One-Eyed Monster

Igor fell into deep thought. He couldn’t devise a good countermeasure and could only pin his hopes on the elders to deal with the situation effectively.

”What in the world are you all doing? Hesitating, wavering, not being decisive at all! If this isn’t working, Igor, just tell me how to get out. I’ll go by myself. I refuse to believe I’d be devoured by this invader if I went out,” Kadi started babbling again. His previous complaints had received no response, so now he raised his voice and puffed out his chest, adopting the very picture of a brave warrior.

Igor looked at Kadi, unsure what to say. He understood Kadi’s feelings; to Kadi, waiting felt like an eternity. He only wanted a result, and the fact that he had waited so long for nothing to be confirmed was understandably frustrating. However, sympathy couldn’t change anything, especially at such a critical time. Although Igor had countless reasons in his mind to stand by Kadi, he still couldn’t impulsively go out with him. The risk he had taken by venturing out before had been reckless enough; he couldn’t afford to make the same mistake again. But since Kadi had asked, he couldn’t just leave Kadi hanging. He had to answer, yet figuring out what to say was the problem he struggled with. After wrestling with his thoughts for a long moment, Igor finally stammered, ”Er...”

”Speak up! Does it take a lot of effort to get out?” Kadi pressed, his urgency fueled by his concern for Kevin. For some reason, Kadi was incredibly worried about Kevin at this moment. Though he often called Kevin ”that old geezer” or ”that old bastard,” in his heart, he was deeply concerned. Kadi feared Kevin wouldn’t be able to cope outside, which prompted his eagerness to leave. He genuinely wanted to help, even though he wasn’t sure if he could even find Kevin after getting out.

”It doesn’t require much effort, but the point is, if we just go out like this... isn’t a plan necessary?” Igor stuttered, still unable to come up with a suitable reason. Kadi wanted Igor to tell him the way out directly, but Igor didn’t want Kadi to venture out so recklessly. The two of them reached a stalemate, neither arguing nor truly conversing, and the atmosphere grew slightly awkward.

”Indeed, we need a plan. We can’t just sit idly by and await death,” Joseph said, breaking the awkward silence. He agreed with Igor: before doing anything, careful consideration and thorough planning were essential to navigate any situation with ease. Otherwise, if they went outside unprepared for all eventualities, they would be caught off guard.

Everyone wanted to devise a comprehensive plan to be ready. Regrettably, not every event unfolds as imagined. Unexpected incidents had a high probability of occurring, often at critical moments. While this didn’t negate the importance of planning, it did suggest that not everything had to proceed strictly according to plan. Planning is necessary, of course, but planning for the sake of planning is a complete waste, Igor thought. He didn’t know how to reply to Kadi. He felt confused and deeply troubled, unsure whether they should throw caution to the wind or proceed with extreme care. It seemed most of them shared Igor’s sentiment; they were overwhelmed by the unknown.

In truth, complete ignorance wasn’t frightening; what was terrifying was a partial understanding of the unknown. Most people in the cave were in this state. They had some knowledge of their enemy but hadn’t fully comprehended the threat, yet they weren’t entirely ignorant either. What they lacked at this moment was a leader. The Great Mentor, though experienced, was advanced in age. He could sometimes foresee events, but not always.

The Great Mentor’s current condition was not good. He was barely holding on, persevering only through sheer willpower. Grand Master Guzan knew he was the guide for this group; he could not fall. So, at this moment, he remained steadfast through pure determination. If it were possible, he would have dearly liked to rest in this safe house.

However, he knew he couldn’t. The recent incidents had caused him much distress. But for some reason, he now found speaking difficult, as if he were being suppressed. Grand Master Guzan raised his hand. He wanted to tell them to leave quickly, that they couldn’t remain here, but unfortunately, the words wouldn’t come out when they reached his lips. His unusual state, however, went largely unnoticed; everyone else in the cave seemed lost in their own thoughts...

Damn it! Guzan cried out inwardly. He faintly sensed an ominous power, a power he felt he had grappled with before. The invader has found us, he realized. Though they might not have pinpointed the exact location, the invader had already begun a widespread Spirit Power invasion.

Attacks using Spirit Power were the most covert. Grand Master Guzan had experienced such an attack before, and the memory was deeply seared into his mind. This time, the Spirit Attack seemed specifically targeted at him.

Capture the leader to scatter the followers. To kill a snake, strike its vital point, seven inches from its head, the Great Mentor thought. It seemed the enemy was familiar with them, having directly struck their weak spot. He sighed at his helpless situation. To be honest, Grand Master Guzan mused, the invaders’ timing is either terrible or, perhaps, perfect.

Striking at the Wolf King at such a critical juncture had caught Grand Master Guzan completely off-guard. He suddenly felt his earlier sentimentality had been a complete waste of time. Regrets and complaints were now futile. At this crucial moment, they were caught in a perilous dilemma, with the enemy metaphorically at their throats.

Worse still, most of them hadn’t yet realized the gravity of the situation and were still mired in indecision. The Great Mentor, suppressed, couldn’t warn them. Though intensely anxious, he had no way to do so.

”Be care...ful!” The first to notice the anomaly was, once again, Stan Sol. This old Hunter always seemed to issue critical warnings at crucial moments.

Only then did the others perceive the Great Mentor’s alarming state, and they all grew alert. An attack on the Great Mentor was an incredibly serious matter. Setting aside his status for a moment, his current role was paramount. The Great Mentor was their banner, a symbol of leadership. Joseph, Kuren, and Yuga were all present, dedicated to his protection. If the Great Mentor were attacked and fell, their resolve would likely crumble.

This attack had come at a truly terrible time...