Chapter Six: The Vision of Demons
Edward stepped out of the library with confident strides. Signs of mental exhaustion were visible on him, but his right eye gleamed with sharp intelligence. He called for "Tula" in a resonant voice, and as soon as the servant appeared, Edward said: "I want to train... now."
A faint, mysterious smile appeared on Tula's face. He bowed and said: "Let us begin then, Master... immediately. To be a master, you must balance the mind, the body, and the soul. We shall begin with the mind; it is the engine of everything."
Tula led him to the mansion's balcony, where a chessboard was meticulously placed under the moonlight. As he arranged the pieces, Tula said: "To defeat your enemies, you must possess a vision different from that of other humans. The first lesson is 'Multi-Perspective.' Look at this board as humans do, then look at it as demons do, then as a victim, then as a culprit, then as a spectator... and finally, look at it from your own point of view. Only then will you discover the secrets that no one else perceives."
Edward sat down and began staring at the arranged pieces, trying to apply Tula's complex words. He asked calmly: "What now? What is the actual lesson?" Tula replied coldly: "I told you... apply the perspectives. That is the test."
Edward began to think, but it was harder than he imagined. He moved one of his pawns hesitantly. Suddenly, Tula's eyes flickered with a terrifying red glow. Tula moved a single piece in the blink of an eye, and in a swift stroke, Edward lost half of his pieces without realizing how it happened.
Driven by impulse, Edward moved another piece to take revenge, successfully causing Tula to lose one of his pieces. But Tula looked at him with a mocking gaze; that piece had been mere bait. With one subsequent move, Edward found himself cornered... he had lost the game in only his second real move.
Edward was astonished, his eye widening in shock: "How?! I thought I was in control of the board!" Tula replied, coolly rearranging the pieces: "You looked only as a victim seeking revenge, so it was easy for me to manipulate you as a demon. I made you move exactly as I wanted. The mind, Master... is the ultimate game."