Wizard: I Have a Cultivation System

Chapter 593: Chapter 35: Outer Plane Creature

He should have questioned the man’s origins.

He should have verified his identity.

He should have reported to the Magic Net Administration Bureau that a Third-Level Wizard had entered the territory.

He should have done it, even in secret.

But he had done nothing.

Not a single thing, not even in private.

He had just accepted it all as a matter of course.

As if something had clouded his perception.

A cold sweat instantly broke out on Rodrick’s brow.

He stood rooted to the spot, motionless, but his gaze grew impossibly complex.

Fear. Confusion.

And a sliver of irrepressible anger.

He didn’t doubt Murphy’s power.

Elementalization could not be faked.

To be completely immune to his lightning Magic... that was a status only a Third-Level Wizard could possess.

And yet...

The man had no common knowledge.

He understood nothing.

He had even used some inexplicable power to cloud Rodrick’s perception.

All of it pointed to one thing: Murphy was not one of the Imperial People.

And if he wasn’t one of the Imperial People, that meant he was—

A creature from an Otherworld!

The thought exploded in Rodrick’s mind like a clap of thunder, sending a tremor through his entire body.

A creature from an Otherworld!

His breathing began to quicken.

The might of the Imperial was renowned throughout this sea of planes.

Countless planes, countless worlds, and countless civilizations had all heard the Imperial’s name.

Some revered it, some yearned for it, and some feared it.

Naturally, this meant countless creatures from the Otherworlds tried every method imaginable to sneak in.

To find resources.

To seek asylum.

Or to covet the Imperial’s prosperity and power.

But the Imperial barrier was not so easily breached.

The Magic Net covered the entire territory of the Imperial.

Every creature from the Otherworlds that entered the Imperial’s borders would be recorded, tracked, and located by the Magic Net.

Those who could break through this barrier were either powerful enough or lucky enough.

And either way, they spelled danger.

Rodrick swallowed hard.

He knew the Imperial was currently implementing a new policy.

The lofty Wizard Emperor, for some unknown reason, had begun to make it easier for beings from the Outer Planes to enter the Imperial.

More and more creatures from the Otherworlds were beginning to appear in every corner of the Imperial.

Some legally, others illegally.

Some were registered, while others concealed their identities.

But the vast majority were illegal, and these creatures all shared one common trait.

They had no Imperial identity.

Within the Imperial, having no identity meant that moving a single step was nearly impossible.

You couldn’t legally reside, couldn’t legally travel, and couldn’t enter any public areas.

You couldn’t apply to use the Magic Net, couldn’t learn Magic, and couldn’t acquire resources.

You couldn’t participate in any official projects or receive payment.

You couldn’t own property or sign contracts.

They were like parasites on the vast body of the Imperial, forced to hide in dark corners, surviving on theft, fraud, and plunder.

To obtain an Imperial identity, they would stop at nothing.

Impersonation.

Identity swapping.

Using all sorts of bizarre abilities to control Imperial citizens and take their places.

Rodrick had heard of too many such cases.

A minor noble’s personality would suddenly change, and it would later be discovered that his body had been taken over by a creature from an Otherworld.

A low-level Wizard’s power would suddenly skyrocket, and he’d later be found to be possessed by a creature from an Otherworld.

A Lord of a remote community would suddenly vanish, later discovered to have been replaced by a creature from an Otherworld.

Those creatures from the Otherworlds would do anything for an Imperial identity.

And now, Rodrick abruptly lifted his head, staring at the gate of light where a figure was about to appear.

The being who called himself Murphy.

The being who possessed the power of a Third-Level Wizard.

The being who made him obey without question.

The being who wanted to enter the Nightmare World.

’He... What does he want?’

Rodrick’s face turned ashen, and his hands began to tremble slightly.

It wasn’t fear.

It was rage.

An innate, bone-deep rage.

He was one of the Imperial People!

A full citizen of Zlesko City!

A First-Level Wizard, a pillar of the Imperial’s strength!

Those creatures from the Otherworlds were nothing but parasites that crawled out of dark corners, lowly slaves, trash fit only to eke out a miserable existence in the sewers!

’How dare they!’

’How dare they speak to me with such a condescending tone?’

’How dare they make me bow and scrape, serving them so meekly?’

’How dare they use some bizarre power to cloud my perception and manipulate me like a puppet?’

’This has nothing to do with power!’

’Imperial People are born superior to the creatures of other planes!’

’This is a truth etched into the very bones of every Imperial citizen!’

’By what right did those lowly creatures do this?!’

Rodrick’s breathing grew heavier, his fists clenched tighter and tighter until his nails dug deep into his palms.

He had even forgotten his fear; all that remained was rage.

But at its peak, the rage paradoxically calmed him.

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to compose his emotions.

Then, he began to think.

’What should I do?’

’Turn on him now?’

’Impossible.’

’Murphy’s power is right there in the open. I’m no match for him at all.’

’Run?’

’And where would I run to?’

’This is the Nightmare World, not the Imperial.’

’The Nightmare World is bizarre and unpredictable. I doubt my knowledge of this place is much better than Murphy’s.’

’Besides, even if I fled back to the Imperial...’

’Murphy would return as well.’

’He has my coordinates. He has that transportation Array.’

’He could come after me whenever he wanted.’

’Then what should I do?’

All sorts of ideas flashed through Rodrick’s mind.

’Beg for mercy?’

’Pretend I know nothing and continue to play along?’

’Find a way to break free from his control?’

’Look for a chance in the Nightmare World to use its rules against him?’

Or... Before he could come up with a viable plan, he heard footsteps.

They came from the gate of light behind him.

One step, then another.

Steady and clear.

Rodrick turned, his gaze locked on the gate, which shimmered with an iridescent light.

The expression on his face was impossibly complex.

Rage, fear, and confusion.

And a trace of deep-seated, resentful humiliation.

From within the gate of light, a dark figure slowly emerged.

Murphy stepped out of the gate, standing in this world of gray and white.

His gaze swept over the surroundings, lingering for a moment on the gray sky, the gray ground, and the gray buildings before finally landing on Rodrick.

"Rodrick."

His voice was calm, betraying no emotion.

"What’s the situation? Any dangers here?"

Rodrick’s body stiffened slightly.

He looked at Murphy, at those dark, bottomless eyes, his heart hammering wildly.

But he struggled to maintain a respectful expression.

Bowing and lowering his head, he made his voice sound exactly as it had before.

"Rest assured, my lord. There is no danger here."

He paused for a moment before adding.

"This is an area I frequent—the shallow layers of the Nightmare World. It’s relatively safe. As long as we don’t go too deep, we generally won’t encounter any major trouble."

Murphy said nothing.

He just stood there silently, watching Rodrick.

One second, two seconds, three seconds.

Time trickled by in the silence, each second stretching on for what felt like a year.

Rodrick maintained his bowed posture, not daring to move or look up.

He could feel Murphy’s gaze fixed upon him.

It was a calm gaze, yet it seemed to see through everything.

Cold sweat began to seep down his back.

His heart beat faster and faster, almost ready to burst from his chest.

But he didn’t dare make the slightest move.

He could only do his utmost to suppress the fear and rage in his heart, keeping his expression respectful and his posture submissive.

He didn’t know if Murphy had noticed anything.

He only knew that he had to pretend he had discovered nothing.

Otherwise, Murphy would kill him long before he could come up with a good way to deal with the man.

He felt that for a noble Imperial citizen like himself, being controlled by a creature from an Outer Plane was an utter humiliation, and bowing his head to it was the most humiliating act of all.

But he didn’t want to die. He had a bright future ahead of him; he was going to become a Third-Level Wizard, a member of the Senate.

How could he possibly die at the hands of this lowly creature from an Outer Plane?

"It seems..."

Murphy’s voice rang out, still just as calm, but it made Rodrick’s heart clench.

"You’ve broken free of my control."

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