Chapter 257 167: 8 Years Later, Becoming the Dark Star

Some of the errant Wizards in the Border Wizard City seized the opportunity, and many successfully joined other Wizard Influences.

When a whale falls, all things live.

This large-scale investigation sent ripples throughout the entire Dark Land, attracting the attention of neighboring Wizard Influences.

For certain Wizards, this was also a golden opportunity.

The vacated positions represented interests up for grabs.

As for how the spoils would be divided, that would depend on the arrangements made by the Official Wizards.

The Wizards of the Wizard Family Alliance were watching closely, as were the Heritage Wizards of the School Lineage.

They could go without, but they couldn't let the Wizard Family Alliance (or the School Lineage, for that matter) be the ones to profit.

....

「Three months later.」

The sweeping internal investigation had finally concluded.

With the exception of a few Wizards who fled the Dark Land via the Border Wizard City, all other offenders were punished according to the rules.

From top to bottom, many positions throughout the Dark Land were filled by new faces.

However, even more positions were left vacant, temporarily overseen by higher-ranking officials or filled by their deputies.

Wizard Kelan received a message from the Illusory Dream Wizard and invited Wizard Yi Si for a secret meeting.

Also summoned were Puni Stark, the head of the Stark Clan, and Ocam Mad, the head of the Mad Clan.

Upon hearing the news, their hearts sank. In the end, they had no choice but to steel themselves and travel to Heart Dream Lake. There, alongside Wizard Yi Si, they had an audience with the Illusory Dream Wizard.

Not until the light of dawn a day later did the three of them leave Heart Dream Lake, their faces grim.

Three days later, the Divine Blood Wizard made a personal move. He took the initiative to capture an Extreme Wizard Apprentice from his own Inheritance Lineage and threw him into the Wizard Prison.

This once again roiled the calm waters, but this time, it was like a giant boulder had been dropped in.

To think that even someone of the caliber of an Extreme Wizard Apprentice had broken the rules! He was sentenced by the Rule Inspection Bureau to one hundred and twenty years of hard labor in the Bone Decay Secret Realm.

It was the harshest punishment yet, and the headquarters Wizards paled at the news.

The Bone Decay Secret Realm was no paradise. For any Wizard sent there, their Wizard Path was all but finished.

The authority of the Dark Land's rules was once again firmly established in the minds of the headquarters Wizards. Imperceptibly, their sense of unity and loyalty grew stronger.

The Gloom Wizard took it all in, a slight smile playing on his lips. Standing in the shadows of the room, the Purple Nightmare Wizard glanced over, his brow twitching slightly before he looked away.

「The following month.」

The Dark Land issued a notice, which all Wizards received via their Dark Land Marks.

[Wanted Notice: Level 3 Wizard Apprentice Denno Lofie, formerly a Heritage Wizard of the White Bone Lineage, has violated the rules of the Dark Land. All Dark Land Wizards may apprehend him. He is wanted dead or alive.]

[Wanted Notice: Extreme Wizard Apprentice Beta Berkeley, head of the Berkeley Clan—one of the Ten Great Wizard Clans—has, along with the entire Berkeley Clan, betrayed the Dark Land. They murdered a Law Enforcement Wizard in a cruel fashion, resisted arrest... All Dark Land Wizards may apprehend any member of the Berkeley Clan. They are wanted dead or alive.]

Kaze Antuun saw an opportunity—a chance for the Antuun Clan to rise in status.

The disappointment from his failed search for the Black Sun Ruins—and the discovery of fake ruins instead—was overshadowed by this news.

Excitement and anticipation took its place.

When a whale falls, all things live.

The Berkeley Clan had dug their own grave.

Beta Berkeley refused to go down quietly, putting up a desperate struggle and leading his entire clan to rebel against the Dark Land.

Naturally, someone would be there to grant them a dignified end.

'How ruthless. He had all his clan members scatter to buy enough time to escape the Dark Land's borders. What a pity. You completely underestimated the terror of the Dark Land... no, you underestimated the terror of the Official Wizards.'

Kaze Antuun's face was filled with a mix of emotions after he learned the details of the situation.

A familiar face from the projection meetings would never be seen again.

The Berkeley Clan was finished.

Inside the clan grounds, Zack Antuun and Hades Antuun arrived as scheduled.

"I assume you two already know about the Berkeley Clan's situation."

Kaze Antuun got straight to the point. "A spot among the Ten Great Wizard Clans has opened up. I've decided to mobilize more of the clan's Power to search for the location of the ruins recorded on the Black Sun Badge."

"The situation with the Berkeley Clan is still unfolding. As for the vacant spot, many are surely eyeing it now. The Antuun Clan only has a chance of securing it, not a guarantee."

Kaze Antuun sighed. "Ultimately, our Power is still insufficient. The Black Sun Ruins are a turning point. I need your Power, Zack."

Kaze Antuun's gaze fell upon Zack Antuun. The younger man's face showed a hint of astonishment, and a strange emotion stirred in his heart.

For a moment, he was too stunned to react.

"F-Father... I... I... What should I do?" Zack Antuun stammered, his voice filled with apprehension as he snuck a glance at his father's face.

All he saw on Kaze Antuun's face was deep thought and solemnity.

"I need you to use your Puppetry Witchcraft to create a large number of Puppets. They will explore the Black Sun Ruins for us, which will save us a great deal of time."

"It's been two or three years already, and we still don't have a single lead. I'm sure our allies are growing impatient."

Zack Antuun nodded eagerly. "Father, you can count on me. I'll handle it, and I'll do a better job than anyone else."