Chapter 201 - 139: I Want the Thing, But Not the Effort

He scrutinized every clause, carefully discerning its meaning and searching for any potential loopholes.

This was the standard for any competent Wizard.

「Five minutes later.」

Inside the room, his breathing suddenly grew heavy. Kaze Antuun slowly raised his head, staring at Wang Ya with slightly bloodshot eyes.

He moistened his dry lips with his tongue.

Kaze Antuun’s lips moved. "On behalf of the Antuun Clan, I agree to this Wizard Contract. Let us sign it formally."

"The Antuun Clan and Wang Ya Harak shall enter into a preliminary alliance, maintaining a relationship of mutual benefit."

With that, Kaze Antuun signed his name on the two copies of the Wizard Contract.

The Power of the Eye of Judgment descended upon the Wizard Contracts, serving as the official witness.

Both parties could feel the impartial, binding Power.

If either party were to violate it, they would suffer an extremely severe punishment. The slightest transgression could result in instant death.

Even the other members of the Antuun Clan would suffer grievous consequences because of this Wizard Contract.

Wang Ya took one of the Wizard Contracts and left the room, leaving Kaze Antuun in the quiet to compose himself.

A long while later, a sigh came from within the room. "Wang Ya Harak, you’ve got real nerve. Truly remarkable. You’re the most interesting Wizard I’ve ever met."

"Even I am amazed by your boldness and charisma. Perhaps your Wizard Path will take you to heights no one could have ever predicted."

"In the changing tides of our era, who will be the one to truly ride the wave... You might just be someone capable of contending for that role."

Kaze Antuun walked out of the room and secured the Black Sun Badge. A light gleamed in his eyes, and his back straightened once more.

He was still that same Kaze Antuun—the Kaze Antuun of old, brimming with ambition!!

His decision to ally with Wang Ya Harak wasn’t just because of the Black Sun Badge.

Kaze Antuun now genuinely believed that Wang Ya had the potential—the potential to advance to the rank of Official Wizard!

His performance, disposition, Power, personality, and Abilities all proved it.

When Kaze Antuun thought of the losses the Antuun Clan had suffered at the hands of the Wizard Family Alliance after their defeat on the Battlefield, his eyes turned cold.

’Alliances are all unreliable.’

’In the end, the only one you can rely on is yourself.’

...

Wang Ya didn’t return directly to the Illusory Dream Tower. Instead, he first went to Hades’ Store to purchase a few items.

The wind chime on the door swayed, chiming crisply.

"Welcome, what can I get... for..." Mona’s voice trailed off as she saw the familiar figure at the door. Her expression immediately turned awkward.

Though her eyes held the joy of seeing a friend, she was forced to suppress it for another reason.

She was a member of the Antuun Clan. Hades had fought Wang Ya and been defeated, causing the Antuun Clan to suffer severe losses.

Even Hades himself had taken a significant blow and was in a very poor State. She was the one left minding the store.

’It seems like all these terrible things happened because of Wang Ya...’ Mona’s feelings were incredibly complex, and for a moment, she didn’t know how to act around him.

Seeing the girl open her mouth to speak, only to pause in hesitation, Wang Ya naturally understood her concerns. He offered a faint smile and directly stated what he wanted to buy.

Mona took a moment to register his words, then nodded blankly. She scurried into the back of the store on light feet to retrieve the items Wang Ya required.

He spent around three thousand Magic Stones.

Wang Ya had truly bought a great many things this time.

Most were relatively expensive: Extraordinary Potions to aid his Meditation and increase his Spiritual Power, and various materials for Wizard Experiments. There were also some special Extraordinary Materials related to activating Particle Energy. These items were so expensive that even Wang Ya, with his wealth of Magic Stones, couldn’t help his eye twitching when he saw the prices.

He had Magic Stones, but he wasn’t one to spend them recklessly.

[Wuluo Essence: Keeps Particle Energy active, maintains an environment rich in active natural particle energy, and purges Inert Particle Energy.]

[Selling Price: 400 Magic Stones]

[Water of Life Source: Provides immense Vitality. Can be used in Cultivation experiments involving plants and creatures, ensuring their Vitality remains stable.]

[Selling Price: 350 Magic Stones]

It was all potent stuff, and every item was both useful and essential.

After paying with his Magic Stones, Wang Ya placed his Wizard Card, along with the Extraordinary Materials and Potions, into his Silver Bracelet.

He gave Mona a slight nod, then turned and left the store.

Mona was left standing at the entrance, watching his retreating back. Her bright eyes shimmered, and the tip of her nose was tinged red from the winter air.

She drew in a sharp breath of frigid air, which seemed to pull her from her reverie. Her expression turned sorrowful as a thought occurred to her.

’He’s different from me now. We’re different in every way.’

’He’s just too exceptional, like a sun radiating its own light.’

’I admire that light. I want to draw closer, to embrace it. But it’s too scorching, too dazzling. I’m just an ordinary snowman. If I try to embrace the sun, I’ll just melt into a puddle of water and disappear completely, leaving nothing behind.’

’I can only watch him from a distance... Just watching him is enough. From here, the sunlight is just right. It brings warmth... it’s just a little blinding, that’s all.’

A pang of sadness struck Mona’s heart. She patted her cheeks with both hands, and only then did her mood improve slightly.

’Alright, Mona, what are you thinking all these silly things for? Wang Ya has achieved so much and possesses such incredible Power. You should be working harder, using him as your motivation!’

’You should be trying to catch up. First things first, complete today’s tasks on your Wizard schedule. Master the third Wizard Rune of the Vast Sea Meditation Method’s Advanced Chapter.’

...

「Illusory Dream Tower.」

Wang Ya walked along the familiar stone path. The Maple Forest was the same as always, unchanged by the arrival of Winter Day.

The seasons here never changed.

Wang Ya found the old spot where he had buried the ring. The items he had brought out of the Illusory Dream Garden were packed in a special box and buried in the same location.

He took the Golden Ant Rice from the box, along with a choice edible Dream Creature. Consuming it would keep his mind active and his Spiritual Power stable. It had been preserved, and its meat was still plump and succulent.

With Wang Ya’s Dream Power, preserving these two items for a short time shouldn’t be a problem.

Besides, he was going to eat them soon anyway, so they didn’t need to last for long.

Just as Wang Ya put everything back in its place, smoothed over the ground, and turned to leave, a figure in a yellow Wizard Robe materialized from a swirl of maple leaves a short distance away.

He still wore the Wooden Mask, which looked like a line-art doodle. A smirk formed on his lips beneath the Illusion Illusory Dream Wizard Mask. "How does that Golden Ant Rice taste?"

Wang Ya: "..."