One-Eyed Monster

What is death? Death is the endpoint. Death is a tranquil departure. Every individual perceives death differently; ten thousand people will have ten thousand opinions. However, for Wizard Reed, death was neither the end nor a departure.

The Dark Arts he studied were Undead Soul techniques, a true form of Death Spell. He was all too familiar with death. He believed in Death Power, harnessing Death Energy. Only he could embrace such grim arts. Not everyone can accept death. Some people shrink in fear when facing death, terrified from beginning to end. Others remain calm, feeling that death is just the end of a journey. Wizard Reed, however, saw death as a means to an end; he had profound insights into it.

Death could provide him with immense power, but it could also strip him of much. Ultimately, however, death brought him many benefits. His entire system of magic was built upon death.

Originally, he wouldn’t have possessed such power, enough to contend with the elites of numerous empires. Regardless of whether these individuals were past their prime, they were all elites of those empires. And yet now, these elites had come to confront him, and he was holding his ground. This proved his power was immense. Others might not grasp Death Power, but Wizard Reed could. When he ascended the mountain earlier, he had borrowed Death Power; otherwise, he wouldn’t have been so swift. Back then, he had guided the mayor of Liuli City to the Eternal Tranquility Realm. Not only had he obtained power, but he had also thrown the city below into chaos…

Death Wizards called this method of obtaining Death Power a Death Sacrifice. Naturally, the offerings were living people. Death Power had always been a shortcut, and the Power of Darkness was no exception. Many people misunderstood this power, but not Wizard Reed. He knew these things couldn’t be obtained for free. This power might seem great, but the cost was also immense.

Other powers were obtained through hard work and sweat—visible, tangible efforts often praised by people. Acquiring Death Power, however, was not an exchange of sweat but of forfeiture. Only by relinquishing more could one gain more. Be it Death Power or Dark Force, both were obtained through relinquishment. You could sacrifice your own soul or your body—anything you possessed. You could even sacrifice life itself.

The Death Sacrifice meant abandoning others’ lives to gain immense power. This practice was wicked, but if one could obtain power, what did wickedness matter?

A smile played at the corners of Wizard Reed’s mouth. It’s time for the final sacrifice, he thought. For power, he had discarded much. His physical shell had long ceased to exist. Anything that could be used to gain power was discarded: from hair to limbs, from teeth to organs—everything, inside and out, that he could exchange had already been cast aside. Where there was loss, there was gain. In Wizard Reed’s eyes, Dark Force and Death Power were the fairest. As long as there was payment, there would be a reward. This was why he was so willing to relinquish.

At that moment, he was being suppressed. His opponents’ onslaught rained down like ceaseless drops, and with his poor grasp of Physique Techniques, he couldn’t possibly resist for long. He needed stronger power. His ranged attacks had lost their effectiveness. He couldn’t continue like this; he had to change his approach.

He had used all his trump cards. After much deliberation, only this final method remained. This method was sacrifice. However, this time it wasn’t the sacrifice of others’ lives. He intended to sacrifice his own life.

For him, even life could be exchanged. Death Wizards did not fear death; they revered it, even cherished it. To gain greater power, he had to try this legendary, ultimate method of Death Wizards.

The storm brewed, snow blizzarded on Guru Mountain in the Deep Winter Season, and the freezing atmosphere never lifted. Wizard Reed no longer bothered to dodge the attacks. He had decided to sacrifice himself, to exchange his life for greater power. The Power of Darkness could preserve a sliver of his consciousness. This sliver of consciousness would allow him to experience his presence in this world… Now, he would put it to the test.

Milo’s spear struck at him again. This time, Wizard Reed did not dodge. SCHRRRIP! The spear impaled his body, and black blood flowed out… It appeared as though Wizard Reed had been defeated; everyone’s attacks found their mark. The only peculiar thing, however, was the eerie smile on Wizard Reed’s lips. What was he smiling about? Was he truly a man who faced death as if returning home?

The monsters on Guru Mountain witnessed this detail through Jemma’s Night Vision, and it puzzled them. What followed shocked them even more. Wizard Reed then literally tore off his own arm! This scene was astounding. What on earth was he doing?

The subsequent event was even more baffling. Wizard Reed not only tore off his arm but also slit open his own stomach, revealing an interior devoid of any organs! He appeared to be merely an empty shell.

This bizarre development made everyone halt their attacks. In their experience, Dark Wizards were always radical, their methods often absurd. Now, everything had become utterly eerie.

WHOOSH! Flames erupted all over Wizard Reed’s body—he was self-immolating. The fire surged, and thick Black Smoke billowed, darkening the entire sky. This was sacrifice—a Life Sacrifice. Wizard Reed was exchanging his life for power. He intended to use this power to annihilate everyone present.

The flames burned brighter, then dwindled, and finally faded into a wisp of azure smoke. With that, Wizard Reed’s entire body vanished, leaving not a trace behind.

Vanished? Just like that? Dead? Everyone stared, astounded, finding it hard to believe what they were witnessing. The snow-covered ground where the fire had been was now a patch of black, a stark contrast to its surroundings, much like the current, unsettling situation.

The monsters of Guru Mountain and the Golden Seats from the Alchemy Workshop were all shocked by the scene. They couldn’t comprehend this suicidal act, but they knew the Dark Wizard wouldn’t have surrendered so easily. Since the invasion began, this Dark Wizard had never made things feel so straightforward for them. This apparent ease troubled them. This unease kept them vigilant. Everyone knew that final burst of flame was abnormal; there had to be another trick up his sleeve...