One-Eyed Monster

”Now that you mention it, I remember,” Igor finally recalled Kadi upon Kuren’s reminder.

”Then let’s hear what you have to say.” Kuren continued to play the role of examiner, guiding Igor to another topic.

Igor hadn’t fully comprehended the Inner World Spell from before, and now he had to consider another issue. This issue, however, seemed much simpler compared to the Inner World.

”Hmm,” Igor mused for a moment, a rough answer forming in his mind. ”Kadi can’t yet bring illusions into reality in the Outer World. If he ventured into the Inner World, he would be devoured by the illusion. That simpleton can’t discern illusion from reality; he would only magnify all the flaws of the Inner World.”

Igor considered his own understanding quite profound and felt he had a rather good grasp of the World Setting Technique.

However, Kuren shook his head. Igor’s explanation hadn’t satisfied him. Even though Igor’s performance had exceeded his expectations, he was still slightly lacking in his comprehension of the Inner World Spell.

But all of this required Igor’s personal enlightenment. For now, Kuren couldn’t tell him everything. After all, this was a test. If Igor failed, these memories would be forever sealed in this space, never to escape.

The World Setting Technique possessed such an ability, especially within the Inner World it created. So, Kuren had been somewhat surprised when Igor described the Inner World as a limitation. Now, however, it was clear that the limitation Igor understood and what the spell truly entailed were drastically different.

The restrictive aspect of the spell was that if one failed the test after entering the Inner World, their memories would be directly sealed within it, rendering them unable to leave. Their physical body could still move freely and arrange various scenes in the Outer World. However, if they attempted to enter the Inner World again, they would be guided by the seal into an infinite loop. This loop would trap them, making escape impossible, until they were completely engulfed and unable to bring any information out of the Inner World.

This limitation was specific to the Inner World. Igor, however, had clearly mistaken this constraint as a limitation on the spell as a whole.

Kuren shook his head. He understood Igor’s point. Igor was still only scratching the surface of the World Setting Technique, even if he had mastered its methods to the highest degree.

So, it’s not as I suspected? Igor scratched his head. Something felt off. He felt he had considered everything, but it still wasn’t the right answer. This was rather incredible to him.

If it wasn’t what I thought, then what could it be?

Igor furrowed his brows, waiting for Kuren’s response.

”What you said isn’t entirely wrong, but it’s not comprehensive either. The Inner World is not as simple as you think. You can enter here, and you can also exit, but the way out isn’t necessarily what you imagine.”

”But you said earlier that one might get stuck and be unable to extricate themselves.”

”That’s during the Inner World training period. We are currently in the phase of entering the Inner World. This period is purely a test. If you can’t pass it, then you’ll be able to get out very quickly.”

This… Igor now understood the gravity in Kuren’s tone. Completely mastering the World Setting Technique was clearly not as simple as he had imagined.

Everything needed to be comprehended through one’s own efforts. This was a fundamental principle in learning spells; it demanded personal effort. Nothing in the world could be truly understood without one’s own contemplation. The Law of Equivalent Exchange probably implied this. At this moment, Igor calmed down. He realized he had been a bit too eager for results earlier.

After calming down, Igor felt refreshed. In this moment, within the Inner World, he could more keenly feel the power of his imagination.

Everything must be understood by oneself. This was an everlasting truth.

Igor closed his eyes, his thoughts completely fixated on why Kadi couldn’t enter the Inner World.

Does the Inner World Spell differ from person to person, or is this spell simply unsuitable for someone like Kadi? Many questions flooded Igor’s mind. He not only needed to comprehend the Inner World but also had to consider Kadi’s characteristics. He had to integrate these two aspects. Only by combining them comprehensively could he grasp the full picture.

This wasn’t an unanswerable riddle. A little analysis should quickly lead to the solution.

Igor’s mind was racing. Within the Inner World, images flickered: one moment it was their time barbecuing with Kadi in Ghost Wind Valley, the next it was the night at Moonflow Stream where he and Kadi had faced the Time Trap together.

Each moment was a distinct scene. These scenes slowly coalesced into a large ring in Igor’s mind, and these stable rings floated within the Inner World.

Spectacular! Kuren couldn’t help but admire the scenes Igor created. Igor’s command of this method could no longer be described as merely ’proficient.’ He had applied the techniques of this spell to a point of perfection.

Kuren was surprised but also gratified. Now, they were separated from the complete inheritance of the World Setting Technique by merely a layer of paper. Once that was pierced, it would be a great success.

While feeling gratified, Kuren also felt a slight nervousness. This nervousness stemmed from a fear in his heart, a fear that his anticipation would amount to nothing. There was no shortage of individuals who had grasped only the superficial aspects of the World Setting Technique. Kuren did not want Igor to be merely another one of them. If the pursuit was solely for the transmission of techniques, it would not fulfill his deepest wishes. If the inheritance of a spell failed to convey its intrinsic meaning, merely bestowing the skill of its use, it would be no different from handing over a tool—devoid of true hereditary significance.

Teaching someone how to fish is more important than giving them a fishing rod. This was Kuren’s guiding principle. He would not waver from this conviction. He could pass on his fishing rods to many, but the art of fishing itself could only be imparted to a single, worthy individual. And this worthy individual had to withstand the test.

Kuren looked at Igor before him. This young man was, it could be said, already very outstanding—so outstanding that even the prodigies from their mountain couldn’t compare. To break through the threshold of the Inner World in such a short time and navigate within it already signified exceptional aptitude.

In the past, even if individuals with such talents didn’t achieve breakthroughs in the Inner World immediately, they would still be meticulously nurtured until they could fully master this spell.

But these were special times. Time was a luxury none of them could afford to squander.

They could only seize this fleeting opportunity.

This was not Kuren’s preference, but he had no choice.

He was unsure whether his internal injuries could fully heal, nor did he know if he would have the time to recount his experiences in detail.

Guru Mountain was at a critical juncture, with both visible and invisible enemies closing in. If they didn’t fully pass on the World Setting Technique now, they might truly lose the chance to do so in the future.

Who could know what the future held?

Who could say when all this would end?

Only what was directly before them deserved their true focus.