The teleportation light finally disappeared.
One after another, Sahara, Mizuna, Raika, Kaguya, and Airi Kazehana arrived at the main healing camp.
For a few seconds, nobody spoke.
They had all returned from their respective battles.
But the atmosphere wasn't exactly peaceful.
Across the camp, Chenwei and Yuna were already there, both recovering from their battles. Chenwei was wrapped in bandages, sitting on a medical bed with an exhausted expression.
Yuna stood beside him, looking equally tired.
Leo, meanwhile, had absolutely no reason to sit down.
His body had already been restored by the mysterious black power sealed inside him.
Leo stretched his arms.
Leo: "Ahh... I'm perfectly fine."
Chenwei slowly turned his head.
Chenwei: "Perfectly fine?"
Leo nodded.
Leo: "Yep."
Chenwei stared at him.
Then at his own bandages.
Then back at Leo.
Chenwei: "I hate you."
Leo blinked.
Leo: "Why?"
Chenwei suddenly stood up.
Yuna: "Chenwei, wait—your injuries!"
Too late.
Chenwei marched straight toward Leo.
He grabbed Leo by the collar.
Chenwei: "YOU!"
Leo's eyes widened.
Leo: "Whoa! What's happening?!"
Chenwei: "How could you send me to that place?!"
Leo: "Which place?"
Chenwei: "THUNDER TEMPLE!"
Leo looked away.
Leo: "...Ah."
Chenwei shook him.
Chenwei: "You sent me against a freaking Thunder Goddess! Her entire battlefield was basically lightning!"
Leo raised both hands.
Leo: "Technically, I didn't know she'd have that much lightning."
Chenwei: "THAT IS THE WORST DEFENSE YOU COULD HAVE GIVEN!"
Yuna covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.
Nearby, Raika folded her arms.
Raika: "To be fair, he survived."
Chenwei slowly turned toward her.
Chenwei: "You nearly turned me into charcoal."
Raika smiled awkwardly.
Raika: "...Sorry."
Chenwei pointed at Leo again.
Chenwei: "And you! You sent me there!"
Leo sighed.
Leo: "Okay, okay. I'm sorry."
Then something unexpected happened.
The others gathered around Leo.
Lily stepped forward.
Yuna stood beside Chenwei.
Sahara lowered her head.
Raika scratched the back of her head.
Airi looked unusually serious.
Kaguya simply crossed her arms.
Even Mizuna stood with them.
Together, they looked at Leo.
Everyone: "We're sorry."
Leo froze.
Leo: "...What?"
Chenwei released his collar.
Chenwei: "We were angry because you sent us into battles where the Guardians had ridiculous advantages."
Yuna nodded.
Yuna: "But you were trying to save everyone."
Sahara lowered her head further.
Sahara: "I'm sorry too, Leo."
Raika sighed.
Raika: "Yeah. I was under the Demon Queen's control."
Airi raised one hand.
Airi: "Same here."
Kaguya remained silent for a moment before finally speaking.
Kaguya: "I was your enemy. Yet you still saved me."
Leo looked at all of them.
Then Lily stepped forward.
Lily: "You don't need to apologize."
Everyone looked at her.
Lily smiled.
Lily: "What matters is that you're all back."
Leo nodded.
Leo: "Exactly."
Chenwei immediately pointed at him.
Chenwei: "Still blaming you for Thunder Temple."
Leo sighed.
Leo: "I knew you were going to say that."
A small laugh spread through the camp.
For one brief moment...
It almost felt like everything was going to be okay.
Then—
"WAIT!"
A messenger came running into the camp.
He was completely out of breath.
Messenger: "Leo! Everyone! We have an emergency!"
The laughter disappeared instantly.
Leo's expression became serious.
Leo: "What happened?"
The messenger struggled to catch his breath.
Messenger: "Poison Girl... and Mei Lian..."
Everyone froze.
Messenger: "They're both on the battlefield. They're critically injured. They're barely holding on."
Renge's expression changed immediately.
Renge: "Shion..."
Chenwei's face went pale.
Chenwei: "Mom..."
Leo stepped forward.
Leo: "Take us there. Now."
The messenger nodded.
A teleportation circle appeared beneath them.
And in an instant—
They vanished.
---
Far away from the healing camp...
The battlefield had become almost unrecognizable.
The ground was shattered.
Smoke covered the horizon.
The enormous Black Hell Dragon stood in the distance, its massive body casting a shadow over the battlefield.
And sitting calmly on its back...
Was the Demon Queen.
She looked down at the battlefield.
Her expression was almost emotionless.
Below her stood two figures.
Actually...
They could barely stand.
Shion Kisaragi, the Poison Girl, was down on one knee.
Her massive sword had fallen beside her.
Her breathing was weak.
Beside her was Mei Lian.
Her combat suit was damaged, her sniper weapon lying nearby.
She struggled to remain conscious.
Mei Lian looked toward the Demon Queen.
Mei Lian: "Damn it..."
She clenched her fist.
Mei Lian: "I couldn't stop her..."
Behind Mei Lian appeared the spiritual form of her Eagle Spirit Beast.
Its enormous wings spread through the smoke.
The creature looked exhausted.
Shion's Spirit Beast appeared beside her as well.
A terrifying poisonous creature surrounded by a dark green spiritual aura.
Its inspiration came from one of Earth's most infamous poisonous animals—the golden poison frog, famous for carrying extremely potent toxins.
But this was no ordinary frog.
This was Shion's ultimate poisonous Spirit Beast.
Its spiritual poison was powerful enough to corrode the energy surrounding even a Demi-God.
And yet...
Even that wasn't enough.
The Demon Queen simply looked down at them.
Demon Queen: "Still resisting?"
Shion slowly raised her head.
Shion: "I'm not..."
She gripped the ground.
Shion: "...done yet."
The Demon Queen smiled.
Demon Queen: "How admirable."
But then the scene shifted.
Above the battlefield stood the enormous ancient gate.
And lying upon it...
Was Renge Akihana.
He had not moved.
His body remained completely still.
His eyes were closed.
No reaction.
No movement.
Nothing.
And near the gate...
Was Kaito Jin.
The mysterious Mask Man leader had seemingly fallen completely silent.
His body remained motionless after the devastating attack he had received.
His chest bore the unmistakable sign of the severe wound that had struck him.
There was no movement.
No response.
It looked as though Kaito Jin...
Was truly dead.
The battlefield fell silent for a moment.
Then—
A teleportation light appeared.
BOOM!
Leo and the others arrived.
Leo immediately looked toward the battlefield.
His expression changed.
Chenwei saw Mei Lian.
Renge saw Shion.
And Mizuna...
Looked toward the injured Martial Artist General.
He was barely conscious.
Mizuna's face instantly became red.
She quickly looked away.
Mizuna: "H-He is..."
Raika noticed.
Raika: "Mizuna?"
Mizuna became even more embarrassed.
Mizuna: "N-Nothing!"
Raika stared at her.
Then glanced toward the General.
Then back at Mizuna.
A tiny smile appeared on her face.
Raika: "Oh."
Mizuna: "Don't say anything!"
Raika's smile became wider.
Raika: "I didn't say anything."
Mizuna hid her face behind her bangs.
Even in the middle of the final battlefield...
Somehow...
A new feeling had begun to grow inside her.
And she couldn't hide it anymore.
Leo looked toward the Demon Queen.
The Demon Queen looked back.
She remained seated upon the gigantic Black Hell Dragon.
Around them stood the ruined battlefield...
The wounded warriors...
The exhausted Guardians...
The unconscious Renge...
And the seemingly lifeless Kaito Jin.
Leo tightened his fist.
The final battle had not ended.
In fact...
It was only getting worse.
To Be Continued..
Author Note
Guys...
What am I even supposed to say? 😂
I started writing tonight at 1 AM, and now it's technically around 6 AM. I literally just finished writing and posting all the chapters.
My brain is completely exhausted. 💀
So please...
ENJOY THE CHAPTERS! ❤️
And seriously, thank you so much for 100K views.
I know I've already said this twice before. 😂
I KNOW.
But honestly, I don't think I can express how happy I am properly.
No matter how many times I say "Thank you for 100K," it still feels like it's not enough.
You guys mean a lot to me.
And sometimes I imagine something...
Maybe someday I'll walk down a street wearing the mask and logo from my MK Notes profile picture, and someone will suddenly recognize me.
Someone might say:
> "Wait... Is that MK?"
And then:
> "THE WRITER?!"
Honestly...
I think I'd cry.
Just knowing that people actually recognize me because of the stories I created would probably be one of the happiest moments of my life.
And if someday people actually came up to me and asked for a picture with me...
Yeah.
I'd probably be trying my hardest not to cry. 😂
Because you guys aren't just numbers on a screen to me.
You are the reason these characters exist.
And who knows?
Maybe someday World Martial Art becomes a manga.
Maybe someday it becomes an anime.
Maybe someday there's an actual studio announcement saying that World Martial Art has been selected for an adaptation or collaboration.
If that day ever comes...
I'm giving you guys permission to demand whatever fan service you want. 😂
Just tell me what you want to see.
You guys watched this story grow with me all the way from Volume 1, through Volume 2, and now we're getting closer and closer to Volume 3.
So when that day comes...
I want you guys to be there.
For now, though—
Thank you.
Thank you for 100K. ❤️
Now I'm going to sleep before my brain completely stops working. 💀😂
— MK