One-Eyed Monster

Once again, the words of the Great Mentor set Kevin pacing, his hands clasped behind his back. This was his typical behavior whenever he felt anxious or faced something unbelievable.

This time it was more disbelief than anxiety, yet there was still a twinge of unease.

Kevin had always seen Kadi as a mischievous child, causing trouble wherever he went. However, he hadn’t expected Kadi to find a companion, who was most likely a Treasure Hunter from Dawn Peak—a human.

What astounded him even more was that Kadi, along with this companion, had broken the Great Mentor’s World Setting Technique!

This incredibly improbable event had actually transpired; it was completely beyond belief!

Kevin furrowed his brow, the ridges on his head beginning to turn slightly red. This reaction indicated his anxiety; whenever he sensed that something unusual and significant might occur, the ridges on his head would turn a faint shade of red.

Seeing Kevin in this state, the Great Mentor shook his head. He understood Kevin. The man tended to keep matters to himself, struggling through them without seeking help. While this attribute was exemplary for a guard, it was not ideal in a team dynamic as it fostered isolation and hindered teamwork.

”Kevin, you need to voice your concerns. Keeping them bottled up won’t solve anything,” the Great Mentor comforted Kevin, as he always did.

”I, I...” Kevin’s reticence was a long-standing habit. Although he had changed considerably since arriving at Guru Mountain, a stubborn streak still lingered deep within him.

”Don’t hesitate, Kevin. I understand your worries about Kadi, and I understand your worries about me. But now, we are all members of Guru Mountain. We need to share everything. We face difficulties together, and we share our concerns,” the Great Mentor said, his tone gentle and warm like early summer sunlight.

”Mentor, once the World Setting Technique is broken, we lose a significant layer of our disguise. The shield of Dawn Peak has already been lost. Now that Ghost Wind Valley’s shield is also broken, doesn’t that mean we are completely exposed?” The Great Mentor’s calming words seemed to possess a certain magic, encouraging Kevin, who normally kept his feelings suppressed, to voice some of his worries.

”So, those were your concerns.” The Great Mentor chuckled softly after hearing Kevin’s words. He had initially thought Kevin was worried about Kadi’s situation; he hadn’t expected him to be troubled by the World Setting Technique being broken.

”Huh? Isn’t that the case?” Kevin’s face immediately reddened. His tendency to bottle things up was largely driven by his pride. For instance, when he finally voiced his anxiety only to be met with his Mentor’s laughter, he felt belittled and inferior. This feeling would likely drive him back into silence in similar circumstances, as he loathed being disrespected.

However, the Great Mentor was a keen observer and naturally noticed the change in Kevin’s expression. He continued, ”Your concerns are not entirely unjustified. I too was quite shocked by the fall at Dawn Peak concerning Kuren, and Dastan’s whereabouts remain unknown. However, the World Setting Technique at Ghost Wind Valley wasn’t exactly broken. I would say it was more an intentional withdrawal on my part.”

”What?” Kevin was even more perplexed by the Great Mentor’s words. He was no young lad with a quick mind, nor was he a Scholar or Alchemist with a head for intricate details. He was merely a coarse Fighter, whose advantages lay in his physical prowess and, beyond that, his simple way of thinking.

”After all these years, I’ve finally found another promising youngster,” the Great Mentor said, squinting as he gazed out the window. Night had completely fallen, leaving nothing but darkness outside.

”Mentor, do you mean you’re planning to take on another apprentice?” Kevin asked in a low voice.

”Yes,” the Great Mentor replied. ”I just don’t know if this young lad will be interested in my research.”

A young boy? I thought the Mentor was referring to Kadi. There was no denying Kevin’s bias. His fondness for Kadi was so intense it had reached an extraordinary level. Despite often calling Kadi a ”little brat,” he invariably thought of Kadi first in any critical situation.

”Hehe, Kevin, oh Kevin. You really do always think of Kadi first,” the Great Mentor remarked, finding Kevin’s bias a bit excessive.

”Mentor, please give that little brat Kadi a chance,” Kevin pleaded.

”It’s not that I don’t want to give him a chance,” the Great Mentor said, shaking his head with a smile at Kevin’s favoritism. ”But true mastery of Alchemy genuinely depends on talent. Some things simply can’t be forced.”

Does this mean Kadi, the little rascal, is really good for nothing? Kevin himself was a walking contradiction. When Kadi was mentioned, he transformed—becoming articulate and speaking with a confidence that was neither servile nor arrogant, a stark contrast to his usual hesitant and halting manner.

”You’ve guided Kadi very well, Kevin,” the Great Mentor said. ”He played around Dawn Peak for so long without making any unsanctioned contact with anyone. That’s all thanks to you.”

”But, but he still brought a companion back! My guidance must have been insufficient!” Kevin argued.

”If you knew what this youngster has done,” the Great Mentor said, ”you would think Kadi is actually quite prudent in choosing his friends.”

In the stone house, the Great Mentor and Kevin discussed Kadi and the young man accompanying him.

Without the Great Mentor’s Spirit Vision and Spirit Sensing Ability, Kevin naturally had no way of knowing what had actually transpired.

Thanks to the Exchange Beast’s Spirit Vision, the Great Mentor had long since seen through Kadi and Igor’s every move.

Igor’s reactions in Ghost Wind Valley had indeed surprised the Great Mentor.

It was remarkable that such a young lad could remember so many details and spot the anomalies. Even more impressively, this unusual youngster could discern the differences in the sun across various periods and determine that all these illusory scenes were Spirit Energy Paintings.

This required not only luck but also talent. Understanding Spirit Energy Paintings wasn’t simply a matter of Spirit Sensing. To grasp these paintings, one also needed a variety of disparate pieces of knowledge and the ability to synthesize them to draw conclusions. The entire process was complex.

Therefore, to understand Igor better, the Great Mentor had continuously placed Spirit Paintings in Ghost Wind Valley. To his surprise, the young man not only discerned the Spirit Paintings but also summoned a Spirit Form of Soron. This was what the Great Mentor found most incredible.

Hearing all this, Kevin’s jaw dropped. It sounded too unbelievable.

”So, Mentor,” Kevin asked, ”you withdrew the World Setting Technique and let those two walk into the Moonflow Stream?”

”It wasn’t quite like that,” the Great Mentor replied. ”They entered the Moonflow Stream through their own capabilities. I merely presented a few tests, and they happened to answer them correctly.”