8 My name is Kai

"What if the old woman meant: 'who is Kai?'. Does that mean I have to ask around who is Kai until I find a lead? Or maybe... it is a magical item with healing properties? She somewhere along the conversation said the word 'alive'..."

"Shameless. Shameless. Shameless old woman!"

Peng Hu was wandering around the village, angry about the conversation that happened moments ago. As if to vent out his emotions, Peng Hu decided to hang around and enjoy his surroundings.

"Maybe I could find Pina on the market."

Turning around, Peng Hu went into the direction of the noise. Distracted by all the new things he was experiencing on the way, he bumped into someone accidentally.

*thump*

"Hey! Be careful with where you go."

"I-I am sorry..."

Flashbacks from his life started to pop into his head. The bullying. The sorrow. The tears that were shed. Peng Hu became weak again. Not because he wanted to. Rather, his body remembered the pain.

[Di-did I bump into Alex...?]

"Oh hey! You are the new guy Pina brought back. Have you settled in?"

Peng Hu snapped out from his daze and looked around to verify that he wasn't in his old world, the world of modern technologies. Assessing the situation before him, Peng Hu deduced that he must have bumped into Biggs.

"Somewhat..."

"Well, see you around."

"See you... No, wait. Can you help me with something Mr. Biggs?"

"Spit it out. And cut out the formalities."

"Do you know anyone called Kai? Or where I could find an item called Kai?"

"Kai? You gotta give me more than that."

"What do you mean?"

"There are a lot of Kai around here."

"..."

[Old woman Alis 1 - Peng Hu 0]

"Great Chief Alis asked me for a Kai. Do you have any idea on what she could have meant with it?"

"Ms. Alis said that?"

"Yes."

"So you... still haven't cleared your status as intruder?"

"What...?"

"Go East. Inside a house with a red glove hanging out in the front door, you will find Kai."

"Thank you, Biggs."

Peng Hu stretched out his right hand, wanting to shake hands with Biggs, as a sign of respect and thanks for the help. Unexpectedly, Biggs unsheathed his greatsword and went into battle mode, glaring firmly at Peng Hu.

[What is going on? Is something behind me?]

Looking around, Peng Hu noticed that everyone stopped doing whatever they were doing, and were wary of him.

"Wh-wh-what's going on?"

Peng Hu felt that it was cold suddenly.

"Intruder."

Someone faintly called out to him as intruder. Confused, Peng Hu couldn't believe what was happening to him. One moment ago, everything was cheerful. The next moment, it all went icy.

As if triggering his memories, Peng Hu remembered what Pina has told him over the journey:

"You are an intruder until proven otherwise."

Now understanding the reason why the villagers acted like that to him, Peng Hu quietly left the place, moving towards the East.

[Well... at least Biggs told me where to go. Didn't think clearing out my name would be so important... I better find Kai before any other bothersome trouble come along my way.]

____________________

Peng Hu arrived at the most eastern part of the village. Walking around, he found a house with a red glove hanging out in the front door. Looking around, he could see that there wasn't much people walking around this area.

Walking towards the door, Peng Hu knocked on the door.

*thuck* *thuck*

[What if Kai were an item? Wouldn't I look silly knocking on an empty house?"]

Peng Hu heard rapid steps from inside the house.

"Coooooooming!"

[This voice... a little girl?]

*bam*

The door was slammed outwardly, hitting Peng Hu with so much force that he was sent flying to the right.

"Owch!"

"Hm? I don't see anyone...?"

Standing up from the ground, Peng Hu was still hurt from the sudden outburst.

"It's... me. I was the one who knocked."

Peng Hu cleaned off the dust from his clothes and looked towards the entrance of the house and see the guilty party that sent him flying.

[What the...]

"Oh! Hi Hi! Thanks for coming by! My name is Kai, the world's-soon-to-be-the-best mage. Nice to meet you!"