Needless to say, Shattered Realms aren't as friendly as Earth where laws strictly monitored violence. On the other hand, the loose system of Green Land encouraged everyone to fend for themselves. No governing power to fully rely on, more so in Greenland’s wild ecosystem, where humans weren’t the only threats. Monstrous beasts lurked too, waiting to ambush the unwary.

Kai had lost count of how many close calls he faced, and if not for his immortality, he would be long dead by now. But just because he couldn’t die didn’t mean he wanted to stay weak. Greenland’s brutal environment had drilled into him a hatred for helplessness, a need to grow stronger. He could feel it deep inside—that one day, danger would emerge unexpectedly, when he only had himself to rely on. It's fine to face harm if it was just him, but what if his companions were in peril? Kaiser can't allow himself to fail them and suffer the grief of regret.

Alfred’s dreadful scheme had drilled despair into his heart, forcing him to confront his own vulnerabilities. Kai never wanted to feel that powerless again.

After putting it off for days, he finally built up the courage to commit to learning swordsmanship. His past battles had made it obvious how necessary it was, though he had only acknowledged it now. This time, he was determined to dedicate real focus to the skill.

Old man Garba, however, didn’t seem too thrilled about Kai’s casual request for lessons. In reality, the elder swordsman was probably willing from the start, especially since the quiet life in his tower left him starved for purpose. Furthermore, what better honor than investing in teaching a Player who might one day become a pillar for Greenland. Kai suspected that Garba had every reason to accept but was too much of a stubborn old geezer to do so without a little resistance. After some back-and-forth, a little more persuasion, and a lot of reluctant grumbling, Garba finally gave in.

“Alright, alright!” Garba huffed, masking his agreement with exaggerated reluctance. “But if I’m going to teach you, we’re doing this right—from the ground up.”

Kai nodded eagerly, following Garba into an open space within the tower’s sturdy stone walls. The old man brought his long, fancy sword, Windblade.

"First of all, you made the right decision by picking a sword as your weapon of choice.

Look at this blade, brat. This isn’t just a weapon. It’s an extension of yourself. Some people think the axe is the almighty weapon—brutal, heavy, splitting shields in one blow. Others swear by the spear for its reach and powerful thrust!. But a sword…” He tapped his weapon lightly on the ground, the clear tone ringing out in the quiet. “A sword is balanced. Strength, precision, and agility in one.”

Kai’s eyes followed Garba’s gestures, taking in the graceful yet dangerous arcs of the blade as he spoke.

“A sword can hack,” Garba said, swinging in a clean, powerful arc, “like an axe if it needs to. But it can thrust, too,” he continued, lunging forward with a sharp, quick stab. “Unlike an axe, you don’t have to rely on brute strength to make a sword effective. It’s fast enough to react, flexible enough to adapt.” He paused, resting the point of the blade on the ground, his gaze fixed on Kai’s.

“That flexibility, lad, is what makes the sword the king of weapons. The spear might keep enemies at a distance, but it can’t turn as swiftly as this.” He twisted his wrist, flipping the sword in a quick, fluid arc. “An axe might have raw power, but its weight slows it down. A sword, though? In the hands of someone who knows it, it can strike from any angle, in any position.”

Kai was entranced, listening intently as Garba continued.

“Don’t be fooled into thinking that a sword is just a blade and a handle, either. Every part of this weapon has a purpose. The pommel isn’t just there for balance—it can be used to strike. The hilt guards your hand, but it’s also leverage, giving you power. And the blade? The edge isn’t just for cutting, it’s a line that guides your movement, that tells you where to go."

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Garba stepped back, motioning for Kai to follow his stance. “A sword is a weapon of the mind as much as the body. It demands precision, patience, and discipline. You don’t need to be the strongest to wield it, you need to be the smartest. Though, I suggest being strong and wise at holding it to bring out its full potential."

He locked eyes with Kai, a hint of a grin breaking through his stern expression. "Do you get it now, kid. Among all the weapons out there, the sword reigns superior for its flexibility in battle, it's capable of hacking, thrusting, slashing, blocking and throwing. All the while having an ideal length for lethality. You might think it’s a lot of talk for a hunk of metal, but remember this—swordsmanship isn’t just about wielding the weapon. It’s about becoming adaptable, becoming disciplined. It’s about making your whole self into a weapon."

Kaiser expected to hear an elder blabbering about complicated fundamentals of swordmanship, in which his mind would fail to comprehend. But to his surprise, the lesson is easier than anticipated. The teaching, in summary was about the sword's adaptability in combat, making it above all weapons in terms of flexibility, not length nor strength, heaviness nor power. It's the most versatile weapon, which suits his preference perfectly.

Furthermore, he got a glimpse of the old man's sword style. Differ to everything he ever seen before, Garbs's movements were so fluid and free, like the wind flowing softly, yet possess harmful sharpness. It's impressive how Garba's frail and weathered body manages to move so well.

Old man Garba resumed his lesson after making his student understand the advantages of his weapon of choice.

"One had to know his partner before risking his life in battle. Now that you attain a deeper understanding of what you're holding. I supposed we could move on. Unsheath your blade, brat."

Kaiser hesitated.

"Quick question, why are there so many types of swords and how do I choose my preferred type?"

"That's for you to learn once you're decent enough in swinging a blade. Learn the proper handling first."

He nodded, unsheathing his mundane sword.

Garba eyed his blade, briefly compared it to his. Then praised mockingly.

"A cheap sword, eh. Good choice. The length is just right, double edge and the hilt isn't bad. Starting with a standard sword would save you a lot of trouble."

Kaiser faked a smile.

'This old hag, my sword is the most expensive blade the shop has to offer.' Garba's mocking is making him consider taking Windslayer for himself and rejoice as the old man cries.

Of course, his not serious about that... But glancing at Windslayer translucent blade, it is indeed tempting.

Kai shook his head, pushing away the stray thoughts and locking his focus on Garba’s instructions. Now that the explanations were over, he was ready to get started on the real thing.

“So, can we practice now?” He said, a hint of excitement sparking in his eyes.

Garba shrugged, stepping back nonchalantly. “I suppose. However, if you don't mind, I’m going to use my late master’s method — A technique meant for students with unknown skill levels. Truth is, I’m not sure where you’re at with swordsmanship. It’d be pointless to start you on basic swings if you already know how to handle a blade, right? So, let’s see what you’ve got first, brat, and I’ll decide where we’ll begin from there.”

Kai nodded, quickly realizing the wisdom in Garba’s approach. Jumping into foundational training without knowing a student’s skill level would be like teaching a child the alphabet when they already knew how to read. Clearly, despite the old man's whimsical behavior unfitting of his age, Garba's age aren't mere numbers on display. His accumulated wisdom is shown in his teaching.

Still, Kai felt a little unsure. “Uh, okay. But… where do I start? Do I just do some kind of routine? Maybe swish, slash, dash?”

Garba shot him a look and sighed, shaking his head. “No, brat. Don’t make a fool of yourself with random moves. If you want to show me what you’ve got, there’s only one way to do it right effectively. Visualize an opponent, one who wants to kill you. Picture him there in front of you, with his blade drawn, ready to cut you down like a real person would in battle.”

Kai thought for a moment and nodded. “Yeah, I can do that.”

He took a deep breath, setting his stance, and prepared his mind. This wasn’t too different from shadow boxing, something he had done before, only now he was using a sword. Though, conjuring a shadow as his imaginary opponent seems dull. So, he imagined his “opponent” as a bandit, one of the many he unfortunately crossed paths with and held a special place in his memory thanks to them for taking his life for the first time. The memory of their clash still fueled his anger. Kai could almost see the sneer on the bandit’s face as he held his sword, ready to strike.

Then, he began. His form was crude and unrefined, each slash and thrust a little awkward, made worse by his unreal duel. He had no solid foundation, and his movements were clearly lacking in practiced finesse. But he attacked with intensity, each strike backed by a fierce resolve and a hint of raw aggression. The moves were a bit rough, yet there was an unmistakable intent to kill his imaginary opponent’s life of no consequence in his mind.

Kai slashed with his whole body, twisted into each strike as though trying to cut down something that had deeply wronged him. Though he lacked formal training, his attacks weren't so bad. It's at least capable of delivering a lethal edge to his enemies, but his lack of combat clarity was evident through the seams of his form, which needs some fixing.

After a few minutes, Kai lowered his blade, breathing a little heavy as he turned to Garba. “So? How did I do?”

Garba was silent for a while, studying him with a look Kai couldn’t quite read. At last, the old man’s voice broke through the quiet.

His tone grim and serious

“Brat, be honest with me… have you, killed someone before?”