The Wizard's Pursuit of Truth

SPLASH!

Turbulent waves slapped against the ship’s hull, and the spray that shot up glittered brilliantly in the sunlight.

The powerful inertia made the Wizard Freshmen on board instinctively grab onto something nearby. Once the vibrations subsided, they slowly approached the part of the deck that descended into the sea.

With yesterday’s experience, the Wizard Freshmen were much more accustomed to it. After one side of the deck tilted into the water, they jumped in one after another.

Wang Ya once again felt that malicious gaze locked onto him.

A cold sneer touched the corner of his lips. With a slight shake of his shoulders, Harak flapped its wings and soared high, gradually vanishing into the sun’s glare. Wang Ya then followed the slanted deck down into the sea.

Arthur had been waiting for this moment and immediately followed. Beneath his black cloak, his eyes burned with ferocity and killing intent.

Moving through the water was simple for Arthur. His gaze locked onto the distant figure stroking through the waves, and a cruel expression spread across his face.

But he soon discovered he couldn’t even match the other man’s swimming speed.

Fortunately, Wang Ya’s figure began to slow down, as if he had locked onto a Sea Beast.

Behind them, the Wizard Ship had shrunk to a tiny dot.

They really had gone quite a long way.

Arthur paid this no mind. With his eyes only on Wang Ya, he gradually closed the distance, fumbling in his robe pocket for a Witchcraft Scroll.

When Wizards crafted these kinds of Extraordinary Items, they had long since considered various environmental conditions.

The Sheepskin Scroll used for a Witchcraft Scroll was specially treated to be waterproof, heat-resistant, and even to insulate it from a certain degree of interference, ensuring the Witchcraft could be activated successfully.

This time, the Particle Energy was related to water.

Decay of the Water Prison. It formed a Water Prison area where enemies within range would suffer intense water pressure, while the surrounding liquid would gain corrosive power.

It was a Middle-tier Witchcraft.

Having lost an arm, Arthur was much more cautious and didn’t approach Wang Ya rashly.

In a convenient environment like the open sea, the Witchcraft’s area of effect could be expanded to a full fifty meters.

As he channeled Particle Energy into it, the patterns on its surface were triggered, and the compressed Decay of the Water Prison stored within the Array was about to be unleashed.

Suddenly, he was interrupted. A sense of life-and-death crisis made Arthur recoil violently.

A bizarre black shadow, moving at a speed almost too fast for the naked eye to see, shot past where he had just been and plunged silently into the water.

’What was that thing!’

Arthur stared in terror at the spot where it had entered the water. He had actually sensed an Extraordinary aura from that black shadow.

’Are you kidding me? This godforsaken place actually has Extraordinary Creatures.’

He hadn’t even noticed it at first, as if his perception had been completely blocked.

’Is this a trap?’

By the time Arthur reacted, he had already lost sight of Wang Ya. The man had vanished... His heart suddenly leaped into his throat, as if something terrible was about to happen.

”Damn you, Wang Ya! You set me up!” He tried to activate the Witchcraft Scroll in his hand as quickly as possible... However, his heart, which was already racing, was suddenly seized by a pain that pierced him to the very soul.

The Witchcraft Scroll’s activation failed.

’I can’t move my body!’

The Particle Energy in Arthur’s body became utterly chaotic, like a sputtering engine that had just stalled.

A visible crimson flush appeared on his face.

The Extraordinary Poison: Red Scale Poison.

A tiny wound appeared on his cheek, from which trickles of fresh blood flowed.

It was the work of that indistinct shadow.

Realizing it too late, Arthur’s pupils became bloodshot, filled with rage and venom. He opened his mouth but could not make a sound.

The primary Trait of Red Scale Poison was, after all, paralysis.

A bone-chilling dagger plunged into his heart from behind, injecting even more Red Scale Poison into his body.

Arthur’s entire body went rigid. He felt the warmth draining from him as the seawater was slowly dyed red, carrying away his Vitality. His pupils gradually turned a dull Gray, and all expression vanished from his face.

’Life is so fragile. One gentle push is all it takes to sweep it all away.’

Wang Ya’s eyes were cold, but they flickered for a moment. This was the first Wizard he had killed with his own hands, and an indescribable feeling lingered in his heart.

SPLOOSH!

Harak shot out of the water, spreading its wings to shake off the drops. Its perfectly streamlined body allowed it to instantly resume flight.

Its sharp claws dug into the spine of Arthur’s corpse. Despite its small size, it unleashed astonishing Power, holding the body up and keeping it afloat on the surface.

Even Wang Ya had been startled a moment ago. He was certain he hadn’t been mistaken; what Arthur held was a Witchcraft Scroll.

If not for his preparations—the extra Red Scale Poison and Harak’s sneak attack to poison his opponent first—the outcome of this fight would have been anyone’s guess once that Witchcraft Scroll activated.

The Witchcraft Scroll’s appearance made Wang Ya extremely curious. Such a precious item was not something a Wizard Freshman could possibly obtain.

There was no way to get one on the Wizard Ship, either... except from the Tuta Wizard.

The gaunt figure of the Tuta Wizard appeared in Wang Ya’s mind. He could still vividly recall that sinister chill.

The Tuta Wizard would never interfere in matters between Wizard Freshmen, let alone hand out something like a Witchcraft Scroll.

A slightly tedious process of looting the corpse began.

Arthur didn’t have much on him—just some soggy, swollen white bread. The only thing that made Wang Ya frown slightly was the red metal ring hanging from his chest.

His pupils shimmered with a fine blue light.

[Hint: Preliminary analysis complete. This item is a product of Wizard Alchemy—a very well-made storage-type Witchcraft Artifact. It possesses certain restrictions and requires a specific level of Spiritual Power before it can be fully imprinted with one’s Spirit.]

Wang Ya’s eyes lit up instantly. He was certain the Witchcraft Scroll Arthur had was inextricably linked to this storage Witchcraft Artifact.

The part about the restrictions suggested that perhaps Arthur hadn’t fully mastered the storage Witchcraft Artifact. The contents inside were therefore also unknown, not yet fully discovered.

This was a godsend.

The problem of preserving the Thorn Heart was now solved, and the prospect of exploring the unknown contents of the storage Witchcraft Artifact brought a joyful smile to Wang Ya’s face.

Every muscle in Arthur’s corpse was rigid. The Red Scale Poison’s effect was even better than Wang Ya had anticipated; it was incredibly effective in a real fight.

Harak could serve as a perfect means for a surprise assassination.

With its sharp claws and the Red Scale Poison, as long as an enemy was caught off guard, even the slightest scratch would tip the scales of victory in Wang Ya’s favor.

Wang Ya didn’t forget the Witchcraft Scroll clutched in Arthur’s dead hand. It took a great deal of effort to pry it loose, as if it represented Arthur’s final, desperate obsession.

The venomous, enraged expression was still frozen on his face, but his dead, Gray eyes would never blink again.

The corpse slowly sank into the endless depths of the sea...

Wang Ya gave it an indifferent glance before swimming back toward the Wizard Ship.

He was very curious about what lay inside the storage Witchcraft Artifact.