One-Eyed Monster

In one breath, Guzan, the legendary figure of the Kayne Empire, shared much.

Igor listened, his blood stirring with excitement. While at Yonder Travel Academy, he had been somewhat exposed to the history of the Empire and had gained some understanding of the Mantai Empire and the Wensi Empire.

However, he had no idea that the history of the Kayne Empire was so deeply intertwined with the six major professions.

After discussing Spirit Power, Guzan paused briefly. Perhaps his lengthy narrative had parched his throat, or perhaps he felt a story this long needed to be digested by the two youngsters before him. Regardless, he paused, sitting quietly without speaking.

Igor was full of vigor and listened earnestly. His mind was now full of the glories of the six major professions, his heart unable to calm down.

Kadi, however, was a different story. He looked at the map painted on the large stone, displaying neither much excitement nor disappointment. The one-eyed creature seemed to be in a state of blankness, like a clean slate with every possibility before him.

Perhaps this is also why Great Mentor Guzan paused...

Igor’s excitement and Kadi’s indifference—these two vastly different reactions—left Guzan puzzled. After all, Kadi was so eager to hear this long tale earlier, Guzan mused. Why does he have this expression now? This is rather interesting.

”Keep going! How did the six major professions develop after separating the Spirit Sensing Skill? How was the Alchemy Workshop established? And what about the Wizard Alliance, the Dark Cabinet...” It was as if a cage in Igor’s mind had been opened, and all his pent-up questions suddenly rushed out.

Igor waited eagerly, but Great Mentor Guzan made no move to continue. Guzan was lost in thought, staring at Kadi.

”Huh?” Igor noticed the oddity and turned his head to look at Kadi, baffled.

”What’s going on? Everything was fine just now, why has it become like this?” Igor complained a little, clearly frustrated that the story he had been engrossed in had suddenly stopped.

”This story is very long, and it sounds fascinating,” Kadi said softly, gently stroking the map.

”It’s not just a story!” Igor glowed with enthusiasm. ”This is the development history of the entire Empire, the birth history of the six major professions!”

”Yes, these histories are very fascinating.”

”Then keep listening.”

”No, I don’t want to hear any more.”

”Why?”

Igor couldn’t understand. Why has Kadi become so contrary? He wasn’t like this before.

”No reason. I just don’t want to listen,” Kadi replied, seeming rather dejected.

”Uh...” Seeing Kadi in a huff, Igor was momentarily at a loss for what to do.

Guzan looked at Kadi, then at Igor, and couldn’t help but laugh. These two youngsters are still just children, indeed.

Although, judging by their physical appearance, Igor and Kadi seemed to be adults, mentally, they were still children. Setting Igor aside, Kadi was only fifteen, so such a reaction was perfectly normal.

”Maybe if you say what’s on your mind, you’ll feel much better,” Igor said, approaching Kadi and scratching his head. It was the only thing he could come up with; he wasn’t good at consoling others.

”There’s nothing to say,” Kadi mumbled, still dejected.

”I know, Kadi. I know,” Guzan suddenly spoke.

”What do you know?” Kadi stared at him with his large eye, his anger and grievances seemingly not yet fully vented.

”HEH HEH, I know you must be thinking of a certain phrase right now,” Guzan said with a playful grin, appearing to completely disregard Kadi’s dejected mood.

Igor was utterly confused. What on earth are these two up to? So strange.

”Are you that scholar you mentioned, or the wizard? Able to predict people’s thoughts?” Kadi rolled his eye.

”He’s an Alchemist...” Igor immediately corrected Kadi’s guess, earning a strange look from Kadi in return.

”Whether I can predict things or not, you’ll know once I say it.” Guzan now resembled a mischievous old imp, chuckling merrily.

In reality, he was trying to dispel the slightly awkward atmosphere.

”Well, let’s hear it then?” Igor was even more interested now. He genuinely wanted to know if this legendary figure possessed the ability to predict the future or discern others’ inner thoughts.

”HEH HEH, I bet Kadi is thinking, ’This old fellow has been rambling on for so long; what does any of this have to do with me?’” Guzan chuckled.

”This...” Igor found it unbelievable.

”That’s right. That’s exactly what I was thinking.” Kadi’s dejection lessened somewhat; perhaps Great Mentor Guzan’s humor had indeed had an effect.

”This...” Igor looked left, then right, clearly not understanding.

”I’m a monster. I don’t know about the Mantai Empire, have no clue about the Wensi Empire, and I couldn’t care less about the Kayne Empire. I’m just a monster. Your history, your stories—no matter how magnificent, how grand—they’re all alien to me. I hate this unfamiliarity.

”I only care about why my kind obey you, why they respect you so much. I care about where we came from and where we’re going. I don’t want to know anything else.”

Kadi’s suppressed dejection was clearly stirred up by Guzan’s words, and he poured out his feelings in a rush.

”That’s it, child. It’s good to let it out,” Guzan said with profound meaning.

”You don’t know! You don’t know anything!” The pent-up frustration in Kadi’s heart swelled to its limit, and this time, it was truly unleashed.

”You can’t understand loneliness; you can’t feel what I’m feeling. You’ve never sat on a big tree and talked to a squirrel. You’ve never looked in terror at a gathering far away. Even when you’re lonely, you still have your own kind. But me? I have nothing. Even on this Guru Mountain, you can’t find another monster like me. Neither Kevin nor Xiso are like me. I have no peers. I’m just a monster.”

”No, Kadi, those two fellows you mentioned, don’t they also look strange? They’re clearly your kind,” Igor suddenly interjected, thinking Kadi was being inaccurate.

”Kevin and the others are different from me. They don’t have tails, but I do,” Kadi said, turning his head towards Igor, his tone still laced with a lingering resentment.

”...” Igor was dumbfounded.

”You’re right, Kadi,” Guzan sighed softly. ”You are indeed not the same kind as us. But we don’t treat you as an outsider.”

Guzan’s statement left Igor dumbfounded.

Could it be that the monsters of Guru Mountain are divided into two groups, with Kadi being separate? Igor wondered. Can monsters be categorized, like the Mountain Monsters of the Ghost Realm or the Water Spirits of the Vero Realm? Does the Kayne Realm also have many such anomalies?

All these questions, once again, awaited Guzan’s answers.