One-Eyed Monster

In that moment, Igor realized that although he understood a lot, he was still young, and there were some things he still needed to seek guidance from his elders.

Just like the Spirit Books before him, even though he wanted to delve deeper, there were many parts that he simply couldn’t comprehend.

In his youth, he hadn’t experienced much of the bitter and sweet of life, and could only grasp a rough understanding of some things.

The surface was always easy to grasp, but whether he could see beyond it was not something that clear thoughts and obvious paths could determine.

Igor shrugged, slowly putting away those Spirit Books. He knew that these books would trouble him for a while. Though they were dormant now, their pride was undeniable, and they wouldn’t easily acknowledge Igor. This was akin to the time when Igor couldn’t regard them as reliable partners.

But now everything had changed; Igor recognized his past mistake. He had overlooked the principle of Equivalent Exchange, focusing solely on his needs and ignoring those of the other party—a completely selfish act. Now that Igor had corrected his stance, the attitude of the Spirit Books remained to be seen.

However, Igor had no time to consider this; he wasn’t a Scholar like Stim, who could awe the Spirit Books with abundant knowledge. He was a youth with a clear path, aspiring to become an Adventurer, continually clearing the path he should tread in his heart at this moment.

The path was unmistakably clear, yet something still seemed missing, preventing him from striding forward confidently.

He still needed to do one more thing, to seek out that familiar person.

The person Igor was looking for was Russef Hadi.

In Igor’s heart, Teacher Hadi held a place comparable to his father. Although his father was a woodcutter and seller, he never opposed Igor’s choices. By rights, Igor’s age deemed him a prime workforce here, meant to earn for the family, yet his father unwaveringly supported his eldest son to pursue the dreams in his heart, without any interference. This time, Igor returned, and he hadn’t yet visited his father or his siblings…

Right now, he just wanted to find Teacher Hadi, as if only Teacher Hadi could color the path that was already crystal clear in his mind.

Why that path needed colors, Igor himself didn’t know, perhaps that was why he needed to find Teacher Hadi.

When a storm approaches, the sky always inexplicably calms, but after the storm, it never remains steady.

Igor felt he was in that calm before the storm; though his thoughts were clear, some apprehension remained, not fully understanding the impending storm.

Yes, I know where I need to go, and I know I must go there.

But, I just can’t understand why I have to go in that direction.

This ’why’ is life’s greatest enigma—the quality of the answer leads to different outcomes for each person.

Perhaps you all walk in the same direction, but one goes quickly, and another slowly. Upon reaching the end, one may discover the sunlight at the destination while another finds flowers along the way. The result might be the same, but the process vastly different, with incomparable efficiency. Yet, if you ask who gained more or less, no one could provide an answer.

Igor was in such a state of clarity mingled with confusion, debating whether to halt his thoughts, to discard something, or to reevaluate the entire world.

A confused youth needs guidance, and Igor felt he was such a youth, in need of guidance.

And the one who could guide him was Teacher Hadi.

He didn’t know why either, but out of many who were kind to him at the academy, only Teacher Hadi truly understood him.

It was Teacher Hadi who gave him an opportunity to connect with those Adventurers, and it was Teacher Hadi who encouraged him to grow from an insecure child into a confident young man.

Now, he felt the need to discuss his discoveries and speculations with Teacher Hadi.

He hoped Teacher Hadi could provide some support, which would lend some tranquility to his tumultuous world.

His world was currently very noisy, with too many things to manage.

Igor walked steadily forward, heading to Teacher Hadi’s place.

He needed to find answers there, to open his heart, and to find someone to confide in.

At this academy, Igor could confide in many people, sharing his experiences and findings… But, he knew he only wanted to talk with Teacher Hadi. Others might listen intently, but none would understand him like Teacher Hadi.

Perhaps only Adventurers could comprehend the world of Adventurers. Being the only Adventurer at the academy, Igor felt he could only truly connect with Teacher Hadi.

Besides, there were several important reasons for seeking Teacher Hadi.

Gratitude was one of them. With clear thoughts and an obvious path, Igor understood that once he left, it might be a long time before he returned. After finding Teacher Hadi this time, who knew when he would see him again? So he wanted to express his thanks for Hadi’s care over the years, knowing that no matter what he gave, Teacher Hadi would not accept it. Hence, he wanted to express his gratitude with sincerity.

Another reason was his desire to learn something from Teacher Hadi, always feeling Hadi was omniscient, able to teach him much. Therefore, he had great hopes in this regard.

Unconsciously, Igor had approached Teacher Hadi’s small wooden cabin.

Having left that cabin just days ago, now he was about to enter again. Would this time differ from the last? Igor was eagerly anticipating it himself.

At that moment, Teacher Hadi didn’t know what he was doing—would he be surprised to see him, having just visited not long ago?

Igor quickened his pace, his heartbeat also hastening. Each visit to Teacher Hadi filled him with uncontrollable excitement, the reason for which he couldn’t fathom.

Finally, he approached the small wooden cabin.

The door of the cabin stood open, as if knowing someone was coming…