Kasuyi stared at Kai who was seated opposite him with a leveled gaze. From his perspective, Kai was still a little child, one that wouldn't be worth his attention in any other case, as he had many other more important matters to attend to.
"Kai... I believe this is the first time that we are speaking face to face, even though we have communicated with each other multiple times in the past." Kasuyi spoke up. His voice was deep and rich, and told of a story bountiful enough to keep even the most absent minded listeners entranced.
Kai nodded his head in agreement. He chose not speak before the legendary figure that he had heard so much about during his childhood. Kasuyi's name had become a threat to stubborn children. The mothers of such children had always threatened to throw them into the grasp of Kasuyi whenever they misbehaved.
The higher-ups of the Imperial Army had made sure to twist Kasuyi's image in the eyes of the masses, turning his image from that of a prestigious mage to that of a dark wizard who had tried to wipe out the people on an entire world!
"I am truly honored to meet an esteemed figure such as yourself, Lord Kasuyi. To be honest, I do not know all that much about you. The little I know has most likely been warped beyond recognition through various generations." Kai bowed his head as he spoke. Kasuyi's power and position was very real, and Kai knew that if he acted recklessly, Kasuyi could just toss him to the side and abandon him.
Kai had recently just tasted what it felt like to wield power, and he wasn't resigned to losing his ticket to greatness without trying his best to cling on. After all, there was nothing wrong with clinging on to Kasuyi's thigh as long as he gained from it. Who cared about keeping face when they could choose to have real power?!
"Hahaha! Kasuyi burst out laughing. He could tell what Kai was playing at, but he didn't point it out. A minute passed before Kasuyi managed to calm down.
"Boy, there is no need to be so formal. After all, we aren't as far apart as you think. Your surname is Virdmon, yes?" The older Mage raised a brow.
"Yes, Kai Virdmon." Kai nodded meekly.
"Everyone refers to me as Lord Kasuyi. There are only very few people who know my full name left. Three of them betrayed me at my peak, while the rest of the no longer reside in this plane of existence... My name is Kasuyi Virdmon. The very first of the Virdmon lineage." Kasuyi smiled as a look of absolute shock crossed Kai's face.
"S-surely, you must mean another Virdmon..."
"Where do you think your fantastic affinity for magic comes from? Why do you think the Divine Mage picked you out of all other possible people to be my Inheritor? It was not a coincidence, child. Even I didn't know that I would have some descendants who survived this long. After all, during my heyday, I was a well known young man." Kasuyi stroked his short black beard and chuckled. An indescribable look was present on his face; one that made Kai want to squeeze his face in disgust, but he managed to keep his composure.
"Ah..." Kasuyi finally regained his composure. The situation confused Kai a little. Wasn't someone who had been the best of the best in his time supposed to be uptight like some of the nobles he had seen through his life? Kasuyi was the opposite of what he expected. The older Mage was calm, composed, and didn't look down on those weaker than him as though they were insects beneath his shoes.
"So, although the gap between us is quite large, feel free to refer to me with a less formal title. I don't really favor being called 'Lord Kasuyi' by one of my great grand children... or is it great-great?" Kasuyi counted with his fingers before shaking his head. "It doesn't matter. You can refer to me as your grand father from now on. Also, I will be taking care of your studies..." Yet another thought crossed through Kasuyi's mind as he spoke.
"Concerning your path in Magic, I would like to make a suggestion. Perhaps the path of a true Mage isn't the best thing for you. Your casting is a bit off, compared to other Mages, and you like to use weapons, yes?"
"Um, I guess so..." Kai answered, recalling the time he used a bow to fight the beastman, and when he shot that robed Martial Artist when he was on his way to Fazzad during the Selection Period.
"Perfect. I have the perfect weapon for you!" Kasuyi stretched out a hand. The hand disappeared mid-air, leaving a rippling effect at the point where it disappeared. A few moments later, it reemerged, but this time, with a six foot long and one foot wide wooden box. The box was painted in a mix of purple and red streaks, along with golden runes carved into its surface.
"This is a weapon I gained on my journey to Godhood. It has been blessed by several other Mages and extremely powerful figures through its lengthy course in time. It was once a legendary weapon used by a Martial Artist throughout his ascension. It has accumulated quite the character since then." Kasuyi explained as he undid the straps that held the box closed.
The box opened with a click. A dense wave of magical energy flowed out from the weapon, ruffling Kai's hair, and the pages of the books and scrolls that were still flying around. Kasuyi was already prepared for it so he had put up a minor barrier around himself.
"Whoa... That's so... cool." Kai lost his mature demeanor the moment he sighted the weapon; after all, he was still a kid. The spear's shaft was a dark purple with golden runes lining its entirety. These runes were powerful enchantment s that were placed on the weapon in order to contain its absurd power. In the right hands, a single swing of this weapon could decimate entire mountains in one go.
The blade of the spear was a whole different thing. Its material was made out of a special ore that was incredibly hard to come by. If the Imperial Army heard that there was a small deposit of this material in some remote location, the higher ups would most likely lose their heads while competing over who got it first. Its purple blade glistened under the light in the library. Just the looks of the weapon was enough to give Kai shivers. Just what would it feel like to actually wield this weapon?
"The path I intend to introduce you to is the path of a Battlemage. It is a completely unorthodox path of magic, but one that is powerful in its own right. You can leave behind that so called standard Mage framework that you have been trying to follow. From what I can understand, this would yield much better results." Kasuyi's smile widened when Kai nodded his head hastily, completely agreeing with his suggestion.
To some, it might look like Kasuyi was swindling Kai, but this was truly the most efficient path where Kai was able to make use of magic in a way that was comfortable to him. Perhaps someone might wonder why Kasuyi didn't go down this path himself, but what very few people knew was that Kasuyi had walked this path long ago. He even had various powerful weapons stored up in his Void Storage, which he could pull out at any point in time!