The Wizard's Pursuit of Truth

Dawn broke.

Through the window, Wang Ya could see the azure sky and the vibrant colors of the sunrise. Seabirds circled above, occasionally diving into the sea to hunt for small fish.

Sea Beasts had finally begun to surface nearby, a clear sign the crisis was over.

Wang Ya pushed the door open and stepped out. The hallway still bore the scars of the Thorny Sea Beasts’ rampage: bloodstains, claw marks gouged into the floorboards—every detail a testament to the horror of the previous night.

He was surely not the only Wizard Freshman to have survived. The others were probably still hiding somewhere.

The most important thing was that the darkness had receded. Wang Ya had no fear of the Thorny Sea Beasts; he was practically sick of killing them.

A foul, fishy stench lingered in the air, mixed with the pungent smell of human blood.

He frowned slightly. It wasn’t until he reached the deck and the salty sea breeze washed over him that the stench began to fade.

Harak, perched on his shoulder, curled into a ball. The bright light prompted it to tuck its head beneath a wing and resume its slumber for the day.

The sea wind caused his gray robes to billow, forcing Wang Ya to hold down the hem.

The Wizard Ship seemed to have sailed into a different region of the Endless Sea. The water was no longer deep and murky; instead, it was clear enough to see schools of fish and even the scales of some Sea Beasts.

Wang Ya gazed toward the Captain’s Room. A faint blue shimmer flashed across his eyes.

[Notification: Information on Tuta Wizard successfully collected. Analysis results as follows: Biological Energy reduced by eighty percent. Particle Energy reduced by seventy percent.]

Every carbon-based life form possessed Biological Energy. In video game terms, you could think of it as the health bar—the red bar.

Particle Energy, then, would be the mana bar—the blue one.

Of course, a Wizard couldn’t be measured by these two stats alone. There was also their core, their powerful Spiritual Power—the medium through which the intangible could influence the tangible.

Previously, the Eye of Truth had lacked the necessary data to determine what level of Wizard Tuta was.

Comparing Tuta’s stats to his own, Wang Ya made a bold guess: Tuta had to be at least a Level 3 Wizard Apprentice.

’What kind of opponent could inflict such devastating injuries on a Wizard that powerful?’

’Was it the one who unleashed the darkness and the Thorny Sea Beasts?’

’They were clearly targeting the Wizard Ship, intending to leave no one alive.’

Wang Ya frowned. He couldn’t piece together any clues, so he decided to put it out of his mind.

The most important thing was that he had survived. Tuta Wizard must have repelled the enemy, but had been severely injured in the process.

The days ahead likely wouldn’t be peaceful. After all, Tuta Wizard was grievously wounded.

He stroked Harak’s black feathers. They were soft and relaxed, and a gentle warmth spread across his palm.

After its beneficial transformation from the Thorn Heart, Harak’s Power had grown with incredible speed. Its strength and carrying capacity in flight were now immense for its size. Even if another disaster struck, Wang Ya was fairly confident Harak could survive out on the open sea.

’In the end, it all comes down to your own strength. Personal Power is what matters most, and the Wizard Path is one you must walk alone.’

The sound of footsteps shattered Wang Ya’s thoughts. It was the other surviving Wizard Freshmen. Their faces and bodies were stained with varying amounts of blood and grime.

Anna, who had been so proud during the initial gathering, was no exception. Her once-fiery red hair, so vibrant it seemed to burn the very air, was now matted and sticky, reeking of filth.

”Oh, my god, I’m alive! Those damn monsters... they should all go to Hell and suffer for a thousand lifetimes!”

”Look at this beautiful sky! This fragrant sea breeze! Everything is so wonderful. It’s a shame... my good friends, my old buddies, they all died at the hands of those monsters. It’s too heartbreaking.”

”It’s so good to be alive... But why were there monsters like that on the Wizard Ship? And where was Tuta Wizard? What was he doing?!”

The group of Wizard Freshmen vented their pent-up stress, heedless of their appearances.

Some screamed.

Others stripped off their foul-smelling clothes, spread their arms wide, and ran across the deck.

And still others wept, complaining about Tuta Wizard and anything else they could think to blame.

It only took a moment for Wang Ya to guess how these Wizard Freshmen had managed to survive.

He subconsciously walked toward the edge of the deck, where a stronger sea breeze blew away the frown-inducing stench.

Compared to the other Wizard Freshmen, his nearly spotless gray robes were undeniably conspicuous.

Many of the freshmen noticed Wang Ya and began to wonder. ”How did he survive? His clothes are so clean. Is there some method we don’t know about for avoiding the Thorny Sea Beasts?”

Anna was also a bit surprised, but she didn’t give it much thought, assuming the guy had just been lucky.

’The stench clinging to her was almost unbearable. She had to find a place to wash—five times, ten times—and then throw these damn, filthy clothes away.’

Suddenly, her pupils constricted. Someone she never expected to see emerged.

His body was covered in gashes, half of his face was bitten off, and a third of his scalp was peeled back. Dripping blood, he looked like a ghoul... injuries like these were beyond the ability of a Wizard Freshman to heal.

’It was Arthur. He wasn’t dead!’

He limped out, his left sleeve hanging empty, the very picture of misery.

The moment he saw Anna, a horrifying smile spread across his devastated face.

’Anna. His woman. The one he loved.’

’He had lost so much. He absolutely could not lose her, too.’

The other Wizard Freshmen were horrified by Arthur’s appearance. If not for the faint outline of his features and his familiar clothes, they might not have recognized him at all. He was a wretched sight.

His disfigurement, combined with the loss of his left arm, would likely have a major impact on his Wizard Path.

While the Wizard World did have Extraordinary Potions and other methods capable of regenerating lost limbs, they were far beyond the reach of any Low-tier Wizard.

Anna recognized the look in Arthur’s eyes. It was obsession. Even back when she was a mortal, she had seen that look in countless men who had fallen at her feet.

’This meant Arthur would never be able to leave her now.’

’Perhaps she would have been pleased by that once, but not with the man Arthur had become.’

His hideous face and mutilated body filled Anna with a deep, visceral disgust.

Without giving Arthur a second glance, she turned and walked toward her room. She needed to wash away the filth.

Arthur froze, his pupils dilating. ’That coldness... was that really Anna? Where did the gentle, kind Anna go?’

A wave of devastation and rage crashed over him, especially under the searing gazes of the other Wizard Freshmen. ’...No. My Anna would never be like this. There must be some kind of misunderstanding.’

Arthur glared viciously at the Wizard Freshmen on the deck, his eyes promising murder.

’His status was the highest. It still was. Nothing had changed.’

’He had the best aptitude, the chance at a true Wizard’s legacy! How dare these damn, low-tier freshmen look at him with pity and... and glee?! How dare they!’

Then, his eyes fell on Wang Ya, with his clean clothes and placid expression.

For some reason, the sight of Wang Ya in this state filled him with an even greater sense of irritation, which quickly boiled into anger and resentment.

Arthur stumbled wretchedly toward the cabins. ’What was wrong with Anna? He had to ask her. Was it because of the Thorny Sea Beasts? Was she just frightened, and that’s why she was being so cold to him...?’

A peculiar look flashed in Wang Ya’s eyes. ’He’s so different from the Arthur I remember. What could have happened to him to make him change so drastically?’

’He’s like a stray dog with a broken leg, barking furiously at everything to prove it’s still strong, terrified its master will abandon it.’

’Still, it’s none of my business, as long as he stays out of my way.’

Wang Ya glanced back toward the Captain’s Room. ’What’s the real story with Tuta Wizard’s condition?’

’Logically, he should have appeared by now to restore order and confirm their course.’