One-Eyed Monster

Initially, Igor’s actions were disdained by Kuren and his companions. Most people at the time believed that engaging in verbal sparring on the battlefield was a fruitless endeavor—not only fruitless but also a pointless waste of time. They equated such battlefield chatter with an utter waste of time.

However, Igor’s recent maneuver led them to experience something entirely different. His ’speech attack,’ as it were, had miraculously succeeded, bringing about a profound impact. It was truly unbelievable! They all wondered what Igor could possibly have said to make the formidable Dark Force retreat. It was nothing short of miraculous.

Whether it was Yuga, Kuren, or even Stan Sol—who was known for his indifference to oddities—everyone was stunned by Igor’s verbal onslaught. Most importantly, apart from Kadi, no one knew what Igor had actually said.

Nevertheless, they didn’t dwell on Igor’s words. They had always scorned rhetoric and knew that even if given another chance, they wouldn’t resort to speech attacks. Thus, faced with Igor’s success, most of them were simply astonished.

”You claim this turnaround is due to Kadi’s influence, but I haven’t felt a thing! How did he make such a massive army so vulnerable?” Kadi, not one for intricate deductions and oblivious to the true situation, could only widen his eyes and pepper them with questions.

”We are facing a spiritual attack; we confirmed that earlier. The enemy’s spiritual assaults have always been more sophisticated than ours, which is why we were consistently at a disadvantage.” Yuga and the others patiently explained, not just for Kadi’s sake, but also to rationalize it for themselves. They had always felt such matters were beyond their comprehension. As they’d previously thought, if one could defeat enemies simply by talking, they might as well send orators into battle. Yet now, a living example had unfolded right before them, evoking a strange sensation. Deep down, they still couldn’t believe it, but the reality was undeniable. This line of reasoning was the only way they could comfort themselves.

”Spiritual attacks require immense Spirit Power, and Spirit Power only manifests with intense focus. I believe Igor’s success might just be a coincidence,” Kuren, the War God, offered, his analysis appearing sound.

”Yes, his speech attack probably disrupted the Dark Force’s concentration, causing the entire Puppet Army to falter,” Yuga added helpfully.

”Although we don’t know what method he used, the fact is he has helped us achieve this turnaround.”

”But we mustn’t let our guard down! If the Dark Force regains its composure, we’ll still have to face that disciplined army!”

They speculated and analyzed amongst themselves, as if everything unfolding was within their expectations.

They didn’t know that Igor had already led those lost spirits to another world...

After the lost spirits departed, the effects continued to ripple outwards. The puppet soldiers had long since lost their formation, becoming incredibly disorganized, while the Death Knights had truly become Death Knights in every sense of the word. As for the Corpse Eaters, they were suddenly captivated by these Death Knights; their original offensive ceased, and they no longer seemed so terrifying.

Kadi witnessed all these changes, yet he still couldn’t connect these effects with anything Igor had actually done. Wait, what exactly *did* Igor do? It seems like he did nothing at all!

Kadi remained bewildered, and the explanations from Kuren and Yuga failed to enlighten him. In fact, their assumptions only served to irritate him.

”You’re saying Igor’s success was a coincidence?”

”That’s our guess. After all, we don’t know what truly happened,” Kuren said.

”I sensed Igor creating another Inner World, but I have no idea what he intends to do with it. I can’t enter that Inner World anymore!” Yuga elaborated.

”Igor’s entire process was rather peculiar. I can’t discern his objective, and this uncertainty makes it feel like a coincidence.”

Everyone voiced their opinions. Clearly, the impact of Igor’s actions far exceeded what was apparent on the surface. Even Kadi couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe.

He didn’t appreciate Kuren and the others’ interpretations. Having witnessed Igor’s actions firsthand, Kadi knew that anyone who had seen what Igor did wouldn’t dismiss it as mere coincidence. The reason was simple: Igor’s approach was solid. While perhaps not meticulously planned, there was an underlying strategy. Kadi clearly sensed the difference between himself and Igor: Kadi tended to act recklessly, whereas Igor always considered the potential consequences—after all, Igor often wore a furrowed brow. Therefore, Kadi was certain this was no coincidence.

”Everything that just happened was Igor’s doing. It wasn’t a coincidence,” Kadi stated, disagreeing with Kuren and the others’ speculations. ”You didn’t see what transpired, so you don’t understand. I saw it, so naturally, I have a clearer picture.”

”Could it be... that the Dark Force was really defeated by Igor’s verbal attack?” Kuren still found it hard to believe.

”I don’t know if ’defeated’ is the right word, but I know Igor sent them back. The Dark Force we were dealing with, like those Little Black Hands, are spirits from another world!”

”Spirits!” Kadi’s exclamation shocked the others. This was, after all, a concept they had only just encountered and were unfamiliar with. Yet, Igor had already mastered the knack of communicating with spirits, a feat that truly impressed upon them how out of the ordinary this was.

”Exactly. You know that those Little Black Hands also rely on spiritual attacks. Although I don’t know precisely what Igor did, in the end, those spirits followed him into that Inner World.”

This... Kuren and Yuga fell silent once more. What was happening now was clearly beyond their capacity for speculation.

Just as they were reeling from shock, the Puppet Army suddenly collapsed! The puppet soldiers, as if abruptly gaining consciousness, began to display a wide array of emotions: astonishment, excitement, tranquility, anger... Meanwhile, the Corpse Eaters, as though encountering a natural predator, cowered and shrank into trembling balls, too terrified to move. All at once, the fierce battle ground to a halt. Kevin ceased swinging his sword, the Alchemy Workshop’s formations dissolved, and Simon froze in his tracks...

”What... what in the world just happened?” someone in the stunned crowd finally stammered, a question that sent a fresh wave of anxiety through everyone present.