One-Eyed Monster

"Heh heh heh, all I know is that what's real can't be fake, and what's fake can't be real," Baharo laughed, his mouth wide open.

"What you're saying makes some sense, but I still feel something's strange about this." Igor wanted to scratch his head, but his hands were tied, and he couldn't move them.

"Oh? And where do you find it strange?" Baharo asked, blinking, his face alight with expectation.

"This... At least we can't just assume he's a monster." Igor couldn't articulate what it was at that moment, so he could only vehemently deny it.

Just a short while ago, this big fellow had been fighting fiercely with Stan Sol. Now, as Stan Sol's defeated captive, he felt not the slightest shame. Instead, he actually started discussing Kadi's identity with Igor.

Baharo considered Kadi an Alien Species. However, "Alien Species" was generally an official or scholarly term; in rural villages, people preferred a different word: "monster." Thus, Baharo repeatedly called Kadi a monster.

This didn't make Kadi too upset, as his mind was occupied with another matter, and he had no time to bicker with Baharo.

Igor, however, disagreed. In his eyes, Kadi was a new friend. Although Kadi certainly looked different, there was no sufficient reason to conclude that a blue-skinned, one-eyed being was a monster.

Igor still remembered the example Kadi had given him: from Kadi's perspective, Igor's appearance would also be considered monstrous…

"He *is* a monster! Look, who else has a tail?" Baharo said, his smile still brilliant.

"You can't judge him solely by his appearance! From Kadi's point of view, it's also strange that *you* don't have a tail!"

"Heh heh heh, little brother, we're the majority, after all. Most people don't have tails, so those who *do* have tails must be monsters, right?"

"That's not necessarily true. I've heard that the Tree Spirits in the Vero Realm have long ears, and there are plenty of them. Can they be called monsters?"

"Well..." This time, Baharo was at a loss for words. If Igor had brought up the Mountain Monsters of the Ghost Realm, Baharo could have argued that they were indeed considered monsters in the Mantai Empire. But this kid had unexpectedly used the Tree Spirits from the Wensi Empire in the Vero Realm as an example, which was much harder to refute.

In the Wensi Empire, the title of Queen Wensi was constantly changing hands. For the past few years, the Tree Spirits had held the throne; in a few more years, the Vero People would reign. The Vero People and Tree Spirits did not coexist peacefully; small-scale conflicts frequently erupted, but neither side could completely subdue the other. Thus, they ruled the Vero Realm in rotation, following a tradition passed down through generations.

So, if any of the Kayne People dared to call Tree Spirits monsters, they were definitely tired of living. Both the Vero People and the Tree Spirits would raise their blades to slaughter them, even if it meant sparking a war; to them, it would be worth it. After all, for the Vero Realm, the Kayne Realm was a natural farm. Whenever the Vero People ran short of food, they would remember the Kayne farm nearby and send their armies to "pay a visit."

Of course, these matters were headaches for the King of the Kayne Empire and the Queen of the Wensi Empire, and had little to do with the argument between Igor and Baharo.

"What do you usually do with captured monsters?" Kadi suddenly interjected, interrupting Igor and Baharo's argument.

"See? He admits he's a monster himself! Now he's quick to ask how he'll be treated," Baharo remarked.

"Being a monster is truly troublesome," Kadi sighed. "I have to say, I don't think of myself as one, yet so many people insist on seeing me that way." This brought back the problem that had been troubling him for so long.

"Heh heh heh, it's no big deal. I've been called a monster too. Because I'm big, many people think I'm only suited to be a Fighter, not a Hunter. But I love being a Hunter, so they call me a monster." Baharo grinned and laughed again.

It had to be said, Baharo always exuded a peculiar, cheerful feeling, and his happiness was infectious.

Even the usually solitary Hustace was affected. He raised his head and bravely voiced his concern, "Why aren't you worried at all? We're captives now!"

"Heh heh heh, there's nothing to worry about," Baharo chuckled.

"Sol isn't a bad guy," Igor shrugged.

"I still want to know how you deal with monsters after you capture them," Kadi said, clearly unconcerned about their current predicament.

Well, Hustace sank deeper into his solitude. He could only listen silently, unable to get a word in, for his heart was consumed by loneliness...

"Heh heh heh, generally, when we capture a monster, we sell it to a buyer. So, we turn monsters into money."

"People buy monsters?" Igor exclaimed, having heard of such a thing for the first time. "Aren't monsters supposed to be evil things? Who would buy them?"

"Heh heh heh, lots of people buy monsters. Alchemy Workshops, Wizard Alliances, even some dealers in the Dusk Market offer high prices for them."

"Why do they buy monsters?" Igor pressed.

"Little brother, is this your first time away from home? The world out there is a complicated place."

"Er, what does that have to do with buying monsters?"

"Because monsters are rare," Kadi answered Igor. "They buy them to slowly torture or study them, I suppose." He had heard Kevin and his group discuss this before. Hearing Baharo confirm it now eased some of his deep-seated doubts; at least those old fellows like Kevin hadn't deceived him.

"This..." Igor still seemed unable to comprehend.

"Welcome to the real world, little brother. Many things are beyond your understanding. If you can't figure them out, don't dwell on them. Just do what you need to do," Baharo said cheerfully.

"What you're saying makes some sense, but I still can't grasp the reasons. I keep feeling something's not right," Igor said, that strange feeling returning.

"Little brother, you're far too naive. People say I, Baharo, am straightforward, but I think you surpass me in that regard!"

"I think I should ask Sol. He must have captured monsters before. Hey, Sol!"

"He... is... correct." Sol didn't give Igor much time to ask. Since defeating Baharo, Stan Sol had rarely spoken.

"Have you ever caught a monster?" Baharo asked.

"Do... you... count?" Everyone was surprised; the usually quiet and reserved Stan Sol actually had a humorous side.

"Alright then," Baharo shrugged.

"Down the mountain. Quickly. Stay close," Stan Sol warned his captives. "Otherwise, you suffer." He was reminding them not to struggle; his Binding Beast Rope only tightened with resistance.

After defeating Baharo, Stan Sol had retied his captives.

Baharo, being a high-rank Hunter with considerable skill, was naturally the one bound by the Binding Beast Rope. Stan Sol had secured Baharo's upper body tightly with it, making it extremely difficult for him to move anything but his head.

As for Kadi, Igor, and Hustace, they were no longer "privileged" to be bound by the Binding Beast Rope. Stan Sol had used ordinary ropes for them, tying their hands securely behind their backs so they couldn't move. Furthermore, the knots were tied using an ancient Hunter's technique.

Kadi had been engrossed in studying this knot right from the start. Consequently, he had completely missed the argument about him that Igor and Baharo had just begun.