One-Eyed Monster
Chapter 14: Contest

Chapter 14: Chapter 14: Contest

The value of a Spirit Book is not fixed. There are fighting technique Spirit Books worth a few gold bars, and alchemy secret technique Spirit Books worth dozens of gold bars.

Igor’s Spirit Book was titled "Yowein Continent’s Kayne Realm Travelogue." If the author hadn’t been Lord Soron, this book probably wouldn’t even have had Spirit Power infused into it.

It was a pure utility book, like a dictionary. Although quite useful, there were tons of similar items readily available on the market.

In other words, Igor’s Spirit Book wasn’t worth much money at all. The knowledgeable Great Witch Biggs had "generously" given it to Igor for free, as a bonus accompanying the four Rain Crystal Stones for divination.

But even if it wasn’t worth much, this kind of Spirit Book could still sell for a gold bar at the Daylight Market. After all, it was imbued with Spirit Power.

In this world, where there are bones, dogs will come to gnaw. Where there’s a scent, flies will follow. An ordinary household could live on a few dozen gold coins a month, and this Spirit Book was worth at least one gold bar—which was one hundred gold coins. One could imagine how many flies this scent would attract.

And Igor, that careless fellow, had already exposed his Spirit Book in the tavern, not to mention how frantically he had flipped through it while studying the Concealment Spell.

Moreover, the mountain guides he followed were Liko and Pita...

Guru Mountain was a mixed bag. After Liko and Pita pioneered the guide service, various professions flocked there, naturally including those in shady lines of work.

Even Liko and Pita, that hapless pair, had their own little secrets, sneaking out in the middle of the night with shovels to do who-knows-what—let alone the other "elites."

These "elites" were guides, bodyguards, planners, and nutrition consultants, but they also engaged in sneaking, deceiving, kidnapping, killing, and arson on the side. As long as they could get gold coins, they would do anything.

Of course, these "elites" used to be pure Treasure Hunters. But after being inspired by Liko and Pita, they gave up on finding White Cloud Fruit and started a new way of life on Guru Mountain. When they discovered that stealing gold coins from people and then pushing them down the mountain was easier than being guides, they didn’t hesitate to change their colors.

Now they were the dark forces of Guru Mountain.

They had gradually become organized, with personnel fulfilling roles codenamed Spider, Crow, Rat, and Earth Wolf.

A foolish young man with a Spirit Book was currently climbing the mountain, guided by Liko and Pita.

This news spread quickly to all the taverns through the cawing of the Crows.

Then the Spiders began to spin their webs, delivering the news to interested parties. Bidding, negotiating, posting rewards—the Spiders worked ceaselessly.

Then it was the Rats’ turn to take action: scouting, assessing situations, and collecting deposits. The Rats always managed to finish several unrelated tasks without being noticed.

Once the Earth Wolves received their target, the bidders just had to wait for news.

This was a complete system; even for a Spirit Book worth only one gold bar, the operation had to be flawless.

Even if the Spiders, Rats, Crows, and Earth Wolves didn’t earn many gold coins from the entire operation, once a commission was accepted, it had to be fulfilled.

What mattered in the dark forces was credibility. Without credibility, nothing could be accomplished.

Of course, the price corresponded to the capability of the executor.

The Earth Wolf responsible for the task concerning Igor’s Spirit Book was named Motan, a pickpocket.

Motan’s dream was to become a Hunter: to take things silently, to hunt beasts invisibly.

However, no matter how hard he tried, he could not feel natural Spirit Power. Without sensing natural Spirit Power, he couldn’t learn the Hunter’s Stealth Ability. And if he couldn’t learn the Stealth Ability, he might as well say goodbye to being a Hunter.

So, Motan had to train hard in grappling techniques, inadvertently enhancing his already superior ability to snatch objects. By a twist of fate, he became a pickpocket. But in Motan’s view, he was a Hunter; although he only "hunted" possessions, he had achieved the art of taking them silently.

Along the way, Motan closely followed the recently rumored "Three Fools," waiting for the right moment to strike.

Among the ’Three Fools,’ the two guides are the toughest to rob, Motan mused. Although they aren’t the brightest, their Concealment Spell is quite formidable. I once tried to pick Liko’s pocket but ended up with either dried bread or salted fish instead of the gold dust I expected. Didn’t even get a single copper coin.

As for Pita, besides paper and ink, who knew what else that guy carried?

And this remaining ’New Fool’ seems genuinely foolish, showing no caution at all. That Spirit Book—no, that gold bar—just slung on his back! If I can just get close enough, I can snatch it silently...

While Motan was basking in the glory of his keen observation skills, something unexpected suddenly happened.

The Three Fools disappeared! In the blink of an eye, the three of them vanished!

Could they have used the Stealth Ability? Impossible! Liko and Pita have been on Guru Mountain for so long; the Crows would definitely know if those two could use the Stealth Ability. Someone else must be competing for it, using Spirit Power to mess with my vision!

Motan clenched his fists in anger. Damn them! Taking advantage of the fact I can’t sense Spirit Power! Who dares compete with us for business?

Motan didn’t know that the reputation of the Three Fools had attracted many opportunists. These individuals didn’t think it necessary to involve the Dark Forces to deal with the Three Fools, considering the gold bar easy pickings. Consequently, quite a few of them had set out to seize it themselves.

So far, including my own, there seem to be at least three groups after that Spirit Book... no, that gold bar, Motan assessed. Although I represent the most powerful organization here, I’m personally the weakest among us. One of the other two groups is that half-baked Alchemist Igor met in the tavern—the one dressed head-to-toe in black, wearing a hood that obscures his face. The other is a pair from the Wizard and Scholar alliance—those two from the tavern who were fawning all over Igor. One is freakishly thin, and the other wears a tall felt hat.

These three groups were each acting independently, still unaware of their competitors’ true capabilities.

At that time, their focus had been solely on the Three Fools—or more precisely, on the "New Fool." In their eyes, Liko and Pita were negligible.

Ironically, it was these two insignificant guides who suddenly gave everyone the slip.

Now, the Three Fools were gone!

And so, these three groups found themselves unexpectedly face-to-face under the cover of the newly fallen night.

On the same hillside, the four individuals—Motan, the Alchemist, the Wizard, and the Scholar—looked at each other, their stunned expressions giving them away.

Motan, accustomed to such scenarios, spoke first, "Gentlemen, Black Mountain has accepted this commission and is determined to succeed. I hope you will all give Black Mountain some face." Black Mountain was indeed the name of the newly formed dark organization on Guru Mountain.

The Alchemist in the hood, without a word, released his Spirit Power and summoned an Exchange Beast—a horned creature that resembled a bull.

The tall, thin Scholar immediately protested, "Let’s discuss this! There’s no need for violence. We all share the same goal, so why fight and let someone else reap the rewards?" However, it was clear even to a fool that he was merely buying time for the Wizard beside him to cast a spell.

Motan broke out in a cold sweat. He wasn’t a combat-proficient Earth Wolf, nor could he sense Spirit Power. Since the formidable name of Black Mountain hadn’t intimidated the three individuals before him, he knew he had to find another chance. Quietly, he began to retreat, hoping to use the darkness to hide. If only I knew the Stealth Ability now! he thought.

What Motan didn’t expect was that the binding spell from the Wizard was aimed at him, and the Exchange Beast, resembling a bull, lowered its horns and charged at his immobilized form...