Martial Arts Worlds

Pankratios returned from his chamber, gave everyone the dictionary notebook, and handed Kiernan back the "original version."

He made himself a newer copy in a brand-new notebook so that he didn't have to worry about accidentally ruining the original copy.

"And with this, the meeting is concluded, and please, attempt to learn High German, and despite it being a difficult language from what I've seen, it will be worthwhile in the long run."

He said, and everyone nodded before preparing to get sent back to where they came from.

Buzz! Buzz!

At that moment, Xerxus' phone buzzed, and he pulled it out to see messages coming from Navy Fort's current head commander.

It was troubling news.

"Wait, I have some news."

Xerxus said with a deep frown.

Pankratios turned to him, saw his troubled look, and motioned for everyone to sit back down on the stone thrones.

"What's wrong?"

He asked.

"Beast King Vladimir has declared war on us, humans. It looks like they've been building their ships to cross the World Sea to enter our Martial World.

"Animalkin doesn't do well on water, which means it must mean one thing, and that's that they're preparing to invade our land."

Xerxus said.

Gasp~

Everyone took a deep cold breath and thought that it was indeed very troubling news, as this meant they all were going to war.

"Beast King Vladimir is a purist. To him, humans are just cattle to be slaughtered, and that this land should belong to the strongest, which would be him."

Imperius said.

"We have an army a hundred times bigger than that of the Animal Kingdom. They'll never be able to defeat us."

Sabbath said with a scoff.

"The armies don't matter when the Animal Kingdom has the Beast Lords, and they have unimaginable power.

"Beast King Vladimir is also Blood Lion, and it's said that his strength is closest to Martial God in the entire world."

Pankratios said.

"The world wouldn't be the same. Everyone who knows how to throw a punch would be sent to the frontlines, and the kids would be turned into soldiers."

"This is bad. With the danger of Mercedes looming in the distance, this war would cripple the strength of the Martial World."

"Piracy would also be at an all-time high. The navy will have their hands full dealing with the battleships of the Animal Kingdom that pirates will be left to roam free."

"Dark days will be ahead."

They discussed with dark expressions on their faces and thought that the war was as pointless as it could be.

However, they knew that Beast King and the Lords of the Animal Kingdom could be very unreasonable people.

They were born in combat, tasted the blood when they were just two moons old, and had never known peace.

In Animal Kingdom, the combat ruled.

However, there were places like the Land of the Cats, Sloths, Koalas, Pandas, etc, where the concept of fighting didn't really exist.

Then there were Regions of Wolves, Lions, Bears, and other predators where the struggle for dominance was constant and brutal.

"Let's not jump to conclusions yet. It looks like the Human Government is in talks with the Beast King to come to a truce."

Xerxus said.

"And they will fail. Beast King Vladimir has ruled over Animal Kingdom for over thirty years, and after every year of his rule, the relationship between us and them just keeps growing worse.

"He wants this war.

"He wants to make us, humans, their slaves!"

Amara said.

"We must wait and see. I said truce, but that's not quite correct. A proposition, which I believe, will satisfy the crazy Beast King.

"After all, they live for combat, and all he wants to prove is that Animal Kingdom is superior to humans."

Xerxus said.

"We will keep watching over them and intervene if necessary. I'll try recruiting someone from Animal Kingdom to be part of Martial Order.

"Someone close to the Beast King Vladimir would be good. It means that we will be able to keep a closer eye on the situation."

Pankratios said.

"No one from Animal Kingdom will betray Beast King like that. They're extremely loyal to him, especially Beast King's close circle."

"I will find someone that will, and they don't have to necessarily betray Beast King. I am sure there is just someone who desires peace."

Pankratios said, banged his hand on the stone table, and ended the meeting.

…

Animal Kingdom, Combat Land, the King's Castle.

"Bahahahaha!"

Through the stone hall, with animal hide covering the walls, sounded the Beast King's echoing laughter.

With grins on their faces, the Beast Lords also laughed with him, sitting around the long meeting table.

Trembling, the cat-eared, dog-tailed, and rabbit-footed servants kept their heads hung low as they listened to the laughter.

"They're scared. How many letters is that now? Eighty-four? Haha, they don't want this war, and that is good.

"Cowards them all."

Beast King Vladimir said with a half-smile.

The red, blood-covered hair ran down his broad back, looking like the mane of the Blood Lion, and his teeth were sharp like the claws of a predator.

Power. Hunger. Bloodlust.

He was the embodiment of all those three things.

"Bring on the feast. I'm starving!"

Beast King Vladimir shouted, put all those letters into his mouth, and gnawed through them savagely with a ferocious growl.

With nods, the servants headed out, brought out the food, and while the Beast Lords and the King were eating, they served them.

When the feast was done, they cleaned the hall, and after a few hours of cleaning, they returned back to their lowly servant quarters.

"…"

In all her lonesomeness, Liora Fenbraid sat down in her bed—hugging her legs—and putting herself to sleep.

The bed was so hard that sleeping on her back would hurt, so she slept while sitting, and slowly, her mind drifted off into dreams of a better life.

"Liora Fenbraid… Liora Fenbraid…"

A voice echoed in her dreams, and Liora mindlessly walked down a long, dark corridor while the voice called her name.

At that moment, a hand touched her shoulder, she flinched, and turned around to see a strange man looking at her.

"I know what you want, and I can give it to you."

Pankratios said.