One-Eyed Monster

The stone container was truly a novel thing, incomprehensible to everyone.

Even Igor, the operator, didn’t understand it. Following Hustace’s instructions, he could transfer lightning into the stone as easily as pouring water into a bottle. But if asked to figure it out alone, he lacked the ability.

It seemed Hustace knew exactly where the cracks in these stones were, as he was always able to instruct Igor on which direction to apply force.

The lightning moved so quickly that Hustace could predict its form even before it arrived, immediately relaying this information to Stan Sol...

Stan Sol’s reaction was also swift. The basic skills of an ancient Hunter were truly formidable; with just a slight movement, he could set a trap and effortlessly capture the lightning.

Kadi, meanwhile, was a vital link in the entire process.

Just as Hustace had stated before, fishing needs bait, and traps need a lure; Kadi was that bait, that lure.

Don’t let his standing there uttering provocative words fool you; his role was truly significant. If he hadn’t been there to infuriate the monster, it wouldn’t have attacked their position in the first place!

Moreover, Kadi was so adept at this. When it came to causing trouble, if he wasn’t good at it, who would be?

The four of them had clearly defined roles and were indispensable to one another.

It was a true team operation, their coordination impeccable. There was no dissent; everyone did their utmost to fulfill their role...

After observing for a while, Kevin and Milo began to figure out what was going on. Although they didn’t understand how Igor and his team were capturing and storing the lightning, they realized this four-man squad could nullify it through teamwork.

This eased Kevin and Milo’s nerves considerably. They truly felt that the burden of the counterattack now rested on their shoulders.

Kevin wiped his blade, and Milo adjusted his cloak. Though neither wished to speak to the other, a tacit understanding passed between them. They both felt it was time to launch a fierce counterattack against the monster.

Without a word, Milo began to write an Alchemy Equation. He intended to use it to exchange for an Explosive Talisman and a Flying Knife Array, planning for the monster to be blasted and then struck by the flying knives.

Kevin, on the other hand, waited for an opportunity. The moment an opening appeared, he would charge forward and relentlessly slash the monster.

Both their plans seemed perfect, and their prepared attacks were more than sufficient.

No matter how Igor and his team provoked the monster, it was already on the verge of destruction. Since they could evade its lightning, its other abilities were of little concern. It was time to shatter the monster with an all-out assault.

Some say the same attack method shouldn’t be used twice, but Milo wasn’t one to believe in such notions. He still had his ant Exchange Beast carry the Explosive Talisman towards the monster, determined to showcase the art of explosion.

Having learned from their previous encounter, the ants were no longer susceptible to the monster’s corrosion. Protected by Milo’s Alchemy Potion, they were impervious to its Corrosive Slime.

The ants followed Milo’s instructions and moved to the designated positions, clearly forming an Alchemy Array—specifically, an explosive one.

Milo waved his fingers, which now issued commands. Quickly scrawling an Alchemy Equation on his cloak, he soon had the ants floating and circling around the monster.

The monster, however, kept its attacks focused on Kadi, who stood perfectly still. It was precisely Kadi and his companions who had bought Milo and Kevin this precious time...

”Let the art of explosion bloom!” Milo sighed gently, a smile on his face.

BOOM—RUMBLE—RUMBLE—

The ants’ explosive Alchemy Array created a considerable disturbance. The monster was blasted into chunks that scattered through the air.

Once again, Milo started writing Alchemy Equations. He planned to use flying knives to skewer each of the airborne pieces.

Instantly, a dozen or so flying knives hovered in the air, awaiting Milo’s command to advance...

However, there was something even quicker: Kevin’s blade.

Following the explosion, Kevin found an opening. He shot forward. SWISH, SWISH, SWISH! Blades flashed from all over his body. He had long since achieved a state of unity with his blades, where every part of him was like a cutting edge, and he rapidly diced the airborne debris into even finer pieces...

Just as Kevin finished his assault and prepared to leap back, Milo’s flying knives arrived. So slow, far too slow, Kevin thought, a twinge of pity stirring within him for the delayed attack. As a master of blades, he wouldn’t pass up any opportunity to interact with them. So, Kevin moved close to the flying knives and imparted a new surge of power to them.

Hmm, this could even be considered an instance of teamwork between him and Milo...

Blasted and then slashed, the monster must have suffered a significant blow. Although originally composed of fragments, this was likely the first time it had been shattered so completely.

To think its first arrival in this world would see it beaten into such a pathetic state. It really didn’t live up to the name of Dark Force.

Nevertheless, it was, after all, a monster that could split and reassemble. The explosions and slashes... meant truly little to it...

All they had done was cause its body to break apart a bit more; it could still reassemble these pieces.

But this time, it wouldn’t reassemble itself into a snake. It would take on the form of that one-eyed fellow opposite it. It would remember this insolent cur; it was going to teach him a good lesson...

Milo and Kevin, unaware their attacks had been ineffective, exchanged a tacit glance. Hey, not bad skills, their gazes seemed to convey. Then, they shot each other a fierce glare before quickly looking away, refusing to meet the other’s eyes again.

What a peculiar pair... No, they couldn’t be called a pair. They should be considered enemies...

The monster slowly moved its fragments. Even when sliced minuscule, it could still move freely. However, the tiny, separated pieces couldn’t attack; they were merely constituent units, posing no threat.

It had to reassemble itself into a powerful entity before it could launch an offensive.

This time, it would become that one-eyed fellow opposite it...

As it turned out, its reassembly skills were far from commendable.

When it stood on the ground once more, Milo and Kevin were so astounded their jaws dropped. Nevertheless, they still hadn’t realized the monster was imitating Kadi’s appearance.

”Can this thing not be killed?”

”How can this be? It’s already been sliced as much as possible...”

”Is this the monster’s true form?”

”Who knows? It looks so strange...”

Kevin and Milo exchanged shocked exclamations, their expressions mirroring pure disbelief. For a moment, even their rivalry was forgotten...