One-Eyed Monster

The spear hurled at Wizard Reed must have been thrown by Milo.

He was Kuyi Tulan’s right-hand man, so naturally, he would be the first to understand Kuyi Tulan’s orders.

Milo’s proficiency in the Exchange Spell allowed him to conjure large quantities of metallic objects from thin air. He had already demonstrated this when dealing with Witch Bigas, and he now threw these spears partly as a test and partly to establish coordinates.

Every Alchemy Array requires a fixed orientation. Combined with specific Alchemy Equations, the rudimentary framework of the array could be established.

Through the infusion of Spirit Power by the spellcaster, the Alchemy Array could then operate freely. That is when an Alchemy Array truly forms.

Most of the time, people only notice the power of Alchemy Arrays and overlook their preparation period. Not everyone can readily set up Alchemy Arrays, as this requires time. Hence, when the Alchemy Workshop uses these devices, they usually have the Empire’s Guard Army providing significant cover for them...

The formation of this particular Alchemy Array was also thanks to the cooperation and delaying tactics of others...

The creatures were still struggling, particularly the Water Folk. They tried to breach the enclosed space created by the golden snake chains. When dealing with the composite monster, the snake chains chose to bind it; against the Water Folk, however, the chains chose to encircle them.

CLANG! BANG! The sounds of their struggles were always discomforting. Kuyi Tulan found it hard to gauge whether they could completely defeat these things. Sealing them was not a problem, but the key question was whether this Wizard Reed would summon more of their kind.

Wizard Reed, however, seemed unconcerned about the sealed creatures, which indirectly highlighted a problem: He considers these beings mere tools.

This feels similar to the Alchemy Workshop’s Exchange Beasts, Kuyi Tulan mused. Though sometimes valuable, they can be discarded without hesitation because they can be recreated; they are not irreplaceable.

Wizard Reed’s nonchalance made Kuyi Tulan sense that something was amiss; This composure surely means he has bigger trump cards up his sleeve.

The Water Folk alone are currently giving us a headache, Kuyi Tulan thought. We had to expend great effort, even resorting to a ruse, just to get these creatures sealed. If more troublesome creatures were to appear now, wouldn’t it lead to an even fiercer battle?

Kuyi Tulan communicated his thoughts to the Great Mentor. To him, the Great Mentor was always his mentor, even if their views sometimes diverged. At this moment of shared animosity, everyone’s perspective was crucial.

”Tulan,” the Great Mentor’s voice echoed in his mind, ”have you noticed that this wizard is rather arrogant?”

Kuyi Tulan was taken aback. I had noticed, he realized, but I didn’t pay much attention to it.

Arrogance is a significant flaw. If one carries such an attitude into actual combat, then even with strong capabilities, they will ultimately meet their doom.

The communication between the Great Mentor and Kuyi Tulan was very subtle, not something everyone could perceive. This was a secret shared between the mentor and his disciple.

Kuyi Tulan quickly understood the Great Mentor’s meaning: arrogant individuals tend to lower their guard, and this was the perfect moment for an attack.

When Milo threw his spear, Wizard Reed didn’t even flinch. His form, like a shadow, was unaffected by such an attack.

It was this characteristic that allowed Wizard Reed to be so arrogant.

He had attained this form by abandoning his physical body for the Power of Darkness. Even within the Black Crow, no one else had achieved such a thorough immersion in darkness, abandoning their very flesh.

Just a little longer, Wizard Reed thought, and the Earth Dragon will be summoned. Then they’ll all be crying and begging me for mercy.

That’s the typical stance of the weak, a sight I’ve longed to see.

Even if all those skeletons and rotting corpses I summoned were sealed, I don’t care. As long as I summon the Earth Dragon, everything else will be annihilated.

Wizard Reed really needed to change this habit of his. He was always indulging in such fantasies. They were no help to him at the moment and only served to distract him, and a wandering attention often invited undesirable outcomes.

This downside, naturally, was his failure to observe meticulously and his neglect of many details, which would allow his opponents to exploit an opening.

This was a common failing. He only registered that his opponents were making futile efforts against him. Throwing spears at him was utterly ineffective, yet they persisted. Why do they keep doing it? he wondered briefly. Just for fun? Or to vent their frustration? Wizard Reed didn’t dwell on such questions; he simply looked down on the lot of them.

Truth be told, their earlier feigned escape had genuinely flustered Reed.

I never imagined this group would actually flee! These high and mighty individuals, actually running away!

Wizard Reed’s arrogance still blinded him to the fact that they were merely feigning retreat.

Even when his Summoned Creatures were sealed, he failed to see that their earlier retreat had been a complete feint...

It was truly a matter of mentality. Wizard Reed’s composure was starting to crumble. He had never expected the Power of Darkness to be so immense, so incredible.

Now, these people seem utterly vulnerable, he thought. That sealing earlier was just their last gasp. Their standing there, dumbstruck, proves they’re at their wit’s end.

HEH HEH HEH... HA HA HA! Wizard Reed couldn’t stop himself from laughing aloud.

His laughter, however, didn’t last long, for soon he felt something strange slithering over him...

A Little Golden Snake was twisting its body, coiling around him. The sensation was rather peculiar.

What in the blazes is this?

Wizard Reed was rather surprised. How could something like this crawl onto me? And how could a snake, of all things, appear in this Intense Chill?

Don’t tell me I failed to summon the Earth Dragon and got a snake instead? No, this doesn’t feel like one of my summons. My Summoned Creatures wouldn’t disobey my commands.

It seems this Golden Snake was summoned by the enemy...

Wait, why are there more and more of these snakes?

Rather than snakes, it would be more accurate to call them chains. These golden things climbed onto him and began to entwine him, pulling tighter and tighter.

Although he wasn’t in a physical state, these Little Golden Snakes didn’t seem to be physical either...

Wait a minute... this scene is a bit familiar, Wizard Reed thought, as if suddenly remembering something.

Aren’t these Little Golden Snakes the same things that bound my other Summoned Creatures...?

And now they’re on me.

This... are they trying to seal me?

Wizard Reed shook his head; he had no idea when the enemy had prepared this.

The Little Golden Snakes tightened their grip further, continuously draining Spirit Power from his body.

Never would I have imagined... they actually intend to seal me too!