One-Eyed Monster

”You need to tell me how to use this thing first!” Kadi insisted on this issue.

Igor rubbed his forehead, feeling quite helpless. He really had no way to deal with someone like Kadi.

”Well, using this thing is quite simple.”

With no other choice, Igor complied with Kadi’s request to put the mask hoop on, then attached the masks from the tailor shop one by one onto the hoop, forming a complete mask on Kadi’s face.

”I really want to see what this thing looks like when it’s on!” Kadi’s tone was still full of excitement.

Igor shrugged, feeling he had no choice regarding such a partner.

He didn’t understand why Kadi wanted to leave that place, nor why Kadi set fire to those people’s luggage, but the incident had occurred, and there was no way to change it. Fortunately, Kadi wasn’t severely injured.

Igor watched Kadi as he awaited an explanation, believing Kadi should tell him what exactly happened.

”Although you secretly made a sword under the pretense of crafting a mask for me, since this mask is quite comfortable, I’ll forgive you!” Kadi said with a smile.

”I didn’t use your name...” Igor tried to explain but realized Kadi wouldn’t listen anyway, so he stopped.

”Alright, let me tell you what happened after you left!” Kadi said, now wearing the mask, making his facial expressions indiscernible.

Igor breathed a sigh of relief, finally the moment had arrived!

”After you left, I was so bored hiding in that dilapidated hut, not knowing what to do.”

”You didn’t do all that out of boredom, did you?” Igor was somewhat surprised, fearing that was the reason behind Kadi’s actions.

”Of course not, do you think I have no brains? I wouldn’t deliberately provoke others. You had me take side paths away from crowds all along this journey, don’t you think I know the reason? I’ve been around Guru Mountain for quite a while now, and back then, Guru Mountain had a lot of Treasure Hunters too.”

Kadi’s reminiscing rendered Igor speechless, realizing he had underestimated and totally ignored Kadi’s capabilities.

”Then what is the actual reason?”

”Listen to me, I’ll tell you slowly!”

”While I was bored in that broken hut, suddenly I heard hoofbeats from the main road not far away. Upon closer inspection, it was Adventurers with Class. I thought they mustn’t discover me! So, I quietly hid myself using my own method.”

Igor listened carefully, feeling it was a normal occurrence. How did it end up as it did?

”Those people said their horses couldn’t run anymore and needed a break. Seeing an old hut here, they guessed there might be fodder inside, so they drove their horses over.” Kadi explained leisurely, not in a rush.

”Then they provoked you, and you set fire to their things?” Igor continued to ask.

”Listen to you, makes me sound like a jerk. Besides, I was hiding so well, how could they have provoked me!” Kadi answered Igor disdainfully.

”Then why did you leave here and set their stuff on fire?” Igor asked, feeling this was the key question.

”Because those people are bad guys!” Kadi answered without hesitation.

”Bad guys?” Igor looked at Kadi, bewildered by Kadi’s words.

”Yeah, bad guys.” Kadi repeated.

”But you barely interacted with them, how can you say they’re bad guys?” Igor felt Kadi’s logic flawed.

”I didn’t interact much with them, but I overheard their conversation!” Again, Kadi looked at Igor with disdain, thinking Igor was being stupid like an idiot. Fortunately, he was wearing a mask now, otherwise, Igor would be frustrated by his condescending look towards the mentally impaired.

”Oh, what did they say?” Igor suddenly grew concerned.

”While feeding their horses, their words made me think they were not good people. The fodder was stacked here by the mountain tribe for their cattle, but they fed it to their horses without paying, which is outright looting!”

”Get to the point, we can discuss this later.” Igor grew anxious with Kadi, not understanding how Kadi could be so long-winded!

”I’m already on the point! Think about it, didn’t Grand Master Guzan say, ’details determine success’? Those people’s details showed nothing but jerk-like behavior, they couldn’t be good people.”

”Looking at their attire, they really don’t look like good people...” Igor, after hearing Kadi’s description bit by bit, started to feel that those people weren’t anything virtuous.

”So, you see, swindling them for a hundred gold coins was worth it.” Kadi said, smug in his tone.

”Wait, you’re basing their badness just on that?” Igor regained his senses, realizing Kadi wasn’t getting to the crux, feeling misled.

”It’s not just that.” Kadi continued.

”Then what exactly?”

”While feeding their horses, I overheard their chat about capturing someone here to seize the Spirit Core from them!”

”Spirit Core!” Igor was taken aback, never expecting this.

”Exactly! When I heard ’Spirit Core,’ I thought something was wrong. I figured if they were heading to Guru Mountain, maybe they planned to target Kevin and the others!”

”So, you secretly followed them.” Igor finally understood why Kadi left the dilapidated hut.

”Right, I needed to see if they were aiming for Guru Mountain, regardless, they are definitely not good people.”

”True, you’re right. While following them, did you hear anything else?” Igor continued to probe, since those people came for the Spirit Core, it meant they weren’t of the same ilk.

”They said retrieving this Spirit Core should be not too difficult, but the key is not getting it, but finding it.” Kadi tried recalling their conversation.

”Finding?” Igor pondered, as if piecing something together.

”Yes, they said tracking the Spirit Core’s owner might not be easy. Although the region isn’t large, who knows where this person is hiding!”