The Wizard's Pursuit of Truth

The long, narrow black blade, coated in Particle Energy that vibrated at a unique frequency, remained unstained by a single drop of blood.

This terrifying resonance greatly enhanced the Shadow Slayer Blade’s power and hardness, enabling it to pierce a Wizard’s Particle Energy Shield.

Wang Ya could feel the strain through the Shadow Slayer Blade.

It had taken all his strength to completely decapitate the... thing in front of him.

The girl before him could no longer be called human.

The so-called ’divine baptism’ in that tent had, in reality, completely replaced her from the inside out.

”M-Murderer!!” The surrounding civilians had never witnessed such a violent scene. It wasn’t until the splattering blood drenched them that they finally reacted, screaming with faces full of panic and terror as they stared at the golden-haired young man.

The expressions of Kenny and the other members of the royal family changed as well, but their shock quickly turned to joy.

’There’s no mistaking it. That repulsive Extraordinary Fluctuation... He’s a Wizard. The last Wizard. To think he was hiding in a common merchant caravan.’

’Sacrificing him to the God of Gendas will grant us an even more generous reward.’

’A single Wizard is worth tens of thousands of commoners.’

”Seize him, my people!” Kenny bellowed in excitement. ”Do not let this murderer escape! Whoever captures him will be immediately granted a noble title, rewarded with ten thousand gold, and welcomed into my royal court!”

For a moment, the retreating civilians froze as if a bomb had gone off in their heads. Then, their breath grew ragged and their faces twisted with fanaticism as they surged toward Wang Ya in unison.

’With His Majesty the King and so many Royal Guards present, what is there to fear? If we capture this murderer, we can become lofty, respected nobles!’

The civilians who had emerged from the tent, their faces numb and expressionless, also closed in, forming what seemed to be an impenetrable human wall on all sides.

’These are all ordinary humans. As a Wizard, would you dare to slaughter them indiscriminately?’

Kenny gripped his Scepter, a smug smile spreading across his face. ’As long as we can stall this Wizard for a moment until the Sons of God have him completely surrounded, his fate will be sealed.’

A fine, blue shimmer flickered in Wang Ya’s pupils. He wasn’t looking at the ordinary humans, but at the headless corpse on the ground and the others who had undergone the ’divine baptism.’

SQUELCH!

Countless fleshy tendrils sprouted from the wound, stemming the flow of blood. The deathly still expression on the severed head suddenly came to life, and its beautiful eyes even blinked at Wang Ya.

The tendrils formed into makeshift legs, carrying the head back to the headless corpse. The moment they touched, they fused, and the wound on the neck healed, leaving it as good as new.

The sight was utterly grotesque, especially when Ras spoke in a gentle voice, ”Mr. Arthur, come believe in the great God of Gendas with me. This is the power He has bestowed upon me—immortality.”

ROAR!

A low, guttural barking began to echo among the baptized humans, who called and answered one another.

Their eerie gazes fixed on Wang Ya in unison.

Wang Ya’s expression darkened.

’Every human who accepted the baptism is no longer human. A Gundas’ Dog is hosted within their bodies, a higher-level existence.’

Suddenly, Wang Ya sneered. As the ordinary humans lunged at him, a crimson light erupted from his body. A wave of heat intense enough to incinerate a human body instantly expanded outward, and the glare from the Fire Element Particle Energy blocked out everything from the outside world.

The lunging civilians were instantly transformed into burning pillars of fire. Their shrill screams echoed for a moment before they were reduced to charred, humanoid figures littering the ground.

”A Wizard! He’s one of those mysterious, terrifying Wizards! They eat human hearts! Run!”

The civilians in the outer circle, blinded by the intense heat and searing light, were terrified. They scrambled to run, crashing into the people still surging forward. A massive stampede erupted, and the crowd descended into chaos.

The smile on Kenny’s face froze. ”Those were ordinary civilians. You actually killed them.”

Wang Ya said nothing, merely giving the king an indifferent glance as he began to back away.

’Why wouldn’t I kill them? Those who aid an Evil God should be prepared to pay the price.’

’The True Sight Ball has finished recording.’

’When this news reaches the Dark Land, the Maya Kingdom itself might cease to exist. Not a single living creature will be left behind.’

’Powerful Wizards don’t care about survivors.’

”Agh! My neck!” Ras’s once-gentle expression contorted into a ferocious mask, veins bulging on her skin. Black blood coursed through them, but it couldn’t stop the wound on her neck from reappearing and beginning to fester.

She clutched her neck, eyes wide with terror, but her head tumbled to the ground nonetheless.

A flicker of mockery appeared in Wang Ya’s eyes. ’If the contamination and radiation from Particle Energy were that easy to handle, Wizards wouldn’t be so terrified of it that they make Energy Particle Shields standard-issue for combat.’

’Tuta Wizard spent two or three months confined to the Captain’s Room on the Wizard Ship, healing from his encounter with the Thorny Sea Beast.’

”Seize him! Don’t let the murderer escape!” Kenny’s expression was utterly grim. He ripped away his sleeve, revealing a grotesque right arm made of flesh tendrils. The tendrils at his fist writhed and converged, forming the shape of a canine head.

A sharp bark echoed from it. Then, from the bodies of each of the baptized ”Sons of God,” a Gundas’ Dog burst forth, solidifying from illusion into reality as they lunged at Wang Ya.

At this point, Kenny no longer cared about the civilians. The Gundas’ Dogs began to slaughter indiscriminately.

Terrified faces, screams, and barks—the entire town square descended into utter bedlam.

Wang Ya frowned. The Gundas’ Dogs were incredibly fast; he wouldn’t be able to outrun them on foot.

His gaze shifted to the town’s dense collection of buildings.

’It’s obvious that Kenny has the ability to control the Gundas’ Dogs.’

’It must be due to that special substance near his heart and the ability of his unique right arm.’

ROAR!

Up ahead on the town road, five or six Gundas’ Dogs stared hungrily at Wang Ya. Their maws were splayed open, fleshy tendrils waving in the air as they locked onto their target.

Behind him, another seven or eight Gundas’ Dogs blocked his path, cutting off his retreat.

He was trapped like a rat in a cage.

The aura of each Gundas’ Dog was equivalent to a Level 1 Extraordinary Creature, albeit an unstable and somewhat weaker one.

Nevertheless, even a Level 2 Wizard Apprentice would have to be cautious when facing an attack from so many Extraordinary Creatures.

Just then, a cryptic smile touched the corners of Wang Ya’s lips.

KABOOM!

A tremendous explosion echoed from the center of town!!

The many Gundas’ Dogs surrounding him suddenly trembled as if they had suffered a devastating blow. Their writhing tendrils went limp, and their bodies collapsed, leaking shockingly bright blood.