Sigil Evolution

A blood-curdling howl erupted from the One-Eyed Frog King as it frantically thrashed about, its blood-red maw gaping wide. It wildly shook its head, desperately trying to dislodge the iron rod embedded in its eye.

Millie, flung onto the living room sofa by Simon, looked up just in time to witness his astonishing strike. The iron rod had pierced the monstrous eye of the frog, driving deep into its brain. The sheer power of this attack left Millie gasping, her lips parted in shock, unable to utter a sound.

Once again, Simon's actions took her by surprise. In the midst of retreating, he had delivered a lethal blow that she could not have imagined. This was a truly fatal strike; the iron rod not only blinded the frog king but also impaled its brain. The beast, now blinded and in a frenzy, crashed about the living room, its immense strength causing the walls to tremble and the furniture to shatter.

Long had retreated to the doorway of a nearby bedroom, clutching his steel shovel, too cautious to rush out. Simon also fell back, moving to where Millie lay sprawled on the sofa. He swiftly turned and scooped her up once more.

Millie let out a startled cry, attempting to struggle free, but Simon, holding her firmly, dashed into the adjacent kitchen. Almost simultaneously, a thunderous crash resonated as the One-Eyed Frog King collided with the sofa, twisting and breaking the leather furniture into fragments.

Millie, catching her breath, ceased her resistance. She realized that she had been a step behind Simon every time. When the frog king had charged, she had been too stunned to dodge. If not for Simon's swift action, the outcome could have been disastrous. He had saved her once again.

This thought left Millie, usually so confident, feeling deeply frustrated. Despite both being level three source warriors, how could she be inferior to him?

Simon released Millie, his gaze fixed on the frenzied One-Eyed Frog King in the living room. After demolishing the sofa, the beast shattered the dining table, chairs, and two large vases before crashing headfirst into the wall. With a sickening thud, the iron rod drove entirely into its body, leaving a vivid red stain on the wall as the creature staggered back, its movements faltering.

The One-Eyed Frog King collapsed like a deflated balloon, its limbs twitching slightly before it lay still. A spirit source emerged from its body, flew toward Simon, and vanished into his forehead.

In his mind, a message appeared: "Level 3 Source Warrior: Spirit Source 14/30."

"Amazing, to have obtained two spirit sources! These leader-class monsters are indeed formidable," Simon thought in astonishment.

As a level-three source warrior, he was well aware that the One-Eyed Frog King, being merely a level-two monster, was an exception due to its leader-class status. Killing it yielded two spirit sources. What would happen if he faced a level-three or even level-four leader-class monster?

Long, seeing the spirit source emerge from the One-Eyed Frog King's body, confirmed its death and emerged, still somewhat shaken. "Incredible, Simon. You said it was only a level-two monster. How could it be so terrifying? It was even more formidable than the Dominator Crab."

Simon gave a wry smile. "Did you only listen to half of what I said? Though it was a level-two monster, it was of the leader class. I suspect it's stronger than a typical level-four monster. We were lucky to kill it; the confined space worked in our favor. I seized the opportunity during the chaos. If we were in an open area, it wouldn't have been so easy."

As he spoke, Simon cautiously approached and extracted the iron rod embedded in the creature's eye and body. He was eager to see if, according to the information, killing the One-Eyed Frog King would indeed grant him the "Clairvoyance Sigil." However, since he already possessed it, he wondered if it would be redundant or perhaps enhance the existing sigil.

While speculating, Simon pulled out the iron rod. Immediately, the giant eye at the center of the frog's head began to shrink and wither, eventually transforming into a beam of light that flew into Simon's forehead and vanished.

Seeing this, Long's eyes brightened. "A special ability? What is it?"

"It's still the Clairvoyance Sigil," Simon replied, feeling a slight warmth at his brow. The vertical eye-like mark reappeared, clearer than before. Simultaneously, a message appeared in his mind.

"The incomplete 'Clairvoyance Sigil' has acquired new sigil energy and is undergoing restoration."

"After the restoration, the 'Clairvoyance Sigil,' though still somewhat flawed, now possesses greater clairvoyant capabilities than before."

"The flawed 'Clairvoyance Sigil' can not only discern information about spirit beasts but also reveal basic details about spirit warriors."

Simon sensed the emerging information in his mind, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. He hadn't anticipated that acquiring the One-Eyed Frog King's special ability would evolve his sigil from a flawed state to an imperfect one, enhancing its capabilities. Now, it could not only perceive monster details but also those of spirit warriors.

He immediately turned his gaze to Long, activating the newly improved "Clairvoyance Sigil."

"Name: Ordinary Spirit Warrior, Level: 4, Special Skill: One, Weakness: Unknown, Other: None."

Furthermore, a message indicated that if he could evolve the sigil to a higher level, he would be able to access even more detailed information.

"This is incredible," Simon thought, astonished. The "Clairvoyance Sigil" was truly remarkable. According to the information, further evolution might allow him to see specific special skills and weaknesses of spirit warriors, achieving a profound understanding of his adversaries. This potential was formidable.

Simon then glanced at Millie, receiving a similar message.

"Name: Ordinary Spirit Warrior, Level: 3, Special Skill: One, Weakness: Unknown, Other: None."

Hearing Simon's response, Long expressed his regret. "What a pity. If I had killed it, I could have gained this ability. It would be immensely useful."

Millie, clutching her chest wound, slowly emerged. Though her injury was severe, she could still move, each motion tugging at her wound and furrowing her brows.

"Millie, you're hurt. Don't worry, I'll lure a few more corpses up here." Long quickly moved the massive corpse of the One-Eyed Frog King and threw it off the balcony.