The Wizard's Pursuit of Truth

In the mirror, Wang Ya wore a simple gray robe. He had black hair and black eyes, a high-bridged nose, and features that leaned towards a mixed heritage. A beauty mark at the corner of his eye added a touch of gentle charm.

His eyes were deep, as if holding the vastness of a starry sky within them.

He ruffled his hair, still damp with water droplets. His bangs fell, sticking to his forehead and the ends of his brows, with a few strands clinging to the bridge of his nose.

Wang Ya shook his head and walked out of the washroom. In the room, Harak’s transformation was nearly complete.

Its body shape, appearance, and new traits had all stabilized.

On its feathers, the glossy black specks were completely replaced. It looked even blacker now, making it impossible to distinguish with the naked eye when in shadow.

Those glossy black feathers seemed to possess some kind of Extraordinary Trait, allowing it to evade certain Spiritual Power senses and low-tier detection Witchcraft.

This was likely also part of the trait that defended against Particle Energy Witchcraft.

On its head, the feathers lay flat against its neck in a streamlined shape, and its pupils were blood-red.

Its beak, far from being hooked, had become perfectly straight. The tip was clearly sharp, possessing formidable killing power.

Wang Ya beckoned, and Harak immediately flapped its wings and flew over, landing steadily on his shoulder.

Its two metallic-black claws had also grown web-like tissue for displacing water and floating. It could perfectly retract its talons, resting the softer parts on Wang Ya’s shoulder.

Its size was exactly the same as when Wang Ya first bought the crow—very small and delicate.

But its weight was anything but light. It was incredibly heavy, pressing down like dozens of pounds of iron.

[Prompt: Transformation complete. Harak has gained three new Extraordinary Traits.]

[Target: Black-Feathered Crow]

[Physique: 11]

[Spirit: 1.3]

[State: Low-tier Extraordinary Creature]

[Traits: Iron Claw, Steel Hide, Basic Particle Witchcraft Resistance, Blood-Burning Rush, Basic Invisibility]

With its Physique breaking the 10-point threshold, it could be considered a Low-tier Extraordinary Creature even without relying on its many Extraordinary Traits.

This corresponded to a Level 1 Wizard Apprentice.

”Not bad, little guy. Looks like you’ve finally grown a bit of wisdom in that little head of yours.”

Wang Ya tapped Harak on the head with his finger.

’I’m quite satisfied with the transformation so far.’

’Although this form has lost its massive body and intimidating presence, an assassin in the shadows is far better than some lumbering brute.’

’Most importantly, it aligns better with my aesthetic sense.’

’A Wizard in a Wizard Robe with a jet-black crow perched on his shoulder is always a better look than being followed by a big-mouthed bird flapping its massive wings and kicking up a gale...’

’A massive body might fail to catch a small figure moving through the shadows, but these sharper, harder talons will shred everything.’

As for facing the many Thorny Sea Beasts still roaming the Wizard Ship... Harak wouldn’t fear a group attack, and the darkness was no longer the beasts’ home turf.

A membrane covered its blood-red eyes, allowing it to perceive any trace of heat and track moving outlines.

’I just don’t know how long this crisis will last, or what the situation is with the Tuta Wizard.’

Wang Ya’s brow twitched, and he paused his hand on the door.

’I should just wait. Wait for this enveloping darkness outside to disappear.’

’An outcome is bound to emerge.’

...

’I’m going to die!’

Rovena was filled with terror. The flush on his face showed he was using every ounce of his strength to fight the Thorny Sea Beast pinning him down.

His pupils reflected the creature’s face armor spreading open to reveal a cavernous mouth lined with terrifying, parallel rows of sharp teeth. It drew closer and closer, and a foul, stinking liquid dripped onto his cheek.

But he still couldn’t stop that gaping maw from approaching. His hands were pierced by bone spurs, dripping blood, and his grip, once tight, was gradually failing.

’I could have survived. I really could have.’

’If only I were a little stronger, I could have held it off. Just a little stronger, and I would have lived.’

His life flashed before his eyes like a carousel lantern: scenes from the Wizard mixer, from his shy speech to the cheers of the freshmen, to him basking in the applause, reveling in it...

’But I fell just short. Just a little short.’

In the instant before the massive jaws snapped shut, all Rovena felt was regret.

’If only I had worked harder, been more diligent in my Wizard Meditation Method practice, spent more time letting the Particle Energy radiation affect my body... I could have survived. I should have. My aptitude is top-tier. I’m a top freshman. This isn’t how it was supposed to end for me.’

He couldn’t help but think of the two Wizard Freshmen who had collected their food and kept to themselves... But his life-flashing-before-his-eyes montage didn’t have that much time left. CRUNCH. His head was bitten off.

The Thorny Sea Beast chewed and tore at the corpse, ecstatic.

Creatures with Extraordinary Traits could serve as experimental materials for Wizards.

Conversely, the flesh of a Wizard, influenced by Particle Energy radiation, and the pure Particle Energy within their bodies were what Extraordinary Creatures craved above all else.

Not far ahead, Ossen’s body had long since been torn to shreds. His purple hair, still attached to a piece of scalp, was mixed with scraps of clothing.

A bloody trail stained the floor.

BANG!

The loud impact on the door terrified Arthur, who was hiding in his room.

’They’ve followed me, those horrible monsters!’

’I already fed them Rovena and Ossen, but they’re still so greedy.’

The bookshelf, desk, chair, and even the bed were all pushed up against the door.

Arthur didn’t have much hope in this barricade. The Thorny Sea Beast’s powerful physique and hard body were more than enough to smash through the door, rip open a gap, and squeeze inside.

He was like a cornered rat, just waiting to be killed and eaten.

”Damn it, how can I die here? I’m the Wizard Freshman with the best aptitude!”

Arthur’s eyes widened as he cursed angrily, ”You son-of-a-bitch monsters, there are so many other Wizard Freshmen you can eat! Go eat them all!”

”Those two bastards who chose the Extraordinary Cultivation track, they’re the ones who should be eaten! They even have cultivated creatures with them. Go eat them, what are you doing chasing me? I guarantee you’ll get a full meal.”

BANG!

The door was struck even more violently. A crack appeared, and the eye of a Thorny Sea Beast emerged, staring at him with drooling greed.

At this moment, however, Arthur’s face was filled with resentment. He took out the red metal ring that hung from his chest.

”Damn monster, making me expose my biggest secret. The Tuta Wizard is still on the ship. If he finds out I have this opportunity, will he take it from me?”

”My aptitude is the best; I have a great chance of advancing to Official Wizard. Finding this proves I’m a true genius. The Tuta Wizard wouldn’t be so foolish.”

Arthur repeated this to himself, glaring resentfully at the Thorny Sea Beast that had already forced its head through the crack.

He instantly drained all the Particle Energy from his body and poured it into the ring. Only then did the red metal ring slowly begin to emit a faint glow.

He had found it as a boy on his home Island Continent, and only after boarding the Wizard Ship did he begin to understand the ring’s true nature.

It was a Storage Witchcraft Artifact from a true Wizard, and it held many things inside. With his level of Particle Energy and Spiritual Power, he could only barely open it for an instant.

Among its contents were the Witchcraft Scrolls made and used by Wizards, as recorded in the Dark Atlas.

Tearing one open could release a powerful Witchcraft. After many days of exploring it with his Spiritual Power, this was the only item he had confirmed was inside and was confident he could retrieve.

The glow flashed, and an ancient sheepskin scroll appeared in Arthur’s hand. The Wizard Runes written on it meant ’Particle Energy Witchcraft - Burning Fire Burst’.

”Go to hell, monster!” Arthur laughed excitedly, immediately tearing open the scroll and aiming it at the Thorny Sea Beast.

He could already picture the monster’s miserable end.