This is the first time Kai had revealed his immortality to someone, other than Ariella who safely can't spread secrets orally because she's literally unable to communicate, despite being a goddess for reasons unknown. Of course, his instinct made sure that there was no one around to see, other than himself and his mentor.

The fire crackled softly, filling the space between them as Garba’s breaths grew weaker, shallower in his speechless state. For a moment, silence reigned, and Kai thought his mentor might have already slipped away due to excessive shock. Then, to his surprise, Garba’s raspy voice cut through the stillness.

“I see… If that’s the case, then I trust my last and only disciple will honor his mentor’s name at the top,” he said, his gaze no longer pitying but filled with a faint glimmer of pride and relief.

Kai snorted, trying to mask the ache in his chest. “Like hell I’ll do something like that. Climb it yourself, old geezer, instead of dying here,” he quipped, gripping Windslayer’s hilt and pulling the blade free from his chest like it was nothing more than a splinter. It hurts though, but paled in comparison to the spreading cracks in his emotional heart.

“If I could, I’d try killing you myself right now. Ah, I wonder what it’d feel like to slay my treacherous student just once before I go...”

Garba chuckled weakly, the sound crackling like dry leaves.

Kai grinned.

“What a coincidence. I was wondering the same thing. You’ve beaten the crap out of me so many times, always dodging my sword, always one step ahead. It's really infuriating, do you have any idea what it feels to be bullied by a swordmaster over and over again. You know, I really wish you'll just stay still back then and let me land even a single slash. But now that you’re finally immobilized…”

“Spare some mercy for this old man, brat, show some shame for once.” Garba wheezed, a faint smirk pulling at his lips. Aware that his treacherous student can't do such a horrible thing to an elderly man... Right?

Garba wasn't so sure what this brat is capable of even to this day... Though, it's getting harder to speak as strength keeps leaving his old, bleeding body.

The brief spell of humor faded, and silence settled between them again, heavier this time. Kai stared at his mentor, the flickering firelight dancing over the man’s weathered face, lined with pain yet still managing to hold that familiar, stubborn strength.

Finally, Kai broke the silence with a smile.

“Hey, gramps… there’s something that’s been bugging me for a while now.”

He hesitated, scratching the back of his neck as if trying to find the right words.

“It might offend you, so I didn’t ask before. But since this is… well, this is the last time I’ll see you… can I?”

Garba’s breathing was labored now, each word taking visible effort. Yet, he managed to nod faintly. “Ask away.”

Kai’s lips quirked into a mischievous smile. He leaned closer, his tone light but laced with genuine curiosity.

“...Are you gay?”

For a moment, Garba’s weak expression froze, his brow furrowing in disbelief.

Kai pressed on, grinning despite himself. “I mean, don’t get me wrong. It’s just—you live alone in a tower. No spouse, no family, even though you had the fame and strength to make women fight to climb into your bed in your younger days. But instead of settling down, you tricked me into learning your family’s sword technique because you had no kids of your own. Plus, you spent all your time practicing that weird dance inside the tower… alone. So, seriously, are you gay, or what?”

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Garba stared at him, his dimming eyes narrowing as if to say, 'You ungrateful brat, is that really what you want to ask your dying mentor?'

He knew it. If Kaiser can't give a last slash of spite for his harsh teaching in his last moments, then the treacherous fiend would strike his pride.

Suddenly, Garba’s face softened, and he let out a hoarse, wheezing laugh. It was brittle, bitter, but somehow warm. A laugh of a dying man was strangely... Bittersweet.

“Gods… that’s the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard,” Garba said, shaking his head slightly. He struggled to draw a deeper breath, his smile faint but genuine. “As for your question... maybe… I am.”

Kai blinked, caught off guard. Then he forced a quiet laugh of his own, one filled with an ache that ran deeper than he cared to admit.

“And that’s the worst joke I’ve ever heard from you,” he murmured.

But there was no response.

Because Garba... Is no more. An enthusiastic slight smile stuck on his face, brought by his student to ease his inevitable passing.

Gently, he reached out and closed the old man's eyes that saw many through his lifetime only to shut now, forever, amidst the burning woods of a sorrowful war that ended in their hollow victory. Which should have been a grim defeat without this swordmaster's participation. Garba has taken down six invaders all on his own, despite already being spent, bloodied and injured from facing three alone and informing the village of impending danger, he still voluntarily partakes in the following battle... Even then, his foes fell before he did under excessive loss of blood and grievous wounds Kai had no way of treating, for this world lacks such medical implements.

His no healer, either. All Kai could do was follow along, accompanied his mentor's last moments to ease the dread of death that Garba's had long prepared himself to face.

The silence that followed was absolute. The fire crackled softly, but it couldn’t drown out the weight of what had just happened. Kaiser remained still, staring down at the lifeless form of his mentor. At least, it came slowly for him to accept, so it didn't come a shock...

Still. How could he accept this?

Suddenly, his grip tightened around Windslayer’s hilt so much that a normal hilt would be crushed, his knuckles white as he abruptly hurled the blade away with all his strength. The graceful sword spun through the air, deeply embedding itself into a burning tree's bark with metallic ringing.

“F*ck it!” Kai roared, his voice breaking. He fell to his knees, fists slamming into the earth. The ground trembled beneath him as his restrained emotions erupted in full force.

He punched the ground again and again, each strike a release of the frustration, grief, and helplessness that had been building within him for far too long.

"Aren't you strong?! Why the f*ck did you get yourself killed, damned old hag... You weren’t supposed to die, damn it!"

The world seemed to hold its breath, the only sound of the distant rustle of the wind and the quiet crackle of the dying fire.

Finally, Kai slumped forward, his forehead pressing against the cold, unyielding earth. His breaths came in ragged, uneven gasps as the storm of emotion left him drained. All that remained was the hollow ache of loss and a deep, gnawing emptiness.

“I’ll… I’ll make it to the top,” he whispered hoarsely, his voice cracking under the weight of his vow. “Even if it kills me. I’ll show you, gramps… I may have failed my real parents, my teachers, myself, and maybe even the world itself. But I won’t fail you.”

His hands clenched into fists, dirt embedding beneath his fingernails as his resolve solidified. “I’ll make you proud. I’ll become a better swordmaster than you. Actually, scratch that… I’ll become the greatest swordsman the Shattered Realm has ever seen!”

The fire beside him crackled louder, its embers glowing defiantly against the oppressive darkness of the night. The heat seemed to mirror the flame that had ignited within Kai. Amidst the stillness, his resolve was born—not from innate greatness, but from sheer, unyielding determination. He would not let Garba’s name fade into obscurity, for his sole disciple would honor his existence for showing him the path of the blade.

After what felt like an eternity, Kai pushed himself upright. His muscles ached as he rose to his feet. The rage and sorrow that had momentarily consumed him were now simmering embers, leaving behind a strange sense of clarity and indifferent expression on his face.

He coughed.

‘That was… embarrassing,’ he thought, his lips twitching into a grimace. Although, he had little to no shame for others, he at least had a shame for himself.

Kai wasn’t usually one for dramatics, but the emotional strain of watching Garba die, helpless to do a thing while suppressing his conflicted emotions, at the same time, faking a smile for his teacher had been unlike anything he experienced before. Causing his pent up frustration to burst out as soon as the moment allowed him. Even throwing Windslayer in a fit of rage. The thought made him groan inwardly. It was impulsive. Stupid. Absolutely unnecessary. And now he has to retrieve that blade which is quite a hassle considering how far his maximum strength sends it away into the flaming greeneries.

Then again, tonight had been nothing short of a nightmare. The relentless chaos had claimed so many lives, including those of two elderly figures he had grown fond of, even if only briefly. It was hard to process everything all at once, taking a toll on his mind.

However, a part of him recognized his detachment to compartmentalize pain and grief. He hated to admit it, but his years as an orphan had turned him a little psychopathic. Losing people hurt, yes, but the pain was fleeting for him, dulled by the indifferent emptiness he carried for so long, given by excessive loneliness spent in the better part of his life. Allowing him to move forward faster than most.

Still, although, he and his mentor hadn’t even been that close; their time together barely spanned over a week. Strangely, the old man’s final moments felt heavier than they should have. It makes him wonder if he would feel the same if Ariella or Cia, his closest companion were to unfortunately perish. Would he grieve them for a fleeting moment before moving on? Or would their loss shatter something deeper inside him? Perhaps finally breaking him?

Kaiser didn’t know nor ever wanted to know.

But forget about that.

'What the hell was I thinking, shouting those cheesy lines while pathetically groveling on the ground like a fool?'

A sharp pang of embarrassment shot through him. He cringed, dragging a hand over his face. The memory would probably haunt him for the rest of his immortal life. If there was one silver lining to this whole debacle, it was that no one had been around to witness it.

'Thank the gods I was alone.'

Though, not for long.

His body tensed, instinctively on alert upon sensing something or someone moving towards him through the fiery forest. Probably attracted by his dramatic shouts.

Kai sighed.

'Great... Just, great.'