Martial Arts Worlds

Somewhere in the world, Pankratios Cave.

"…"

Kiernan sat on the stone throne, patting the sleeping Fen in his lap, and gazed out at the glittering cave walls.

He was planning to take Fen with him because Dead World apparently was the birthplace of Magical Beasts and there might be some unexpected surprises for them there.

The rest of the Martial Orders slowly arrived in the cave, ready to go at a moment's notice.

"…It looks like everyone has arrived."

Pankratios said.

They looked at each other.

Julian was sitting alone by the corner.

He wasn't joining the expedition and was going to stay behind in the cave to take care of it.

"Where are we going now, Old King?"

Valerian asked.

"…Outside."

Pankratios walked to the stone door of the cave and pushed it open. It surprised every member of the order.

They had never been allowed to go outside the cave.

With sunlight seeping through the open door, they stepped out of the cave and saw hilly fields covered in green grass.

The sky was blanketed with grayish clouds, and it seemed like the island where the cave was located was in an area with unusually bad weather.

"I can't believe it…"

Amara whispered as she looked over to the horizon.

There was a wall of mist looming over in the distant sea. Dead World waited behind the mist.

"Your cave was so close to Dead World…"

"I can't believe that we were so close to danger without even realizing it."

Liora's cat tail stood tall and rigid, a sign of her alertness. She could tell there was something evil hiding in the mist.

In that moment, they followed behind Pankratios and arrived by the water, where there was a wooden dock that stretched out into the sea.

There was a wooden ship waiting for them.

It had three masts and billowing sails that flapped in the wind. It also had a figurehead of a fearsome dragon carved into the bow.

"I built it myself. It should handle the worst storms and attacks from sea monsters."

Pankratios said with a confident look.

They entered the ship and reserved their own hammocks in the quarters below deck.

"…Let's get the ship ready, men and women!"

"…Shall we sail, Martial Order?"

"…Let's go!"

The sails unfurled, and the wind carried them into the open sea, and the dragon-headed bow cut through the waves with ease.

They were heading straight to the mist!

It was close enough so they could arrive there in an hour or two and could already arrive in Dead World by nightfall.

"Heavy!"

Sabbath dropped his heavy pillar down to the deck, and the ship was surprisingly able to handle its weight.

He then sat up on the pillar and looked over to the mist.

There were foreign dangers there that even they couldn't anticipate.

'There had been many failed expeditions over in Dead World, but I wonder just how many expeditions ever actually made it there.

'This mist alone definitely eliminated over half of the expedition parties.'

Sabbath thought to himself.

"…You nervous?"

Amara saw that her student, Azura, was absentmindedly looking over to the open sea and walked over to her.

"Little. I am excited to find out about Dead World and whether there really is another civilization over there."

Azura said with a smile.

However, her master could tell that she was already very afraid.

She didn't blame her because they were going to a place that was often mentioned as a graveyard for explorers.

No one had ever returned from there.

"…Master, what do you think will happen if we don't return?"

Azura asked.

"I think the government will stop sending anyone to Dead World for many years to come. There will be a lot of pushback by the public to just stop going there.

"…I think they will halt any expedition to the Dead World until the heat is calmed down, but that might last thousands of years.

"If an expedition party with three Immortals can't survive in the Dead World, who could? This might very well be the last-ever expedition, but I doubt it.

"In the future, there can also be greater technical advancement that allows the expedition party to transfer video feed in the mist and beyond, which is currently not possible for some reason."

Amara said.

Below the deck, lying on a hammock, Kiernan looked at the ring on his finger, and the invisible Fen was resting on his stomach.

"A ring? Who is the lucky woman?"

In that moment, Pankratios came to him and asked with a smile.

"Aoi… is her name."

Kiernan said.

"When did you get married?"

"A few days ago. This expedition might last a while, so I wanted to do it before leaving."

Kiernan said.

"…I am sorry for forcing you to leave like that. I know you'd rather be anywhere else than here, but we do need you."

Pankratios said.

"I know what is required of me, and I also want to see Dead World with my own eyes. The timing could be worse too."

Kiernan said.

The expedition could be during his newborn baby's birth, so he was at least happy that it was before that.

"…Did you know that you actually caused me to get together with Aoi? Maybe I will make you godfather."

Kiernan said with a chuckle.

"Me? Really?"

Pankratios asked in surprise.

"…That Dual Cultivation Stick that you gave me. I did with her."

Kiernan said.

"Ah… Haha!"

Pankratios laughed and scratched the back of his head.

"Is that so? Back in my day I did that with multiple women! It was a good way to increase strength and health, but I guess the times have changed.

"It wasn't all that significant for either party to dual cultivate with each other, and it was just both parties benefitting.

"The newer generation is softer when it comes to that, I suppose."

Pankratios said.

"You don't have anyone in your life?"

Kiernan asked.

"…No, I don't. The life of an Immortal is a lonely existence. You will have to keep watching your loved ones dying while you aren't aging."

Pankratios said with a heavy expression.

"…Hmm."

Kiernan hmm'd thoughtfully.

"I have had old friends who could've become Immortals but abandoned that life because they didn't want to live without their soulmates.

"I respect them doing that."