One-Eyed Monster

Igor looked at the cave, and a sense of unease stirred within him.

He truly couldn’t see anything special about the cave, nor could he see anything ordinary. It was strange, yet not strange; in a word—odd.

”Have you figured out where the real cave entrance is?” Kadi asked. Although he approved of Igor’s suggestion, past failures told him such attempts would be futile. So, instead of wracking his brains about how to escape, he felt it was better to stay put and conserve their strength.

Kadi spoke from experience. He recalled several unpleasant past events, hoping to convince Igor to abandon the notion.

He knew Igor wouldn’t be easily persuaded; it would take an exceptionally compelling reason to change his mind.

Igor, however, was looking left and right, as if searching for something. But no matter how much effort he exerted, he would find it all futile. The World Setting Technique in this cave was advanced; it wasn’t something he could break merely by wishing it. Kadi naturally understood these simple truths, but he wasn’t sure if Igor did.

I hope the young man understands, Kadi thought. That’s my heartfelt advice, after all.

”I don’t believe it,” Igor declared firmly, disagreeing with Kadi’s assessment. ”There can’t be anything in this world without a solution. There must be something we haven’t discovered yet.”

”Uh...” Faced with such resolve, Kadi felt a pang of sadness. Yet, behind his sorrow, he also glimpsed a bright ray of hope—the kind that pierces through despair.

”We can’t lose heart. There’s always a way,” Igor said, bolstering his own spirits.

”Your perseverance and determination are admirable,” Kadi said, ”but the facts are plain to see. We’re helpless against this.”

”You might be right,” Igor replied, his gaze unwavering, ”but I’ve always believed there’s no obstacle we can’t overcome. We just haven’t found the right method yet.”

Seeing Igor like this, Kadi fell silent. He had seen that expression before. Despite the dim light in the cave, Kadi could still discern the subtle shifts in Igor’s features.

These minute facial shifts made Igor’s features seem even more sharply defined. That same resolute look had appeared on his face before—in the Ghost Wind Valley, at the Moonflow Stream. Whether facing the unknown or enduring hardship, Igor had always pressed on with that expression. He had passed numerous trials, reaching all the way to the Great Mentor’s Stone House. Now, faced with this small cave, he was just as prepared to overcome it.

Kadi said no more. Though he hadn’t known Igor for long, he understood his way of doing things. The Igor before him now couldn’t be swayed even by ten bulls. Yet, after a moment’s careful thought, Kadi considered that Igor was, after all, not him. Perhaps Igor could discover things he couldn’t. Igor had already given him enough surprises on their journey; Kadi’s own failed experiences might just be minor setbacks when compared to Igor’s potential.

At this thought, a flicker of anticipation sparked within Kadi. He actually wanted to see just how Igor planned to escape this Slumber Room.

”There will always be a way,” Igor declared, then stood up and began to look around. So as not to disturb the recuperating Joseph and Kuren, he mostly moved on tiptoe.

”Do you have a plan? How will you carry it out? Is there anything I can do to help?” Kadi asked, tailing Igor like an eager assistant.

”I need to think,” Igor said, propping his chin on his hand. He was starting to get excited again.

Speaking of which, this wasn’t his first encounter with a Slumber Room. He had experienced one before at Dawn Peak, a cave veiled by the World Setting Technique, which he had entered with Liko and Pita.

A rudimentary idea began to form in Igor’s mind, his escape plan unconsciously taking shape.

Kadi watched Igor intently. One moment Igor was sitting, the next he was up and pacing, looking around, back and forth. Though Kadi didn’t know exactly what Igor was doing, he knew Igor was focused on his goal: figuring out how to escape this place and return to the outside world.

Although Kadi felt the task was incredibly difficult, almost impossible, he still held out hope for Igor. Igor had never let him down. No matter how harsh the environment, Igor had always led him through.

If they made it through, a world of possibilities would open up. Meeting Igor, Kadi mused, was the luckiest thing that ever happened to me.

Now, all Kadi could do was wait silently. He had told Igor everything he knew; the rest was up to Igor’s ingenuity.

Igor could employ his cleverness and wisdom. This cave shouldn’t be able to hold Igor back, Kadi thought. Then again, a part of him also suspected Igor might not make it out.

These conflicting thoughts swirled in Kadi’s mind. He truly hoped Igor could find a way out, and that they could leave together.

What truly troubled Kadi was a pang of guilt. The Great Mentor and Kevin had placed them in this Slumber Room—this supposed safe house—for one simple reason: to keep them out of the escalating conflict.

Although Kadi hadn’t fully grasped the intricacies of the unfolding events, he understood the general situation clearly enough: those who had later ascended the mountain were after the Great Mentor and his companions.

Unconsciously, Kadi found himself also referring to Guzan as the Great Mentor. He didn’t know why, exactly, but he understood that anyone Kevin revered must be worthy of respect.

Kadi felt that if Igor managed to unlock the secrets of this place and they simply left, it would be a betrayal of the Great Mentor’s kindness. That thought made him feel a little guilty.

He couldn’t just betray Master Guzan’s kind intentions like this!

Kadi glanced at Igor. Igor’s face was flushed with excitement, and he looked as if he had just thought of an excellent plan.

”Kadi!” Igor, who had been deep in thought with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them. The light shining within was no ordinary gleam; it was the light of confidence—an unprecedented self-assurance and composure.

”Tell me, do you think we’d be letting down Kevin and Grand Master Guzan by doing this?” Kadi asked, the conflict deepening within him. Unconsciously, he had already fully accepted Guzan in the role of Great Mentor. Igor’s sudden call hadn’t surprised him; instead, it had intensified his internal struggle.

”How could that be?” Igor countered. ”We’d be doing it to help! The Great Mentor is old, and we’re young and strong. Naturally, we should help him shoulder these troubles. How could we let him bear it all alone?”

Igor’s words were like a sudden illumination for Kadi. That’s right! How could we let the Great Mentor face those villains all by himself!