Khazak stood in a wooded area, slightly away from the house, holding his sword, breathing heavily, and maintaining his guard. His hand trembled, but his face bore a grin. He was certain now—fighting gave him undeniable pleasure. Yet, it was clear that satisfying Gladius's ego brought him even greater joy. Winter was approaching, and the surroundings were darkening. With the last of his strength, Khazak drew a breath; now, even if it was just a few breaths, he could take them by sheer willpower. With the surge of momentary power rising in his body, he lunged at Gladius. Gladius simply sidestepped and delivered a downward strike to Khazak's sword, sending the heavy blade—and Khazak—crashing to the ground. But one thing was clear now: he had grown stronger.
Winter was approaching, and the weather was gradually getting colder. However, thanks to Ki's incredible ability to warm his body, this wasn't a pressing concern for now. Mylia, on the other hand, was watching them from the sidelines. She hadn't been able to train for a month, though her wound was nearly healed. Seeing Khazak lying on the ground, panting heavily, she let out a small sigh and handed him a medium-sized apple she had gathered earlier. Sitting cross-legged beside him, she watched as Khazak straightened up slightly, mirroring her posture, and began devouring the apple with an almost animalistic fervor. Mylia, resting her cheek on one hand, watched Khazak with delight in her eyes.
Meanwhile, Gladius sheathed his sword slightly and started heading toward the house. Yet, even as he did so, he couldn't resist secretly observing the pair from afar. Watching their budding romance brought him joy—it reminded him of his younger self and the wife he had lost.
As Mylia and Khazak chatted calmly, a thought crossed Mylia's mind: she, too, had trained for about a month—perhaps even longer. At this point, the number of Ki breaths they could both use was nearly the same, though Mylia still held a slight edge. What she wondered now was who would end up protecting whom. Nearly a month had passed, which meant they would soon leave Gladius's house.
Mylia stood up slowly; the air had indeed grown colder. Khazak tried to stand as well but quickly found himself back on the ground. Mylia gave him a helpless smile and slipped an arm under his to help him up, dragging him toward the house. When they arrived, Gladius had already prepared tea using the leaves from his garden.
Gladius's garden was abundant with crops—tea, coffee, and especially tobacco. As Mylia and Khazak warmed their hands on their steaming cups of tea, they sat with Gladius at the same small round table they had first used upon arriving. Gladius lit his cigarette, took a sip of his tea, and said:
"Yes, kids, I think we're almost at the end of this month. The time I've spent with you has been one of the rare periods in recent years where I didn't feel bored. Maybe I should consider taking on an apprentice, like the others."
Mylia and Khazak were taken aback by these words, feeling both surprised and a bit embarrassed. Unsure of how to respond, Khazak finally spoke, without removing his hands from the warmth of his tea cup:
"Yes, it really feels that way. In this one month, you've taught me things I couldn't have learned on my own in a year. I can't thank you enough, Gladius."
Hearing this, Gladius smiled broadly, though there was a faint sadness behind it. He reached over and ruffled Khazak's hair roughly, prompting laughter from everyone. The bittersweet, joy-filled moment passed, and Gladius returned to his seat, his tone becoming more serious:
"Finally managed to drop the 'uncle' part, huh? Well, kids, now I'll teach you something even more important than strength—or rather, why strength is so important. Think of this as my final lesson for you."
Hearing this, Khazak and Mylia's expressions turned serious. They fixed their full attention on Gladius, who took a drag from his cigarette and continued:
"Power is everything in this world. Even the most remote peasant realizes this after a certain age. But where that power comes from—that is not everything. Power that comes from evil is dark, it is grim; it is not true power. Everything may be permissible for most things, but not for power. Power is sacred. If you derive your power from evil, no matter how you use it, you too are evil. Because power is everything in this world.
Even if your power comes from good, if you commit evil, you taint what is pure—and that is all too easy. If your power comes from evil, you cannot use it for good. But then, what is the concept of evil? Is evil simply what is useless to you? Or is it what harms others? If you kill someone who has murdered thousands, does that make you good?
But what if the person who killed thousands saved millions in doing so? Does that make them good? And if that person saved millions but one of the thousands they killed was someone you loved, would they then become evil in your eyes?
And you—would you kill a thousand people to save a million? And Khazak—if you destroyed humanity for the sake of someone you loved, would you be absolute evil? Or, in the eyes of the person you saved, would you be good? Does that make you a good person then?"
Khazak and Mylia were stunned by this speech. Unable to find the words to respond, Gladius continued:
"What distinguishes good from evil is intent. If you save one person with good intentions but, as a result, a thousand others die, you are not evil. Evil is merely a concept defined by your perception. If you call someone evil and disapprove of their actions, then to you, they are evil.
The punishment for evil will not be dictated by your mind but by your conscience. However, if you deviate from your pure intentions and commit acts that contradict them on the path to delivering that punishment, you, too, become evil. Power derived from evil cannot align with pure intentions. That is why you must wield power that originates from good. Because power is sacred."
Mylia and Khazak were left speechless by the conversation. Gladius, quietly puffing on his cigarette, suddenly sensed something and rushed inside. Moments later, he emerged with two swords in hand, dropping his cigarette to the ground with a grin.
"Perfect timing. Alright, kids, get ready for our final lesson—a real experience."