One-Eyed Monster

”I have a form of artistry; it’s called explosion!” Milo declared.

He started murmuring the mantra of the Alchemy Equation. His Alchemy Equation was applied to ants; using a tiny Alchemy Array to bless such small creatures was simply mind-boggling. It was a remarkable feat that he was able to work on objects as small as ants.

This was a distinctive characteristic of Milo; he excelled at applying intricate details within confined spaces. This was a Spirit Sensing Ability he had acquired from his many years as an alchemy apprentice. Because he had a superior sensitivity to object properties compared to an ordinary person, he could not only create finely detailed Exchange Beasts but also generate finer contraptions on them.

The art of explosion instantly unfolded at the Moonflow Stream.

These ants were all bundled with explosive Alchemy Equations. BOOM! BOOM! Though their individual bodies were small, the power of the explosions was not. The explosive equations tied to these ants were not ordinary; they directly disrupted one’s Spirit Sensing and caused their Spirit Power to explode instantly. It felt as if a swollen balloon had been pierced; in an instant, the whole balloon would explode.

Milo’s entire Spirit Explosion worked this way; he wanted to drain the stored Spirit Power of his opponent, catching them completely off guard.

Such an explosion packed immense power and presented a very special sight, no different from a real explosion.

In an instant, the Moonflow Stream was filled with a cacophony of explosions. BOOM! BOOM! One blast followed another, sending debris, snowflakes, and soil scattering into the sky. It was a truly magnificent spectacle.

No wonder Milo called it an art form. It was not just magnificent, but also very familiar.

Kevin was all too familiar with the rhythm of this explosion. In the entire Empire, no one but Milo could create something so beautiful. Few people could turn destruction and killing into such a spectacle, and Milo was chief among them. The exceptional aspects of being the Great Mentor’s first disciple were apparent, but so were the shortcomings. He was too stubborn, a trait he shared with Kevin.

Perhaps all artists are like this, Kevin thought shamelessly. Welcome back to the team protecting the Great Mentor!

Although Kevin bore resentment towards the Alchemy Workshop, this resentment was solely for Kuyi Tulan. He still reserved some respect for other Alchemists, as long as they were not following Kuyi Tulan. But now, it was evident that Milo was engaged in a battle with an unknown force. Kevin could not possibly classify him as an enemy at this moment.

For Kevin, those who protected the Great Mentor were their own people. The rest were either insignificant or threatened the Great Mentor.

This unknown force was obviously threatening the Great Mentor. Kevin had been entangled with these snowmen for some time. His actions were very simple: chop. However, these snowmen refused to die no matter how many times he slashed them. They would roll on the ground and stand up again. Sometimes, he would slice one in two, only for it to roll on the ground and become two separate snowmen.

Upon noticing the endlessly reappearing snowmen, Kevin sensed something amiss and immediately stopped his attack. He guarded himself, surrounded by his blades. This strategy worked well. The snowmen paced around him, unable to find any way to attack, and eventually retreated.

During this lull, he had been thinking about how to defeat these snowmen, but his brain hadn’t magically figured out who or what the enemy was.

As a Fighter, he excelled in combat; as a modified Fighter, he was skilled at dancing with his blades.

Dancing on the tip of the blade—this was his famous technique. Back then, he had to hold a scimitar for combat, but Kuyi Tulan had changed him, merging the blades with his body and turning him into an out-and-out monster. The protrusions on his head were blades; they were all his previous weapons.

He was an expert at wielding blades, but now, he had no idea how to deal with this unknown enemy. The enemy provided no clues. Chopping at the seemingly endless snowmen was incredibly frustrating.

But then, this familiar sound of explosions—no, this familiar art—appeared before him!

This reminded him of his past, of the time when he had just started practicing with the blade. Back then, his master hadn’t taught him many tricks, only one simple truth:

”What is a blade for? If not for chopping, then for slashing. If not for slashing, then for chopping! The art of the blade lies in chopping and slashing!”

So, at the beginning, he only used brute force to chop and slash. Being a rather rigid thinker, he wasn’t good at improvising or taking shortcuts. Gradually, in the monotonous process of chopping and slashing, he began to see things differently. He could feel the force feedback into his muscles, sensing the power flow naturally within him, like blood through his veins!

Gradually, he truly discovered the art of the blade. It wasn’t just about chopping and slashing; it could also be a dance. When the blade danced, it was like a butterfly flapping its wings, like a peacock spreading its tail feathers. A myriad of colors and lights would unfold.

Milo’s explosion had awakened Kevin. Although I hate to admit it, it’s the truth, he thought. My blade has awakened.

Facing an unknown enemy, defense isn’t a good method, Kevin thought. Since I can’t find the opponent’s weak point, I might as well attack in the simplest way possible. What are blades for? If not for slashing, then for chopping. So, I’ll just keep chopping and slashing!

Kevin didn’t overthink it. He and Milo were similar: both were straightforward and didn’t dwell on complex plans. It’s either I knock you down, or you beat me into submission!

Kevin laughed. ”Damn it, Milo,” he muttered. ”In the end, I still have to fight alongside you. I thought we’d be at each other’s throats. I really want to see whose art is more perfect, yours or mine.”

SWISH! Kevin drew his blade. As a personal guard to the Great Mentor of Guru Mountain and a former Blue Blood League Guard of the Empire, his blade was enough to send chills down anyone’s spine.

SLASH!

CHOP!

Kevin’s artistry lacked Milo’s grandeur, but it was colorful and ever-changing, like the shifting patterns of vibrant clouds. Even though his blade seemed to have only one form: chop and slash!

Only then did Kevin realize that those snowmen were utterly vulnerable. When his blade struck them, they shattered instantly…

Kevin didn’t dwell on it; each of his slashes was a Spirit Power-infused attack. No matter how resilient the opponent’s divisions were, their Spirit Power would instantly disperse at the touch of his blade!

Between the explosions from Milo’s ants and Kevin’s flashing blade, Wizard Reed was caught completely off guard. He had never expected the enemy’s attacks to be so fierce, one after another…