One-Eyed Monster

”Senior?” Igor found it peculiar that Kuren kept hesitating.

It wasn’t appropriate to probe Kuren’s thoughts right now; his previous probing had already caused Kuren’s imagination to run wild with suspicion. If he delved into Kuren’s mind at this moment, he would likely arouse all sorts of suspicions again.

Indeed, even before Igor probed, Senior Kuren was already displaying complex emotions and a rather complicated expression.

Of course, Igor couldn’t comprehend these rich expressions. The complex emotions he perceived were just successive waves of confusion. Some intricate matters would forever baffle him; right now, for instance, he couldn’t understand Kuren at all.

So, all he could do was ask feebly, his question laden with concern.

Don’t underestimate this tiny question. Though consisting of only two short words, it contained a wealth of meaning. This question was also a greeting, a sign of concern for Kuren, and simultaneously an exploration of Kuren—albeit a well-meaning one. It also conveyed Igor’s clear attitude: he had absolutely no intention of offending Senior Kuren. Everything he had done was from the heart, and he sincerely hoped Senior Kuren would understand and not let his thoughts run wild.

However, matters were beyond Igor’s control. If everything, like the Inner World of the World Setting Technique, was entirely under his command, things would be much simpler. Then, Igor would only need to display his talent for spinning tales. But facts were facts, as hard as stone, allowing no room for maneuver. Igor had to accept all of this; he could only endure silently, awaiting Senior Kuren’s reply.

At this moment, Kuren was still wrestling with Igor’s true nature, though he leaned towards believing Igor’s naive simplicity was genuine rather than a fiendish disguise. He knew that if this Igor before him was acting, then resistance was futile. Such a fiendish disguise would be too formidable, so much so that he himself would have no way to expose it. If his worst fears were true, his only option would be to find a way to send a message to the outside world. Unable to prevent the coming misfortune himself, he could only seek an opportunity to inform others and find a breakthrough together. If it truly came to that, he would need to end this Inner World of the World Setting Technique prematurely. But, maddeningly, this Inner World was completely controlled by this young man—talk about adding insult to injury! Reflecting on it now, Kuren found the situation utterly abnormal. It was as if wherever he harbored a concern, a vulnerability would promptly appear, leaving no opportunity for a fix. This was truly an unsolvable predicament.

”Senior Kuren?” Igor asked again, a little unsettled now that his first inquiry had still not received a formal answer from Kuren. He was completely unsure what was wrong with the other party.

”Igor, I feel like I’ve walked into a dead end,” Kuren said, changing his approach. Instead of puzzling over it cluelessly alone, why not pull the other party in? Then, together, they could engage in a ’flaw-finding contest.’ If he could just find one flaw in Igor, all his other anxieties could be rendered baseless. Finding flaws amidst the ensuing chaos should be easier. That was Kuren’s thought, and he was now fully committed to acting on it.

Igor finally received Senior Kuren’s response, but the answer left him utterly bewildered. This was hardly surprising. Igor already felt Kuren was overthinking things, and now he was talking about a dead end. How could Igor possibly make a judgment? His mind wasn’t complex enough for this, and he felt incapable of answering the question because he couldn’t understand it himself.

”What does Senior mean?” Igor asked, looking baffled as he tossed the question back.

”A dead end! Haven’t you noticed? Everything here, inside and out, from top to bottom, bears your traces—no, I should say your trajectories. Your trajectories permeate this entire technique.”

”What does Senior mean by that?”

The more Igor listened, the more puzzled he became. He didn’t dare ask for too many details, feeling he wasn’t qualified to speak to Kuren in such a manner. How could an ant converse with a great figure?

”My meaning is simple: your traces are everywhere within this entire technique. No matter where I go, I am within your line of sight. This feeling—wouldn’t you say it’s a dead end for me?”

”Senior means I’ve obstructed your path to move freely?” Igor scratched his head, unable to understand why Kuren was making such a cryptic fuss about this.

”Obstructed isn’t the right word; ’influenced’ is more accurate. Your unpredictability has certainly shown me many unexpected things, but it has also given me more to worry about.”

Kuren hoped that through this conversation, he could unveil Igor’s weaknesses and expose him.

But reality was always cruel. No matter how Kuren schemed, he couldn’t figure Igor out. This Igor radiated an unpredictability that seemed to be the young man’s trump card, an irresistible enigma.

For instance, in this situation, logically, after Kuren had said so much, Igor should have offered a rebuttal or an explanation, as would be expected of a normal person.

However, Igor chose not to. His choice didn’t even seem reluctant; it appeared sincere and genuinely heartfelt. Moreover, it had a hint of the ridiculous.

No one could have guessed Igor would respond in such a way. And his reply was firm, without a trace of hesitation.

More importantly, Igor’s response was concise yet carried a significant message.

It wasn’t just a message; it held power. After Igor replied, Kuren’s inner world felt like a shattered spice rack, a chaotic mix of every flavor imaginable.

Igor’s answer couldn’t have been simpler.

After all Kuren’s prattling, the response he received was so absurd!

Was this mockery? Or was this young man truly that foolishly simple, innocent to a fault?

You see, Igor’s reply to Kuren was truly distinctive.

He responded with only one word:

”Oh.”

It could be said that this single ”Oh” rendered the hidden confrontation Kuren had sought to orchestrate utterly meaningless.