance, looking like he was battling some unseen foes. Ashe focused and quickly realized that invisible wind blades were sweeping in from every direction. If Varkas stopped for even a moment, he would be torn to pieces.

Wait... Why is Varkas taking all the hits, while I’m fine?

Nagu declared, ”The second Miracle, Judgment of the Sky! The heavens will correct all stubborn fools who refuse to kneel and repent!

”When sky and earth are sealed, the third Miracle, Judgment of the Masses, follows! The Titan Executioner delivers death equally to every redeemed soul!”

Ashe raised his head, only to find that the Titan Executioner had crossed most of the distance. Only two or three steps remained between it and the execution platform.

Kneeling and looking up from below, Ashe felt its colossal size and terror more sharply than ever. Its immense pressure bore down on him, nearly freezing his thoughts. The last shred of rationality screamed at him to run. Yes... run?

Ashe glanced at the crimson chains binding him and blinked. Oh dear...