One-Eyed Monster

At this moment, Estev was completely distracted. Part of his energy was entangled with the Soul Puppet. This sudden incident caught him off guard, and the already chaotic stream of his thoughts became even more so.

If he pulled away to deal with the three leaders of the Black Crow, the Soul Puppet before him would become extremely tricky. He had only loosened his hold for a moment, yet the Soul Puppet had already begun to split. If he completely withdrew, wouldn’t this Soul Puppet spring back to life and contemplate a self-explosion?

Assessing what was important and what was not was the most basic training for him as a Soul Guardian, but at this moment, he indeed faced a dilemma. Abandoning one side would mean betraying the very allies he had allied with against the Soul Puppet, leaving them in a desperate situation. Abandoning the other would mean breaking his promise, exposing what he was guarding, and making himself a Soul Guardian who broke his promise. To abandon one was betrayal; to abandon the other was to break his promise. Estev suddenly felt he was about to become a downright traitorous scoundrel.

However, the urgent situation left him no time to think further. At this moment, the three leaders of the Black Crow had already encircled the rock, attempting to destroy it.

Ordinary swords could not break the stone; even their angry punches and kicks had no effect. But the three leaders of the Black Crow were not fools. They knew ordinary attacks had no effect on the stone, so they gathered their Spirit Power to destroy it with a Spirit Attack.

”Only by destroying this stone that fell from the sky can we open that door.” Uli had completely awakened and was overjoyed to see the Soul Guardian being tied down by the Soul Puppet on one side. At the same time, he admired the skill of Wizard Reed. He himself had been lurking on this mountain for so long, yet he couldn’t find any trace of the Soul Guardians. Wizard Reed, however, who hadn’t even arrived, was able to trap the Soul Guardians and other involved people. This alone proved that Wizard Reed was a hundred times stronger than them... No wonder their leader entrusted Wizard Reed with the whole mission and trusted him so much. There was a reason for everything.

Eventually, it was still our Black Crow that won, Uli thought, looking at the helpless Estev with some complacency. No matter what kind of Soul Guardian you are, you’re still helpless in the end. Besides, that arrogant Alchemy Workshop, haven’t we, the Black Crow, used them in the end? They’ve become our indirect helpers!

Uli’s complacency was not only displayed on his face but also in his actions. He gathered his Spirit Power and, together with Mugen and Gus, attacked the stone.

BANG! The Spirit Attack made a loud noise, but the stone remained still, which surprised the three leaders of the Black Crow.

”Again!” Uli shouted. He could feel that the stone had already developed a slight crack; just a little more effort and it would split open.

Estev, on the side, was still agonizing over what to do. The dissipating smoke was causing the Soul Puppet to split constantly, releasing more of the Aura of Death...

”Senior Milo, my space is about to overflow!” Pedro shouted. The space he had exchanged for couldn’t completely contain the Soul Puppet and was about to overflow.

”My Diamond, the Diamond protection on the Helm of Spirit Protection won’t last much longer!” Joela added urgently.

”HMPH!” Brad, as always, huffed in desperation.

Milo held the Bronze Sword, clearly feeling its weight increasing. But at this moment, he couldn’t pull it out from the Soul Puppet. The mutated Soul Puppet seemed to bite down hard on the sword with its teeth, as if clutching the sword tightly with both hands.

Great Witch Biggs watched the situation anxiously. She couldn’t be of any help. At this moment, she couldn’t summon the Wind Elemental child, no matter how hard she tried. Moreover, Wizard Gus kept casting hate-filled glances at her, making her thoroughly uncomfortable.

CRACK! The stone was attacked fiercely by the three leaders of the Black Crow again. Just as Uli had predicted, the stone developed a tiny crevice.

An eerie wind swept out from the crevice.

”This is...” The few from the Alchemy Workshop were suddenly shocked because the gust clearly carried a strong Aura of Death...

When this Aura of Death emerged, everything around became blighted, like a scene after a war.

Suddenly, Dawn Peak, which had no Spirit Power and was suffused with death, seemed to show a hint of vitality.

However, this slight vitality carried signs of death, like the hoarse, desperate wail of an old man at the end of his life, making people uneasy.

”We are here for this Aura of Death!” The three leaders of the Black Crow seemed to have seen something astonishing, and their faces contorted into crazed laughter.

The Soul Puppet also became restless because of this eerie Aura of Death, like a cat that saw a mouse and couldn’t stop chasing it.

At this moment, the fragments of the Soul Puppet that had split off seemed to grow legs, frantically rushing toward the stone. An unusual spectacle appeared on the summit: the pieces of rotting flesh rhythmically surged towards the crack in the stone.

”Don’t... panic!” These words reached Estev’s ear at the moment he was near collapse.

Though these words couldn’t provide him with a strategy to defeat his enemies, they did calm his restless heart.

Only then did Estev realize how fragile he was. A simple moment of distraction had depleted his willpower…

Who am I? Estev couldn’t help but ask himself again.

Who I am doesn’t matter; what I am is what’s important. The voice inside his heart once again reminded him of what he was and what he should do.

Regaining his composure, Estev slowly rediscovered his self-confidence. Gradually, a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, restoring his characteristic imperious confidence.

I am Soul Guardian Estev, with three hobbies: squinting, smoking, and trusting my luck. My mission is to guard the secrets of Dawn Peak, to ensure that which should remain buried deep underground stays that way. I am the Soul Guardian!

Estev shook his head. He realized the mistake he had made. He was a Soul Guardian, and he was bound to protect the secrets of this place all his life.

Nothing could obstruct his vow.

Estev closed his eyes, his body filled with a burning desire to fight.

I am that Soul Guardian! The protector above these ruins! I won’t tolerate your arrogant words here!

Estev exhaled a puff of smoke. Reaching out, he grasped it, and the plume of smoke solidified into a long, curved blade.

The next scene stunned everyone.

No one expected Estev to fight in this manner!

”With my flesh and blood, let us dance together!” Estev declared, swinging the smoke-formed blade. SWISH! He cut off his own left arm!

”My blood is your blood, my flesh is your flesh! Let us dance together here and lend me your aid, the strength of an arm!” Estev recited the Mantra. This was an ancient oath, an ancient spell.

The offering of an arm.

Estev’s severed arm whizzed, springing to life and flying directly towards the three Black Crow members by the stone. The arm, unstoppable, wriggled like a small dragon, attacking and navigating between the three. Soon, the three of them were forced away from the edge of the stone.

”Everyone, don’t relax!” Estev, now missing an arm and bleeding, showed a terrifying smile. ”The Soul Puppet has not been defeated yet. We still have a fight ahead of us.”