"Gasp...Gasp...Gasp"
With bloodshot eyes, I continued going down the rope.
I don't know how long I had been down here, but I presume at least two days had passed since I started going down.
My hands which were riddled with blisters started bleeding all over the rope leaving behind a red trail during my descent. My muscles spasmed every minute making me almost lose grip of the rope on a couple of occasions.
It felt as if I had gone back to the past where I would monotonously be typing on the keyboard with no sense of purpose.
I just kept going and going and going, until my sense of time and reason left my body. Even the pain slowly subsided making it seem as if I was a robot.
Sadly like any other powered object, robots tend to run out of batteries. And that's precisely what happened to me.
My vision grew blurry and my hands slowly lost grip of the rope.
It seems like I have died again huh?
Oddly enough it didn't feel the same as my first death, where I only felt endless coldness and loneliness.
This time a warm sensation enveloped my body making me feel extremely comfortable. It felt as if I was back in my mother's womb under the constant nourishment and protection of my mother. It didn't feel bad.....
-Dong! -Dong! -Dong!
Suddenly I heard the loud sound of a bell tolling, causing my mind to spin and my eyes to shoot wide open.
"What just happened!"
Abruptly sitting up straight, I found my body drenched in sweat. Touching my body in a daze I noticed I was on top of a small bed with the bedsheets damp from my sweat. Looking at my hands I couldn't see any trace of the previous gruesome scene from when I was climbing down the rope.
Glancing around, I finally took notice of my surroundings. I was inside a small room with what seemed to be a Japanese tatami-style floor. The room was rather empty, and aside from a small tea table and a large ancient clock that constantly tolled in the corner of the room, there was no other furniture.
"You up kid?"
"Huh?"
Snapping my head to the right, where the voice was coming from, a middle-aged man sat next to the tea table preparing some tea. His carefree movements and his calm demeanor when preparing the tea, blended with the tranquil surroundings.
The aroma coming from the tea filled the entire room prompting me to momentarily relax. But not for long as I immediately jumped out of the bed and warily look at the stranger before me.
Jet black hair, deep black eyes, and a stern but yet kind-looking face.
"Relax kid, I'm not gonna do anything to you"
"Who are you?"
I warily asked without letting my guard down.
If not for the fact that I was sure that he was not there when I was previously checking the room, I wouldn't have been as wary as I was now.
A master
He was definitely a master beyond my level.
Only someone who was leagues above my level could suddenly appear out of thin air without me noticing.
Smacking his fist in his hand, as if he was reminded of something the stern-looking middle-aged man looked at me and spoke "Ah! that's right! I haven't introduced myself yet have I?" Lightly smiling, he extended his right hand towards my direction "A pleasure to meet you kid my name is Toshimoto Keiki"
Instantly my pupils dilated, and my mouth went slack.
"Bu-t but b-ut how? Aren't you already dead!"
My speech stuttered and my body trembled as I looked at the man before me in shock.
"Hey, kid don't be like that."
Laughing bitterly at my reaction, Grandmaster Keiki calmly put down the teapot and blew on the teacup in his hand.
Letting out a deep breath, I took one last look at the surroundings and engraved the scenery inside of my head.
Paying one last respect, I quickly walked towards where the exit was.
"I know"
Chapter end
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