One-Eyed Monster

”I simply aspire to be an Adventurer, HEHE!” Igor quickly replied to Grand Master Guzan’s question. For him, it required no thought; his lifelong ambition had always been to become an Adventurer. He had persevered toward this goal, never slacking off, so no one could persuade him to abandon this dream.

”You’ve said yourself that one should never forget their original intentions. I think that statement holds true. If a person discards their dreams, they will surely abandon more in the future—perhaps even abandon themselves one day. I don’t want to become that kind of person. So, I don’t want to be an Alchemist; I want to remain faithful to my dream of becoming an Adventurer,” Igor added.

He fluently and eloquently addressed the Great Mentor’s queries. To him, it was all quite simple; there was no need to make a big deal out of it. While being an Alchemist was tempting, he ultimately felt he only wanted to be an Adventurer.

”An Adventurer!” The Great Mentor seemed a bit startled. This profession wasn’t even included among the six major ones. Many considered it a useless profession, and no one would be foolish enough to choose it as their main path.

This was because the profession wouldn’t bring any wealth, strength, or power to those who pursued it...

This profession had always been one that nobody cared about. Because so few people pursued it, some Scholars even refused to include it in their books. They felt it was unworthy of being ranked alongside other professions; it was simply a colossal joke.

Yet, our Igor actually wanted to become an Adventurer. How incredible! This caused Grand Master Guzan a slight surprise.

”Oh, you want to become an Adventurer? That’s a rather unpopular profession,” Grand Master Guzan expressed his slight surprise. He still wanted to see what this distinctive Igor was truly thinking.

”I know, but I still want to be an Adventurer. It’s a goal I set for myself when I was very young,” Igor replied. He felt it was perfectly normal and didn’t understand why Grand Master Guzan kept asking.

”Can you tell me why? What is it about being an Adventurer that attracts you?” Master Guzan continued to ask. After all, so few people wanted to be Adventurers; now that one was right in front of him, he had to understand clearly.

Kadi, at the side, was also eagerly craning his neck, waiting for Igor’s answer. Along their journey, he had heard Igor speak many times about being an Adventurer, and he too wanted to know what was so special about it.

”Hmm... Actually, there’s nothing too special about it.” Igor habitually scratched his head. He wasn’t quite comfortable with the current situation; the two of them eagerly awaiting his reply made him a little nervous, and his words started to stumble.

”Go on, tell me,” Grand Master Guzan encouraged, his face still full of anticipation. This made Igor quite embarrassed. The fact that someone he admired so much was paying such close attention to his views made him feel a little unsure of himself.

But Igor’s passion for the Adventurer profession was genuine, not feigned in the slightest. Even though he was nervous and a little ill at ease, he could still readily articulate what attracted him to it.

”Adventurers can roam mountains, rivers, and wilderness, exploring the unknown. They can also set foot in uncharted territories and map those unknown lands.”

A fluent answer! These things were deeply ingrained in Igor, down to his bones. He had been influenced by Adventurers when he was very young, and ever since, he had fanatically pursued everything related to them. That was why he could so readily speak of such matters.

”But being an Adventurer isn’t as perfect as you imagine. Are you mentally prepared for that?” Master Guzan kindly reminded Igor.

”Every profession has its pros and cons, right? Nothing is perfect, and nothing is entirely imperfect; it all depends on how you look at it.” Igor naturally understood these matters well. He knew that choosing a profession could determine the course of his life, and his choice was, of course, made after careful consideration.

”Being an Adventurer will hardly bring you resounding fame, nor will it bring you gleaming gold coins. It’s even difficult for this profession to gain the Empire’s recognition, and there’s almost no chance of it bringing you any associated glory.” Grand Master Guzan laid out the various disadvantages of being an Adventurer one by one before Igor. ”Have you considered all of these?”

”I have considered all these things, but I still want to become an Adventurer.”

”So resolute? So persistent?”

”Yes. This isn’t just a dream of mine; it’s also a promise I made to a friend. If I were to break this promise, I feel that even if I became a top figure in another profession, I would have no face to see him again.”

”A promise?” Something in Igor’s account seemed to resonate with Grand Master Guzan. The expression on his face gradually softened, and his understanding of Igor deepened further.

”That’s a secret of mine, and I don’t want to reveal it yet,” Igor stated truthfully. ”My persistence in becoming an Adventurer isn’t about whether it can bring me honor, money, or fame.”

”But most people strive for these things,” Guzan said.

”Honor, money, and fame do hold an allure for me, but another voice deep inside tells me not to forget my original heart. I feel that if I gave up on becoming an Adventurer, it would be tantamount to forgetting who I am.”

”Forgetting one’s true self!” Kadi muttered to himself, deeply moved by Igor’s words.

”I want to become an Adventurer, to seek out all the unknowns in this world, and then to tell those untold, wondrous stories. I believe this is my driving force. Every time I think of the unknowns that lie ahead, I feel filled with energy.” Igor grew more animated as he spoke, his face alight with excitement.

”There’s some truth to what you say. Although the Adventurer profession is disdained by most, it’s not entirely without merit. Lord Soron, for example, was once an Adventurer. And Russef from your Yonder Travel Academy was also an outstanding Adventurer before.”

”Teacher Hadi has indeed had a great influence on me, although I had already resolved to become an Adventurer before I met him.” When Teacher Russef Hadi was mentioned, Igor’s face similarly lit up with excitement.

”Alright, I’ve told you my choice and my reasons for not wanting to become an Alchemist.” Igor pursed his lips; he was a little tired after speaking so much. ”Now it should be your turn to tell us about your connection to this mountain.”

”Ha ha ha,” Master Guzan laughed heartily. He found this Igor truly interesting.

”Equivalent Exchange, right? Isn’t that the principle you Alchemists advocate? It’s also a principle of this world.” Igor was quick to apply what he learned. ”We’ve stated our reasons, so now you should fulfill your part of the bargain.”

”Correct, Equivalent Exchange,” Master Guzan replied with a smile. ”You lad, you continue to bring me quite a few surprises.”

”Enough with the pleasantries.”

”Not so fast, not so fast. You mentioned earlier that part of the reason you want to become an Adventurer is because of a promise?”

”Yes, but as I’ve said, that’s my secret, and I don’t want to talk about it for now.”

”That’s fine. I just wanted to say, what a coincidence. I also came to this Guru Mountain because of a promise.”

A promise akin to a gamble.