One-Eyed Monster

”So, you’ve said all this just to tell me there’s a scroll, one everyone considers a treasure, pressed under this mountain?” In the Stone House near the White Swamp of Moonflow Stream on Guru Mountain, Igor held a dried fish in one hand and supported his chin with the other, speaking as he ate.

Igor had been in this Stone House for a long time. He didn’t know exactly how long. He only knew he had been listening to stories, constantly listening to Grand Master Guzan explain various principles.

His companion, Kadi, wasn’t as interested. He had dozed off several times, seemingly uninterested in these tales.

”Not pressed under, young man, it is sealed!”

The Spirit Form of Soron immediately corrected Igor’s phrasing. He was quite particular about this detail and, naturally, also rather interested in the dried fish Igor was holding.

Why, over so many years, hasn’t anyone invented a technique that allows a Spirit Power State to experience taste? What a sorrowful thing. The younger generation isn’t trying hard enough; they’re always content to rest on their laurels.

These words made Grand Master Guzan chuckle. He had never imagined that the ordinarily solemn Lord Soron could have such a boyish side. It was something he never expected.

”Why haven’t you disappeared yet? Back in Ghost Wind Valley, you vanished in the blink of an eye.” Kadi chimed in, joining the commotion. As a One-Eyed Monster, he didn’t care for all these trivial matters. He only wanted to know why no one cared about the things that concerned him.

What Kadi really wanted to know was his origin and destiny, but no one paid any attention to his query. They always brushed him off by saying that the road forward lay beneath his feet, and he would find his way eventually.

However, once again, no one paid attention to Kadi. It seemed that no question asked by the One-Eyed Monster deserved their consideration.

Lord Soron, in his Spirit Form, pursed his lips. He was captivated by the way Igor was eating. He didn’t know if the dried fish was actually delicious, but Igor’s enthusiastic bites and chews, along with his rich facial expressions, had Lord Soron utterly engrossed.

”Young man, don’t you have any questions at all?” Although Lord Soron was in his Spirit Power State, he was thoroughly worried. He felt compelled to ask even such a simple question, fearing Igor was so absorbed in eating the dried fish that he might forget these important matters.

”Aren’t you curious about what this mountain seals?” Great Mentor Guzan also asked with concern. In his view, this matter was extremely important.

Some matters needed to be judged by the younger generation. This was an agreement between Master Guzan and Lord Soron, a pact directly related to the future of the secret seal on Guru Mountain...

To be precise, Igor’s answer would directly determine the future of this seal.

If this seal could speak and feel, it would undoubtedly be on tenterhooks right now, constantly tugging at Igor, urging him, ”Quick, tell us! Tell us!”

”As for me, I’m not actually concerned at all about what kind of techniques are contained in this scroll.”

”Oh?” Upon hearing this answer, Lord Soron felt a slight sense of relief, but even more so, a sense of bewilderment. Is there really a member of the younger generation in this world who isn’t interested in power? Is this still an ambitious Adventurer with Class?

Great Mentor Guzan was equally bewildered by Igor’s answer. He asked directly, ”Don’t you want to become stronger at all? The scroll pressed under this mountain is a shortcut to power, you know!”

Igor bit into his dried fish and rubbed his eyes. ”I will become stronger, but I won’t take shortcuts. Shortcuts are the choice of Dark Forces, and I would never sell my soul in exchange for that kind of power!”

Igor’s choice brought a sense of gratification to both Lord Soron and Grand Master Guzan. However, they wanted to know more; they wished to see what truly special qualities this young man held within his heart.

”In that case, should we destroy this shortcut?” Grand Master Guzan skillfully guided, leading Igor step by step toward the predetermined question.

”I don’t see a need for that,” Igor replied honestly. Meanwhile, Kadi started to snore again beside him, making it clear that he found the current topic tedious.

”No need, you say?” Upon hearing this answer, Lord Soron was again intrigued. In his experience, most people wouldn’t easily relinquish something, even if they weren’t interested in it themselves, because letting it go meant someone else could obtain it without effort.

However, Igor was different. He was not only uninterested but had no objections to others obtaining it. This was intriguing.

”Young man, why are you so generous? Or are you simply too naive, completely unaware of the underlying complexities?” Lord Soron remarked with deep feeling, his words coming from the heart. He realized that the convictions he had held for so many years were finally being challenged today. And his gamble on the future... it seemed he had won again.

”Igor, what Lord Soron means is, aren’t you worried at all that these Dark Arts might be leaked?”

Igor shook his head, a puzzled expression on his face. ”There are so many Dark Arts, and they’re all out in the open. Doesn’t everyone already know about them? What’s there to be ’leaked’ or ’not leaked’?”

Great Mentor Guzan and Lord Soron looked at each other, nonplussed. They had never encountered such a response before, and for a moment, they didn’t know what to ask next.

”Do you think this seal serves no purpose at all then?” Lord Soron pressed on. He wasn’t ready to give up. This boy certainly doesn’t seem like a fool.

”This seal... I can’t really say.” Igor scratched his head. ”I suppose there must have been a good reason for doing it back then. I just think that since the technique is already there, trying to hide it further is pointless. Someone will eventually stumble upon it, and then it won’t be a secret anymore. Techniques, after all, are meant to be learned by people.”

”But if this powerful force is mastered by someone with ill intentions, wouldn’t that lead to considerable disaster?” Grand Master Guzan watched Igor, speaking slowly and deliberately, feeling he was close to understanding Igor’s perspective.

”I find you two very strange.”

”Hmm?” Both Lord Soron and Master Guzan pricked up their ears.

”You’re always worried about what might happen if these records of techniques fall into the wrong hands. Have you ever considered they might also fall into the hands of good people? If they did, what would be the outcome for those techniques then? Similarly, some techniques might seem ordinary, but can’t they still cause harm if they fall into the wrong hands?”

Igor spoke fluently and at length, every word sinking deep into Guzan’s and Soron’s hearts.

”Therefore, none of this is about the techniques themselves; it ultimately comes down to people. Take this sealed technique, for example. When it was first created, was it inherently dark and evil, as you suggest? Of course not. I believe this technique was sealed simply because it was too powerful.”

Master Guzan smiled faintly. Igor was right. This technique was sealed because it was far too powerful. There was a fear that future generations wouldn’t be able to control it, a fear they might be led astray...

”Why do you have so little faith in good people? Why do you always assume the wicked will triumph? How can you not believe in our strength!” Igor furrowed his brow, his words a series of exasperated complaints.