"Good. Now that we're master and disciple, I have no reason to hide anything from you. I'll be honest: once upon a time I was a fairly well-known master and saw more than enough young sprouts. And those sprouts came from all the noble families of our region, even from the ruling lines of the empires under our control," the old man said proudly, boasting. "But even they only reached the initial Warrior stage at twelve at the earliest. And that's with the best food and all kinds of pills to strengthen their bodies. If anyone managed it at eleven, they were instantly hailed as geniuses among geniuses. You, on the other hand, at eight years old have already started absorbing energy…" he muttered.
"Old Man Mo, to be honest, I grew up in an orphanage. I constantly had to sneak off to the village to steal food or something useful. Beatings were nothing unusual for me. I was always just tough and quick enough not to die in the streets. But I never felt energy… at least not until I was at death's door and fell into the river…" Kai explained thoughtfully.
"Hmm… Kid, sometimes a master needs a life-and-death situation to break through. Greenhouse plants and pampered young lords from palaces can't compare to the hardships you've been through. Your life hasn't been easy, but it's allowed you to become stronger! Remember this: the world is cruel… Only the strong have the right to exist in it!" the old man said firmly, with a faint smile.
It was hard to tell whether he was trying to comfort the boy or whether he truly thought that way. The old man turned out to be quite eccentric, so what went on in his head was something of a mystery…
"If you want to walk the path of a martial master, know that you'll have to endure a lot more. After my training, your previous life may seem like a pleasant stroll!" he added with a smirk.
"Master, don't worry, I have enough drive and determination for that. 'Will belongs to all that lives and all that does not. It is like an immaterial essence that sets all the laws of existence into motion!'" Kai said loudly, repeating one of the laws.
In that very moment, the old man's eyes flashed!
"Hmm… 'An immaterial essence that sets all the laws of existence into motion…'" he repeated under his breath. "You're right, boy… Those are deep words, worth remembering and thinking over… Amazing that even I still have something to learn. Sometimes truth really does come from a child's mouth," he added, lost in thought.
"Old Man Mo, when will we start training?" Kai asked, changing the subject. He wanted to become stronger as soon as possible, so he was impatient to begin.
"First, you need to heal that wound so you don't end up even worse off. After that, we'll spend quite some time strengthening your body. Even if you're almost at the Warrior stage, your body is still that of a child… I can clearly see the lack of good nutrition," the old man explained seriously.
He carefully assessed Kai's body, looking him over from head to toe…
"Alright… Take those logs over there and start a fire. I'll go get a few things from the forest. And don't leave the cave alone. Since you don't know, I'll warn you…" He paused briefly, then continued: "Right now, you're in the Forest of Silent Death. The fact that you made it here alive is already surprising!" With that, the old man walked out of the cave and vanished in an instant.
Kai stared at the entrance and thought for a bit… He firmly decided that from now on he had to give everything he had to become a martial master! But for now, he went over to the wood and began starting a fire. Fortunately, there was some dry moss for kindling.
Striking stone against stone, he produced a spark onto the moss, then gently blew on it and slid it under the branches. Fifteen minutes later, a decent fire was burning. Watching the flames, Kai slowly added more wood and observed how it gradually grew darker outside. Another hour passed before he heard a noise near the cave and immediately tensed up, cautiously watching the entrance. The longer he stared, the more his eyes strained!
At the cave entrance appeared the old man, dragging behind him a beast whose carcass was three times his own size! And over his shoulder he carried a tightly packed sack. As Kai watched, he saw that the animal looked like a boar, but its short fur shimmered like silver, and its spine was lined with spikes.
"I'll butcher this pig, and you take those two cauldrons in the corner and go get some water behind the cliff. I did something to it, so it's no worse than spring water," the old man said casually, pulling out a dagger to start skinning the beast.
Kai quickly grabbed what he needed and went where the old man had pointed. It was on the opposite side from the river, so he didn't have to climb down the cliff.
Am I really going to eat meat? — Right now, that was his only thought.
After walking several dozen meters, he saw a small lake with a waterfall and crystal-clear water. He could hear the rumble of falling water, and a fine mist hung around the lake. The air was heavy with moisture from the constant flow crashing against the rocks.
Kai stepped closer and began filling the cauldrons near the shore. The water was icy cold! Around the entire shoreline were odd markings, like writing, but he didn't pay them any mind. Once he'd filled them, he hurried back.
When he returned to the cave, the beast's carcass was almost completely butchered. From the sack that Old Man Mo had carried in, two piles of plants were now laid out. One was made up of various herbs Kai had never seen before, and the other of something resembling root vegetables.
Old Man Mo carelessly tossed another knife to Kai and said:
"Peel the wild vegetables and throw them into the first cauldron. The herbs go into the second. That one's for your wounds… It's not a miracle medicine, but the herbs are decent," Mo ordered calmly.
Kai was grateful and silently got to work. Half an hour later, the vegetables were ready, and the herbal concoction was brewing. Then Mo came over and threw chunks of meat into the boiling water, sprinkling something strange over the top. The smell instantly filled the entire cave, and Kai felt as if he'd died and gone to heaven! He had never breathed in such a delicious aroma before!
"What are you drooling for? You need to eat properly. While your body is still growing, meat and vegetables are the best food for you. After we have dinner, I'm going to meditate, and you'll wait until the herbal brew cools down and then drink it. It doesn't taste great, but I think it's better than your stinking grass. Heh-heh-heh," the old man laughed mockingly.
"Thank you, Master," Kai said with a sincere bow. He was truly grateful to this old man for his care…
"Enough of that behavior, you're making me feel awkward," Mo said with a slight grimace.
"Alright, old man," Kai laughed, teasing his master a little.
"You little brat!"
Even though they hadn't known each other long, they felt as if they were old friends. Their personalities matched surprisingly well and fit together. After they ate, Kai was in seventh heaven! He even felt a pang of sadness when he thought of his brothers and sisters. They would have loved a dish like this as well…
"No, I mustn't grieve. I don't have the right… The only thing I have a right to is vengeance. One day I'll destroy those bastards, and my loved ones will be able to rest in peace!" Kai muttered through clenched teeth.
From that moment on, he decided to seal any emotions related to this deep in his heart. To even allow himself thoughts of revenge, he first had to become at least a little stronger.
When they finished eating, the old man went deeper into the cave to meditate, while Kai waited for the brew to cool…
A few hours later, he was sitting on the edge of the cliff with his legs dangling, staring at the stars. At the same time, he drank the brew straight from the cauldron and felt his body healing right before his eyes.
"The Causelessness of Luck is the second law. The causes and effects of the Universe's manifestations cannot be grasped, as though everything is decided by the throw of a die with infinitely many faces, giving rise to the most incredible patterns," he repeated, eyes shining.
Now a different life begins… Whatever happens, I must walk it with perseverance and only move forward! I will grow stronger, and the only thing that can stop me is death itself! Kai decided firmly in his heart.