The Wizard's Pursuit of Truth

”He’s a new face. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him before. Just what’s the deal with this Wang Ya Harak?”

”Does anyone know anything about him? He doesn’t seem to be one of the top-tier freshmen. Master Wizard Yi Si said he killed so many other freshmen... how did he do that? He must be joking!”

The Wizard Freshmen whispered among themselves, their gazes on Wang Ya a mixture of different emotions, but mostly dominated by suspicion.

Killing over a hundred freshmen, including those from the Wizard Clans—what did that even mean? And all in just two or three days! Those freshmen from the Wizard Clans were formidable, lacking neither resources nor influence.

How on earth did this seemingly unremarkable guy pull it off?

”Master Wizard Yi Si wouldn’t joke with us. He would only say it if it happened. It’s a fact.” The remaining top-tier freshmen had undergone a psychological transformation after days of mental and physical torment and testing. They were now leaning toward a true Wizard’s Heart.

Their gazes toward Wang Ya were grave, filled with suppressed shock. Only they, who had personally experienced the trial, knew just how difficult it was to accomplish such a feat.

This guy’s Power was beyond anyone’s imagination. He had hidden it too well.

His mediocre aptitude was just a front. If not for the incident with the Wizard Clan murders, he probably wouldn’t have been exposed, waiting until the very end to shock everyone with a stunning display.

Although, the effect was pretty much the same now.

’This is a terrifying opponent. It would be best if we could become friends.’

As their minds raced, they also began to consider the situation after entering the Wizard Academy. It seemed necessary to ally with some powerful and promising individuals. This guy was truly terrifying, but that also made him an excellent potential ally.

After all, having survived the incident at Ancient Forest Mountain, it was safe to say they would all be entering the Dark Wizard Academy. From what they understood, there would be freshmen from other camps at the academy, which inevitably meant a new round of competition.

”That’s what makes him so scary—the fact that it’s true! He killed so many people. Doesn’t he have nightmares? He’s like a murderous ghost.” Many freshmen were already looking at Wang Ya with fear.

”Yeah, a ghost... Ghostman Wang Ya!”

Wang Ya could sense the change in the freshmen’s gazes, but he didn’t pay it much mind. Hiding had its advantages, but now that he was exposed, he would simply adopt a different approach—whatever was most beneficial to him.

His core secret was the Eye of Truth, and that could never be discovered. As for the Witchcraft he had learned and the opportunities he had seized... truly powerful Wizards with deep foundations probably wouldn’t even give them a second glance. Wizard Yi Si hadn’t even mentioned them.

On the other hand, the Senseless Deprivation Witchcraft that Wizard Yi Si had given him was extremely valuable and had great potential. It was like a foundation that a Wizard could build upon and modify with their own ideas. What it would ultimately become would require experimentation. Wizards themselves verified truth through practice.

Wizard Yi Si had deliberately exposed him. Wang Ya refused to believe he had done so without a motive. Wizards never made pointless moves.

It was as if he was being forced to step into the spotlight, to make a shocking debut and draw all eyes to him. ’If that’s the case, then so be it. I can’t resist, so I’ll just have to make a name for myself as some kind of outlier.’

’A murderous ghost... Ghostman Wang Ya, is it?’ A hint of mockery rose in his heart. ’Anger is pointless. Rational thought and changing my circumstances is the correct path. The day of reckoning will come eventually!’

Wizard Yi Si smiled and said, ”I must say, you are all very fortunate. Ancient Forest Mountain has undergone a transformation. In the future, there will be no more Ancient Forest Mountain. You will receive the Wizard Mark of the Dark Land and officially become one of its members.”

Before everyone could get excited, Wizard Yi Si’s voice echoed in their minds. It was a query of intent, asking them to determine a specific location.

”Please choose the location to inscribe your Wizard Mark!” Hearing this voice, Wang Ya thought for a moment and chose a spot.

BUZZ!

Once he received the chosen answers from everyone’s minds, Wizard Yi Si opened his right hand. The familiar Magic Cube Metal Device appeared once again, with fine arcs of electricity crackling around it.

After some systematic study of Extraordinary Knowledge that shored up his weak foundation, Wang Ya could now recognize this as a type of Alchemy Witchcraft Artifact, and one of a very high Grade.

[Target: Void Magic Cube]

[Category: Alchemy Witchcraft Artifact]

[Grade: High Level (Super-Limited Technique Circuits under construction)]

[Function: ???]

Wang Ya was aware of the Eye of Truth’s limitations. It probably couldn’t fully analyze items that were far beyond his current Power Level.

Suddenly, the Void Magic Cube shattered, transforming into countless tiny streams of light that filled the entire grand conference room. They sought out each Wizard Freshman individually, landing on the body parts they had chosen.

A faint stinging sensation pricked his palm, as if something was taking root beneath his skin. ’No, it’s more than that,’ he thought, ’it’s binding to my soul.’ A flash of astonishment crossed Wang Ya’s eyes. A message surfaced from the void, informing him: *Upon agreeing to the binding, the Wizard Mark will form and connect to the core hub of the Dark Land’s Wizard Technology, granting you secondary access rights.*

He would have to wait until the Wizard Mark was fully formed to find out its other specific functions.

Wang Ya didn’t hesitate for long. He allowed the foreign substance to enter, and the black stream of light formed a strange, dark-colored symbol on his palm, encircled by a circular line.

This was the Wizard Mark. It seemed that a partial Witch Array Technique had also been implanted beneath the skin of his palm. Wang Ya could perceive the Wizard Mark with his consciousness and use it to connect to another place. It was very peculiar, almost like the internet.

This must be an application of the reformed Wizard Technology.

The black streams of light flew out from their palms. Wang Ya saw clearly that they were small metal components that reassembled into the metal cube in Wizard Yi Si’s hand.

”Congratulations. You are now students of the Dark Wizard Academy’s Lower House, as well as members of the Dark Land. For now, suppress your excitement and your desperate thirst for knowledge. The Wizard Mark will tell you everything you need to know.”

The Wind Wizard stepped forward, quieting the room.

Lando Wizard said with a broad smile, ”Next, you will be heading to the Dark Land. Are you ready to see the real Wizard World, little ones?”

In near unison, they replied, ”Of course, esteemed Master Wizard!”

Wang Ya’s heart also began to pound with excitement. The real Wizard World was about to unveil its mysterious veil. The secrets of the Extraordinary, the legacy of Witchcraft knowledge, the Wizard System, and the various kinds of Wizard Experiments—all of it captivated his intense curiosity.

...

Traveling from Ancient Forest Mountain to the interior of the Wizard Continent and entering the Dark Land wasn’t a simple, direct journey. Led by Wizard Yi Si, Wang Ya and the other Wizard Freshmen boarded a new Wizard Ship.

They were told they were headed to a Wizard City on the continent’s inland sea, from which they would travel via a Teleportation Array.

Wang Ya was stunned by the sheer scope of the Dark Land’s influence. And this was supposedly just a peripheral coastal region.

Sunlight shone down on the deck, which was crowded with Wizard Freshmen. Their shadows stretched out long beside them as they all gazed into the distance. In their view, the silhouette of a distant city was gradually coming into focus.

That was the path of the Wizard they so desperately craved and pursued.