One-Eyed Monster

Kadi was a bit perplexed. Why was Kuren in this situation? He should, like everyone else, be fighting the Dark Force and unable to communicate with Kadi. But the situation now seemed different.

Some people could communicate with him, while others couldn’t. Kadi could only seek them out one by one through the lines in this network. He found himself in a bind regarding Kuren’s situation, unsure whether to advance or retreat.

Kadi watched, feeling a sense of unease, as Kuren struggled painfully, not knowing what to say.

Should I help Kuren overcome this hurdle? But Kuren had asked him to keep his distance. This really confused Kadi. This is merely a Spirit Vision, after all. I can’t actually draw closer, can I?

This wasn’t an Inner World, and it was certainly not reality. It was merely a shared vision created by the Ant Connection Spell. Here, all Kadi could do was watch from Kuren’s perspective.

No matter what I’d seen from Kevin or Simon before, it was always from someone else’s perspective. That must be why those people couldn’t communicate with me. I’m like a voyeur, sneaking into others’ consciousness and witnessing their current activities...

However, what stumped Kadi once again was the situation with Kuren. Without any warning, Kuren was suddenly able to communicate with him. It seemed a little too easy, and I feel a bit unsettled.

I initially thought I’d need to explore the entire network to uncover its secrets, but I discovered the key to communication without even getting halfway through! Happiness came so quickly I could hardly believe it, and now I’m not sure whether to advance or retreat.

Moreover, Kuren’s current state was undeniably painful. I can’t just walk away. Since I can get in touch with him, we should have a good talk...

The only thing that troubled Kadi was that Kuren seemed to be having great difficulty communicating.

It appeared Kuren was in a very challenging situation, engaged in a struggle with something unseen but palpable.

Could Kuren also be fighting against the Dark Force? Kadi couldn’t help but lean towards this thought, as every scene he had witnessed so far involved battling it. The only difference was that others fought with their specialized techniques, while Kuren wasn’t.

What is Kuren’s forte? The World Setting Technique.

I still vividly remember the World Setting Technique Kuren used in Ghost Wind Valley. It trapped Igor and me for so long...

But now, Kuren’s method of engagement didn’t resemble the World Setting Technique at all. No, to be more precise, Kuren had no offensive techniques whatsoever. He was purely on the defensive, and it was a grueling one.

Kadi desperately wanted to shout, ”What are you resisting?” But doing so might disrupt Kuren’s defensive rhythm. He quickly suppressed the urge.

I can’t be a hindrance, Kadi resolved. So, he decided to observe a little longer.

Seeing Kadi, Kuren, who was engaged in a fierce battle with the Slayer, was also quite surprised. As someone who could think freely in an Inner World, he shouldn’t have mistaken the current situation for reality. Yet, he had warned Kadi not to get close. Indeed, if the Slayer were to emerge from his body at that moment, it would pose a threat to Kadi, potentially causing spiritual damage.

While wrestling with the Slayer, Kuren was also contemplating why such a situation had occurred. The distraction slightly reduced his defensive power, but he also found his Spirit Power seemed to have grown more substantial, as if a new source of Spirit Power had joined in.

This Spirit Power naturally came from Kadi. The Ant Connection Spell required a connection of Spirit Power, and this link was its most fundamental aspect. Conventional practitioners needed alchemical equations to establish such a connection. However, Kadi possessed an innate ability; he connected directly with everyone, no exchange necessary.

This was hard to explain clearly. Kadi was inherently different from the others; it seemed he carried significant secrets of his own.

However, Kuren was unaware of this. He continued to suppress the Slayer, exerting himself to his utmost limit. What he hadn’t expected was his ability to block the Slayer’s emergence relying solely on his own strength.

This would have been unthinkable in the past. The appearance of the Slayer would have undoubtedly overwhelmed him, leaving him no chance to even breathe. Once it occupied his body, he would lose all consciousness, no different from someone in a coma.

Upon arriving at Guru Mountain, the Great Mentor had helped Kuren hide the Slayer. Using the World Setting Technique, they trapped the Slayer in an Illusion. This Illusion was filled with countless adversaries, enough to keep the Slayer occupied in fights for a good while.

However, just as danger approached Guru Mountain, the Slayer inside him suddenly revived. Perhaps it was because he had depleted a great deal of Spirit Power, making it difficult to maintain the Illusion that suppressed the Slayer.

So, to prevent the Slayer from taking over his body once again, he concentrated all his strength on resistance.

He hadn’t imagined that his once feeble self could now, in this moment, fully resist the Slayer’s counterattack.

The struggle was indeed difficult, but Kuren’s heart surged with exhilaration.

Now, I can suppress this being who has troubled me for so long all by myself!

Kadi watched Kuren’s face, which alternated between flushed and pale, even showing a hint of a smile...

This expression is utterly perplexing...

And then, out of the blue, he was reminded of Igor’s plan.

Igor had said that appropriate disruption could throw opponents into utter chaos, presenting everyone with an opportunity to deal with that bastard.

I didn’t quite understand it then. My unconditional trust in Igor was what drove my actions.

Now, seeing Kuren resisting, it all suddenly made sense.

It wasn’t that Kuren suddenly enlightened me about the meaning of disruption. Rather, it was all the thoughts that came to my mind during this process that led to my understanding.

All this time, my main thought has been not to disrupt Kuren’s rhythm of resistance. Mulling this over for so long, I’m starting to realize something...

The most infuriating thing about disruption is that your own rhythm gets thrown off!

Just imagine: you’re ready to deliver some earth-shattering words, your momentum perfectly built, just waiting to speak. But at that exact moment, a bird flies by, and a dollop of droppings lands right in your mouth. Would you still feel like delivering your grand pronouncement then?

Obviously, you’d be utterly disgusted by then...

Kadi found himself wanting to laugh as he thought about it. So that’s how wicked Igor’s intentions were!

But, returning to the matter at hand, Kadi quickly refocused. It doesn’t matter what Kuren is resisting right now, he thought. As long as I can disrupt that thing’s rhythm, everything will be resolved!