The Wizard's Pursuit of Truth

This was the greatest point of difference from a Level 2 Wizard Apprentice.

An Extraordinary Spiritual Power akin to Telekinesis.

Her gaze was frigid. As she made a grasping motion with her left hand, the bodies of the Wizard Puppets froze in place, then began to twist and contort, their original structures breaking apart.

BANG!

One Puppet's core burst, followed by more, exploding one after another like a string of fireworks.

Only a few short seconds had passed since the hundred Puppets appeared.

The color drained from Zack Antuun's face.

'What kind of joke is this? How could I possibly win against Power like that?'

'Forget me—even if Hades were here, he wouldn't be in the same league.'

There are vast differences in power even between Level 3 Wizards.

'This woman must be close to becoming an Extreme Wizard Apprentice.'

'Simple swarm tactics are completely useless against a Wizard like this.'

'Damn it!'

'My body... I can't move.'

Zack Antuun's face flushed red as he was suspended in mid-air, his limbs splayed out. His Biological Force Field was like a candle flame, snuffed out with a single breath from his opponent.

His Extraordinary Spiritual Power was just as fragile, completely overpowered and suppressed.

The remaining two Wizards from his headquarters had their bodies seized by Black Souls, their own souls devoured.

It was all over.

The three Wolf-Headed Black Souls were about to devour the masked Level 2 Apprentice Wizard.

A smirk played on Rilis's lips, but her expression suddenly twisted in horror. An invisible Energy Flame had inexplicably ignited all over her body.

The Energy Flame appeared without any warning. It was utterly formless, yet it seared her flesh, causing it to shrivel and char.

Her hair and face were caught in the blaze. The searing pain forced her to unleash all of her Particle Energy, forming an Energy Shield.

But it was useless. The formless fire continued to burn, even erupting from her eyes, ears, nostrils, and mouth.

The illusory Witchcraft disguising her body vanished, revealing her tall, slender figure. She was curvaceous, with pale, slightly coarse skin, but she possessed an undeniable, exotic beauty.

Now, all of that beauty was being relentlessly scorched away by Wang Ya's Heart Dream Fire Witchcraft.

If not for the powerful Soul Body within her resisting the invasive Energy Flame, she would already be dead.

Black Wizards excelled at Witchcraft of the soul, but their physical bodies were a comparative weakness.

Wang Ya, in his Illusory Body state, remained hidden in a corner.

'It's a shame.'

'After all, it was an opening I worked so hard to create.'

'If only Zack Antuun had held on for a little longer.'

'Five seconds was just too short. It wasn't enough time to unleash more of the Heart Dream Fire.'

Heart Dream Fire: A Combined Witchcraft that merges the Traits of Fire Element Witchcraft and Dream Witchcraft. When the prerequisites of the Illusion Demon Domain are met, it can unleash a formless, substanceless Energy Flame that burns anything within the domain's range.

This Combined Witchcraft, an extension of the Fear-Burning Fire, was the pinnacle of Wang Ya's creations to date.

Within the Illusion Demon Domain were minuscule, special Energy Particles formed by weaving together Dream Power. Their dream-like, illusory nature made them undetectable. Anyone breathing within the domain would inhale these particles.

The Heart Dream Fire worked by igniting these particles, causing the target to burn from the inside out. The flames would spread to the very head, even igniting their Extraordinary Spiritual Power.

Wang Ya's next step was to develop it further, so it could burn consciousness itself.

The more of these microscopic particles one inhaled, the more powerful the Heart Dream Fire would be.

Rilis used her formidable Soul Power to extinguish the Heart Dream Fire, but the wretched state of her physical body and her own battered appearance drove her to the brink of madness.

She glared with cold hatred at the corner, from which Wang Ya emerged without any attempt to hide.

Luo Dan's eyes widened in disbelief. She was seeing Master Rilis injured? 'What kind of joke is this? This is Master Rilis! A powerful existence who completed the Natural Trial!'

'She's one of the strongest Level 3 Wizard Apprentices in the entire Natural Ring Tower!'

'With enough preparation, she once fought an Extreme Wizard Apprentice and lasted for a full four minutes!'

'Several Official Wizards have even said that, barring any accidents, Master Rilis has a forty percent chance of becoming an Official Wizard!'

Murphy said in disbelief, "Why are there two Arthurs? Which one is the real one?"

Only then did the others notice the black-robed figure fighting and constantly dodging the three Wolf-Headed Black Souls.

Zack Antuun scrambled up from the ground. The Spiritual Power that had bound him vanished the moment its owner was severely injured.

He was finally coming to his senses.

'I was sold out by Wang Ya Harak again! Used as bait, a tool to draw her attention!'

But seeing that Wang Ya had actually managed to land a blow, he was deeply shaken.

'That Level 3 Wizard Apprentice is no pushover—she's truly one of the strongest of her kind.'

'And how much time has passed?!'

'His Power has grown so fast... I can't comprehend it.'

Rilis's eyes burned with venomous hatred. "Such mastery of Witchcraft... you can't be an ordinary Wizard. Who are you?"

Wang Ya didn't answer. The instant before a wave of curse energy engulfed him, he transformed into a flash of burning light and vanished.

A huge crater was instantly corroded into the ground where he had been standing, eaten away by the Curse Power.

'So she has a formless, substanceless Witchcraft as well.'

'Then again, that's what Curse Witchcraft has always excelled at.'

'This Black Wizard has forgone the use of causal mediums to curse a target's true body.'

'Instead, she walks a path of purely offensive curses.'

Rilis seethed with resentment. Having her physical body ruined like this would severely impact her future advancement.

The injuries were secondary; the real problem was the energy contamination—and from the Fire Element Particle Energy she detested most.

"Protect Master Rilis!"

Murphy froze. 'Why did I just rush to Master Rilis's side? I don't remember her giving me an order...'

Rilis had complete faith in her Black Soul, so she paid Murphy no mind. Her brow furrowed as she scanned the area, searching for any sign of her enemy.

'His Power isn't overwhelming, but his Witchcraft techniques are just too bizarre and impossible to guard against.'

'He was watching from the shadows the whole time, waiting for a chance to strike and leave me in this pathetic state.'

"Murphy, kill the remaining Wizard from the Dark Land."

Rilis was on edge now, like a cornered animal. She swept the area with her Spiritual Power, wary of another attack at any moment.

'That formless, substanceless Energy Flame is truly terrifying.'

"Understood, Master Rilis."

Zack Antuun, who had just managed to pull himself up and lean against a wall, felt his lip twitch when he heard this.

'Wang Ya Harak is as elusive as a ghost; maybe he can escape, but I'm truly finished.'

SQUELCH!

A slender, pale hand suddenly burst through Rilis's back, piercing straight through her heart. Stained with blood, it was a horrifying sight.

Luo Dan shrieked, "Murphy! You betrayed Master Rilis! Are you insane? Do you want your very soul to be obliterated?!"

Murphy looked just as terrified, raising his own hands high in the air. "It wasn't me!"

A cold voice spoke from right behind her. "Don't move. Move an inch, and I'll incinerate your internal organs. Go on, give it a try. Let's see what's faster—your Curse Witchcraft, or my hand."

Rilis's pupils dilated. Her face twisted in agony, her expression a mask of venomous hatred.

...

PS: My apologies, everyone. An elderly family member had a medical issue (diarrhea with bleeding) and was very weak. I had to take them to the hospital and only just got back. I'm posting this chapter now.

I might be able to post one or two more chapters tonight.

But I won't be able to deliver on my promise. I'm so sorry! I've let all my readers down.