The Wizard's Pursuit of Truth
Chapter 21: Fear-Burning Fire, Arthur’s True Colors Exposed

Chapter 21: Chapter 21: Fear-Burning Fire, Arthur’s True Colors Exposed

[Target: ’Fear-Burning Fire’ Witchcraft]

[Information: An indispensable cornerstone of Inheritance Witchcraft, classified as Low-tier Witchcraft.]

[Details: Gathers Fire Elemental Particles to form an Energy Flame with strong radioactive properties. Each wisp of flame will inflict devastating damage to living creatures.]

The Inheritance Witch Book contained more than just the Fury of Hephaestus. There were also two Middle-tier Witchcrafts and three Low-tier Witchcrafts.

Wang Ya spent the entire afternoon immersed in the study of this Extraordinary Knowledge.

He didn’t participate in the Sea Beast hunt. As for the lack of food, Harak only needed to go out to sea once to gather what he needed for daily life.

The allure of Witchcraft Knowledge was so strong that he even had the thought of staying in his room and secluding himself to study.

"Fear-Burning Fire, Fire Elemental Energy Shield, Crimson Heat."

Only after mastering the Extraordinary Knowledge of these three Low-tier Witchcrafts could he begin learning the knowledge for Middle-tier Witchcraft.

This step-by-step approach was far less difficult than learning a Middle-tier Witchcraft on its own.

It was like assembling a shape with puzzle pieces; subsequent pieces would build upon the original foundation, making it more complete.

Wang Ya put down the Inheritance Witch Book, not looking at the Extraordinary Knowledge that followed.

One must eat a meal one bite at a time. Just the fundamental Witchcraft Knowledge was already proving to be a struggle for Wang Ya.

Some of the specialized content was very difficult to understand without having taken the various Extraordinary Courses at a Wizard Academy.

But he wasn’t without options. He rubbed his forehead to ease his fatigue, his pupils, shimmering with fine flecks of blue light, fixed upon the Inheritance Witch Book.

[Notice: Analyzing ’Fear-Burning Fire’ Witchcraft. Estimated time to completion: Seven days.]

A week wasn’t a long time. The Iron Hide Steel Claw Cultivation Witchcraft had taken a similar amount of time.

He could tentatively conclude that Low-tier Witchcraft required only seven days for the Eye of Truth to analyze.

Now, all he had to do was wait.

Flicking her damp hair and wringing out the corner of her clothes, Anna glanced across the Wizard Freshmen on the deck, ignoring the gazes that turned her way.

She was a little surprised; she hadn’t seen any sign of Arthur for a full two days.

’Did my words completely crush him? Has he lost even the courage to show his face to me?’

Anna didn’t dwell on it. ’This is for the best. I won’t have that ugly, twisted face buzzing around me like a mosquito anymore.’

’Still, I need to discuss holding another wizard gathering with Arthur.’

Proud as she was, she would never take the initiative to find him. ’He’ll definitely break and come looking for me again in a day or two, at most.’

She was certain!

This was the confidence and judgment of Anna Karina.

She hadn’t seen that afterthought either. ’Perhaps he’s still in the sea hunting Sea Beasts...’ Anna shook her head. ’He didn’t go to the Tuta Wizard to change his Newborn Witchcraft. Does he really think he can complete a Cultivation Witchcraft? I already warned him so clearly. If he can’t seize the opportunity, then he can just bear the consequences himself.’

’My mercy won’t be given a second time.’

For some reason, Anna felt a sense of loneliness. On the entire Wizard Ship, all that remained were Wizards of Low-tier aptitude; not a single one was worthy of her notice. She couldn’t even find one person to talk to, no one with whom she shared any common ground.

......

「Three days passed.」

The freshmen on the Wizard Ship finally noticed that something was wrong.

Talk of restarting the wizard gathering brought back memories for many freshmen of the time when Arthur had been the life of the party.

When they started paying attention to Arthur, they realized he hadn’t shown his face for a full four or five days. He hadn’t even appeared in the automated cafeteria.

Wizards were living beings too; they had to replenish their energy. It was impossible for him not to eat.

Anna was certain that Arthur had met with an accident.

There was no response when she knocked, so she decisively kicked the door open.

A foul stench of sweat, mixed with the reek of an unflushed washroom, assaulted her.

Quickly shutting the door, Anna frowned, her expression ugly. ’He’s not in the room, so where could he have gone?’

’He must have met with misfortune. It’s more likely he’s dead.’

’Troublesome. Is the wizard gathering going to fall through now?’ She needed a method like this to scout for new, useful allies. But she couldn’t stand the thought of being a piece of meat on a cutting board, enduring the disgusting gazes of these Low-tier Wizards.

With a worried look, Anna first went to the automated cafeteria and mentioned what was going on with Arthur, immediately causing a huge stir.

This wasn’t like that night of Darkness, a state of chaos without order or control.

A top-aptitude Wizard Freshman had gone missing. Everyone needed an answer.

The Tuta Wizard was the one who set the rules and maintained order. Anna had just set one foot on the red carpet when her pupils filled with panic. She quickly stopped and pulled her leg back, having felt a deathly threat.

Behind her were the Wizard Freshmen who had followed.

Anna faced the area at the end of the red carpet, which was shrouded in a dark light. She bowed and spoke respectfully, "Respected Master Tuta Wizard, I am the Wizard Freshman Anna Karina. I have an extremely important matter to report to you."

The Captain’s Room had been almost completely destroyed in the aftermath of that battle.

A curtain of dark light had replaced the original walls and ceiling. An ancient figure lay within it. As wisps of the dark light sank into his withered body, a portion of the foreign, radioactive Energy on his wounds dissipated.

The Tuta Wizard slowly opened his eyes. They had never been so dim, so lightless, so filled with exhaustion.

He couldn’t give the Wizard Freshmen outside the answer they wanted, but the rules and order had not been violated.

He no longer had the energy to bother with matters outside his direct control. Frowning slightly, he spread his spiritual fluctuations outward.

"There is no possibility that the rules and order of the Wizard Ship have been violated."

The statement was brief, but its meaning was clear.

Anna and the other Wizard Freshmen present were still confused. If the rules hadn’t been violated, then how exactly had Arthur disappeared?

The most likely guess was that one of his companions had done it, disposing of the body by tossing it into the sea, leaving no trace behind.

But the Tuta Wizard’s impartiality was also beyond question!

"Master Tuta Wizard said it’s impossible for anyone to have made a move on the ship, but what if they did it *off* the ship?" The words of a freshman Wizard startled everyone present... During the Sea Beast hunt.

"Of course, it’s also possible that Arthur, having lost an arm, encountered an Extraordinary Creature or a ferocious Sea Beast and died during the hunt."

And with that, the matter was settled.

The living don’t waste much time caring about a dead person who no longer holds any value.

All they had wanted was the Tuta Wizard’s response regarding the rules and order.

As time went on, the incident was even gradually forgotten from the memories of the Wizard Freshmen.

As for Wang Ya, he had long predicted this outcome. The endless ocean could hide a great many things.

"Seven days. It’s finally over."

Filled with excitement, he accepted the analyzed Extraordinary Knowledge of the ’Fear-Burning Fire’ Witchcraft.