One-Eyed Monster

”Is this Wizard Reed really that powerful?” Although Igor’s question seemed a bit foolish, it was pertinent. He wanted to know the details, and how these seniors would share them depended on his approach.

If he asked bluntly, these seniors might consider him presumptuous and ignore him. However, if he phrased his questions more tactfully, he might gain some insight.

In the presence of someone perceived as a fool, people tend to lower their guard; thus, faced with a seemingly foolish question, these seniors wouldn’t overthink their responses.

In fact, Igor had already experienced the Dark Wizard’s power firsthand. It shouldn’t be forgotten that he had taken a significant risk entering the Inner World to find Stan Sol, which was why these seniors were able to gather in this safe house. He had nearly lost himself in the dark abyss; if Stan Sol hadn’t appeared in the nick of time, Igor might have bid farewell to this world.

Igor’s seemingly foolish question naturally received answers from the seniors.

”From beginning to end, we never discovered the Dark Wizard’s true location,” Yuga said.

”Could he have bypassed Mr. Arnold’s defenses undetected? Is he immune to the Time Trap?” Not only Igor but Kuren too was puzzled by these details.

”Arnold did manage to entangle one, but this Dark Wizard’s technique is peculiar; it’s almost as if he has countless clones,” the Great Mentor Guzan revealed a detail about the Dark Wizard. ”No matter how we tried to restrain him, he always had a counter.”

”We weren’t lacking in numbers, yet he could handle each of us. That was quite surprising. I’ve never encountered such Spirit Power; whether using a Fighter’s perception technique or a Hunter’s secret sensing, I couldn’t identify his true form,” Estev added.

”He seemed formless, yet he possessed all sorts of forms,” Brad said, the statement itself rather perplexing.

”Is it a Secret Technique?” Igor asked, his question naive, making him seem like a child.

At this moment, only Kadi and Kuruto remained motionless in a corner. It wasn’t that they didn’t want to move, but rather that any action on their part would be futile. They couldn’t contribute to the conversation, nor was there any need for them to tax their minds, so they might as well conserve their energy.

Kadi and Kuruto’s stillness didn’t affect Igor. He knew he needed to unravel his doubts step by step. Although he was prepared to fight, he had to ensure his efforts were directed effectively. Mere passion wasn’t enough to charge onto the battlefield; sometimes, one needed to analyze calmly to channel that passion productively.

Actions require bravery and effort, not recklessness. This was what Teacher Hadi had taught him. Igor remembered every word of Teacher Hadi’s teachings. He felt that as a young man aspiring to become an Adventurer, he wouldn’t have a future if he didn’t think and analyze.

Therefore, the details about the enemy were incredibly important to him.

He would have to clarify his doubts himself, little by little; information provided by others was merely supplementary data.

Igor didn’t understand Secret Techniques. Before meeting Stan Sol, he hadn’t even been aware of their existence. Now, he was fortunate to witness these ancient arts, which existed outside the conventional world of Adventurers with Class.

Those ancient arts, which Scholars couldn’t categorize within the skills of Adventurers with Class, were collectively termed Secret Techniques.

”It’s not a Secret Technique,” the Great Mentor answered Igor’s earlier question. ”It’s an art that lies somewhere between that of an Alchemist and a Wizard—more accurately, it’s a Forbidden Spell.”

”A Forbidden Spell? Dark Arts?”

”Yes, he’s using an Alchemist’s Exchange Spell. I’ve been pondering it, and now I finally understand his method,” the Great Mentor Guzan said, pacing back and forth. By this time, the injuries of those in the cave had mostly been tended to.

The time they had gained was invaluable. They used it to analyze the enemy, and new discoveries were unearthed one after another; time was truly as precious as gold.

Igor looked at the Great Mentor in confusion, as the latter’s previous answer clearly hadn’t provided him with much insight.

”The Exchange Beast is a hallmark of a mature Alchemist. Successfully creating one means the Alchemist can freely use the Exchange Spell. However, there’s a strict prohibition within the Exchange Spell: it forbids exchanging anything related to living people. This means the concept of ’exchanging a person’ shouldn’t exist.”

The Great Mentor’s words made Kuren gasp, while Yuga and the others simultaneously felt a chill.

”Could it be...” Yuga didn’t dare to voice the thought. This was truly a disgusting and infuriating possibility.

”Yes, his clones are exchanged humans!” the Great Mentor Guzan stated with certainty.

”And he infused these Puppets with death aura!” Stan Sol suddenly interjected. He had been deep in thought for a long time, and the Great Mentor’s words had just sparked an insight.

”Does he have many clones?” Igor scratched his head. He was beginning to understand a little, but some things still eluded him.

”Many,” Brad replied. ”Senior Milo, Senior Pedro, myself and my one-armed brother, Senior Joela with the natural politician and another young man, plus Senior Yuga, Senior Simon, Senior Jemma, the Great Mentor, and Sol here—altogether, we faced no fewer than eight Snowmen.”

”Snowmen?” Igor’s eyes widened in surprise. ”Are they like those Stone Monsters?”

”The Stone Monsters are merely controlled by Xiso’s Spirit Power; they don’t possess inherent life characteristics,” Yuga explained.

”What’s more infuriating is that we haven’t even seen his true form.”

”I still don’t understand how the Physique Techniques of the Snowman Clones were executed.”

”His attacks also incorporate some Illusion Spells!”

The seniors chimed in one after another, revealing many details. Igor’s doubts, initially a large mystery, gradually diminished and became clearer.

”Now, at least we know what those damned Snowmen are all about!” Estev slammed his fist on the ground.

”I wonder how Milo and the others are doing,” the Great Mentor mused, his hands clasped behind his back. It was clear that the hasty battle earlier had scattered everyone who had gathered.

The attack had come suddenly; no one had expected the falling snowflakes to abruptly combine with objects on the ground, forming mobile Puppets. Moreover, these Puppets knew how to laugh and how to disperse them, making it obvious someone was commanding them. Reflecting on it now, the Great Mentor realized the Snowman Clones’ initial attacks must have had a clear purpose. It likely wasn’t just Arnold at Moonflow Stream; Kevin and Xiso, who had joined them midway, and even Bigas, had probably all encountered these strange clones.

Controlling these clones would require immense Spirit Power. It seemed their true opponent was indeed a formidable one.

Igor also thought of this. Though he didn’t voice it, he was already contemplating his next move.