God of Knight

Chapter 8 - Whispers Behind the Wall

Kenzou looked at Kazan, then at Koumei. A teacher of that caliber was far beyond anything he could offer the boy.

Yet Enjou had entrusted the child to him. He could not hand him over without first asking his father.

***

“I’d be happy if Senior Koumei would teach the Young Master, but perhaps he could train with us for another five or ten years before that happens.”

“Later, once the Young Master has mastered martial arts, he can seek Senior Koumei himself,” said Kenzou.

“I’m not sure he’ll be able to find me by then,” said Koumei, shaking his head.

Koumei never stayed anywhere long. Three days to replenish his sake had been one of his longest stops.

Kazan glanced at the road beyond Koumei. He wanted to follow, but Kenzou still stood beside him.

“Here’s what you do! Just like your teacher said earlier, keep practicing for another five or ten years. Then, when you’re ready to set out on a journey to find me, head east.”

“If we’re destined to meet again, we will find each other along the way,” Koumei said, drawing two objects from beneath his shirt.

“This is the only ring my mother left me. Take it. If you come looking for me, show it to me so I’ll remember our promise.”

“Since I cannot take you as my student yet, please accept these Rain Dew Pills as a token of my regret!”

“Later, once you’ve attained one Circle of Ki, take one pill. It will quickly increase your Ki to two Circles of Ki!” Koumei explained.

Kazan counted four Rain Dew Pills in the cloth pouch. Each could add one Circle of Ki when taken by a Lower Level knight whose Ki had already begun to form.

The Rain Dew Pill’s Ki-boosting effect belonged to the Lower Level. Once a knight reached the Middle Level, his body no longer responded to it in the same way.

“Thank you, Grandpa!” Kazan replied, carefully putting the gifts away.

“I’m going to head out now. I hope we’ll have the chance to meet again someday. Goodbye, everyone!” said Koumei.

Koumei leaped above the trees. His next step carried him beyond the clearing.

Two breaths later, he was gone. Kazan could only guess at the Ki behind that feat—fifty Circles of Ki, perhaps more.

“All right, Kanezawa, my student. Can we take these two to Tsukihara Village now?” Kenzou asked.

“Yes, Master!”

“In that case, let’s set out so we don’t get caught in the dark!”

They secured each prisoner to one of the bandits’ horses. Then the group mounted and led both horses toward the village.

***

Tsukihara was no small village. It covered almost as much ground as Kasen City, though its houses were not as densely packed.

Kenzou’s group arrived just as the sun was setting, drawing the attention of everyone nearby.

People stopped to stare at the bound prisoners riding the two extra horses.

“Daigo, my student! Go to the inn; I’ll catch up with you after I hand these two bandits over to the village chief!” said Kenzou, then he lifted Kazan onto Daigo’s horse.

“Yes, Master!” Daigo rode toward the inn with Kazan, while Kanezawa followed on his own horse.

Kenzou led the prisoners’ horses toward the village chief’s house.

Kenzou knew the village head because his sect wasn’t too far from the village—in fact, it was still within the boundaries of the village.

***

Kazan rode with Daigo to the small inn at the edge of Tsukihara. Kanezawa followed them inside.

“Grandma Chiyo, we’d like to reserve two rooms for tonight!” said Kanezawa.

An elderly woman turned toward them, leaning forward over her hunched back.

“Oh, it’s you young folks again! All right, use those two rooms in the middle!”

Four doors stood in a row. An empty chair and a small table waited outside each one; Chiyo had given them the two middle rooms.

“Young man! Where’s your teacher?” asked the old woman.

“Our teacher has to run an errand for a bit, Grandma. He’ll probably be back soon!” replied Kanezawa.

“Oh! All right, have a good rest!” said the old woman. Then she walked off.

“Come on, Young Master!” said Daigo, and then he and Kanezawa led the way, followed by Kazan.

“Young Master, you can sleep with the teacher, while we’ll sleep in the next room. If you need anything, just call us!” said Kanezawa, to which Kazan responded with a nod.

Kazan immediately went into his room alone, while Kanezawa and Daigo went into the room next to Kazan’s.

Once inside the room, Kazan wanted to rest by lying down on the bed.

His legs ached from the journey. Without Ki, even getting through the day in this small body exhausted him.

“Once I arrive at the Golden Lion Sect, I’ll have to practice my breathing first so I’ll be strong enough to resume my training,” Kazan muttered.

His Black Blood Cells were still at the first stage. They could help his body endure training, but he would first have to steady the breath that kept catching in his chest.

Each blood-refinement category—Black, Green, and Pure—had three stages of its own. Completing the third stage of Black Blood refinement could make a body at least twice as strong as an ordinary person’s; that was separate from a knight’s martial rank.

Kazan remembered what his master had taught about Pure Blood Cells: a stronger heart, bones that could endure like steel and diamond.

Perfecting them was said to open a path beyond the knights he had known.

He had never met a knight who had achieved that perfection.

Training and resources had brought knights to the Light Level. Pure Blood refinement demanded something he had never managed to obtain.

With a deep sigh, Kazan was about to close his eyes when he suddenly heard someone speaking next to his room.

He sat up and pressed his ear to the wall on the opposite side from Daigo’s room.

The men next door were discussing the two prisoners Kenzou had delivered to the village chief.

They argued about the old man who had beaten their companions. None could put a name to him.

One voice described his own escape from that old man. Kazan recognized the swordsman who had fled the clearing.

“I have to warn Kenzou about this!” muttered Kazan.

The men mentioned Kenzou’s group, but never lowered their voices. They clearly did not know who was listening through the wall.

After quite a while, Kenzou opened the door to Kazan’s room and stood there.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Young Master. I thought you were already asleep!”

“Shh…!” Kazan put his index finger to his lips to signal Kenzou to be quiet.

“What’s the matter, Young Master?” asked Kenzou.

Kazan immediately approached Kenzou and whispered to him.

“The men on the other side of my room belong to that gang of bandits,” Kazan whispered.