One-Eyed Monster

Alchemist Carmello had been feeling quite irritable these days. Although his abilities weren't top-tier within the Alchemy Workshop, he still held a coveted Golden Seat and was revered by many. Yet, Witch Bigas, one of the Six Sage Wizards of the Wizard Alliance, never missed an opportunity to belittle him, causing Carmello great discontent.

The Alchemy Workshop and the Wizard Alliance, two powerhouses on the Yowein Continent, were supposed to be equals. However, for some reason, the wizards always behaved superiorly, often using their prestige to belittle others. It was apparent in the way they arrogantly referred to themselves as sages. Not daring to voice his dissatisfaction too emphatically, Carmello was well-aware of Witch Bigas's substantial capabilities and knew he was no match for her.

Being a Golden Seat holder, Carmello had heard stories about Bigas, the youngest of the Six Sage Wizards in the Wizard Alliance. Various formidable tales of Bigas circulated on the Yowein Continent. For instance, at a tender age, she managed to tame a Mountain Monster leader in the Ghost Realm, something that should have been achieved by a Hunter. Besides, rumors claimed Bigas could control the weather. It was said she once summoned a downpour over the Star River to halt an attack by Tree Spirits on the Wensi Continent. While some tales seemed exaggerated, the Alchemy Workshop possessed some reliable information, mostly credited to Chief Kuyi Tulan. There was a rumor about Chief Tulan having a cordial relationship with Bigas. In the entire Kayne Empire, fewer than ten people could prompt Bigas to greet them proactively, and Chief Tulan was one of them.

Carmello was desperate to berate Bigas, but understanding his limitations, he held his tongue. He recalled Milo's brief encounter with Bigas. Though fleeting, it shed some light on their respective powers. Clearly, Carmello didn't stand a chance against Bigas, who controlled Natural Force. Her command over water alone demonstrated that she held her position as a sage legitimately, without any deceit or clever tricks.

Despite harboring resentment towards Bigas, Carmello pushed his feelings aside, grudgingly accepting that Bigas was Chief Kuyi Tulan's guest. His unwillingness, however, did not obstruct him from respecting the Chief's wishes. Apparently, the Chief did not include him in his conversations with Bigas—probably due to his emotional state—a realization that enhanced Carmello's admiration for his Chief. Had he been part of that conversation and allowed his feelings to interfere, this could have potentially affected the Alchemy Workshop's plans. The Chief's discerning eye had noticed this subtle detail, allowing Carmello to safely harbor his discontent elsewhere. It was undeniable that Chief Kuyi Tulan truly understood the temperament of his Golden Seat Alchemists.

Although Carmello wasn't privy to the conversations between Kuyi Tulan and Bigas, as a Golden Seat holder, he didn't sit idle. After Joela and his entourage departed for the mountains, the manpower of the Alchemy Workshop significantly diminished. The Alchemy Servants and Alchemy Apprentices were ineffective because the Heaven and Earth Bind Array was not yet fully deployed. As one of the scarce Golden Seat holders remaining below, Carmello bore a large responsibility. Milo, regardless of his power, couldn't do everything alone. Simply monitoring Guru Mountain consumed a vast amount of his physical and Spirit Power, leaving him with no energy for trivial matters. Hence, such burdensome tasks naturally fell to Carmello.

Well-aware of his responsibility, Carmello acknowledged the workshop's transitional phase. His decision to align with Chief Kuyi Tulan was made after much contemplation. Having experienced the Protective War, he recognized the cruciality of radical change. Hence, the Chief's ongoing plans couldn't tolerate any disruptions. Areas garnering the Chief's attention required their utmost vigilance, while unnoticed regions needed extensive scrutiny.

After rechecking the Lubin Tavern, Carmello wished the Heaven and Earth Bind Array had been completely deployed to make his task easier. The Array was only partially set up. The Exchange Beasts had been summoned to various corners of the mountain, where they awaited orders. Ironically, due to a minor mishap earlier, most of their Exchange Beasts were trapped on the mountain. Like immovable Dead Objects, they couldn't receive any instructions. They were, indeed, as useful as Dead Objects.

That minor mishap made Carmello more vigilant. The Alchemy Workshop, under the Chief's command, demanded perfection. Any peculiarities required exhaustive investigation.

The two Strange Beasts, chained in the Lubin Tavern, posed the most immediate irregularity. Owned by Wizard Reed, Carmello was unable to identify these Strange Beasts. He was experienced in studying Alien Species but had never encountered ones he couldn't name like these before.

A significant number of Alien Species inhabited the Yowein Continent but weren't known to live in groups. Hunters usually possessed adequate knowledge about these species. However, since Carmello had the instinctual sense of a Hunter, his understanding of Alien Species was comparable to that of a High Rank Hunter.

Yet, he could not detect anything unique about Reed's Strange Beasts. The beasts seemed utterly ordinary to Carmello, as unremarkable as humans. He could only sense a mundane, human-like aura from them, yet it was tinged with a deathly stillness.

Carmello immediately informed Chief Kuyi Tulan about this strangeness. Chief Kuyi Tulan frowned upon hearing this, as if a thought had struck him. Indeed, Wizard Reed was an enigma, and so were his pets.

According to the Chief's instructions, Carmello continued to observe the Strange Beasts clandestinely. Wizard Reed was hiding something from them, and the Alchemy Workshop needed to find a breakthrough. Perhaps these two Strange Beasts were a good option.

Carmello had spent substantial time observing the Strange Beasts and discovered an alarming fact: since their arrival on Guru Mountain, they hadn't eaten anything!

From Carmello's knowledge of Alien Species, a non-feeding beast usually implied only one thing: it was dead.

Carefully observing the Strange Beasts bound by the iron chains, Carmello experienced a chilling sense of familiarity, a feeling that made him shudder.