The first thing I see when I open my eyes is the old man stretching in a massive courtyard that could fit 100 people minimum. I look around and the place looks abandoned. I could tell we were up in the mountains somewhere because of how thin the air is. But how did we get here?
"Hey Master Bishop, how did we get here?" He stops stretching.
"That's simple my boy, I used a teleportation stone that is connected to this place."
What the hell is a teleportation stone? And what I this place some kind of martial arts temple or something it certainly looks the part.
"So what is this place Master Bishop."
"Well... That is a long tragic story. It all started with a student of this place when it was still a martial arts school. He was very talented. Some even called him a genius but even though know he was talented, he was very violent, he would always hurt his opponents in sparring matches and show no respect to any of his fellow students. He even threatened the people who crossed him even the teachers were not safe, he would rapidly shame them and challenge them to combat. He was a rogue serpent inside a den of tigers...
That was until the master of the dojo challenged the student and he accepted but there was a condition if the student lost he would leave forever but if the student wins, he would then become the new master but of course the student lost.
But before he left, he vowed to come back and claim the master's head. 30 years passed and the student came back but not alone he brought his own army which he personally trained with that he challenged the master once again but this time the master lost and so the student killed him but that was not the end of it.
After the death of his former master, he ordered war on the people of this temple it raged for days. In the end, there was only one survivor: the student. He walked off leaving his former home in ruins along with his dreams of ever becoming a master of anything...
A few years later, I found this place and fixed it up for my own personal use so that is what this temple is, my student. An old death filled place perfect for I, the sage of death."
"Thank you for enlightening me master but I still don't know what a sage is. Even if you keep calling yourself one, I wouldn't know so please enlighten me."
"Oh sorry, my mistake. A sage is a person who has been recognized by the entire planet for a special skill they have for example there is a sage of magic, they are mostly for combat but there those who are for non combat infact there 3 who are for non combat reasons and they are the sages of Science, Mathematics and Words the rest are combat which includes Magic, Swordplay, Martial Arts, Hunting, Archery, Assassination, Death, Poisons and Beasts. I am the sage of Death so in total there is 12 sages, which means my specialty is how to kill anything and anyone with anything so be happy you get to be my student."
"Thank you Master Bishop."
"Now that you have all your information let's get on with your training... First, we must got into the smoke room hurry up and follow me."
He gets up and starts to walk out of the courtyard I follow him. We enter a hallway and we start walking it.
I notice a few thing that make me a little scared: blood stains on some of the wall l, on the floors as well there’s a sword marks and other signs of combat all through out the place. I guess master was right about this being the place of a bloody war.
I realized we were in front of two wooden doors that my master was unlocking. When we stepped in, a wave of smoke hit me and I saw inside the room.
It was a room filled with candles and different plants all a little on fire just enough to fill the entire room with white smoke. I could see a small wooden table in the middle of the room with two small cushions on each end. Master went and sat down on one of the cushions I sat on the opposite one.
"So now we are here it is time to start your first stage of your training and that is clearing your mind with the help of the smoke in here. First, inhale and don't exhale... Your body combined with the smoke will take it from there."
I did as my master told me to. I inhaled the smoke and held it in my lungs…
After awhile I started to feel drowsy then I lost contentiousness, I felt adrift inside my own head for a few seconds then images flashed through my head.
Memories of my life. My parents, the oblivious guardians who I could never bring myself to disappoint. Then memories of my school life. They were just a blur of my darkest emotions but one really stuck this time.
I was walking home one day by myself like usual when a car hits me. The driver gets out and it's one of the senior students... He just smiles some students even laugh and point at me. I try to get up but both my legs are broken and my arm is dislocated.
That's when I see the vice principal comes over he looks at me adjusts his glasses slicks back his hair to add too is perfect appearance then he walks up to the student driving and says:
"Be careful or you might hit something at that speed."
Then he walks off with a big grin the driver gets back in his car and drives off.
Thankfully, someone called me an ambulance. I spent 6 months in recovery though.
I only got one message from anyone but my parents and it was from the student driver he sent me a text:
`You know what my family is capable of so don't try to tell anyone what really happened.`
From that day onward, he became the main person who made my life a living hell at school and his name was Takashi.
After all the memories were over, I could only feel one thing inside me: hate, anger, the urge to kill everyone inside that school…
I was burning with rage like I had never felt before. It was so strong, it felt like it would burn through my chest any second now but I can't let it control me…
I can't let the bloodlust win because no matter what emotion I feel, I am a man not a beast. Suddenly, I heard words in my head my master's words.
"To kill people you must not feel any emotion, you must be as cold as the blade you use... Grab the strongest emotion you have and then just let it go so you can grow."
I grabbed onto my emotions and let them drift out of me until all I had was a calm mind and I cold heart but I still had those memories but that meant no matter how cold my heart is.
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I will never forget or forgive those I hate so if I ever meet them again they will all die slowly and painfully in the worst ways I can imagine. I felt myself finally awakening from my dreams.
The first thing I see when I opened my eyes are food of all kinds of food from fruits, vegetables, meats and some kind of giant three eyed grilled fish. Actually, now that I think about it I don't recognize any of the foods here…
The only reason I could possibly think it's food is because of how closely it resembles earth food only a few differences here and there really make it different from earth food like how the rice is green and the meat looks purple with tiny spikes... Can I really eat this?
"Don't worry Kaito the food here is edible. I hand cooked it myself I hope you enjoy."
I look up and it's master sitting across from me sipping tea from a wooden cup.
GRRRRROOOOOOWWWWWWWLLLLLL!
I guess I am really hungry. I decide to let my stomach talk for me and dig in. I chose the green rice first since I am from Japan. Luckily, there were chopsticks near the bowl to eat it with.
The first word that come to mind when eating this is: delicious! I have never tasted flavors like this before it's sweet and sour at the same time but also somehow bitter. I can't describe it.
All I can do is eat everything including the purple meat and three eyed fish and everything was delicious!
"Thank you master for the very delicious meal."
"No, no, it was not a problem. In fact this was all part of your training you see… When you entered that meditation state six days ago and if I didn't feed you as soon as you came out of it, you might have died so don't pay it any mind."
What he said is that I had been in that dream for six days but that's impossible. Inside my head it only felt like a hour at max and if I did enter a meditative state for six days then how am I still alive I didn't eat or drink anything for all those days?
"You are probably thinking over the details of how you survived for six days. Well, that is simple: the herbs and smokes that are being burnt in here are special. They will keep anybody alive for at least a month as long as they are in a deep meditation like you were. Now that you have passed the first stage of your train, it's time for you to move onto the second stage."
Well, that explains how I am alive but not why it felt like such a short time in my head. I guess it was like any dream feels short but really is long on the outside.
"Master, what is the second stage of my training?"
"Well, I will tell you that while you stretch and wake up the rest of your body."
I did as master asked.
I woke up the rest of my body at first it was a bit stiff but soon my body was back to being it usual self as master filled me in on what the second stage of training was.
"Every morning you will to a run around the mountain pass with rocks on your back then weights, breakfast will be after that. Martial arts training then followed by lunch. After that, it will be world knowledge class. There, I will fill you in own the laws and rules of all the countries and continents and other things like important people and large groups. Really basic knowledge of this world... The lesson will continue until dinner and after that you will sleep out in the courtyard. This will continue until for 4 months then we will enter stage 3 so let’s start after your stretches, meet me outside."
And with that my master left the room after a few more minutes I was done stretching. I walked outside.
There I saw master standing near the front gate stroking his beard. Next to him was a big wooden bucket filled to the brim with big grey rocks. I guess that's what I will be carrying on the mountain pass.
"So, you ready for some real training? Put the bucket on your back then start running! There is no time limit but your are forbidden from stopping or dropping any rock. Is that understood".
"Yes master."
I took my silver sword off my back and handed it to master. Then I bent down and put the bucket on my back at first it almost crushed me but suddenly the mark on my hand started glowing and I felt my body get stronger and the weight eased.
In the end, I could carry it but the weight is still very hard to carry. I started my run along the mountain path that is marked out by green flags inside the mountain rock.
It is hard even with the mark making it easier. The weight was still a major burden on my body but I could handle this for now. At first, I started off at a run but soon I had to turn it into a jog but soon I had to crawl. I was not going to stop…
I had to finish this because if I couldn't even finish a run now, how am I supposed to be able to kill anyone? I have to push through anything that stands in my way.
Suddenly, I hear something fall I look back and it's a stone from the bucket master said I was forbidden from dropping any rocks but unless I tell him he will never find out but that would be cheating my training but what is one rock? Nothing... Just a little weight…
NO, if I cheat on my training or a take any shortcuts then I will fail not just this task but all my future ones. I will never cheat on this if it gets me what I want power.
I walk over and pick up the stone and throw it back into my bucket and continue my training(man why does this thing feel heavier than before).
After an hour and a half, I finally reach the end by collapsing at the front of the gate covered in sweat.
I am more tired now than I have ever been in my entire life. Master walks over and takes the bucket off my back then starts unloading the rocks one by one then claps his hands together and had a massive smile on his face
"Well, you did me proud today my disciple! Not only did you prove that you are trustworthy but also a hard worker. Now let me explain you... See this? (He hold up the rock I put back in the bucket.) This was a rock I left on the path in a trap so that and when you past it, the rock would fall so you thought you dropped it and it would test if you were honest or not. Congratulations... You have passed. Now, we can begin the rest of your training aren't you excited."
Damn... What have I gotten myself into?