One-Eyed Monster

”Kid, get a taste of fear!”

Igor felt a shockwave course through him; that initial falling sensation had returned.

The scenery around him changed rapidly, quickly engulfing him in pitch-black darkness. This blackness seemed odd, with occasional bright spots flashing past, like many familiar sights blurring as they flew by.

”This is the scenery of a Time Leap, kid. Enjoy the show.” After arranging all his affairs, Arnold finally had the chance to properly meet this boy named Igor.

In their previous confrontation, Arnold had been on the defensive because he needed to send out a message. This had somewhat led Igor to underestimate him, and now it was time for Arnold to show the boy what he was truly capable of.

Igor struggled to adapt to the Time Leaps occurring around him. His memories were also leaping intensely in his mind, so much so that it felt like his head was about to explode!

So many images flashed by, leaving him barely any time to think; Igor could do little. His mind was flooded with memories, both familiar and unfamiliar, all rushing in at once. This was a side effect of the Time Leap.

If his mental capacity wasn’t large enough, these memories were sufficient to make him completely break down.

This was Arnold’s first attack—silent, yet incredibly powerful.

Igor couldn’t speak. This wave of memories was overwhelming, leaving him disoriented. He clutched his head with both hands, hoping this might somehow ease the pain.

However, this did little to help. His head continued to throb painfully, feeling as if something was about to burst out from within.

No, it wasn’t just his head. His entire body felt as if it were about to explode, as if various things inside him were desperately trying to drill their way out.

”Heh, kid, can’t handle this level of attack already? What happened to that fearless spirit you had at the beginning?” Arnold’s words were genuine. He hadn’t expected that by just slightly increasing the speed of the Time Leap, this boy Igor would be unable to withstand it.

Arnold wanted to see Igor’s full capabilities, but it seemed the boy was already failing... so early in the test.

If he didn’t provoke him further, the subsequent parts of the test might not be realized. This was simply a tragedy, a grand tragedy indeed.

Igor was struggling internally. He didn’t know how to choose; these were all his own memories. They swarmed him all at once, leaving him utterly at a loss.

Igor was just an ordinary boy. He possessed no special abilities beyond those of a normal person. His mental capacity was average, but his way of thinking about things was sometimes different.

Faced with a deluge of memories, he didn’t panic—this was where he surpassed ordinary people. He remained calm in any situation, perhaps due to his naturally slow reaction time. Confronted by these chaotic memories, Igor found himself conflicted. Though he was on the verge of being overwhelmed, instead of searching for an escape, he chose to be conflicted!

He chose to be conflicted!

He was conflicted about which memories to keep and which to discard!

Grandma, what should I do with all these memories! How am I supposed to choose! Igor cried out internally to the grandmother who always told him stories. This was his most primal, instinctive reaction when facing trouble.

These scenes were invisible to anyone else.

”Welcome to the Time Gap, kid. Now you should be feeling what true fear is, right?” Arnold wanted to provoke him further. He wasn’t ready to stop just yet, believing Igor was capable of much more than he had shown. Therefore, he didn’t reduce the speed of the Time Leap; he continued to bombard Igor with memories, just as before.

”AH!” The excruciating headache forced a cry from Igor, yet deep down, he remained conflicted.

Grandma, I really can’t hold on any longer! Internally, Igor was still pleading with his grandmother for help. She sat on a rattan chair, swaying back and forth, seemingly oblivious to everything.

What followed was a scene from Igor’s inner world, visible only to him.

Grandma had prepared afternoon tea, but sadly, no one was there to enjoy it. Igor saw many invitation cards scattered on the floor, while the afternoon tea on the table still steamed invitingly...

”I forgot to send out these invitations,” Grandma said nonchalantly. ”Two days ago, I already knew I would forget to send them out today.”

”The guests won’t come; I knew that two days ago. But I still had to make afternoon tea, because this moment is what I am experiencing now. I knew two days ago what would happen today, so why did I still prepare afternoon tea as if I knew nothing at all?”

Grandma’s words, soft as a breeze, brushed gently against Igor’s face.

”Child, you have yet to experience either the known or the unknown. How then can you speak of keeping or discarding them?”

Those words, like a clap of thunder, jolted Igor awake from his stupor.

What is meant to happen and what isn’t will ultimately converge. Nothing can be changed, and yet, nothing is unchangeable.

So these memories don’t belong to the me of now. They are imprints on these Timelines, imprints from various spaces. One day, the ’me’ of one time and space will retrieve them; another day, the ’me’ of another time and space will forget them. They should be in their rightful places, not here!

”AH!” Igor roared, clenching his fists, thrusting out his chest, and throwing his arms wide!

A smile touched Arnold’s lips again. He had gambled correctly once more.

Countless rays of light emanated from Igor’s entire body. He became a luminous source, radiating innumerable specks of light in all directions...

As the controller of this Time Gap, Arnold knew perfectly well what this phenomenon signified.

This was the mark of a breakthrough for the ’time subject.’ Once memories were discarded, this subject could leap freely within the Time Gap, no longer endlessly assaulted by the barrage of memories.

The boy named Igor had once again overcome the Time Leap, and this leap was far greater in magnitude than before.

”Ugh... Hah...” Igor panted heavily, large beads of sweat streaming down his body, as if he had just endured a grueling fight.

”Hey, Igor.”

A vaguely familiar voice drifted from mid-air.

Igor looked towards the source of the sound. In the distance, an eerie, two-toned face—distinctly red and white—was smiling coldly.

”Now, your real test begins, Igor, my boy.” Arnold’s lips curled into a smirk. With a SWOOSH, he leaped up and vanished into thin air.

”How do you know my name is Ig—AAARGH!” Igor couldn’t finish his sentence before a piercing pain shot through his abdomen, as if a powerful fist had struck him there.

The pain made Igor involuntarily double over. He looked around; he was still enveloped in that strange, pitch-black darkness, and the terrifying, two-faced man who had been right in front of him moments ago had vanished without a trace.