One-Eyed Monster

Igor’s eyes widened; he couldn’t believe Kadi’s words. He had thought his journey was nearing its end, but now he suddenly realized his journey was starting all over again.

Igor tried to shake his head hard, wanting to cast off the confusion in his mind. But the harder he shook, the dizzier he became; the dizzier he became, the more confused he felt; and the more confused he felt, the more his head ached. This helpless cycle plunged him into a rather awkward predicament.

”Hey, don’t be so depressed. Aren’t you an Adventurer? Didn’t the Spirit Book you carry say last night that an Adventurer should always maintain an optimistic attitude?”

”That’s what it said, but I still feel very confused. This is completely different from what I expected.”

”Where is the Spirit Book? Why is it hiding now?” Kadi scratched his head.

”It seems to have gone back to sleep, probably because it overexerted itself last night. That fellow must have used up most of its Spirit Power again,” Igor replied casually. But on second thought, why is Kadi asking about the Spirit Book?

”Ah, I was hoping that book could offer some words of comfort. That book sounds very knowledgeable. I was a bit in awe of it after listening to what it said last night.”

”Don’t. You’d better not count on it; it’s just a spineless weakling.” Kadi’s words dispelled Igor’s previous doubts. This blue-skinned creature had apparently been captivated by that talkative Spirit Book—what an unexpected turn of events!

”Didn’t it say last night that your Adventurers’ world is the unknown or something? Anyway, it said it very profoundly; I can’t quite express it.”

”It said that the world of Adventurers *is* the unknown. Without the unknown, there would be no Adventurers. Adventurers are born for the unknown,” Igor recited in one breath, without the slightest pause.

”Ah, that’s the sentence!” Kadi clapped his hands and exclaimed, his face full of excitement.

”Well, things are always different from what I expect, which gives me a headache.” Igor himself didn’t know what was going on; he just felt an inexplicable irritability wash over him, though he couldn’t pinpoint its source.

”If you could always predict how things will develop, then why would you need to go on an adventure?” Kadi blinked. ”Although I don’t understand your troubles, I don’t think shaking your head and sighing is a good option right now.”

”What you said seems to make sense, but I still feel something is wrong.” Igor tilted his head and knitted his brows. He was trying hard to figure out where the problem lay.

”Now, whatever you think, you have no choice, HEE HEE HEE HEE.” Kadi let out a sharp laugh, a mischievous grin plastered on his face.

”Huh? What do you mean?” Igor was confused by Kadi’s laughter.

”Nothing. It just means you have no choice now; you can only follow me.”

”That’s true.”

”I’m going to take you to a small ravine, then skin you, drink your blood, and eat your flesh, HEE HEE HEE HEE.” Kadi extended his claws and bared his fangs, a ferocious look on his face.

Igor saw a true monster, grimacing, its figure eerie, slowly walking towards him...

”HA HA HA HA HA!” Kadi clutched his stomach, bent over with laughter. ”Look at your expression! You actually believed it... HA HA HA HA...”

Igor stood frozen, speechless. Kadi’s act just now had been too frightening; he had been genuinely shocked.

Having spent so many days with Kadi, Igor had grown accustomed to the creature’s innocent, wide-eyed look, almost forgetting that this monster possessed sharp fangs and terrifying claws...

Sigh, a monster is still a monster; it can never truly shed its horrifying appearance, Igor thought. He was too lazy to explain his momentary stupefaction to Kadi; let the monster enjoy its amusement.

Besides, if this monster had wanted to harm him, it would have had plenty of opportunities along the way. It wouldn’t have waited until now.

”HA HA HA... HA.” Kadi finally quieted down a bit, no longer laughing as uproariously as before. He was also surprised that Igor didn’t seem affected—neither angry nor annoyed.

”Were you scared silly?” Kadi asked with concern.

”No,” Igor replied indifferently.

”Are you so sad that you don’t want to talk or pay any attention to me right now?” Kadi felt his prank had been very successful, striking Igor from all angles.

”No,” Igor still replied indifferently.

”Then why the blank expression?”

”Uh...” Igor put a hand to his forehead. ”Is having no expression a mistake now? Do you expect me to cry, laugh, and throw a tantrum?” Kadi’s words left Igor feeling utterly helpless. This helplessness was starting to get to even him, who was usually unfazed.

”I thought you’d at least be angry enough to jump up! Ah, well, forget it. Just as you said, humans can’t foresee everything.”

”This...” Igor was momentarily speechless.

”But now, you can only follow me, and you have to keep up. This deep mountain isn’t Dawn Peak; I can’t guarantee there won’t be any wild beasts or monsters appearing.”

Aren’t you a monster yourself? Igor thought. I’m not a three-year-old child who’d be scared into inaction by such a trivial taunt.

”HEH HA, you were saying you came to Guru Mountain to catch a monster and exchange it for some Courage Medal, weren’t you? Now, HEH HEH, it’s the other way around!”

This sentence struck Igor like a bolt from the blue. When he had bid farewell to Teacher Hadi at the Yonder Travel Academy, he had confidently pounded his chest, vowing to capture a monster and bring it back. But now, circumstances had completely changed. He had indeed met a monster, but capturing one was out of the question.

”HEH HEH, now I’ve caught a monster! HA HA, I’ll take you back to Kevin, HA HA HA!”

”Uh, from your perspective, that’s exactly what’s happening,” Igor said. Although a mix of emotions churned within him, he wasn’t truly angry with Kadi. This monster just seemed like a lonely child; a little prank could keep this kid happy for a long time.

”HEH HEH HEH...” Kadi danced with joy.

”Looked at another way, I’m practically your captive now,” Igor said, deliberately gritting his teeth. He felt he should try to make this monster even happier.

Because at that moment, Igor had already snapped out of his dejection. An Adventurer facing a multitude of unknowns shouldn’t be discouraged but thrilled.

”Sigh, it hasn’t been long, and I’m someone else’s captive again,” Igor lamented in an exaggerated tone.

”HA HA HA...” Kadi laughed even more joyfully.

Igor looked up. The sky was still clear, with nothing but the fiery red sun. This feeling was just like the sky at the Yonder Travel Academy; it evoked a wave of emotions.

So, an Adventurer’s sky is the same everywhere.

The path ahead was unknown, the future was unknown, and this mountain was his new beginning.