Chapter 289: Wrong Direction Part 2

The Monkey God suddenly burst into laughter.

It wasn't a mocking laugh or one meant to insult me. He laughed so genuinely that, for a moment, I could only stare at him in confusion.

"What?"

He wiped the corner of his eye, still struggling to contain himself.

(Boy, you really are something.)

I frowned. "I don't see what is so funny."

(That's because you haven't realized it yet.)

He leaned back against the boulder, looking at me with the same amused expression he always carried whenever he thought I had missed something obvious.

(You have spent all this time preparing yourself for a battle that could be prevented.)

My expression hardened slightly.

"I don't understand. He's clearly doing something dangerous. He is building a tower that is sucking the life out of this world, and he has already shown that his power is beyond anything I have encountered. Are you saying I should simply ignore him?"

(No,) the Monkey God replied. (I'm saying you are looking at him the wrong way.)

I remained silent.

(You keep assuming that he sees you as an enemy. And because of his appearance, you automatically assume he is evil.)

"Is he not?"

The Monkey God shook his head.

(No.)

The certainty in his voice caught me off guard.

(Do you really believe he didn't know the person he killed before was a clone? Do you think he hasn't attacked your sanctuary simply because he didn't know it existed?)

The Monkey God smiled faintly.

(That man is the closest being to an architect. Do you honestly think someone like him would fail to notice something that obvious?)

I didn't answer.

The truth was uncomfortable, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. He never chased after me. He had never attempted to find my true body. He simply walked away after destroying the clone.

If he truly considered me a threat, he would not have allowed me to continue growing.

(To him, you weren't even a target worth wasting his time on.)

My brows tightened.

"That's a little insulting."

"Hahaha. Perhaps. But it is also the truth."

The Monkey God looked toward the distant tower.

(That man has spent his entire life fighting enemies that exist far beyond your current understanding. He has fought against beings who could destroy everything you are trying to protect with a mere thoughts. Compared to those enemies, your current strength is still insignificant.)

I clenched my jaw.

I wanted to argue, but I couldn't.

The difference between us was obvious.

(But that does not mean he has no reason to value you,) the Monkey God added. (Like I said before, he wanted allies. He needed allies. Someone with a growth rate like yours would be a perfect candidate.)

He glanced toward the distant tower.

(If you joined him, I'm certain he would help you elevate your strength even further. After all, the stronger you become, the more useful you would be to his cause.)

I couldn't really argue with that. After all, Hexor said the same thing.

"I couldn't accept his offer. It meant leaving my people behind and letting them die."

(I see.) He touched his chin in thought.

(You're exactly like me. I used to think that way too. That's why I decided to confront the architect alone, so I could save everyone. And look what happened to me. I ended up being imprisoned and used as their tool instead. Don't make the same mistake I did, boy.)

I looked back toward the distant tower.

"And you believe he would listen to me now?"

The Monkey God gave me a strange look, as if the answer should have been obvious.

(Of course he would.)

"Why?"

(Because you have changed.)

He pointed toward the territory surrounding me.

(When he last saw you, you were just this powerful. Now, in only a few days, you have reached a level that most geniuses would spend decades attempting to achieve.)

His smile widened.

(You reached the Transcendent Stage. You created a network that covers an entire region. You built a foundation strong enough that even I have to admit it is impressive.)

He shook his head.

(I can only imagine his reaction when he sees how much you have grown.)

I looked toward the tower again.

For so long, I had viewed Hexor as someone I needed to prepare against. To defeat. To kill.

But the more I thought about it, the more flawed that assumption became.

Was it simply my prejudice toward his monstrous appearance that had stopped me from even considering the possibility of working with him?

(You're finally starting to understand.)

I sighed. "I hate that you make sense"

(Hahaha. You should be grateful. Not everyone gets advice from someone as wise as me.)

"You mean someone as annoying as you."

"That too."

Despite his arrogance, I smiled.

"Thank you for your guidance. I hope that the next time we meet, it will be your real body standing before me."

"Hahaha. I hope that day comes too. Goodluck."

With those words, his figure slowly faded, dissolving into a mist until nothing remained.

SWOOOSH!

I flew toward the tower. From mid-air, I looked down and noticed there were no living monsters left in the surrounding area. Only their statues remained, frozen in place.

Hexor must have already drained them completely. Everything in the surrounding region also pointed toward his tower, all life had been drawn into it.

By the time I reached within ten kilometers of the structure, a voice suddenly echoed across the empty landscape.

"You finally decided to come. I've been waiting."

"So you already knew about the clone huh?" I asked.

"Of course. I even knew about your little territory. That's why I never attacked. I wanted to give you time to make your decision."

"And what if I never came?"

A brief silence followed before his voice answered.

"That's a silly question. I know you're smart enough to understand what would have happened."