The Wizard's Pursuit of Truth

Halic felt as if ants were crawling up his spine, and he couldn’t help but shudder.

’Are you kidding me!?’

’There’s a third person here.’

’And he’s right behind me.’

’When did he get here? Is my Spiritual Power perception a sham? I didn’t sense a thing until he actually spoke.’

’I’m a Level 2 Wizard Apprentice, for crying out loud! Even if I only barely managed to advance, there’s no way I should only notice someone when they’re practically breathing down my neck.’

A bead of sweat evaporated from his forehead. His flushed face, a result of the high body temperature from his overloaded Particle Energy, concealed how unnatural his expression had become.

He subconsciously tried to peek out of the corner of his eye, but the touch on his shoulder made him jolt, and he held his breath.

A fair, slender hand rested on his shoulder—he had no idea when it had gotten there. He couldn’t see the figure’s face, only the color of their Wizard Robe: a black as deep as ink.

Halic didn’t want to move. He didn’t dare. A suffocating aura radiated from behind him, a Biological Force Field far stronger and more terrifying than his own.

It was so powerful that it suppressed even his overloaded Witchcraft and the unusual phenomena of his body’s heightened state. His turbulent Particle Energy became as quiet as a kitten, settling completely.

Halic’s mind reeled. ’This person is absolutely terrifying,’ he thought. ’Definitely one of the strongest Wizard Freshmen.’

For a moment, Halic felt this person’s presence even surpassed that of the figure looming in his mind.

His brother, Dante Qiuji.

It was only then that he finally understood why Riley Shebel had suddenly worn such a grave expression and retracted his aura as if he’d met a powerful enemy. It hadn’t been for him at all. It was this terrifying person behind him who had been putting real pressure on Riley Shebel.

Halic was overcome by a storm of complex emotions—shock, anger, but most of all, a burning sense of shame.

His face, still bright red, continued to mask his expression.

’I really just want to leave now,’ he thought, ’to withdraw from the Secret Realm competition.’

’This pathetic, disgraceful performance... Father has probably seen the whole thing, hasn’t he?’

"I know who you are." Riley Shebel’s brow furrowed. The pressure from the figure in the black Wizard Robe was steadily mounting. This was a true rival.

He wasn’t entirely confident he could win. Even if he had trump cards of his own, that didn’t mean his opponent was without them.

He hesitated. In a battle between Wizards, if victory wasn’t assured, one had to consider the risks and rewards, and the consequences of one’s choices.

His eyes darkened. His lips moved, and he uttered three words: "Wang Ya Harak!"

During his two and a half years of preparation, Riley Shebel had learned a thing or two about the more powerful opponents. His family had also gathered relevant information on them ahead of time.

They would even investigate the Wizard Path they walked and what kind of Witchcraft they possessed. This way, they wouldn’t be on the back foot when the Secret Realm competition began. If they encountered a rival, they could seize the initiative and control the tempo of the fight.

His father, Goodley, had mentioned the name Wang Ya Harak on several occasions. He was said to be a trump card planted among the freshmen by the School Lineage, and it was highly probable that he was the one who had reported the Evil God incident.

He was an enemy who absolutely could not be ignored!

The name sent a jolt through Halic, like a bolt of lightning striking his mind.

’The Wizard Freshman who dealt with the Evil God incident.’

’The School Lineage’s trump card.’

For some reason, Halic felt a bit better. At least... he had lost to two of the strongest Wizard Freshmen, and only after he was already injured.

Even his brother, Dante, probably wouldn’t have fared much better in this situation.

The powerful Biological Force Field had fully unfurled, completely blanketing the area. Within its range, Spiritual Power could be used to make a life form’s senses receive false feedback. Part of Wang Ya’s Sensory Deprivation Witchcraft was actually derived from this principle. The Biological Force Field of an Official Wizard could even influence celestial phenomena, reshape the very heavens and earth, and cause permanent disturbances in the Natural Magnetic Field.

Halic felt his body and mind being further suppressed. He knew that if he made the slightest move, he would be killed in an instant—too fast even to use the teleportation-escape function.

Riley Shebel remained motionless as well, not even twitching a finger. His eyes were fixed in their direction, his own Biological Force Field having already encompassed the area.

The two were already locked in a confrontation. The clash between their Biological Force Fields was invisible, imperceptible. But at the epicenter of the conflict, Halic saw light begin to warp and refract. The temperature fluctuated, and patches of moisture even appeared on the ground.

The invisible pressure was so intense it was creating a near-vacuum in the space between them. Anything that touched this high-pressure zone would be instantly pulverized into dust.

Halic cried out silently in his heart. ’These two are monsters! The power of their Biological Force Fields is beyond anything I could have imagined. The gap is just too obvious. There’s an insurmountable gulf between me and Wizard Freshmen of this caliber.’

This wasn’t a battle he could even dream of participating in. A Biological Force Field of this magnitude almost felt like that of a Level 3 Wizard Apprentice.

Sweat soaked Halic’s back. Blood mingled with sweat dripped from between his fingers, but Halic didn’t dare make the slightest move. He endured the pain, having no desire to be the spark that ignited their fight.