"Ten tasks." Gaileo said as he repeated the Emperor's words.
"That's right, if you can complete them then you'll be allowed to compete in the Great General Selection Tournament." The Emperor confirmed.
"So what are these tasks?" Gaileo asked.
"I don't have the time to explain them all in detail but I'll give you this list." The Emperor was handed the list by a servant and then threw it to Gaileo who caught it. "Do you think that you can handle that?"
Without looking at the list, Gaileo said, "of course I can."
"Good, then you better get started. You only have six months before the tournament starts, and I won't hold a spot for you forever boy."
Gaileo simply started to walk out of the room.
"Do you understand boy?"
"Of course I do you old fool."
As Gaileo was walking away Shion started to walk beside him.
"How long have you been here?" Gaileo asked.
"Long enough." Shion responded.
"Should have figured."
"I have something for you."
"Something for me? What is it?"
"A letter, something Great General Tenjin wrote for you before he died." Shion said as he pulled a letter out of his coat pocket.
"That old man left a letter for me?" Gaileo said as he took the letter.
"It would seem so. If you'll excuse me." Shion said as he walked away.
Gaileo walked out onto one of the palace's many balconies to read the letter alone. Meanwhile, Elara stopped Shion as he was leaving.
"You're just going to let him read the letter by himself? Don't you want to know what the letter said?" Elara asked him.
"Please, butting in on a moment like this, wouldn't be very beautiful." Shion replied as he continued his stride. Elara tried to sneak a peek onto the balcony but Shion grabbed her by the collar and dragged her away.
Back on the balcony Gaileo ripped open the letter and started to read Great General Tenjin's final words to him.
"Gaileo, if you're reading this then I've gone and kicked the bucket." The letter opened up. "How was my funeral? I bet it was a real bore. I mean just look at me, I was bored to death! Hohoho!"
"You stupid old man! I'm not going to read this dumb letter if it's just filled with your bad jokes!" Gaileo shouted to no one in particular as he prepared to crumple up the letter and throw it away. However, before he did he saw the next part of the letter.
"WAIT!!! Don't crumple up the letter and throw it away!" The next part of the letter implored. "I promise the letter isn't just filled with my hilarious jokes that you don't appreciate."
"You stupid old man, if you knew how I'd react to it then don't put it in in the first place."
"Now, as you know I've been looking out for you for quite some time. You joined my army when you were only a boy. My first impression of you was, that you had absolutely no chance of being a Great General let alone the Emperor."
"Is that all you had to say to me with your dying breath you old moron?"
"You reminded me a lot of myself when I was younger."
Gaileo's demeanor started to soften a bit after reading this part of the letter.
"People were so convinced that you would never amount to anything. You failed so many times, people constantly ridiculed you, and even still, you always refused to give up. I became quite determined. To see what you've achieved, I'm incredibly proud of you."
Upon reading this part of the letter, Gaileo despite his best efforts, couldn't help but let his face crack into just the slightest smile. Great General Tenjin had never mentioned that he was proud of him. In fact, nobody had ever told him such a thing.
"I just hope that I can see you go on to achieve your dream someday. Now, since I'm gone, I'm sure that you've probably been bawling your eyes out! So try to get it together! Hohoho!"
"You stupid old man, as if I'd ever shed a tear over you!" Gaileo shouted as he finally crumpled the letter up. "Even thinking about crying is so ridiculous, so ridiculous that it makes me laugh!"
Just as Gaileo said, he suddenly started to laugh. Instead of crying he started to laugh. He laughed long and loud. He laughed until it started to hurt. Then he laughed until it didn't.
"How silly, you really can't be honest about your feelings can you Gai? How unsightly" Shion thought as he overheard Gaileo laughing. "Though, even something unsightly can still be beautiful."
The next day, Gaileo would make his first step towards completing the ten tasks that he was assigned by the Emperor.