Martial Arts Worlds

Selection Mansion, the front lounge.

"One mission remaining…"

"It's a crazy one, though…"

The crowd gathered around the mission board whispered amongst themselves.

There was only one mission pamphlet left on the mission board, and even though they were all craving points, if they happened to fail the mission, they would never be able to get those points back.

'…What in the world?'

Kiernan looked from over the shoulders of the people at the last mission and raised an eyebrow.

***

[Mission: Kill the Bloodthirsty Bear!]

[Description: A three-scarred bear has been terrorizing the woods of the Capital City for centuries. It's said to be a descendant of Magical Beast, and it has killed close to thirty people in the last ten years alone.

Bloodthirsty Bear has a self-defense mechanism that allows it to hide from Martial Kings and above, so the Government has failed to slay it because of it. They have sent Martial Grandmasters, but those efforts have ended in failure.

BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL]

[Reward: 10,000 Points]

[Punishment: -1,000,000 Points]

[Time Limit: 1 day]

***

'The drastic punishment is just a way to ensure that just anyone wouldn't go and attempt that, because I am sure if there is light punishment, someone would accept the mission and decide to escape if it looks like they cannot beat Bloodthirsty Bear.

'It's risky because escaping a bear isn't simple. So they would most likely get themselves killed.'

Kiernan bumped shoulders with everyone in front of him as he made his way to the mission board, and everyone just shouted at him to watch where he was going.

At that moment, he ripped the mission pamphlet off the mission board, folded it, and slipped it inside his pocket.

"What the hell!"

"This crazy guy is actually going for it!"

"Didn't he see the punishment? He is getting himself killed!"

"What a moron!"

…

Beep! Beep! Beep!

In the selection mission's watch room, with hundreds of computers and screens showing everything happening in the mission and around the surrounding area.

"Oh my god…"

At that moment, a cute blond-haired girl with shortcut hair looked at the screen of the mission board and jumped to her feet.

"Someone accepted the Bloodthirsty Bear mission!"

Her shout resounded across the watch room, and the sleepy workers over there jolted awake and gathered around her computer.

"This guy actually took it…"

"He is going to risk his life for 10,000 points? What a lunatic!"

"Who is he? Find out immediately!"

The headmaster, after hearing the commotion, came to the watch room and saw over a hundred people gathered around the computer.

"What's going on?"

"Sir, someone took the Bloodthirsty Bear mission!"

"What?!"

The headmaster's eyes almost popped out of his sockets, and he walked to the computer while everyone gave way.

On the screen, he was able to see the face of the person who took the question and sighed with slight relief.

"The good news is that it isn't some foolish newbie… It's Kiernan Hunter, one of the three High Stage Martial Grandmasters of the selection."

When the workers heard that, they let out "ohs" and "ahs" after realizing, but then it was also their turn to panic more.

"What if he dies?!"

"Y-Yeah, we need him for the tournament. High Stage Martial Grandmasters of his age don't just spawn out of trees!"

The workers said in worry.

"…To reach his level of strength, it takes more than just talent. It needs courage and luck of the elvish. And that is something very rare to come by.

"Since he has reached this level of strength, there must be a good reason for it, but still, keep an eye on him.

"We can't rig the selection process, no matter how badly we want him to win, as this Draft was created for a reason.

"Of course, we could just choose the seven highest-ranked martial artists of the youth generation as representatives, but that doesn't mean they're the strongest seven.

"In martial arts, it isn't always that the highest ranks are the strongest. In a fight, you need more than just strength, and it's his turn to prove that he has that missing ingredient."

…

Outside the Selection Mansion, in the woods.

Walking under the gray moon, with a dirt path under his boots, Kiernan followed the map drawn on the back of the mission pamphlet.

It showed the usual signs of the Bloodthirsty Bear, and it looked like it had made its own territory over at the high ground of the woods.

'…The problem with this mission is also finding the Bloodthirsty Bear. I only have one day, and that's not much time.'

However, as soon as the thought came to his mind, the woods shook at the sound of the Bloodthirsty Bear's roar.

ROAR~

"Found it…"

Kiernan hiked up a small hill, went past thick trees, and bushes that scratched him as he made his way to the bear's den.

In that moment, he came across a small clearing, a small hill that led to the entrance of a cave with its round-shaped opening.

The smell of the blood wafted through the air.

Then, some small bear cubs rolled out of the cave, slid down the hill, and stopped before Kiernan, looking up at him with their tongues lolling out.

'If there are bear cubs… there is also…'

ROAR~

From the entrance, with three scars running over its left eye, a massive grizzly bear emerged. Its fur was matted and dirty, and its eyes gleamed with hunger.

The color of the fur was a deep brown, almost black, and the bear cubs retreated back to the cave.

At that moment, the Bloodthirsty Bear stood up on its back legs, looking like it wanted to scare away Kiernan, and when it was standing, it was easily five meters tall.

'Only Magical Beasts have martial souls of their own. This one is just an ordinary animal, so it does not have it, but still, it is scary strong.'

Kiernan grinned, took off his loose shirt, and tapped his taped fists together while making his way forward.

'Watch me, Kiernan of the past, and see that I deserve the Iron Style. If not, go fuck yourself, and I'll take it with force then!'

It was as if something grinned inside his dark mind—it was Dark Kiernan—clearly amused by his threats.