One-Eyed Monster

Kadi couldn’t understand why the leader of the monsters on Guru Mountain was a human. This was beyond his comprehension. So, while shocked, he was also bewildered. Why was this? Was everything before an illusion, or was what he saw now an illusion?

”Why aren’t you a monster?” Igor was quite direct.

”HEH HEH, how do you know I’m not a monster?” the old man known as Guru Guru retorted.

”Because you’re completely human!” Igor replied without hesitation.

The old man sat cross-legged on the ground, chuckling kindly.

”That’s right! You don’t look anything like us. How could you be Guru Guru?” Kadi, slowly recovering from his shock, added after Igor.

Kadi just couldn’t figure it out. The monsters on Guru Mountain each possessed incredible abilities. How could they submit to a mere human? How could they obey a human’s commands?

”No matter how many ’whys’ or questions you have, now isn’t the time to ask,” Guru Guru said with a chuckle, his eyebrows slightly raised.

”Huh?” Igor and Kadi exchanged glances, wondering what tricks the old man had up his sleeve.

Suddenly, an enticing aroma wafted over. Kadi’s and Igor’s stomachs instantly protested with loud GRUMBLES.

Indeed, it really wasn’t the time for questions. They were starving. If they didn’t replenish their Energy with food soon, they felt like they might collapse and start eating dirt.

The tempting aroma came from across them. In front of the old man was a large, round stone that radiated heat, clearly hot.

On that round stone, some sliced fish fillets were neatly arranged. The fragrance of grilled fish permeated the Stone House.

”My children, you must be starving,” the old man said, flipping the fish slices on the stone and beckoning to the stunned Kadi and Igor. ”Come and try this fresh grilled fish. I just caught it.”

Igor eyed the grilled fish and gulped. He hesitated to approach, unsure if it was safe. His stomach, however, ignored his reservations and kept grumbling insistently.

Ultimately, hunger won. The intense starvation drove them instinctively toward the large stone, and they sat down around it.

The aroma of the grilled fish sizzling on the stone wafted out continuously, making Kadi’s and Igor’s mouths water.

”Hmm, let me taste if it’s cooked.” To dispel the two youngsters’ concerns, Guru Guru picked up a fish fillet and popped it into his mouth. This action made Kadi and Igor widen their eyes.

The sound of teeth chewing the fish, coupled with its pervasive aroma, instantly made Kadi and Igor abandon all caution.

Sometimes, overcoming someone doesn’t require superior skills; merely triggering their basic instincts is enough.

Driven by the instinct of hunger, Igor and Kadi began to wolf down the fish, completely disregarding their table manners or whether the grilled fish might be poisoned.

”Eat slowly, don’t rush. There’s plenty,” the old man said, chuckling as he watched Kadi and Igor.

Kadi and Igor were indeed famished. SMACK, SMACK. They ate with such gusto that their mouths were soon glistening with oil.

”This grilled fish tastes much better than the ones I make,” Igor said while eating.

Kadi shrugged, too busy eating to speak. He was so hungry, and the stone-grilled fish was so delicious, that he couldn’t even be bothered to spit out the bones.

Only when he was about sixty percent full did Igor notice something peculiar about the large stone. It wasn’t heated by any fire or boiling water; rather, the indentations in its center naturally held heat. It seemed as if there was an internal heat source within the stone, yet the heat didn’t radiate far, remaining concentrated only in certain spots.

”BURP...” Igor let out a satisfied belch and wiped his mouth. ”I’m full. Thank you for your hospitality.”

Kadi was still eating voraciously. He ate so quickly that Guru Guru could barely keep up with placing fresh fish slices on the stone.

”Is this stone natural?” Igor asked, always curious about peculiar things.

”No, it’s an alchemical compound,” Guru Guru turned his head and gently told Igor.

”So, it’s like fire was sealed inside the stone? I once tried to put Lightning into a stone, but I failed. Instead, I created something similar to Rain Crystal Stones.”

”Oh? Rain Crystal Stones?” Guru Guru’s eyes filled with surprise.

”Yes, but only similar. Even though many people say it is Rain Crystal Stones, I know it’s not,” Igor said, tilting his head and speaking with childlike earnestness.

”Why do you think it’s not?” Guru Guru immediately asked.

”Because everything has a different essence. You can feel it if you try to sense it with your heart.” Igor scratched his head. Truthfully, he couldn’t quite articulate why; he just couldn’t express the feeling in words.

”HEH HEH HEH.” Guru Guru gave a satisfied laugh. He wasn’t concerned with Igor’s answer, but rather with understanding the kind of person Igor was.

Igor piped up again, ”I still don’t understand how you became the leader of the monsters on Guru Mountain. It just doesn’t make any sense.”

”In your mind, is a monster supposed to look like Kadi?” Guru Guru squinted, looking at Igor.

Igor was stunned. Indeed, judging by appearances, Kadi was different; he certainly fit the description of a monster. Sometimes, Igor himself would teasingly call Kadi a monster. But deep down, he never truly considered Kadi one.

He saw Kadi as a companion. How could a companion be a monster?

”Well... uh, from an appearance standpoint...” Igor stammered, struggling to find the words, clearly reluctant to voice his thoughts.

”I understand what you mean, child,” Guru Guru said. ”But true monsters are never what they seem on the surface. Sometimes, monsters are kinder than humans, and humans can be more terrifying than monsters.”

”Hmm...” Igor pondered, feeling there was a lot of truth in that statement.

”So, my being the leader of the monsters on Guru Mountain has nothing to do with my appearance, wouldn’t you agree?” Guru Guru asked, his expression still kind, like an early summer breeze that warmed one to the core.

”But... but how do you get so many monsters to listen to you? Do you have some special power?” Kadi, who had been eating grilled fish nearby, chimed in, his interest piqued by the conversation between Igor and Guru Guru.

”HEH HEH HEH, Kadi, you’re such a straightforward child.”

”Did I say something wrong? Even powerful ones like Kevin—how could they obediently listen to you?” Kadi pressed, unwilling to let it go.

”Because they are all kind monsters,” Guru Guru said, his smile as radiant as a blooming flower.

Igor listened pensively, still unable to understand what kindness had to do with Guru Guru being the leader of the monsters.

”It’s because they are kind that they can be deceived!” Guru Guru sighed deeply after speaking.