One-Eyed Monster

Igor and Kadi were still discussing their opponents’ purpose in dragging them.

Although their conjectures had aroused considerable negative emotions among the Little Black Hands, the current issue was that neither side could do anything about the other. The best they could manage was to maintain the status quo and focus on their respective strengths.

The Little Black Hands, however, realized they were at a complete disadvantage. Their opponents’ discussions could generate so many negative emotions in them, yet their own discussions couldn’t harm their opponents in any way. This was far too unfair.

Although they had felt this world was unfair since their arrival, they hadn’t expected it to be to such a degree.

No matter how brilliant their discussions might be, no one would appreciate them, because their opponents couldn’t even hear what they were saying...

Meanwhile, Igor and his group’s current discussion was causing the Little Black Hands significant emotional turmoil. Their conversations were completely open; it was impossible not to overhear them! This kind of damage was truly substantial.

Why can their discussions harm us, while ours have no effect on them whatsoever?

In truth, the Little Black Hands didn’t realize that even if Igor and the others knew what they were discussing, they wouldn’t get angry. They might even join in the discussion, a style more befitting Igor.

Of course, no one could say for sure at the moment, as it was highly unlikely Igor and the others would ever know what the Little Black Hands were talking about. Both sides had peculiar thought processes, unlike those of normal people, and their methods of expression, existing in two different spaces, were inherently mutually exclusive and inconsistent.

Nevertheless, none of this prevented Igor and Kadi from continuing their discussion.

They had just been discussing whether the location of a fight would affect them.

The conclusion was that location could indeed have a significant impact. After all, home-field advantage wasn’t just an empty saying; one always performed better on familiar ground. That much was natural.

At this point, Igor had nearly finalized an idea he had recently formulated, an idea refined through his timely discussion with Kadi.

Igor glanced at the summary he had painstakingly prepared and nodded with satisfaction. This conclusion seems perfect, he thought. It should be more than enough to persuade Kadi.

Kadi had always believed their opponents were simply bored and messing with them for no good reason.

Igor, however, held a different view.

Meanwhile, Stan Sol could only lean against something sturdy to keep himself from bursting into laughter...

In a way, Stan Sol sided with Kadi. Although it was unprecedented for Kadi to oppose Igor’s proposal, his point had merit and was worth considering.

Our opponents are just trying to annoy us, Stan Sol had thought from the very beginning, and Kadi’s opinion only confirmed this. Though Kadi’s phrasing was a bit crude, his words, however coarse, held a certain truth. It was entirely possible.

To refute Kadi, Igor naturally put a lot of thought into it. He hadn’t anticipated that their discussion would lead to such a divergence of opinion, one that seemed to be reaching an irreconcilable impasse.

By using examples, Igor gradually found some points in his favor, managing to draw Kadi into his line of reasoning.

Therefore, the summary he was about to present could be considered the fruit of his diligent labor!

”I still believe our opponents have other reasons for dragging us here,” Igor stated.

”I thought so too, at first,” Kadi retorted, ”but after thinking it over, that’s not right. They don’t have any other motive! Their only goal is to annoy us!” Kadi was particularly stubborn this time, refusing to acknowledge Igor’s new insights, making time seem to drag on interminably for everyone.

Most importantly, Kadi’s adamant assertions had so far prevented Igor from voicing his carefully constructed conclusion.

This struck the Little Black Hands as peculiar.

We dragged them here to make them feel fear; it’s not that complicated! This one-eyed fellow, Kadi, seemed to have grasped a key point but wasn’t quite hitting the mark, like a complete novice. Yes, we want to make them uncomfortable, but what’s the ultimate goal of that discomfort? Isn’t it to make them experience fear?

How can something so simple be so difficult for them to grasp?

How could they overcomplicate such a straightforward matter?

The Little Black Hands were growing agitated, yet they remained powerless. They weren’t participants in the discussion, so their frustration was, to some extent, understandable.

Unfortunately, that blasted agreement prevents us from revealing ourselves easily...

At this moment, we still have to maintain this ’unknown hands’ image, they lamented. It’s a pity our targets aren’t playing their parts properly...

”AHEM.” Igor cleared his throat, clearly signaling he had something important to say. This important matter was, of course, his argument to persuade Kadi. ”I believe our opponents have a clear purpose in dragging us like this, and their purpose is, naturally, quite simple.”

”How simple?” Kadi interjected. Had it been anyone else asking, they might have been considered mad. Interrupting right when someone is about to explain? Isn’t that just being disruptive?

However, what many didn’t grasp was that Kadi excelled at being disruptive.

Igor, unfazed by Kadi’s interruption, continued, ”As we’ve all discussed, location is crucial for a fight. Note, I’m referring to places where a fight *can* occur; we can verify those where it *can’t* later.”

Igor spoke slowly, knowing it was the only way Kadi would understand.

Otherwise, even if he repeated himself a hundred times, Kadi wouldn’t accept his point, simply because he wouldn’t have understood.

His current task was to help Kadi slowly grasp the idea.

”Since home-field advantage is so obvious, we won’t beat around the bush!” Igor didn’t realize his explanation was becoming increasingly muddled. He himself wasn’t even sure what the point of his current words was.

This isn’t what I meant to express!

Where did I go wrong?

Igor paused, then finally recalled what he had intended to say.

”Home-field advantage. That’s what I’m talking about.”

”What about the home field?” Kadi asked, growing more confused.

”This indicates,” Igor explained, ”that our opponents want to drag us into a scenario they’re familiar with.”

”What do you mean?” Kadi once again displayed his weakness: slow on the uptake, unsure what the other person was saying.

”Our opponents want to fight us in an environment familiar to them!” Igor raised his voice, hoping Kadi would finally understand.