One-Eyed Monster

"Look! Another sparrow just flew by. Wish there were as many birds yesterday," Igor sighed, reminded of their hunting expedition the previous day. He had spent considerable effort building a cage, but the carefully set trap hadn’t attracted even a single bird. Instead, it had attracted Kadi—that monster.

And now, these birds flew over his head, one after another, a cruel mockery of his poor hunting skills. For Igor, this insult was even more demeaning than ridicule.

Igor wished he had skills like Stan. He didn’t aspire to hunt flames as Stan did; just being able to hunt these birds would be enough for him.

At least, if he learned this skill, he wouldn’t have to worry about going hungry during their journey up the mountain.

By now, Stan’s image in Igor’s mind had clearly risen to a height he could only look up to, wreathed in a kind of mystical aura. This aura made Igor’s eyes shine as he followed Stan without complaint. Stan didn’t even need to tug the Binding Beast Rope; Igor had completely forgotten that his hands were tied and he was a captive.

Of course, there was a deeper reason for this phenomenon: Stan Sol treated his "captives" remarkably well.

Igor was still savoring the taste of the Zhì Rou Grass from last night. The ugly, stick-like things had actually "bloomed" into lovely "flowers" when roasted, and those "flowers" tasted exceptionally fragrant. Stan Sol had not only shared this magical item with them but had also revealed an important characteristic of the Zhì Rou Grass. Despite Stan’s slow, deliberate explanation, both Kadi and Igor had listened attentively.

Igor’s clamoring for breakfast was satisfied as the sun rose. Stan gave them a leaf-sized piece of fruit. When chewed, it had a rich, fruity flavor, much like the malted milk he usually drank in the morning. As he munched on the magical fruit, Igor understood from Stan’s explanation why they had to wait for sunrise to eat breakfast.