The old man watched Rayen as he walked down the mountain, iron buckets full of water in his hands. The entire water storage tank now looked full, so by that logic, this was the final pour—after which Rayen would officially complete the training.
As Rayen reached the base, his steps were heavier than ever. His arms trembled, barely holding onto the weight of the buckets, but his eyes stayed fixed on the tank—calm, determined, unwavering.
He climbed up slowly, each step of the ladder creaking under his weight and exhaustion. At the top, he steadied himself, lifted the buckets, and poured the last of the water into the tank. The sound of the final splash echoed faintly, followed by silence. The tank was full.
Rayen exhaled deeply, a faint, tired smile forming on his face. "I did it..." he whispered under his breath. His body, having held on for so long, finally gave up—and he collapsed on top of the tank, unconscious but victorious.
The old man walked forward and looked up at him. "Rest, boy. You've earned it."
Old man picked him up and carried him down. Then, he took out a small cube from his pocket and pointed it at the tank—instantly, the whole tank was absorbed into it. With Rayen in his arms and the tank sealed inside the cube, he quietly made his way back home.
As they reached home, the old man guided Rayen to his bedroom and gently tended to his wounds, healing his broken nose with care. With a snap of his fingers, Rayen's torn clothes transformed into clean ones, and his body was washed free of dirt and blood, as if by magic.
The old man then headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner for the night, while Rayen lay peacefully asleep in his room. Days passed quietly as Rayen rested, his body slowly recovering until it was completely healed.
Four days later, though still drowsy, Rayen's eyes began to flutter open. He blinked a few times and glanced around, realizing he was in his room.
Knock! A soft knock echoed from the door. "Hey Rayen, did you wake up or are you still sleeping?" came the familiar voice. Rubbing his eyes, Rayen replied, "I'm awake. Come in." The old man stepped inside with a plate full of warm, steaming food. Rayen's eyes lit up with pure joy. "Here is your food," the old man said, placing the plate gently on Rayen's lap. Without a second thought, Rayen dug in, eating like a starved beast unleashed.
After finishing the meal, Rayen looked at the old man, who stood leaning on his cane, a warm smile on his face. I'm such a pathetic young man… An old man is feeding me, when it should be the other way around. Rayen let out a soft chuckle and said, "Starting tomorrow, I'll handle the cooking and laundry. I'll make it part of my training routine."
The old man raised an eyebrow, still smiling. "Do you even know how to cook?"
Rayen froze for a second. Shit... I forgot I'm Rayen, not Samarth. I shouldn't know how to cook here. He took a slow breath, then replied, "I'll try. I've watched you cook a few times, so I have a basic idea."
"Then okay, do as you wish. Anyway, it'll help this old man," the old man replied, taking the plate and starting to leave. But before stepping out, he glanced back at Rayen. "Just remember, from tomorrow, your new—and more interesting—training will begin."
Rayen nodded, excitement flickering in his eyes. He already knew that martial arts training was next, since the water tank-filling exercise wasn't part of the game, it was added by the old man. After dodging needles, the next step was martial arts.
In the midnight hours, Rayen found himself unable to sleep—after four days of deep rest, any trace of drowsiness had vanished. He quietly stepped outside. The sky above was breathtaking—clear, vast, scattered with twinkling stars and lit by a glowing full moon. A gentle breeze whispered through the air.
Rayen sat on the ground, gazing up in silence. Just you wait, stars... One day, I'll come to you and make you mine....
Someday... I'll reach Eternal Heaven and finish the quest I couldn't complete in my past life.
As he looked down toward the plains, he saw a figure—a person dressed in white. He looked closely and noticed the person had white hair, its head tilted up at the sky. He stood up and slowly began walking toward it.
As he closed the distance between them, he realized the person was a female. "Hey, who are you? What are you doing there this late?" he shouted from far away.
She turned her head toward him. He couldn't see her face clearly, but her eyes—her eyes were glowing red.
Rayen's eyes widened. A vampire? What's a vampire doing in the Human Empire? Vampires attack humans… before she gets close to the house, I need to finish her.
He opened his fist, and a sword emerged in his hand—formed from his own life force.
He ran toward her. "If you don't leave, then I'll have to finish you, vampire! You're in the wrong empire—go back!" he shouted, pouring life force into his legs to accelerate his speed.
He closed the distance between them and charged at her with full intent. But just as his blade was about to strike, she vanished.
Wha— Rayen's thoughts froze. He tried to halt his momentum, but it was too late—he lost his balance and crashed onto the ground.
He groaned, pushing himself up from the ground, his sword dissolving into particles of fading light. His eyes scanned the plains around him. She was nowhere to be seen.
Tch… was she that fast? Or did she use some kind of teleportation? Rayen stood up fully, brushing the dirt off his clothes. The wind blew gently, but the silence felt heavier than before.
He stared at the spot where she had stood just moments ago. Red eyes… white hair… no killing intent. She didn't attack me. She just watched the sky. His grip tightened. Then why was she here?
"Ah, shit… I was in momentum. I forgot to see her face,"
Then suddenly small chill crept down his spine—not from fear, but from the feeling of being watched. He turned his head slowly, scanning the darkness.
Nothing. Just the quiet plains under the moon.
Who was she? And why do I feel like this isn't the first time I've see her…?