Martial Arts Worlds

In the dark forest, lanterns dangled from the thick branches of the trees, and their warm light scared away the darkness.

Within the place with the lanterns, there was rope going from tree to tree, making something similar to a boxing ring.

In the middle of the ring, a shoeless man stood silently, his feet pressed against the dirt below, and his eyes were closed in concentration.

He had a loose pair of pants tied around his waist and was shirtless with scars crisscrossing his chest and arms.

The chest was broad and muscular, evidence of years of hard physical labor. It looked like his biceps were the size of coconuts, and his fists were the size of cantaloupes.

A small group of young martial artists were gathered around the ring, waiting outside the rope, and discussed among themselves.

"What's going on with him…"

"Why doesn't he have shoes?"

"Does anyone know who this Orochi is? I have never even heard of Earth Stomp Style before."

"No idea…"

In that moment, Kiernan walked from the darkness of the forest and stopped before the rope with his arms crossed.

When the other young martial artists saw him, they tensed up, and their competitive spirit increased.

"Is this everyone?"

Orochi opened his eyes, his purple eyes scanning the forest, and then he made fists with his feet, feeling the ground with his toes.

The young martial artists shrugged their shoulders, as they doubted anyone else was going to come.

"My name is Orochi, the master of the Earth Stomp Style. It's a style of harmony with the earth."

Orochi clapped his hands and stomped his heel on the ground, and a shockwave rippled through the earth, knocking everyone a step back.

"What the hell?"

"How did he do that?"

Orochi slid his feet forward, swung his fists in front of him, and then thrust his palms forward. At the same moment, he stomped on the ground with his right foot.

The ground shook, and from the ground before him, a block of earth rose up. It was as big as a rhino.

"Haaah!"

Orochi punched the block of earth, sent it hurling through the air, and it went through some trees at the back.

The trees collapsed like dominoes.

It was very destructive!

"Whoah…"

"Insane!"

Kiernan looked at the scene and wryly smiled as he kind of remembered one animation show that he used to watch back on Earth.

'It kind of looks like earthbending.'

"If you can impress me, I won't be shy in giving you great points. However, if you do not impress me and bore me, I'll make sure to write about it in my notes!"

Orochi said, putting his arms behind his back, and then asked.

"Who will go first to face me?!"

The young martial artists were hesitant. None of them wanted to go first.

In that moment, Kiernan hopped easily over the ropes and landed inside the ring about six meters away from Orochi.

"Oh? Who may you be? I sense great strength from you. Indeed, very excellent strength."

Orochi said.

He was High Stage Martial King, but he wasn't going to use his Martial Ability during these fights, and he was able to tell that Kiernan's martial rank was much higher than anyone else nearby.

"Wait, isn't that…"

In that moment, from the dark forest, a blond-haired young man with a short stature stepped over and recognized Kiernan.

Gunwoo's eyes rounded up in surprise as he definitely recognized him as Kiernan.

Coming from Dusk Town, Gunwoo came over to the draft with Dante and other members of the Yokai Dojo to participate.

With them being Martial Masters and above, they were able to get to the first selection rounds, but after the first day, a few of them dropped out.

Since there were so many people, this was the first familiar face that Gunwoo came across, and to think it was Kiernan!

'…Kiernan feels completely unfamiliar. That strength that is coming from him… is definitely that of Martial Grandmaster. How did he become so powerful?'

In the ring, Kiernan took off his shirt and put it hanging from one of the branches. He then flexed his arms and fluidly moved into his fighting stance.

In the same moment, he tossed his shoes off—he didn't want to wear them either—and wanted to feel the earth under his feet.

"Kiernan Hunter, the master of the Iron Style, I'd like to learn from you, Master Orochi."

"Oh? You think you deserve the title of master, hmm, young one? I shall be the judge of that!"

Orochi firmly planted his feet on the ground, took a powerful stance, and motioned his hand for Kiernan to attack.

"Iron Style, Crack!"

Kiernan stomped his feet on the ground—sideways—and cracked the ground so it turned into a small crevice.

"Hoo? You want to battle me with Earth Martial Arts skills? Very well, young one!"

Orochi stabbed his hands through the ground and then forcefully closed the crevice. It was an amazing feat of strength.

"Huff!"

Kiernan spread his stance wide and swept his arms before stomping the ground like an earthbender would.

"Iron Style, Earthquake!"

The ground trembled as if there were a stampede of elephants rushing through, and Orochi's stance wavered, and with an unstable stance, his martial arts lost its effectiveness.

'This young man… Already realized my one weakness? Impressivo!'

Orochi twisted his hips and drove his fists into the ground. A jagged block of stone was ripped out from the ground.

He put his hand on the jagged block of stone, hurled it across the air, and then Kiernan sliced his steel hand through the stone—cutting it in half as if his hand was a sword.

"Whoah!"

"Kiernan is actually putting up a fight!"

"What a monster…"

Orochi smiled, enjoying the fight, and then he thunderously stomped the ground underneath him.

A jagged column of stone erupted upward. It hovered over the ground like a menacing tower.

With a kick to its thick base, Orochi sent it hurtling towards Kiernan.

"Iron Style, Worldlift!"

The two spearhands of Kiernan stabbed into the ground, and as he dug his fingers into the earth, he lifted a huge chunk of soil into the air.

The ring was getting completely destroyed, and the two men's foothold was nothing but just a few intact blocks of earth!

The block of earth, which Kiernan lifted, stopped a jagged column of stone in its tracks, and then Kiernan threw it back with all his might.

"Gaia's Embrace!"