One-Eyed Monster

Igor watched as Stan Sol poured kettle after kettle of boiling water into that special glass vessel.

He was entranced, as he could never have imagined that this glass vessel could hold so much boiling water.

They had now left the basement and were in Dean Hoffman’s office. The League Guard had already been carried out by someone, taken to the academy’s wizard for treatment, and someone would report the situation to Lord Governor Rostov.

The League Guard’s appearance was indeed frightening, but the stretcher bearers seemed unfazed, as if they were used to such sights.

Ordinarily, such secretive affairs would be kept under wraps in many places, for fear that word getting out would damage the academy’s reputation. However, Yonder Travel Academy made no effort to conceal it, nor did they need to, as countless strange events happened there daily, making this one insignificant by comparison.

Thus, no one worried about the stretcher bearers speaking ill of the League Guard; if they did, others would simply assume it was some new mischief conjured up by a group of retirees from the adventurers with class.

Even Dean Hoffman had no intention of hiding the presence of the new alchemist.

Of course, those occupying the golden seats left by Kuyi Tulan had no interest in these matters, but no one stopped them from coming to this place either.

Who knows what expressions those few alchemists would have upon seeing Igor and Stan Sol…

But those were all hypotheticals; now Stan Sol was pouring boiling water into his glass vessel, and the water, continuously handed to him, seemed to fill a bottomless pit, never overflowing.

”My God, this container is truly magical! Is there a special technique to it?” Perkins’ eyes nearly popped out of his head.

”No, it’s not that my vessel is special; it’s that this insect worm is special.” Stan Sol waved away the rising hot steam with his hand, and a pungent, fishy smell suddenly filled the air.

”This smell, it’s disgusting!” Perkins pinched his nose and ran to the side, and Hustace also covered his nose, his body shaking as if he were about to vomit.

”It’s a bloody smell!” Igor exclaimed as soon as he caught a whiff. ”Such a terrifying odor, damn it!”

”Indeed, it’s a bloody scent, the kind you would encounter in slaughterhouses or on battlefields.” Rostov involuntarily expressed his amazement, never expecting to encounter such a smell within Yonder Travel Academy.

Only slaughter can bring about such a bloody odor, which can evoke fear and nausea.

Stan Sol continued to pour hot water into the vessel, keeping silent.

”Can hot water kill them?” Igor asked while handing over the hot water.

Stan Sol still remained silent, motioning for Igor to keep quiet as he continued pouring hot water into the vessel.

Soon, the vessel no longer emitted white mist, becoming just like an ordinary bottle, overflowing when filled to the brim…

Stan Sol opened his cloak, wrapping the glass vessel with it, using the Sharkmon.

”I need a spacious place to release energy; this place isn’t suitable.” Ever since his cleansing at Teacher Hadi’s, Stan Sol no longer stuttered, having completely overcome that condition, which amazed many.

”Go directly to the doorway; outside my office is all open ground, which I specifically chose on this back mountain section.” Dean Hoffman stated straightforwardly, feeling both excited and proud.

Everyone followed Stan Sol outside, where indeed it was more open, and in front lay a stretch of white, foggy mountain ridges…

Stan Sol decisively threw the bottle to the ground, producing not a crisp sound but a dull thud.

”Everyone, step back!” Stan Sol cautioned.

Automatically, everyone retreated, as if expecting the bottle to suddenly explode.

”Fiery Blaze, step forward!” Stan Sol called out loudly, and soon a flame sprang from his palm.

With a whoosh—

The flame leaped high, instantly blazing fiercely at the entrance of Dean Hoffman’s office.

”Encircle!” Stan Sol commanded.

The flame quickly formed a circle, enclosing the bottle within.

Eeek—Aah—

A piercing cry suddenly resonated through the sky, as if someone were suffering immense torment, unbearable and harrowing.

The sound was so shrill and piercing that it seemed it could burst one’s eardrums.

Hustace couldn’t help but cover his ears.

”With flame, I command the light, all shall turn to ashes, submit before the flames!” Stan Sol loudly chanted the mantra, continually releasing his spirit power.

Eeee—aah—aah—the piercing sound showed no sign of softening, instead growing sharper, as if in increasing agony.

”Perhaps this is the gap between the ancient hunters and adventurers with class, something no book records in detail and systematically. Only by witnessing it firsthand can one truly experience the grandeur of the ancient hunters!” Dean Hoffman exclaimed, his beard quivering with excitement.

”Could these insect worms be the ones fed with the undead as legend tells?” Perkins scratched his head, recalling the tales he had heard before.

Igor felt a jolt through his back; wasn’t the wire puppet on Guru Mountain also said to be like this?

”What an honor to witness such a spectacle in my lifetime.” Dean Hoffman excitedly gestured animatedly.

Hustace then gradually recalled some accounts in the books. Though the records of ancient hunters are sparse, they are better than nothing, and as a bookworm who consumed volumes, Hustace had naturally read such accounts.

Among the few records, it was said that some ancient hunters could use undead to feed parasitic worms or plants, using them to hunt. This method was already intriguing, but even more so was how some ancient hunters could force the undead out from these entities…

Hustace vaguely remembered, the book termed this process as hunting the soul of the dead…

The scene unfolding before them compelled Hustace to think of these accounts; what had always been considered mere myths and legends in books was now occurring right in front of them. And as Dean Hoffman said, no book contained detailed and systematic records, and now they were fortunate to witness it all.

Stan Sol rapidly wove an invisible net with his hands, a net woven with spirit power, leveraging the power of the Battle Pet Fiery Blaze, as he hunted the so-called undead…

”By the power of flame, I return your peace. Before you return, reveal yourselves fully, for all will be reduced to ashes, hurry and show yourselves!”

The mantra continued, and at this moment, Stan Sol appeared as a poet…

This process made Igor ponder, what if Stan Sol hadn’t regained his speech? How would he face all this…