One-Eyed Monster

The inner workings of Great Witch Biggs’s mind were a complex tangle. Facing so many expectant gazes, she was actually quite pleased, as being relied upon was an honor. She fully accepted this honor without any modesty. She had to respond to these expectations, but she suddenly realized that while acceptance was easy, responding was difficult. For a moment, she was dumbfounded, unsure how to proceed.

Her chaotic thoughts tumbled in her mind, leaving her no room to breathe. She relished the honor of being relied upon, yet struggled with her indecision.

She wanted to present herself as the figure they expected, but to her frustration, she lacked any practical combat experience. Most of the time, she was at a loss, not even having an instinctive reaction.

The Great Witch’s complex internal struggles included not only this dilemma but also profound disappointment in herself. She was a Wizard, a dignified Wizard, yet she was helpless against a Dark Wizard’s spell. Crucially, though she understood such arts, she didn’t know how to counter them.

What was the use of reading so many Spirit Books if, in the end, she had no way to deal with a Soul Puppet? What was the use of knowing so many Mantras if she couldn’t use even half of them at a critical moment? What was the use of recognizing so many strange herbs and plants if none of them were effective in the end...?

A resentment toward herself gradually bloomed within Great Witch Biggs. She couldn’t tolerate her own incompetence.

The ways of the world were indeed inscrutable. Great Witch Biggs had never imagined the Soul Puppets described in the books would be like this. Not only were they ugly, but their movements were also bizarre.

If it weren’t for Stan Sol and Estev keeping them occupied, the two Soul Puppets would likely have attacked the Great Witch and the others by now. Had the Great Witch remained rooted to the spot, she might have already perished.

How could there be so much time for her to feel disheartened? Situations could change in an instant. The Soul Puppets’ attacks were no longer monotonous; they appeared to be gaining the upper hand.

Estev and Stan Sol were indeed somewhat apprehensive. They dared not easily launch an attack on the Soul Puppets. They were unclear about what kind of Evil Spells these two Soul Puppets carried; before figuring it out, they dared not act rashly.

But strangely, these two Soul Puppets were in no hurry. Although they attacked constantly with flashy moves, they showed no intention of actually felling their opponents. It was more like they were wasting time...

After all, they were not Living Entities; they wouldn’t tire, so their movements wouldn’t falter. They could maintain their attacks on Stan Sol and Estev with the same intensity for a long time, wearing them down...

In a war of attrition, they had the advantage.

But Estev felt neither desperate nor helpless. He dodged the Soul Puppets’ attacks while analyzing the situation.

In truth, with his full strength unleashed, he could easily shake off these two Soul Puppets. While he might not be able to destroy them, shaking them off would be effortless. He held back because he had his own calculations.

He wanted to see if this Wizard could once again erupt with unexpected Energy, and he also wanted to see what tricks the individual lurking in the shadows was up to.

What reassured Estev was that the old Hunter stood with him. He couldn’t explain why, but a tacit understanding had gradually formed between him and Stan Sol.

Of course, they also had the two Soul Puppets to thank for this understanding. It was their relentless attacks, with an ever-increasing tempo, that left them no opportunity to speak.

They could only communicate with glances. Unknowingly, they had formed a rapport. This unspoken understanding, conveyed through their eyes, could only be achieved with absolute trust. Estev didn’t know why Stan Sol had placed his trust in him.

But this wasn’t the time to dwell on such things; he had to remain constantly alert to his surroundings. He dared not stake everything on the Great Witch; he would only gamble on his own luck, not on the luck of others.

Estev had already sensed more people approaching the mountain peak. Indeed, Stan Sol had also conveyed this information to him. Just then, Stan Sol had deftly sidestepped a Soul Puppet’s pounce and then shot Estev a sharp glance. The meaning behind his glare was clear: someone was coming up, and they needed to be cautious.

Estev couldn’t quite explain how he understood Stan Sol’s meaning. He nodded at Stan Sol and gestured, warning him of a Soul Puppet’s sneak attack from behind...

By alerting each other this way, they unknowingly thwarted multiple attacks from the Soul Puppets. Despite being constantly under attack, they didn’t seem winded. It seemed a battle of attrition was a trivial matter for them.

Estev’s mind, however, was not calm. Another group had finally arrived.

He was curious to see what other tricks Black Crow could pull.

The bait he’d cast had finally attracted prey. Now, it was time to see just how formidable these prey were...

Estev dodged a Soul Puppet and quickly took out his pipe. This was his weapon, one he only used when facing opponents he deemed worthy.

The unusual sound of approaching footsteps might not be perceptible to ordinary people. For Hunters, however, such sounds were all too familiar; they could be identified with minimal effort.

Estev waited quietly, wanting to see what sort of people these were who had climbed to the summit.

What trouble would Black Crow’s gang stir up next? He wanted to see what new schemes Willem’s mind would concoct.

The Soul Puppets’ attacks continued. The Great Witch remained frozen in confusion. Qi Liu and Bunan still looked on expectantly, waiting to see what kind of move the Great Witch would make...

Estev wanted to signal Stan Sol to remain vigilant, but he suddenly noticed something peculiar about Stan Sol’s expression. This strange cast to his features seemed to be anger.

What could have angered this old Hunter? Estev was puzzled. He glanced around but didn’t spot anything out of the ordinary. Could it be the group currently ascending the mountain?

Estev wondered. He was unaware that Stan Sol, through his own abilities, had already keenly sensed the familiar aura of the uninvited guests.

Stan Sol would never forget that familiar presence—they were the bastards Dastan had desperately tried to stop! Diamond, Berserk, Ant... Stan Sol still remembered these people’s specialties. These were things he had to remember. He wanted to crush each and every one of them...

He hadn’t expected these people to arrive so quickly. The Alchemy Workshop... He hadn’t expected their tracking abilities to be so formidable.

Having read the anger on Stan Sol’s face, and after dodging a kick from a Soul Puppet, Estev found an opening. ”Bring it on!” he declared.

Stan Sol nodded at Estev. The tacit understanding between them meant he didn’t need to struggle to find a gap to speak with Estev.

It was a rare understanding. Stan Sol recalled a similar spark of understanding during his first confrontation with the people from the Alchemy Workshop. Back then, they had worked together to break the illusion formation on the mountain. But in the blink of an eye, they had become true enemies...

Stan Sol even began to wonder if the man before him would also become his enemy in the near future.