One-Eyed Monster

Thus, the Great Mentor set aside his troubled heart, looked at Kadi with his usual gaze, and then kindly asked, ”What do you think is the appropriate course of action?”

”No matter what, I wouldn’t resort to such an extreme approach. Your method is far too drastic, and frankly, it’s selfish!”

Upon hearing Kadi’s words, the Great Mentor felt disconcerted. He had made his decision impulsively, and Kadi’s challenge now gave him pause. After all, Kadi’s words weren’t entirely without reason. Another significant reason for his unease was Kadi accusing him of being irresponsible—a bizarre accusation. Kadi wasn’t one to overthink things, so for him to consider matters to this depth was quite unusual. Generally, Kadi wasn’t the type to ponder such matters; he typically voiced whatever came to mind without deep consideration. His previous words, however, clearly hadn’t been blurted out without thought.

The Great Mentor didn’t need Kadi’s explanation; he understood the message beneath Kadi’s words. Whether or not Kadi’s description of him as selfish was accurate, the aspect he referred to was quite fitting.

The Great Mentor had to admit his chosen method was radical. It was a decision made after exhausting many other options. While extreme, his adversary was Kuyi Tulan. Failing to choose a surefire method would only allow this opponent to become more rampant. Thus, this extreme measure was chosen only after careful deliberation. This method was extreme and aggressive, but it also required courage.

Choosing such a method meant leaving this world, as the power of destruction wasn’t easily obtained. The sacrifice had to equal the power received; such was the nature of the exchange. The Great Mentor understood this clearly. He chose this path of self-sacrifice, disregarding all else, because he knew Kuyi Tulan could not be left unchecked. He had weighed the potential consequences: a man capable of bringing disaster to the entire world of Adventurers with Class, and indeed the entire world, absolutely could not be allowed to continue.

Others believed this was the main reason for the Great Mentor’s radical approach; he always thought of others. It was unclear why Kadi would call him selfish.

The Great Mentor thought he understood Kadi’s meaning. He had grasped the point from the very beginning, well aware of the thoughts and feelings of others. He believed Kadi considered his chosen method extreme because his decision would drastically alter everything. Destruction was a profound event for the entire world, and the Great Mentor understood that if it occurred, the entire Moonflow Stream would vanish completely...

Kadi must hold a deep affection for the Moonflow Stream...

Imagine Kadi, who rarely took things seriously, earnestly telling the Great Mentor that ”destruction cannot fundamentally solve problems.” The very idea of Kadi being so serious was comical, no matter how one looked at it. Yet, it was happening now, under these very circumstances. What followed might be even more incredible, because Kadi, Guru Mountain’s own master of the unbelievable, was present!

Setting that aside for a moment, Kadi had also called the Great Mentor selfish—a description that anyone else hearing it would find utterly unbelievable. The Great Mentor had never been a selfish man; if anything, he was renowned for his selflessness. If he were selfish, so many people wouldn’t call him the Great Mentor! He was always considerate of others; how could he possibly be selfish? At this very moment, he was considering the entire world of Adventurers with Class, indeed, the entire world. How could such a man be selfish? If anyone else within the defensive circle had heard Kadi say such a thing, they would undoubtedly have jumped up to argue with him. How could anyone call the Great Mentor selfish?

But why would Kadi say such a thing? Was he merely speaking carelessly? Or did he always talk without thinking? The latter seemed more likely, as Kadi apparently disliked using his brain; his words often seemed to bypass it entirely. Probably only the Great Mentor himself could comprehend the meaning behind Kadi’s words.

It couldn’t be helped; Kadi’s accusation of ”selfish” had struck a chord, loud and clear, prompting the Great Mentor to involuntarily begin reassessing himself. This ”reassessment” involved mulling over certain details of the situation, details that would help him understand. Indeed, Kadi’s words had helped the Great Mentor calm down somewhat.

Selfish. Most people disliked the term; some even recoiled from it. It was human nature: no one liked selfish people. Yet, few realized that everyone possessed a trace of selfishness. Perhaps this very flaw made them particularly sensitive to the word. The word ”selfish” had elicited a stir within the Great Mentor’s heart.

He had chosen this extreme method for everyone’s sake, yet Kadi called him selfish...

Initially, the Great Mentor had been somewhat conflicted, but it wasn’t long before he understood the meaning behind Kadi’s accusation of selfishness. Indeed, from Kadi’s perspective, he *was* being a bit selfish... Kadi wasn’t speaking nonsense; he simply had a different perspective.

Most people respectfully called him the Great Mentor, holding him in high esteem—a status clearly recognized throughout the world of Adventurers with Class. Kadi, however, had spoken from a different standpoint, referring to him as the ”King of Monsters of Guru Mountain,” not directly as the Great Mentor. The ”King of Monsters of Guru Mountain”—this framed him within the context of Guru Mountain, specifically limiting his standing to that of the monster community.

Viewed this way, his actions did indeed seem somewhat selfish...

From the perspective of Guru Mountain’s monsters, his actions truly did make him seem a little selfish...

Why was that? Could someone with his compassion truly act selfishly...?

The Great Mentor sighed. He was exhausted, but the word ”selfish” still echoed in his mind.

Yes, his actions were selfish. His choice was tantamount to abandoning them, leaving the monsters of Guru Mountain suddenly leaderless...

Even if it was for the sake of the entire world, what did that change? The fact remained: he was abandoning his own kind, leaving them all alone...