Martial Arts Worlds

The cameras turned to the ring in the middle of the throne room. The cameramen held their breath as the time ticked down on their wristwatches.

The second match was about to begin shortly.

In the households across the land of the humans, people gathered around the televisions with serious looks on their faces.

They lost the first match.

If they lost the second match as well, it might be too much for humanity to come back anymore. The momentum shift would be enormous.

The spectators have arrived. Animal Kingdom's representatives arrived. Lastly, humanity's representatives arrived.

In the throne at the back of the throne room, Beast King Vladimir sat lazily with his legs dangling over the edges of the armrests.

He was using a toothpick to clean the gaps between his teeth and looked to have zero interest in the tournament.

"Whoo…"

Zeus sat down, clutching his waist, and he looked really comfortable. The medical masters told him to stay in the bed to rest, but he didn't want to.

"You alright?"

Kiernan asked him.

"…I'll survive."

Zeus said with a grim look, and then, he saw Dawn sitting across the throne room, and she didn't pay him any attention.

It was like she didn't consider him as her equal. Which she didn't. As she already became the winner, and he became the loser.

"Tch."

Zeus clicked his tongue.

In that moment, the referee stepped into the ring, and everyone turned to look at him.

"Leading the tournament, Animal Kingdom has one victory. Humanity has zero victories. The second match will start now.

"Fighters come forth!"

Antigone rose. She looked serious. The heartbeat of hers had calmed down, and then, she jumped over the rings and took the stage.

While some people didn't realize it just yet, Kiernan did notice the slight change in Antigone. It was minor, but huge.

'She has become a Middle Stage Martial Grandmaster…'

…

All around the world, the humans despaired after seeing whom humanity sent as their next fighter.

"Seriously! They sent that fifteen-year-old girl? What the hell could they be thinking about? This fight is a must-win!"

"We're doomed!"

"We cannot lose the second match as well!"

The internet was on fire. People were flaming the one responsible for choosing the fighter. They didn't know that they had no power in who to choose.

They had to choose Antigone, as she was one of their weakest fighters. It was how the rules worked, even though Animal Kingdom could bend that rule.

"We will lose!"

People thought in despair.

…

On the Animal Kingdom's side, the four-tailed young man stood up. Percival jumped into the ring with his arms crossed, and smile lingering in his face.

After yesterday's humiliation against Kiernan, he was very eager to crush the last of humanity's hope.

His opponent might be young—only fifteen years old—but he was ready to crush her nonetheless.

He planned to humiliate her in front of the whole world!

"Are the two of you ready?"

The referee asked.

"I am!"

Percival said, his four tails wagging behind him, and they were itching to get started.

"Yeah…"

Antigone took a deep breath, slid her left foot forward, and took her careful stance—she had one foot forward, the other leg way back, and her hands were loosely dangling in front of her in some kind of grabbing position.

"FIGHT!"

The referee whipped his arm down.

In that moment, Percival's tails lashed behind him, whistling through the air like whips. He came forward, dominant and powerful—he started the fight with a straight punch.

Antigone slipped to the side, her sandals scraping on stone. She was being careful of his punches. There was a chance for a counterattack, but she didn't take it.

'A trap…'

She thought.

Percival was trying to lead her close. She moved back instead. It was obvious that she wasn't going to fall into his trap so easily.

The foxkin were very cunning and untrustworthy fighters. It was hard to tell at times what they were planning.

'…Little girl, I don't need any tricks to beat you. I will come to you then!'

Percival came down hard, his four tails swinging wildly behind him, and he swiped his claws at her like descending knives.

Antigone ducked under the shadow of his descending claws. She dropped low, planted her palms, and kicked upward.

Her heels hammered into Percival's ribs with a crack. The fox-man's body lurched skyward, tails flaring, and for a short breath, he was suspended in the air.

"Argh!"

Percival's tails caught his falling body. They softened his landing. And he quickly rolled back to his feet.

Clap! Clap!

Humans clapped and nodded their heads in approval. She started the fight really strong, and because of her young age, they didn't expect much from her martial arts.

It was clear that her martial arts prowess was good. She wasn't only strong because of her high martial rank.

"Human trash!"

Percival lunged again before Antigone could catch her breath. His rush was relentless, his claws slicing through the air like silver arcs.

Antigone barely managed to parry the first strike, her forearm screaming as it absorbed the blow.

The second swipe tore a line across her sleeve, close enough that she felt the sting of a claw brushing her skin.

She gave ground, step by step, each retreat forcing her close to the ropes. Percival's four tails lashed in patterns she couldn't fully read.

One swept for her legs, another for her back, while the others hovered like snakes, waiting for a slight mistake on Antigone's part.

Percival kept pressing her back. Antigone kept evading the tails, her sandals scraping across the stone floor. She knew that one slip could mean the end of her.

In that moment, her sandal caught on uneven stone. Instantly, Percival pounced at her, claws raised high, his shadow blotting her from the torchlight.

Antigone slipped inside, sliding beneath his strike, pushed her body to stand, and kicked him square in the chest.

It just made Percival gasp for pain for a moment, but instantly, he was on her again, faster this time.

His weight slammed Antigone against the ropes, claws slicing narrowly past her face. A few trails of blood trickled down her cheek.

"Haah… haaah!"

Antigone breathed heavily, quickly slipped past Percival, and ran away to distance herself from the relentless fox.

She was pushing herself to the absolute extreme. It was really hard for her to keep dodging those attacks.

"Ancient Fox Style, Destruction Beam!"

In that moment, Percival's four tails stiffened. The balls of light appeared on the fluffy tips of the tails. This was a crucial moment.

She wasn't like Kiernan. She couldn't just slap those balls away!

In that moment, Antigone hunched over, put her hands in front of her, and caught her breath to fully calm herself down.

'…I can do this!'