One-Eyed Monster

”You misunderstood. Sol did not awaken us, nor did he gather us together.”

”Hmm?” Igor was surprised. Could there be another way to gather people? He didn’t believe it.

”Sol merely helped us. We found some fragments little by little on our own, but now I can only call them fragments because, as for the complete picture, I really don’t know.”

The fragments Nonoa referred to were his memories. The remnants of consciousness could linger in this Border Realm, could drift aimlessly here, or could be devoured by those Soul Devourers, only to be spat out again. He might know he was a Swordsman, he might know his name was Nonoa, and he might know which world he came from, but he would never know, like Igor, that there were people waiting for him in the world outside.

They didn’t remember the past, only that they were once people from that world. Maybe they did many bad things, or maybe they were just obscure little figures, but they couldn’t recall why they appeared here or how they got here, though they remembered all.

But as for their past world, they still loved it deeply because it was their homeland…

Although it sounds strange, it’s just the way it is. When you are in a completely unknown environment, the only place you remember will occupy a large space in your heart. Even if you can’t go back, you will still protect it fiercely, allowing no one to trample over it…

”Is it because of this that you all gathered together?” Igor was still somewhat in disbelief.

”The process is quite complicated to explain.”

”How complicated?”

”It’s like the Soul Devourer we just cut off. Its disappearance releases many of the consciousnesses it once devoured. Once released, these consciousnesses are directionless wanderers. Do you think you can gather them all together with your eloquence?”

Igor looked around. The Soul Devourer they severed was already far from them. From a distance, he could still see some scattered shadows drifting apathetically over this land.

”Seems unlikely to persuade them...” Igor had to admit.

”Exactly, many things need to be realized independently. Only when beliefs align can we gather together!” Nonoa said.

”You mean Tobin’s actions give you a sense of belief.”

”Yes, indeed!”

Igor seemed to only half understand.

”You need to slowly comprehend this. But you’re considered fortunate; in such a short time in the Border Realm, you’ve learned how to release energy and understand the rules of survival. Although the dangers are endless, at least you can freely use these skills to protect yourself. When the time comes, you should hurry back if you can,” Nonoa advised Igor.

”I haven’t completed my mission yet.”

”You mean bringing Tobin back?” Nonoa asked.

”Yes!”

”I don’t think he’ll go back, moreover, without Tobin, the Resistors here wouldn’t know how to deal with the Soul Devourers.”

”Wait, there’s something else I’m curious about. You’ve mentioned Soul Devourers for so long, yet we only encountered one, while we’ve met plenty of those creatures instead!”

”What about them?”

”I want to know, the Flame Demon, Vajra you mentioned before... What are those?”

”Those creatures are some of the monsters naturally present in the Border Realm, possibly realm guardians, or perhaps creatures that have converged here. We can’t know for sure...”

”Did you not mention being smashed into pieces, or burned to ash before?”

”That was a long time ago, and even now, I’m no match for them!”

Nonoa’s words left Igor feeling very strange. What exactly were these odd creatures, and how were they related to those Soul Devourers? His well-organized thoughts now became somewhat chaotic, making Igor unsure of what to do.

Igor ran while pondering, and Nonoa seemed unable to grasp Igor’s line of thought. What he was talking about now seemed irrelevant to Igor. Nonoa was merely repeating the usual things; that they must unite to fight the Soul Devourers, that they were originally directionless wandering consciousnesses, akin to drifters, and that Tobin gave them a sense of existence...

Igor finally realized something crucial, something that would be remarkable when placed upon anyone.

He now firmly believed Tobin was an extraordinary person because he single-handedly carved out a space in this unfamiliar place!

Moreover, he was already able to rival other forces within the Border Realm.

From Nonoa’s earlier account, Igor understood there were three known forces in the Border Realm. One was the Soul Devourers, specialized in devouring other consciousnesses to occupy their bodies. Another force was the Resistors, a group of wandering consciousnesses that had found themselves and had a belief, fighting to uphold it against the Soul Devourers. The last group was the unknown monsters, which might have been here in the Border Realm from the start, but Nonoa couldn’t specify.

Igor contemplated this, feeling more and more that Tobin was indeed remarkable.

To think he could gather this group of people in such a strange place, that requires tremendous power!

No matter the method, even if it involved trickery, Igor found it remarkable, though he knew trickery wasn’t right.

Moreover, from Nonoa’s words, Igor could tell that Tobin was not consciously gathering these Resistors.

In a way, Tobin Sol didn’t even realize he could establish the Resistors in this Border Realm.

The formation of the Resistors was entirely because of a belief that guided these wandering consciousnesses to spontaneously form this group.

And Tobin Sol’s role was merely that of a spark.

A spark that ignited the entire torch, causing the Border Realm to gradually blaze with the notion of resistance.

”Sol let us know the meaning of our temporary existence?”

”How did he make you aware?” Igor was still a bit muddled, bewildered by Sol’s peculiar actions.

”Well, it’s somewhat embarrassing to admit, but when you stand on that side to make a choice, you still hope to follow your heart’s initial wish.”

”Stay true to the original self, right?”

”Exactly, that’s it. Of course, not everyone could grasp it as quickly as you have.”