Ash's worries did not come true.

After entering the Void Realm, the team explored the Dream Bubble Shadow as usual. The Sword Maiden attacked routinely, the Witch controlled routinely, they conversed ordinarily, distributed spoils ordinarily, and Ash also routinely doubted whether he had dreamt last night.

However, tonight's initial collection featured the "Colorful Collection・Goldfinger Gloves", whose effect was incredibly absurd. Every time a Mage's Technique Spirit Miracle activated, it would gain varying amounts of Magic Experience!

No need for comprehension, thinking, or meditation—simply fighting monsters would directly increase Magic Experience!

This collection was naturally equipped by the Sword Maiden since her Sword Technique Faction was infinitely approaching the Holy Domain status and her attack frequency was also the highest in the team. Moreover, her move "Blood Flower Water Moon" could even count as dozens of effective scores—giving her the task of farming experience was obviously most fitting.

The Sword Maiden did not disappoint expectations. In the third bubble, after Weiser found all the word suffixes and ended the battle, Sonia suddenly rushed over and hugged Ash, summoning the Wave Sword Technique Spirit, excitedly hopping and jumping, "Look, look, the Wave Sword has reached three wings!"

After the Wave Sword Technique Spirit reached three wings, a ornately patterned white battle armor surfaced on its body, and the white light sword at its waist shone even more brilliantly. Three wings emerged on its back. It stood on Sonia's shoulder, flapping its wings and flying, circling around Ash and Sonia, leaving behind a ring of light points.

Promoting the Technique Spirit to three wings autonomously was the best sign of advancement in the faction realm, signifying that Sonia's Sword Technique Faction had completely advanced to the Holy Domain, making her a legitimate Holy Sanctuary Mage! Ash also felt happy for the Sword Maiden, excitedly spun her around in his arms, but soon they parted awkwardly and nervously looked around at the other people.

Weiser very consciously turned her head to look elsewhere, however, the Witch stared straight at the two of them, her lips so pouted that they could hang a kettle. She said nothing, only sullenly kicked the stones on the ground.

By the fifth bubble, they triggered a word suffix bubble reward and could acquire a Technique Spirit condensed from a word suffix or collection. Tonight, Sonia seemed to have exhausted her luck and did not get the corresponding Technique Spirit for the Goldfinger Gloves, only getting an ordinary Technique Spirit; on the other hand, Diya had better luck, obtaining the corresponding Technique Spirit "suspension silk" for the "Golden Collection・Suspended Silk Doll".

The effect of the "Suspended Silk Doll" was to negate all kinetic energy transfer, which appeared like physical immunity. Yet, due to the delay in effect activation, it was almost useless against gun bullets or instant kills, but could produce wonderful results against kinetic confrontations lasting more than a second. After Diya equipped this collection, enemies could no longer forcefully break free from her threads, and brute creatures like the Violent Slash Dragon would even be forcibly bound by her!

However, the "suspension silk" Technique Spirit's effect was much less, only guaranteeing the Mage to always have a bit more strength than the enemy in any kinetic confrontation. Nonetheless, as a rare three-winged Technique Spirit, Diya ran up to Ash, holding the Technique Spirit, and looked at Ash with big, shiny eyes.

Ash hesitated for a moment, then reached out and rubbed the Witch's head. However, the Witch was not satisfied with this level of reward and started to hug Ash herself, rubbing her cheek against his.

While she couldn't feel the warmth, Diya did have a past intimacy with Ash, and this alone was enough to awaken the warmth in her memories.

At this moment, doubts strongly flooded Ash's mind. He clearly didn't have any other thoughts about the Witch before, but why did he feel so naturally wonderful and even a strong sense of protective desire when the Witch was close to him, as if he had known her for a long time? What was going on—was it possible that his genes were imprinted with innate philandering talents?

When Diya finally got down from him, Ash came to his senses, quickly looking towards the Sword Maiden, only to find her examining a roadside restaurant themed around plumpness, apparently curious about the food inside, as if she hadn't noticed Ash and the Witch's actions.

If she wasn't gripping the hilt of her sword tightly, Ash might have been able to relax a bit.

But what was really going on? Ash's mind was a mess, feeling like there was some special word suffix rule in the team that he didn't know about, but he didn't dare ask or say anything about it.

Compared to the confused Ash, the Observer, Weiser, saw through it all clearly.

To say that the Sword Maiden and the Witch would willingly accept a 'shared' status was absurd, and from their behavior, it was clear that they could not accept Ash being intimate with someone else.

But life for a Mage involved not just romance but also daily life.

Before lovers, their more significant identities were mutually trusting teammates, capable of cooperating against cursed word suffixes.

So far, neither wanted to leave the team, the benefits of the team even weighing parallel to romance.

Having come to the Distant Realm, didn't they desire to witness the magnificent view of Ruby Mountain, challenge the limits of mortals, and reach the realm of Divine Beings? No matter how much they valued relationships, they were still Mages, Mages thirsty for power and greedy scholars hungry for knowledge!

Unless they no longer needed each other's help, as long as they wanted to maintain the team's operation, they wouldn't forcefully break face.

Not to mention, Ash was still in a dangerously precarious situation, and if they truly valued him, they wouldn't stir up conflict at this critical juncture.

However, clearly, they also could not (and did not want to) continue staying in the past status of 'more than friends', instead tacitly moving forward half a step, collectively pushing their relationship to 'less than lovers', as if adding a new word suffix to the team—

"Less than Lovers: Unlocks intimate permissions such as 'embrace', 'hold hands', 'kiss', etc., but will not disrupt the harmonious atmosphere of the team."

"Weiser."

Weiser turned around, seeing Ash come over, and said, "Have you decided where to go next in the bubble?"

"Yes." Ash nodded, paused, and then said, "Sorry."

Weiser naturally understood his undertone, revealing a smile, "It's okay, I had already anticipated the progress in your relationships. But have you figured out what to do?"

Ash scratched his head, held his hands together thoughtfully for a moment, and earnestly said, "Although I have no solution right now, I definitely won't hurt them."

"Relax. What you should do is accept their kindness, not add unnecessary burdens to yourself," Weiser said. "Perhaps fate will solve the problem for you, and maybe just letting things take their course will lead to a beautiful ending... like if they all decided to marry you?"

"But wouldn't that be hurting them already?" Ash asked.

"You sure ask for a lot," Weiser muttered, "Let me think..."

"All right, all right, let's move on to the next Dream Bubble Shadow," Ash said, feeling somewhat embarrassed as he turned to leave. "Maybe if they advance the Magic Faction to the Holy Sanctuary Level and become smarter, they won't like me anymore..."

Weiser watched his back and said softly, "Hard to say, Holy Sanctuary Mages might still fall for you."

"But there is still a perfect ending, like..."

"What if you die tomorrow?"

...

...

Ash and the Observer left the resting room and embarked on the final day's trial.

"Yesterday, a Holy Sanctuary Mage appeared; today won't a Legendary Mage appear, will it?" Ash said with seriousness, "But I've never met a Legendary Mage. Could the trial randomly pick a lucky person from my memory and enhance them to legendary status?"

"Who would be easier to battle if they became a Legendary? Harvey wouldn't be too bad; he can't summon an army of the dead here. Igula could work, the Spirit Miracle isn't very destructive. Let's hope it's not Hanna; I don't want to face a Legendary Gun Master. Definitely not Gerard; just thinking of the Legendary Blood Frenzy Hunter makes my scalp tingle... Why not choose Banjee! A Legendary Medical Practitioner, feels almost like a Legendary bluffer!"

As Ash worried about who the legendary enemy might be, time ticked by, swiftly bringing them to the moment of trial.

At the end of the corridor, footsteps sounded.

Followed by a youthful, crisp voice.

"Ash, I didn't think I'd have the chance to see you again."

Ash swiftly lifted his head, seeing the blue-haired Housekeeper in the distance.

"In the final battle at the Yisu Imperial Palace, I completely released the 'Melting' Miracle. I thought I would simply dissipate, but unexpectedly, I survived as an infant..." Phantom Banjee sighed, "I've taken care of the lady all my life, but in the end, I need the lady to take care of me."

Ash's pupils dilated: "You—"

"I am a clone, a clone from your memory," he pulled out his twin ice spell guns and said, "But I am also Banjee Doran. You must kill me to continue forward; I must kill you to leave this place and meet the lady in the Gospel."

"I must thank you, Ash Heath," Phantom Banjee revealed a smile that Ash was all too familiar with, "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't exist at all. Even though I am just a clone, my longing for the lady is real, and I am truly grateful that you ultimately saved her."

"So, let's do this," he raised his guns, smiling, "Don't worry about me; I actually want to fight you, not in a game, but as Mages, to see who is superior."

"For our respective wishes, let's battle each other."

Watching Phantom Banjee, determined, Ash almost grinded his silver teeth, his shoulders uncontrollably trembling slightly.

From the first day he saw a clone, he had been afraid of this situation. Even if the clone showed the combat power of a Mage, even if the clone was enhanced to the Holy Sanctuary Level, or even to a Legendary Level, none made Ash feel more fearful and angry than this moment!

Killing a clone, killing a clone that looks exactly like an acquaintance, killing a clone that is identical to an acquaintance and possesses complete emotions—these are three completely different concepts!

How dare the Gray Fox Mages... How dare they...

After a few seconds of struggle with his eyes closed, Ash abruptly opened his eyes, reached out his hand to grasp the hilt of his sword, his face revealing a determined anger—

Clang!

Ash drew a small part of the sword blade, which was harshly struck by the Observer's blade.

He turned his head and stared blankly at the Observer. The Observer slightly lifted his blade, pressing it against his hand, signaling him to retract his sword.

"Next," the Observer lowered his eyelids and drew a second blade, "you won't need to draw your sword."

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