One-Eyed Monster

”No need to search, Igor.”

A familiar voice echoed beside Igor. Soon, a large hand rested on his shoulder.

”Senior Kuren!” Igor couldn’t believe it. Just a moment ago, he had sensed Kuren in a deep sleep; now, he was fully revived. This astounded him.

Totally unbelievable!

”Thank you for pulling me back from the brink of madness, Igor!” Kuren’s voice was sincere. It seemed his previous doubts and suspicions toward Igor had vanished.

”You’re being too courteous, Senior. This all happened because of me. I should be the one apologizing.”

Igor’s words were equally heartfelt and sincere.

”Must you two be so melodramatic? Apologizing and thanking each other the moment you meet—is that really necessary?” the World Setting Technique interjected sarcastically.

”What do you mean by that?” Igor was furious. This technique is utterly unfeeling, completely oblivious to what’s going on!

”I’m merely reminding you that time is of the essence. Don’t waste it on matters that can be dealt with outside the Inner World.”

”You... you...” Though boiling with rage, Igor couldn’t find the words to retort and could only fume helplessly.

”Igor,” Kuren patted his shoulder, ”he’s right. We have many problems to solve and cannot afford to waste precious time.”

”But, Senior, I haven’t explained everything to you yet. At least let me give you a summary,” Igor said, feeling it was necessary to recount the full sequence of events to Kuren.

”You Awakeners can be quite foolish at times. Nevertheless, I still admire you. You’re just too adorable.” The World Setting Technique’s tone remained impassive, yet laden with irony.

”You…” Again, Igor found no way to argue back; he could only sputter in frustration.

”Igor, don’t be angry. I’m aware of everything that has happened.”

”You should know, he was wary of you before, but now he trusts you completely,” the World Setting Technique said, reminding Igor as if to enlighten him.

”Huh?” Igor was as confused as ever. This is too difficult for me; I can’t figure it out.

”Silly boy, this is my mind, my thoughts. How could I not know what happens here?” Kuren patted Igor’s shoulder again, directly answering his confusion.

Igor lowered his head in shame. Just as that technique said, I’m such a fool, not even realizing something so obvious. He wished he could disappear into a crack in the ground.

”You discovered that the technique possesses life. While this may still need verification from your perspective, your discovery is truly unique and will undoubtedly cause a sensation.” Seeing Igor’s dejected look, Kuren began to comfort the guileless young man.

”HEH HEH HEH,” the World Setting Technique giggled incessantly.

”However, from your conversation, I’ve pieced some things together, though many questions have also arisen. The most startling one is this: who exactly are you? I presume it’s no longer appropriate to call you ’techniques’.” Kuren, wise and experienced, wasted no words and cut straight to the heart of the matter.

”This is why I dislike old fellows like you. There’s no fun at all, a stark contrast to guileless youths like Igor, who are so much more entertaining.” The voice held a hint of complaint; he knew this moment was inevitable but was disappointed the amusement had ended so soon.

”Not techniques?” Igor found this hard to accept. Everything is becoming more and more unbelievable.

”Correct. We are not techniques. I’ve told you before: your so-called techniques are merely a means to awaken us. You weren’t listening carefully.”

Igor lowered his head in shame once more. Then, as if remembering something, he looked up sharply. ”But you still haven’t given me the answer I want to know!”

”I’ve already proven to you that this isn’t an Illusionary Realm and that you are a living, breathing Awakener. Isn’t that sufficient?”

”No, it’s not! You’ve only just awakened. How could you possibly know so much? That’s not normal! Who are you, really?”

”Indeed, who are you all?” Kuren pressed, following Igor’s question.

”Let’s put aside the question of our identities for now. A Scholar in your world once proposed the concept of Reincarnation. I wonder if you are familiar with it.” The voice adopted a deep, archaic tone, feigning profundity.

”Reincarnation? That’s just baseless speculation. It doesn’t exist,” Kuren replied.

”For you, Reincarnation is indeed speculative. That is why we have always maintained a clear separation. We divided this common world: you live on your side, and we grow on ours, without mutual interference.”

”So, you’ve been with us all along?” Igor asked. This world is truly amazing!

”Precisely. We simply exist in parallel dimensions, seldom coming into contact.”

”Then how do you explain what’s happening now?” Igor pressed.

”I believe someone from our side, unable to bear the solitude, must have broken through the barriers between our parallel existences. Is that it?” Kuren surmised after a moment of thought.

”Correct. You discovered our existence and, using your techniques, awakened us. We were summoned from our world.”

”That must be an ancient story then.”

”Yes, the story of how techniques awaken us is indeed ancient. But no matter how long ago it was, we remember it, for we have always existed, continually reincarnating.”

Igor was left speechless.

”Most of the time, we merely accompany these techniques in silence. We are the ones controlling them, allowing them to display their power in your world.”

”And what do you gain from this?” Unlike Igor, Kuren’s questions always cut straight to the point.

”The power of Reincarnation. If not awakened, we would remain perpetually asleep.”

”I still don’t quite understand. New techniques are constantly emerging. What if someone else masters the World Setting Technique? What would you do then? Can you divide yourself?” Igor’s question was peculiar, but undeniably significant.

”That’s a good question. We are indeed summoned by techniques, but we are not restricted by them. One technique might awaken me today, another tomorrow. Though I am still myself, there are certain variations. We come and go as we please. It is not the techniques that can limit us, but you—the Awakeners!”

”Uh…” Igor was at a loss for words.

”I understand your doubts. While there are countless techniques, they are not always active. After we guide a technique to its completion, we immediately fall asleep, awaiting someone who can fully awaken us.”

”But what is the sign, or rather, the threshold for awakening you?”

”That is unknown. Currently, I only know that Awakeners can communicate with us. Perhaps my own understanding is insufficient,” the voice replied to Igor and Kuren. He had lost his earlier playful tone.