One-Eyed Monster

With a few serious words from Igor, Stan Sol was thoroughly convinced.

Igor, who seemed to have no plans at all, turned out to be clearer than anyone else. It became obvious that his seemingly relaxed attitude stemmed from his refusal to waste energy on matters he couldn’t overcome.

This was quite a blow to Stan Sol.

He had been thinking about this from the beginning, and even though he still had no clue, he knew he had tried his best. This outcome was somewhat cruel for him, but there was nothing he could do about it. He had indeed overthought things, and his incessant worrying had been pointless.

At this point, Stan Sol felt relieved. Though his worrying hadn’t achieved anything, which was a bit upsetting, they were a team. All that mattered was the team’s ability to oppose their adversaries. His own feelings were irrelevant.

However, Stan Sol was still perplexed about one thing. Though it might not have a significant impact, it was an issue that would bother him for a long time.

He couldn’t help but ask Igor, ”So, what exactly is the ’King of Destruction’?”

Stan Sol became more relaxed after letting go, as all communication seemed to flow more gracefully after that. He felt much better.

”Well, it’s just a nickname I came up with for Kadi. Although it sounds a bit harsh, it’s quite apt!” Igor exclaimed, beaming with pride whenever he mentioned it. He believed this nickname couldn’t be more fitting in describing Kadi.

”Would you mind explaining why?” Stan Sol was suddenly as curious as Kadi had previously been, constantly probing for the reason behind things.

”Hehehe, in terms of causing disruption, no one among us can surpass Kadi,” Igor said with full confidence. He believed his conjecture was perfectly accurate and irrefutable.

”Indeed, in disrupting things, if Kadi claimed to be second, no one would dare claim first,” Stan Sol reluctantly admitted.

”The art of disruption is his forte, and we need to amplify this strength of his. Only then will we be able to perceive his true power.”

Stan Sol took a deep breath after hearing what Igor had to say. The idea was not unfamiliar to him. As an ancient Hunter, he fully understood what Igor was trying to convey. It was a method of predicting an adversary’s strength, a method rooted in ancient times.

Most modern Adventurers with Class rely on Spirit Sensing to determine a person’s strength. While this approach is practical, it tends to overlook the power derived from Physique Technique. Igor’s current theory, however, could perceive all different kinds of power.

Stan Sol and his fellow Hunters called this method ’Visual Measurement’.

By observing the features of their adversaries and exaggerating them to a certain degree—this method wasn’t about infinite magnification but purposeful expansion. This magnification was a skill, not something everyone could perform.

Given that Igor could articulate such a concept, it was clear he possessed this ability.

Looking at it from Igor’s perspective, Stan Sol, though in a unique state, found it didn’t interfere with the process of Visual Measurement. Visual Measurement did not require the support of Spirit Power; it was an instinct of the ancient Hunters.

Once Kadi was magnified without limit, Stan Sol saw the hidden power within him—a power capable of overwhelming destruction. The description ’King of Destruction’ was indeed fitting.

What astonished Stan Sol the most was Igor’s ability to perform Visual Measurement, a skill that had taken him an entire year to master.

Identifying an opponent’s traits wasn’t challenging, but magnification could be quite tricky. Stan Sol knew it wasn’t easy. While it didn’t involve Spirit Power, this kind of magnification needed to complement the unique characteristics of the opponent.

As Hunters needed a comprehensive prediction of their prey’s aggression, they excelled at Visual Measurement. This was because, during a hunt, they needed to understand their prey’s counter-attack capabilities. Over time, they developed this skill of amplifying characteristics through observation.

With the advent of Scholars, this technique was entirely liberated. However, individual Scholars had different interpretations of this magnification aspect. Generally, everyone agreed on the nature of this skill, but many people overlooked it, as it demanded a keen eye. The magnification skill couldn’t be applied blindly. For instance, one couldn’t take the amplified roar of a tiger and attribute it to a goat. Before amplifying characteristics, one had to thoroughly understand the prey and observe them sufficiently.

Even after mastering this technique, Stan Sol rarely used it in actual combat. This was because it had a relatively long response time, and real battles required seizing opportunities; opponents wouldn’t afford one the time for such observation. Thus, this technique wasn’t particularly useful to Stan Sol.

However, Stan Sol was quite surprised that Igor had mastered this obscure technique. After all, in today’s world where Spirit Power reigned supreme, many ancient skills had been mercilessly abandoned...

Seeing Stan Sol frown in deep thought, Igor assumed he was again losing confidence in their impending plan. So, he quickly tried to boost Stan Sol’s spirits: ”Kadi can do it! Have you noticed his radiant glow? That’s power!”

Of course, Stan Sol knew the glowing yellow light radiating from Kadi was power; this was seen through Visual Measurement, so he could see it clearly. He was just astonished that Igor was capable of mastering such an obscure art...

”As long as Kadi can cross this threshold, we’ll be halfway to success.”

What Igor said surprised Stan Sol, so he asked, puzzled, ”What threshold?”

”Heh, if he can connect with those Spirits, things will be much easier.”

”Connect?” Stan Sol was confused.

”Yes, Kadi can perform the Ant Connection Spell. This spell is very useful. Unlike us, who require some preparation, Kadi learned it instinctively and can use it effortlessly,” Igor explained confidently, and it seemed as if everything was falling into place according to his plan.

Truth be told, Stan Sol was shocked. He had originally thought Igor was a reckless youth who acted without preparation. But now, it seemed that wasn’t the case. All along, Igor’s casual behavior was merely due to his confidence in the subsequent events.

Almost inadvertently, Igor would always demonstrate extraordinary strengths that left everyone in awe.

”When the time comes, Kadi, the ’King of Destruction’, will wreak havoc in the enemy’s territory. Just thinking about it is exciting!”

Stan Sol felt his heart gradually easing. He realized that he and Igor’s group were indeed different types of people. He was cautious and careful, while Igor and his companions were fearless, seeming to grow happier the greater the commotion... Being with Igor and the others had made his previously anxious heart feel lighter...