One-Eyed Monster

Vister, hiding in an inn on Guru Mountain, had been nursing his injuries for several days. His nose was completely broken, and his jaw was in even worse shape. Even now, he could feel the pain in his lower jaw every time he ate.

Vister still couldn't figure out how he had been defeated on Guru Mountain. Could it truly have been because of the sunlight?

Thinking back, that young man with the nickname "New Fool" had incredibly hard fists. Indeed, his fists were even harder than those of a Fighter. It was the first time Vister had encountered fists of such hardness; his lack of experience had cost him dearly during the fight. But as a member of Black Crow, to be defeated and forced to retreat by such a punch was something the higher-ranking Elders would find hard to accept. His opponent had no reputation to speak of. Losing to such a nameless nobody—Vister considered himself truly unlucky, especially since he had used up all the Alchemy Equation charms and potions given to him by the upper-level Elders.

Although those Alchemy Equation charms and potions weren't particularly precious, they were his capital for establishing himself on Guru Mountain. Without them, he would have long been driven out of Guru Village by other Treasure Hunters. The weak are prey for the strong; this principle holds true everywhere. The best seat in the tavern at the foot of Guru Mountain wouldn't be reserved for long for some unskilled, nameless nobody. Only those with true power could hope to occupy that seat permanently.

Vister couldn't be considered an Alchemist of exceptional skill. Before joining Black Crow, he was merely a lowly Alchemy Servant. His role as an Alchemy Servant meant he constantly dealt with ores, flames, aqua regia, and other substances used in exchanges. He was an impatient man, and the arduous, short-term tasks of an Alchemy Servant could not satisfy his fervent passion for Alchemy. He constantly yearned for more knowledge of Alchemy, sometimes even dreaming of bypassing the apprentice stage to become an Alchemist directly. This distorted ambition quickly led him astray. Like most who sought power, he unhesitatingly chose the shortcut.

The law of survival on this continent was fair: Equivalent Exchange. To gain something, one had to lose something in return. Thus, the shortcut to power meant a correspondingly greater price had to be paid.

Sunlight was perhaps the most selfless thing on this continent. Its gentle warmth caressed everyone on the land, impartially. However, not everyone on this land could enjoy this warmth. Some people's ignition points were simply too low; the sun barely had to touch them before they combusted. Their low ignition points stemmed from excessively hollowing out their own bodies. In their desperate pursuit of power, they continuously offered up the rare Natural Force within their bodies, sometimes even trading away parts of their own souls. This large-scale hollowing of their bodies gradually made their senses exceedingly fragile. The fragrance of flowers could make them choke and scatter, the chill of icy water could make them leap about uncontrollably... And the very color of sunlight would inflict upon them the cruelest punishment. Their skin would sear and burn under the sun, forcing them to constantly evade it, lurking in darkness and fumbling for all sorts of unknown secrets.

Vister joined Black Crow because he felt it could offer him a rebirth. He was too weary of being an Alchemy Servant; besides, such exhausting labor brought him none of his anticipated rewards. He hadn't come into contact with any of the Alchemy he yearned for, which made him increasingly loathe his identity as an Alchemy Servant. So, he began to resent this work, frequenting various taverns to drink and complain. This self-destructive lifestyle led him to an unexpected gain.

This unexpected gain was both accidental and inevitable. The gods of destiny favor diligent warriors and despise cowards who forsake themselves. Those spurned by the gods of destiny would be captured by the messengers of Hell. These messengers lurked in every corner of the world, casting a vast net. Whenever self-destructive individuals like Vister appeared, they were always the first to notice.

And so, by a chance opportunity, Vister came into contact with Black Crow, this mysterious Dark Organization. In the process of serving Black Crow, he gradually encountered the Dark Arts. The convenience of the Dark Arts quickly led him to throw himself into them, body and soul. This acquisition of power also made him willing to serve Black Crow.

Therefore, though he was lying down and nursing his injuries, the moment he received the signal sent by the Elder, he leaped from his bed. He tidied his clothes, preparing to meet his superior.

Black Crow was a vast organization, and their methods of contact were also very simple. For long distances, they dispatched messages through a special Mail Bird System; for short distances, they used Fiery Blazes to communicate. When various Fiery Blazes bloomed in the night sky, those who didn't know any better would only see it as a lively spectacle. But members of Black Crow had all undergone special training; relying on their sensitive senses, they could hear the sounds emitted by the Fiery Blazes.

These sounds were concealed by a special art. The people of Black Crow could discern clues from them. These Fiery Blaze sounds told Vister the meeting's location, time, and the importance of this meeting.

Vister had never seen his superior's true face. He didn't know what his superior Elder looked like. Every time he met the Elder, it was to accept a new task. He wondered if this time the Elder had brought some new tasks.

The Fiery Blaze told Vister the meeting place was under a large tree behind the most remote tavern on Guru Mountain. That large tree was in a dark area at the mountain's corner, truly difficult for people to discover at night.

Vister was already very familiar with this meeting spot. He had received many orders under this large tree, and had also received many Alchemy Equation charms and potions. Every time he went to that large tree, his heart would surge. This time was no exception, even though his jaw still ached terribly.

The Elder did not make Vister wait too long. He appeared silently, without a trace of sound, looking like a phantom.

"Eldah…" Vister's voice was somewhat indistinct, which was related to the injury on his jaw.

"I am generally aware of your situation. I didn't summon you this time to hold you accountable." The night was already dark enough, but this Elder seemed to think it wasn't dark enough. He pulled his black robe tighter, allowing himself to merge completely with the night.

"Any new dasks?" Vister asked, his heart pounding with fear. Although the Elder said he wouldn't be punished further, he still felt something was amiss.

"Not tasks, per se. We have mobilized more personnel this time. The Black Crow army's advance is drawing ever closer to Guru Mountain." The Elder's voice held an unnamable excitement.

"Then, Eldah…" Vister wanted to ask what new instructions the Elder had, but he couldn't bring himself to speak.

"You all have received too many gifts of power from Black Crow in the past."

Hearing this, Vister nodded quickly. He still wanted to ask the Elder for some Alchemy Equation charms to use for self-defense later.

"Now, it is time for you all to repay Black Crow." After speaking, the Leader tossed Vister a small vial. "When you next hear the sound of a Fiery Blaze, drink this. You will gain incomparable power."

Vister excitedly took the vial. All these years, he had been holed up on Guru Mountain waiting for this very day. Now, the main forces of Black Crow were about to arrive. After he drank that vial, he would transform into a Black Crow. Only then would he truly possess power!

He watched the Elder depart. The Leader's footsteps slowly receded, but the advance of Black Crow drew ever nearer.

All he had to do now was slowly wait for those approaching footsteps...