"Good job, master!"

"You did amazing out there!"

Cleo and Jock said to Kiernan as soon as he finished wrapping up his matches and met his excited students outside the arena.

He smiled in greeting and then turned to Shiro, who was standing slightly further away, as if he were waiting in a line to talk with him.

"How was it, Shiro?"

Kiernan asked with a smile.

"…Flawless performance so far, but you have not won yet. I'd like to see more of this Iron Style."

Shiro said.

"Fine by me."

Kiernan said, and then turned to Aoi. Gave her a hug. They then took a cab and headed straight back to the dojo.

After a few hours in the dojo, everyone started heading back home, and Kiernan and Aoi stayed outside, sitting at the steps, looking at the starry sky.

"…I need to leave in a couple of days."

Kiernan suddenly said.

"W-What?"

Aoi turned to him in surprise.

It came out of nowhere without any warning, and she felt a knot forming in her stomach as she wondered what he was talking about.

"My friend is in trouble, and I must go help him."

Kiernan picked up a stick and drew circles in the yard to make some nonsense drawings in the soil.

"It sounds like it will be dangerous. I don't want you to leave."

Aoi said, and she knew that she was being selfish, but she really didn't like the way he was speaking.

"It is Julian. If I don't help him, he will be gone forever."

Kiernan said.

"…"

Aoi's words got stuck in her throat as she knew the close relationship between the two, and she also thought of Julian as a friend.

"What happened?"

"He encountered some trouble. I will just go handle it."

Kiernan said.

"…How dangerous will it be?"

Aoi asked.

"It could've been fairly dangerous, but after today… I think I will be fine."

Kiernan said with a smile.

After his upgraded Martial Ability, he felt confidence that wasn't there before.

"What about your dojo? Your students? It is in a delicate situation, and if you leave for a prolonged period of time, your students might leave you.

"Especially that Shiro kid."

Aoi said with worry.

"I know, but once I return, Martial Redemption Dojo's rise will start. I need you to contact the dojo's landlord for me and ready the paperwork.

"I will get the money, and I will purchase this place and the surrounding land. We will start expanding, and I will also go on a recruiting spree."

Kiernan said.

"…"

Aoi looked fondly at him while trying to hide her worry and then leaned against him while the wind blew over the walls surrounding the stone yard.

"…Go to sleep. Before I leave, I must do something."

Kiernan said.

"Do what?"

Aoi asked.

"You will see. I thought about recruiting them once we are in a more stable financial situation, but I changed my mind. I decided to do it now."

Kiernan said.

'Recruit who?'

Aoi wondered.

…

Outside Montrael, in the dark forest, there was a village tucked inside the forest, and it was very dilapidated with shabby-looking houses.

The houses were just built from things found in the forest.

Surrounding the village, a wooden wall with spiky tips kept the village safe from outside dangers and from any intruders.

At the center of the village, a large bonfire was burning, and dirty-looking children were dancing and talking around it.

They were roasting some boars over the fire.

"YAWN!"

Standing at the shabby-looking watchtower, a tired-looking child, about fourteen years of age, held a wooden spear in hand.

He drew the short stick and was on watch duty for tonight.

CRACK!

In that moment, he jolted awake as he heard the sound of a twig crushing under a boot, and with a spear, he turned to look outside.

It was a very dark night, and thus, he couldn't really see far.

'Is it the city folk? These bastards have been trying to chase us away forever. Why do they care so much that we live here when we are not in anybody's way!'

In that moment, a man walked out from the shadows and slowly approached the village gates.

The torch fire danced off the man's face, showing his extremely fine and handsome features that barely seemed real.

This man was strong!

"Urgh!"

The kid grimaced and started ringing the bell, which woke up the entire village, and everyone picked up weapons.

The children dancing around the bonfire stopped, looking scared, and went to pick up whatever weapon was left in the weapons shack.

"I came to talk!"

Kiernan pushed the doors open and came across close to fifty children, most of them looking scared witless.

At that moment, a tall young man pushed past the scared children and stood at the front as leader with a rusty sword in hand.

"…Who are you?"

The young man asked with a frown.

"Name's Kiernan Hunter. I am the master of the Martial Redemption Dojo."

Kiernan said.

The children gulped in fear and looked at each other, wondering why a master would be here.

Since he had master status, it meant that he was at least a Martial King, and that alone scared them out of their minds.

The city folk had never sent someone so strong, as they hadn't thought that there was any need for it, and they didn't want to disturb them for such a trivial matter.

To the city, they were just insects in comparison.

"…How fancy, a master. You came to chase us out? If so, I must apologize, but we won't be leaving without a fight."

The young man said and started swinging his sword, showing some of his moves, but it was clear that he didn't have any actual combat training.

"Chase you out? No, but I am here for a proposal. An invitation. I am currently building my dojo into the best that there is.

"I will give you a roof over your head and a place to sleep. In return, you will train in my dojo and become my students."

Kiernan said and offered his hand, which started smoking with black smoke.

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