The Wizard's Pursuit of Truth

His tone was sharp and he spoke quickly. The Wizards who knew the inside story all understood why.

The Xugus Wizard standing nearby let out an even more wicked laugh. He walked right over and patted Wizard Yi Si on the shoulder. "Don’t worry, Yi Si. So what if you were rejected? Once the Secret Realm competition is over, I’ll get some payback for you."

"This kid is mysterious. I don’t know who’s backing him, but at the very least, he’s at a top-ten level. He’s qualified to choose an Extraordinary School to join."

The Xugus Wizard gave Wizard Yi Si a knowing look, speaking in a conspiratorial tone. "You get me, Yi Si. When the time comes, I’ll put out the word and refuse to let him join. I’ll help you get your face back."

Wizard Yi Si: "..."

’It’d be great if you could just shut up,’ Wizard Yi Si wanted to say. But the corner of his mouth twitched, and he remained silent. He lowered his head and quietly sipped his milk tea.

...

「In the projection conference room.」

The various heads of the Wizard Clans grew interested, their eyes fixed on the projection screen. Among them, Patriarch Goodley of the Shebel Clan and Patriarch Jishilin of the Qiuji Clan were the most agitated.

Jishilin’s eyes went wide. He emerged from the shadows of his projection, his aged face contorted with rage as he stared daggers at Goodley Shebel. From his expression, anyone would believe he was about to eat the man alive.

"Goodley, I need an explanation. If anything happens to Halic, I swear I won’t let that whelp of yours get away with it."

Goodley Shebel replied mockingly, "What’s wrong? Does our dear Master Wizard Jishilin finally know what it feels like to have his heart ache?"

His tone shifted, and his expression turned frigid. "When my youngest son, Reif, died, I wasn’t nearly as emotional as you are now. I still remember who it was that put on a self-righteous front and said that for every mistake, a price must be paid."

"Now, everything is happening within the bounds of the rules. Even if my son kills yours, it would be perfectly normal."

Jishilin Qiuji’s fury surged. He slammed the table, his face turning sinister. "Then let me tell you this: I’ll kill that little brat of yours."

Puni Stark cleared his throat, attempting to ease the tense, sword-drawn atmosphere.

"We are all members of the Wizard Family Alliance. I’ve said it before, we can’t let things get this tense. Let them compete based on their own abilities." Puni Stark then turned to Goodley. "What happened before was a violation of the rules. Under pressure, we had no choice but to sacrifice those two. The Gobseck Clan didn’t protest. Goodley, you need to watch your attitude."

Ocam Mad also tried to placate Jishilin. "The Secret Realm competition is about individual skill. The rules are in place for a reason. When the boy is outmatched, he can choose to withdraw from the Secret Realm and end the fight."

The others chimed in as well, and the atmosphere finally eased.

But the two Patriarchs continued to glare at each other. Such conflicts, once started, were not easily resolved.

"There is also a third person, Wang Ya Harak," Puni Stark suddenly said. "Patriarch Goodley, I wonder what your thoughts are on him."

Goodley Shebel’s tone was nonchalant and full of confidence. "It is impossible for Riley to lose to any Wizard Freshman in the Secret Realm. Not even to a trump card from the School Lineage."

"You can all just watch and see how he deals with this variable. The Wizard Family Alliance’s plan will not be affected, and a place in the top three is destined to be Riley’s."

It was impossible to know what the other figures present were thinking. But seeing Goodley’s confidence, their expressions turned grave as their gazes fell upon the young man named Riley Shebel.

’The Power he’s shown from the Blood Wizard Path... that can’t be all he has.’

Jishilin sneered from the shadows. ’You’re confident, Goodley, but I’m just as confident in my own.’ He thought of his eldest son, Dante, and couldn’t help but recall the War Body Wizard inheritance he’d accidentally purchased two years prior.

The inheritance was called the Aquis Secret Record. Its concepts were profound, and the depth of its Extraordinary Knowledge was breathtaking, even to him.

Unfortunately, it was only a fragment. But it was a perfect match for Dante, who had already cultivated it to an incredibly high level.

Dante would definitely claim one of the top three spots in this Secret Realm competition.

He was certain of it!

The School Lineage’s trump card, the Shebel Clan, the Stark Clan’s so-called "most outstanding Elemental Genius" Rod... they were all bullshit.

...

RRRIP!

Halic’s pupils constricted. A searing pain shot through his left arm—it was completely broken. Blood gushed from the wound, dripping through the fingers of his right hand as he clutched the injury.

His face was a mask of agony as he gritted his teeth and came to a stop. He leaned his back against a massive Yin Wood tree in the dense forest, took a deep breath, and ripped open his Wizard Robe.

The sight it revealed was a shocking expanse of crimson: a massive bite mark stretched from his shoulder joint down to his deltoid. The bite was so deep it had shattered part of the bone.

It was an injury inflicted by that madman, Riley, using his Blood Witchcraft.

The radiating Particle Energy prevented the wound from healing. He thought he could suppress it for a while, but then... Halic’s expression changed dramatically. He whipped his head to the right, and a nightmarish figure appeared. A sickly smile stretched across the figure’s face, baring a set of terrifying teeth. It was Riley Shebel!

He had caught up.

Riley had already left deep mental scars on Halic. He instinctively took a step back, his eyes locked on his pursuer.

’Unless it’s the absolute last resort, I don’t want to leave the Secret Realm like this. It’s just too humiliating.’

"Riley Shebel, what do you want? I don’t have a single Dark Badge on me! Don’t take this too far!"

Halic’s words were as pale and feeble as his complexion.

’He was on high alert. This Riley Shebel was, without a doubt, the most terrifying enemy he had ever faced.’

THUMP-THUMP!

His heart hammered in his chest, blood surging at maximum velocity. Particle Energy surged, stimulating every Extraordinary Organ in his body to generate a powerful Biological Force Field. It was both a defense and a weapon, ready to be unleashed at a moment’s notice.

He was going all out, even pushing his body into an overloaded state with the stimulation from the Particle Energy.

His muscles bulged, and the bleeding from his wound stopped as the powerful muscle fibers contracted, pulling the edges of the gash together.

His skin flushed red and the veins on his neck constricted. His gaze was as sharp and focused as it could be.

This was everything he could do. The moment his opponent made the slightest move, he would strike.

The smile on Riley Shebel’s face slowly faded, his expression growing serious. The sickly, crazed look vanished, replaced by an unnerving calm.

His aura was no longer violent and impulsive. Instead, it became restrained, suppressed.

This was the correct choice in a battle between Wizards: reveal no openings. One would only adopt such a stance when facing a powerful opponent.

A flicker of hope ignited in Halic’s eyes. ’So, my Power is enough to make Riley Shebel wary. Maybe I can stay in the Secret Realm after all. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have adopted this stance.’

"Riley Shebel, I have no desire to be entangled with you. I can’t maintain this peak state for long, but that doesn’t mean I lack the resolve to fight you to the death."

Halic said with a frown, "Why don’t we go our separate ways and leave each other in peace?"

Riley Shebel finally spoke, his expression as dark as a stormy sea. "Who are you? I don’t recognize you from any of the Wizard Clan freshmen."

’In my experience,’ Riley thought, ’an opponent this powerful could only come from the Direct Lineage of a Wizard Clan. But I’ve never heard of this one. Could it be...?’

Halic: "..."

Halic froze. ’What does he mean? What is Riley Shebel talking about?’

"Shall we begin now?"

An indifferent voice came from behind Halic, making his expression drain of all color and sending a chill down his spine.

’You’ve got to be kidding me!’

’There’s someone else here? And I didn’t notice them at all?’

’That’s impossible!’