RISE OF THE MARTIAL GOD

"You don't have to force yourself to do what you detest, come on and eat. Your brother left some packages for you. I will hand them over after breakfast." She whispered and led the way to the dining room.

Anthony had barely eaten a few bites when Rona showed up after receiving summons from one of the maids.

"What's he doing here? Get lost immediately!" She screamed, hurling the plate nearest to her at him with so much precision. Anthony moved at lightning speed, quickly avoiding it.

"Rona! What's the meaning of this? Why are you interrupting your brother's meal?" Joyce shouted in exasperation, slapping her palm on the table.

"He should get out so I can eat. How can I have an appetite while staring at his disgusting white face that looks like that of a gigolo?" She whined, rushing towards Anthony.

"Chill, girl. I'm leaving on my own." Anthony whispered and smiled at her. Rona who planned to drag Anthony off the dining and humiliate him went speechless when he dropped his cutleries and stood up, leaving the table for her.

"Anthony, come back here." Joyce shouted, rushing to him.

"It's okay mom, she's just an immature kid, I don't mind it. Where's the package Kaiser left?" Anthony asked, stopping before the door. Her mom sighed, walked to a table, and pulled out a huge paper box from underneath it.

"Inside are food items, armor, and spiritual tools that will help you fight the monsters." Joyce whispered with a smile and opened it. At once, the smile on her face froze.

"Ah? Where did all the spiritual tools, talismans, weapons, armors and teleportation spell bracelet go to?" Joyce whispered in shock, rummaging through the packed food items. She gasped in horror and turned to Rona.

"You didn't take them, did you?"

Rona smirked and dropped her fork.

"What if I did? All those items were gotten because Kaiser sacrificed his blood and sweat in numerous life threatening missions? Why will he use it to protect himself? He should find his own artefacts, and write the talismans by himself. Besides, hiding those materials in his storage bracelet to protect himself is cheating. Do you think I don't know Kaiser hid an item that would make his consciousness appear to help this waste whenever he's in trouble? If he wants to be the heir, he should go get it with his own capability. After all, it's not as if he's the first person that will be going there to train. If he dies, it means he was unworthy all along." Rona whispered nonchalantly, tearing off the chicken drumstick before him. Anthony's eyes widened in surprise, not expecting that her hatred and gullibility had escalated to the level where she wanted him dead alongside their cousins.

"Have you gone crazy? Do you want to your brother to die there? Why did you hide the items meant to keep him safe and secure a fighting chance for him? Are you trying to kill him?" Joyce screamed in anger and stood up to face Rona.

"Madam, the envoys are here." A maid announced, making her stop in her tracks. Joyce immediately rushed to Rona, panicking.

"My good girl, please quickly bring it out. I'm willing to exchange it with any gift you like." She whispered, holding Rona's hands.

"Unfortunately, I can't provide them even if I wanted to because they're no longer in our mansion. Besides, I don't want to. If he wants to prove himself, he should do it with his own abilities. I was merciful enough to leave all that food for him." She replied nonchalantly, making Joyce's heart drop.

Before Joyce could speak further, Anthony touched her slightly and smiled at her.

"Mom, Rona is right, I should do it using my own abilities. I will definitely return, with or without the items, trust me mom."

"You don't understand, it's nothing like ghost island. Wait…"

Anthony didn't wait for her to speak further before he left, stopping briefly beside the paper bag to sweep the food items into his storage ring. Rona's actions had made him incredibly angry, and he was determined more than ever to return safely.

He met two men at the terrace who looked like they were his age. There was a powerful aura surrounding them and he recalled meeting them at the ancestral hall.

"Let's go." He whispered and entered the car, ignoring the smirks on their faces.

The both of them entered the front seat, and the one driving quickly revved up the engine.

Anthony looked out the window and saw his mom standing on the terrace. Her fists were clenched with a complicated expression on her face. However, she stood tall and unwavering, like a woman who had weathered every storm there was to see.

****

It didn't take long for Anthony to realize they were going in the wrong direction. Kaiser had described the road to the city of king's portal to him, and this was not it. He frowned and brought out the map to the portal, comparing it to the sceneries around him. Where as the road to the city of kings had different buildings where the clan's members go for training, alongside protected forest grounds, this place was deserted. It was still part of the clan but Anthony could see numerous powerful formations, check points, and barriers along the desert road. It got to a point where it became only the desert with a few powerful monsters who were forced out of the way by the blares from the car's special repelling formations.

"Hey, bro. This is not the road to the city of kings. Where's this place?" Anthony suddenly asked, leaning closer to the front seat.

"How long have you been here? What do you know? Who are you to even boss us around? This is where grandfather and the elder council instructed us to take you to." The driver answered rudely.

Before Anthony could retort, the one on the passenger seat smiled and turned to him.

"This is another road to the training ground. It makes sense you don't recognize this place since you just returned a while ago. We are almost there."

Anthony frowned and kept silent. Soon, they arrived before a mighty arena filled with frightening sculptures. The two men walked to an elevated platform that looked like an altar, with a door in the middle, and began to set down numerous items which was giving off powerful spiritual energy, while drawing complicated patterns, and chanting strange words.

"Climb, now!" One of them shouted, but Anthony remained rooted to the ground, examining the environment with a huge frown on his face. Something was amiss, and he could feel it.

"This is not the portal to city of kings, where's this place?" He shouted, getting ready to fight them. Ten masked people suddenly appeared behind him and attacked him at once, throwing him to the altar.

"You're right, this is not the city of kings. This is the portal to the perilous lands, and no one has ever returned alive since the beginning of its existence. Good luck on your journey to hell." One of them shouted, making the other eleven laugh loudly.

"Are you sure he's gonna make it to hell's portal? The numerous hungry monsters and entities that escaped from hell will be eager to enjoy his useless bum. Hahahaha."

"Hey idiot! If you want to blame anyone, blame your arrogant brother who thinks he's the ruler of the world! I would like to see his face when he sees that you still died despite his efforts to protect you. Enjoy your miserable death!" One of the people wearing masks shouted and sent a blast of energy to the altar, which then blew Anthony into the stone door.

At once, red light got emitted around the altar.

"Enjoy the perilous lands, don't bother trying to return because we will be sealing the portal now, and you won't be able to activate it with your miserly strength. Go and die a miserable death!" He heard a voice roar as the darkness consumed him.