One-Eyed Monster

Hustace’s voracious eating made many onlookers’ hearts ache for him. How many days has this child been hungry!

Despite eating, there were still issues to be resolved.

They needed to find out whether Hustace knew how to capture lightning. However, everyone felt bad about interrupting the ravenous Hustace, so all eyes turned to Igor.

Igor felt a little embarrassed by the intense stares. Of course, he couldn’t bear to disturb Hustace either...

But Igor knew that Hustace knew the method to capture lightning. In fact, he believed that Hustace knew a lot of things.

Although Hustace appeared frail and was usually quiet, he possessed a surprising wealth of knowledge, quite unlike a typical scion of a wealthy family.

Although it was generally difficult for people to approach Hustace, he never gave off an air of arrogance. He was always simple and unassuming, and would even take the initiative to approach others...

What Igor didn’t know was that Hustace had always envied him because he possessed the freedom that Hustace had never had. It was Igor who had brought Hustace to Guru Mountain this time.

You see, Hustace was solitary by nature. The people he initiated contact with were very few. The fact that he could approach Igor was because Igor embodied the freedom he craved.

Otherwise, why would he have asked Qi Liu to help him evade the League Guard and venture up the mountain alone? All he wanted was to experience freedom for once. Little did he know, freedom came at such a great cost.

Hustace was starving. The strange rations from Stan Sol, though hard to chew, were effective. They quenched thirst and staved off hunger—truly a miraculous thing.

Having tasted Stan Sol’s food before, Hustace wasn’t averse to its oddness...

After eating his fill, Hustace let out a satisfied burp, then cautiously retreated behind Igor.

At that moment, everyone else fell silent, their gazes fixed on Igor, awaiting his answer. They had been waiting for a long time and now wanted to see what kind of response he would give.

Igor wasn’t in a hurry; he knew this was not the time to press. It was obvious that Hustace was somewhat frightened by the current situation. If he didn’t provide a relaxed environment, things could potentially go awry.

Igor himself wasn’t of great importance in this; he was merely playing the role of a braggart for the time being. What concerned him was the senior from Moonflow Stream. If they did not provide assistance, there was a high chance the invaders might defeat Senior Kevin and the others. That outcome would not be desirable.

Under the hopeful gazes of everyone, Igor remained calm. He understood Young Master Hustace and was confident he could get Hustace to reveal the method for capturing lightning.

Hustace, his face etched with fear, felt safe only by Igor’s side, so he dared not move. The sight of the strange, bamboo-pole-like creature (Yuga) made him shiver. The man whose face constantly changed color (Kuren) always made him feel uneasy. That other bizarre creature—neither truly eagle nor human—(Joseph) made him even more uncomfortable. Even Estev, who otherwise looked like an ordinary person, had a missing arm; the treated stump filled Hustace with a profound sense of dread.

Hustace was not cut out to be around these people. He was a flower cultivated in a greenhouse, needing others’ care even when he was outside. He had finally ventured out alone, only to end up being secretly protected. He never thought that freedom could be so brutal for him.

”Do you remember our days at the Yonder Travel Academy studying Rain Crystal Stones?” Igor proceeded methodically. He knew that the best way to help someone gradually relax was to guide them through memories. Recollecting good times would help them unwind and also bridge the distance.

Admittedly, Igor had hit the nail on the head. As Hustace began to recall, guided by Igor, his tense expression visibly softened.

”You remember, don’t you?” Appropriate follow-up questions could hasten recollection. Even in a relaxed moment, a slight nudge could quickly help the person get into the groove.

Hustace nodded at Igor incessantly. He was clearly trying his utmost to show he remembered those moments. There was still a lingering fear in his heart. He feared Igor would suddenly leave. If that happened, he would panic. If the only person he could talk to were to leave, he would become even more distraught.

So, he kept on nodding. He wanted to tell Igor that he remembered these things.

Igor offered a kind smile, aiming to dispel Hustace’s fear. He thought a friendly face would surely provide a good starting point for Hustace’s memories.

”Back then, you brought lightning. That was the first time we learned that lightning could be controlled by people,” Igor continued calmly. He wanted to use these details to steer Hustace towards the topic of lightning that he was interested in.

Hustace just nodded... It seemed he wasn’t prepared to speak yet.

Upon noticing this, Igor, still smiling broadly, said, ”We all thought it was incredible, but you told us it was a very normal thing. That lightning could not only be controlled but also tamed...”

Hustace continued to nod, showing no intention of speaking. However, his nods did somewhat ease the tension among the seniors.

At least these seniors now knew there was some credibility to Igor’s claims. As long as he wasn’t just spouting nonsense, everything could be discussed.

Now, they were eager to see if Igor could unearth anything more substantial...

During this time, Stan Sol was practically holding his breath. His brother had a close connection with lightning. He had known all along that Tobin could capture lightning, but now he wanted to know more details.

I hope Igor’s guidance yields some results, Stan Sol thought.

”You once said that the lightning you brought was given to you by the Thunder Army, but now I can’t quite understand how lightning could be tamed by people?” Igor composed himself, intending to make Hustace speak on his own.

Unfortunately, the more eagerly one desires a result, the harder it often is to obtain...

Hustace just kept nodding or shaking his head...

At least, these reactions confirmed to the seniors that Igor wasn’t a braggart and that his words held truth.

”If we had lightning right now, do you think we could control it?” Igor knitted his brows. His previous words hadn’t produced any substantial effect. He decided to try a different approach.

Hustace nodded repeatedly, then said in a very soft voice, ”We can, as long as there are stones... as long as there are stones...”

Though his voice was faint, it reached everyone’s ears.