One-Eyed Monster

The voices naturally belonged to the Little Black Hands. Hustace’s words seemed to awaken them!

Others might consider the number four hundred twenty-one to be ordinary and unremarkable, just a simple number. But for the Spirits that can interact with the Natural Force, this number served as a key—the key to open another door.

Therefore, Igor and Kadi remained clueless, interpreting Hustace’s words as nonsensical. However, Hustace was not talking nonsense. He was speaking about things he was seeing, things displayed there as Symbols.

Now, the only ones who could understand Hustace’s words were the Spirits themselves. Consequently, Igor and Kadi couldn’t comprehend the conversation that followed, feeling as if they were in the dark, akin to listening to gibberish.

”Are you certain it’s four hundred twenty-one and not, say, four hundred twenty-two?”

”I’m certain of it. I wouldn’t misread the Symbols that form this thing. Besides, you, old white-bearded man, are getting too detail-oriented.” At that moment, Hustace’s demeanor was remarkably calm, bearing no resemblance to the coward who was usually scared even by flames.

Witnessing this scene, Igor couldn’t help but stare, dumbfounded. Not even the assault of the water pillars could snap him out of his shock. Hustace was far exceeding his expectations. The current Hustace seemed like a vastly learned Scholar, offering profound insights. Moreover, Hustace could now see the Little Black Hands, which was impossible for Igor and his companions.

”Hey, Igor, who exactly is this friend of yours?” Kadi couldn’t help but ask Igor; he found the situation incredibly unbelievable.

A man initially considered a burden had suddenly become so calm and displayed such an erudite demeanor. It just didn’t add up.

”He... he’s just a spoiled young master,” Igor replied without thinking. Then, feeling his answer was too dismissive, he added, ”A well-read spoiled young master.”

Kadi and Stan Sol were noncommittal. They had initially thought Hustace was just a burden, but now he seemed like a madman. If Hustace hadn’t guided them to catch that elusive figure, they would have been one hundred percent certain that Hustace was an out-and-out madman.

Only a lunatic would talk to thin air...

Although Kadi could communicate with the Little Black Hands, it certainly wasn’t through spoken language. Hustace, however, was clearly using language to communicate with these Little Black Hands.

Hustace and the Spirits kept discussing the numbers four hundred twenty-one and four hundred twenty-two. Since Igor and his companions couldn’t understand what they were saying, it only deepened their impression that Hustace was an enigmatic young master.

The reason these numbers, four hundred twenty-one and four hundred twenty-two, sparked such a debate between Hustace and the Little Black Hands was that they represented the coordinates for a technique exchange.

This Water Wall hadn’t formed from nothing; it was created through a displacement technique that concentrated the water source of one space into another location.

The Little Black Hands said this number represented the springhead. Hustace didn’t understand the specific meaning, but he was very clear about the number itself because those Symbols were clearly arrayed before him, vivid and lifelike.

”If it’s four hundred twenty-one, then the springhead of this water source is on this mountain. But if it’s four hundred twenty-two, then the springhead might be from another place,” the Little Black Hands explained. They suddenly found that communicating with this young man named Hustace was much smoother than with that one-eyed Kadi. Hustace could understand many things after just one explanation, whereas Kadi always seemed to think in a different direction.

”Whether it’s four hundred twenty-one or four hundred twenty-two, how did they form this Water Wall that can attack continuously?”

”Hehe, this is the power of exchange. He draws the water from the springhead to these coordinates, and naturally, something of equivalent value is returned. It could be the power of spring, the memories of human growth, or the process of plants withering. In short, as long as it’s something we are willing to exchange, it can be done.”

”So, you’re saying the control of this lies with you all?” Hustace asked.

”That’s natural! Just like how you can now communicate so smoothly with us, it’s also because our companions have made an equivalent exchange with you!”

”But why can I see you, yet not the companions you speak of?” Hustace seemed to remember an important question, one that seemed related to what Igor had asked earlier.

Although Hustace was timid, he wasn’t a thoughtless person. When Igor was strategizing for the elders of Guru Mountain earlier, Hustace had also been thinking. It was just that his thoughts were rather obscure, he couldn’t interject, and he hadn’t reached any conclusion.

For example, right now, he was again thinking about the issue of Awakened versus non-Awakened individuals.

He could see many things others couldn’t, but he couldn’t say he was an Awakened one because he hadn’t seen the Spirit corresponding to his own Spirit Power. This was also something he had only recently learned, and it was thanks to Igor that he could come into contact with these magical things.

The exchange with the Little Black Hands didn’t involve many words, but the information gained was far more than what could be found in books.

Hustace now really wanted to know if he could be called an Awakened one.

He could see the Spirits Igor and the others couldn’t, yet he couldn’t see the Spirit that was intrinsically linked to him...

”We are in a special state, perhaps...” The Little Black Hands seemed to sense Hustace’s strong doubts and offered this as a comforting explanation.

”Alright, let’s not discuss this for now.” Hustace was different from Igor and the others. Perhaps due to some hereditary trait from his father, an outstanding Politician, he knew at this moment what he should prioritize.

The urgent task was to get rid of this Water Wall; otherwise, Igor and the others would be frozen into Ice Folk by these water pillars!

”Since all of this is closely related to you or your friends, can you make this Water Wall disappear?” Hustace decided to try. From their conversation, he felt these Spirits should possess great abilities.

There was no need to hide such abilities; at a critical moment, one couldn’t afford to hold back.

More importantly, he, Hustace, also wanted to see exactly what these Spirits were capable of.