The Author's POV

"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.

"fuuu...Yes technically I could be considered to be dead but...someone intruded my home waking up the remnant soul I left behind when I passed away"

"R-remnant soul!"

ancient Chinese technique known as [Soul division]. Its main purpose was to split a soul and attach it to an object, allowing

and apart from inheriting the memories of the initiator, had

two and two

"Cough...Sorry about that"

no worries, I had expected this kind of

"Ren"

"Scuse me?"

Grandmaster Keiki raised his eyebrow and looked at me who was

name is Ren. Ren

right! How rude of me, I still had not asked for your name...a pleasure to meet you,

looked at

"Please sit down"

the tea table, Grandmaster Keiki took the porcelain teapot and dumped the contents that were

"Green or black?"

"ehmm...let's go with green"

added the tea leaves to the brewing vessel and slowly poured hot water inside

he was watching the water slowly darkening, Grandmaster Keiki let out a sad

lived in a country known as Japan. It was one of the most beautiful places in the world. It had tall and beautiful mountains, pink-dyed

his past, I immediately sat up straight and paid close attention to

I already knew, I paid my full-hearted attention to him because of my

that I had created, that was

a novel. This was real...and the man before me was Grandmaster Keiki, a legendary warrior that sacrificed his life for the

his past, Grandmaster Keiki let out a

disaster, I had a beautiful wife and daughter. Back then I worked as a Kendo instructor and although I did not earn much, I was happy. It was a simple but

and homes were lost. The world that we once knew started to crumble. Fortunately at the time when this was happening my wife and daughter were traveling on a plane with

clenched the teacup he was holding tightly, as his face burned with pure

second

to calm himself down before continuing

mysterious gates that appeared all over the world. At first, they didn't do anything, they just stood in the air and calmly observed us like some kind of mice inside of

hands trembling, Grandmaster Keiki looked directly

consciousness I could still vividly see the sadness and anguish

soon as they deemed us

and his expression which was previously still stoic completely crumbled as more tears started streaming down his

t-ook my wife and daughter

both a father and husband let the tears stream down his face as

break down in front of me, I chose to remain silent and patiently waited for him to calm down. A slight tinge of pain hit my chest, as a part of me felt responsible for this man's

eyes, Grandmaster Keiki stood up and calmly walked towards

had to see

"No, I understand"

shook my head and got

couple of seconds,

it seems that my luck isn't too

he slid the shoji (Japanese style door) and walked outside the room as he gestured me to follow

"Follow me."

left flabbergasted. An inexplicably beautiful garden stood before me.

-Tak! -Tak! -Tak!

swam in it. Birds freely roamed and

around the garden the more I was left

see different colored koi fish which ranged from red and white slightly peeking the surface of the water

the middle of the pond stood a small island connected by a small

across the bridge, once again my

neatly composed and surrounded by gravel which was raked to resemble

"A zen garden."

"It's nice isn't it?"

garden, grandmaster Keiki waved his hand urging me to sit down next

replied as I sat down on

stared at the zen garden before us. It was strange but yet relaxing at the

know I was really surprised when

smile plastered on his face continued to look at the

no one had ever been to this place, and rightfully so, as I made

they wouldn't be able to enter. I'm sure

smile on his face Grandmaster Keiki glanced at me, which made me recall the traumatizing experience I had gone through

being haunted by the rope to this

"Yes I remember"

so easy to read