One-Eyed Monster

Igor and Nonoa walked and talked, and unwittingly, Nonoa had already informed Igor about the general situation of this Border Realm.

It was only at this point that Igor realized that this place was a convergence of worlds.

This place is called the Border Realm because it is where worlds converge. As for how these worlds converge, Nonoa didn’t elaborate, but Igor speculated that this convergence has something to do with the Spirit World.

Of course, Igor still can’t determine exactly how many worlds there are. He only knows about his world and the Spirit World. Whether there are other worlds requires further exploration, and Igor is willing to try if the opportunity arises. But those are matters for the future. For now, Igor’s focus is to understand this Border Realm and then find Tobin, to send him back.

Through Nonoa, Igor gradually understood the survival rules of this Border Realm. Here, the strong reign supreme; as long as you have formidable power, you can move unhindered.

In the Border Realm, there is no distinction between good and evil, only the choice between survival and non-survival.

Mighty beings often devour others, replacing them, and there are many powerful monsters here. These monsters also want to devour one or two consciousnesses, then visit the world of those consciousnesses.

”How do you know all this? Have you always been here?” Igor asked, feeling that Nonoa didn’t seem like someone native to this area. He must have entered from somewhere else.

”Because I’ve been here for a long time, and I’ve hidden for a long time.” Nonoa and Igor continued to walk and talk, though the land was barren and monotonous everywhere, they couldn’t stop.

Nonoa said that on this land, only by continuously moving can one hide themselves, thus avoiding being discovered by other consciousnesses or monsters.

”Are you also from our world, from the Yowein Continent?” Igor asked, sensing a certain estrangement in Nonoa, unlike people from their world.

”To be precise, I don’t know.”

”Hmm?” Igor was puzzled by Nonoa’s reply.

”It’s hard for me to explain because I’ve been here for so long. Although I’m now called Nonoa, I truly don’t know what I was called before.”

Igor seemed to have understood something, looking at Nonoa perplexedly, finding the situation incredible.

”Can you understand? I think you’re not foolish, sometimes quite astute,” Nonoa said.

”Though unwilling to accept it, I understand your meaning,” Igor admitted, having surmised what Nonoa had likely experienced.

According to Nonoa, Igor began to realize certain things. The Nonoa before him had been devoured by other consciousnesses, going through many cycles of devouring and being devoured in this realm where the strong reign. No wonder Nonoa couldn’t ascertain his own identity.

”Do memories remain after devouring? I mean, those who were devoured,” Igor queried.

”Initially, they might be preserved, but over time they become confused, a flaw mainly because many consciousnesses can’t return to their original bodies.

”Why can’t they return to their bodies?” Igor felt very strange, unable to comprehend this point.

”Is someone watching over your body?” Nonoa asked.

”No!” Igor found this question odd.

”Then if you’re in the wild and a beast attacks your body, could you react?”

”This...” Igor finally understood according to Nonoa’s explanation: many people entered this Border Realm inadvertently; their consciousness entered unknowingly, leaving their body in a comatose state. If someone was nearby, they could care for the body. If not, it was tragic.

Igor could hardly imagine the disaster facing his body. If one remained in the Border Realm too long, hunger could claim the body. Hunger was only one possibility; accidents could also endanger the body, as Nonoa mentioned beasts, among other dire possibilities. When people saw you comatose for long enough, summoned countless Wizards for diagnosis without any effect—they might simply abandon you, burying you directly... Quite awkward indeed!

Now Igor thought, Tobin Sol was indeed lucky to have encountered Governor Rostov and Dean Hoffman. Without their diligent care, Tobin’s body might have faced the aforementioned fate.

Igor dared not dwell further. The thought was frightening!

”Seeing your expression, I know you’ve understood,” Nonoa said, still a bit forlorn himself.

”Are you unable to return to your body?” Igor suddenly realized this situation.

”Yes, that’s why I’m rather confused now,” Nonoa admitted.

”Have you ever thought of devouring me, then claiming my body?” Igor bluntly addressed his concern.

”Don’t compare me with those Soul Devourers; no matter how bad, I wouldn’t seize someone else’s consciousness.”

”But you...” Igor’s implication was clear: you claim to be noble, yet you were devoured or sought to devour others?

Honestly, now Igor couldn’t distinguish who devoured whom; Nonoa’s state was very unusual!

But Igor understood that this Nonoa indeed wouldn’t devour him.

Because if Nonoa intended to devour him, he would’ve acted earlier, at their first meeting, rather than waiting until now.

”I know what you’re wondering.”

”Do you know?” Igor shrugged, ”I don’t think you do.”

”You’re simply wondering why I, having been devoured, still speak such noble words, right?”

”Maybe you are the one who devoured Nonoa—who can say,” Igor shrugged again. Nonoa couldn’t clarify whether he was devoured or the devourer.

”You think quickly. Whether devoured or devouring, you can’t maintain dual consciousness, though you might retain one consciousness’s memory, but only temporarily,” Nonoa explained, having considerable insight as a veteran.

”Alright, you’ve made a point. When do you plan to devour me? My body is quite healthy,” Igor provocatively remarked, feeling he needed to provoke Nonoa for more information.

”I’ve already said, I’m not one of those Soul Devourers! We are Resistors! Though we cannot return to our original world, we fight for our world!” Nonoa fell for the provocation!