Martial Arts Worlds

Ring~

Kiernan covered his ears with a pained expression as his ears started ringing as if something exploded right next to his ears.

"Calm down, mom! You're Martial Legend, and if you shout like that, you might destroy my eardrums!"

"I-I can't believe what you've done. How did I raise such a foolish son?"

Bella stared at her son in anger.

"You didn't raise me, remember?"

Kiernan looked at her meaningfully.

"…"

Bella turned silent, and they sat silently in the bed, both awkwardly avoiding eye contact and fidgeting their fingers.

"How did you and she meet?"

She cleared her throat and asked gently.

"In a small town called Dusk Town. I just happened to be passing by and came across a dojo. I did some training there for a while, and she was the granddaughter of the master of the dojo.

"We… participated in Dual Cultivation."

Kiernan said.

"You… what?"

Bella's eyes widened in shock.

"I know—Dual Cultivation is frowned upon, and while it isn't specifically illegal, it's highly discouraged because it is currently associated with evil.

"It was her idea, actually, to do it with me. I didn't mind, and with that, I was able to ascend to Martial Master, and it also helped her."

Kiernan said.

"But then it became something deeper?"

Bella asked.

"I take pride in the fact that I can read people well—she… looked at me in a way that made it clear that the experience meant much more to her.

"I don't know. I might also be tripping, and it meant nothing to her, but I don't know. When I saw her look, I also started to feel something.

"I left the next day."

Kiernan laid down on the bed, put his arm under his head, and sighed heavily.

"Does she have a way to contact you, and if she does, has she?"

Bella asked softly while looking at her son, eyes brimming with concern. She clearly saw how much the situation bothered him, and it made her sad.

"No… She wanted us to exchange phone numbers, but I said it was a bad thing. Y'know, her grandfather could find out, and if he found out what we did, I doubt it would go well."

Kiernan said with a sigh.

"Why did you leave if you didn't want to? You do have responsibilities in New Rakuya, but you still have time before the next school semester."

Bella asked and softly caressed her son's black hair, which felt very smooth and soft to the touch, as if he had taken great care of it.

He, himself, hadn't cared one bit about his hair, but with the help of Charm Stat, it was always flawless and perfect, as was his skin.

"I did not want anything deeper. I am eighteen years old, with my whole life ahead of me, and if I let go of the acceleration, the Age of Growth will be over before I know it.

"I want to be the absolute best."

Bella looked into his ears and smiled softly, twirling his hair around her fingers, and was very happy that he took martial arts so seriously.

She believed that he would be capable of greatness, which was why she had already started the preparations for the inevitable ascension.

"I love that you are taking it seriously, and you should—outside distractions are not worth sacrificing your focus and dedication."

She said.

Kiernan looked into her loving eyes and asked.

"So I made the correct decision?"

"Is she outside distraction, though? It looks like she has taken a place in your heart, and if you abandon your heart, you will abandon your martial arts.

"Your soul and heart go hand-in-hand. Without them coexisting, your martial arts will suffer. Thus, some are living in seclusion at the earliest convenience so they wouldn't let anyone enter their heart and jeopardize their martial arts skills.

"However, they've forgotten one fundamental part about us mortals—what is the point of becoming strong if you cannot share it with anyone else?

"You'd rather live alone, in all your loneliness? I've met some extremely powerful beings who went that route, and they're miserable. Trust me, you don't want to end up like them."

Bella said gently.

"…"

Kiernan choked on the words he was about to utter, as that was exactly what happened to him back on Earth.

He walked a lonely road, with no one to share the burden of his pain, and while that path led to him being the strongest, it also led him to being the loneliest person in the world.

"Can I do both, though? Become the strongest, and also find happiness? That doesn't sound like a possibility, as in the journey to becoming the strongest, you always lose something."

Kiernan asked.

"I can't answer that question, dear. Your life is all in your hands, and once you become the strongest, there will be people wanting to drag you down.

"They'll use every possible weakness to weaponize against you. You understand what I am trying to say, don't you?"

Bella said, and lay down next to him, caressing his face with a tender touch of motherly love, trying to engrave every bit of him in her memory before it was too late.

She wasn't sure when the next time they would meet would be, and that's why she didn't want to forget anything about him.

"I am glad I came to talk to you, mother."

Kiernan sat back up, and with his instincts activated, he saw that the whole Abracadabra Castle was shaded red.

It meant that extreme danger was near him.

"I should get going."

"What did you decide?"

Bella stood up and placed a hand on Kiernan's shoulder.

Kiernan turned to him, looked into her fair hand, and saw a ring that sparkled with small diamonds.

"This ring. A wedding ring?"

He asked.

"Yes… my mother's."

Bella said with a smile and looked at it fondly.

"May I have it?"

Kiernan asked.

"What?"

Bella looked at him with wide eyes but then smiled sweetly and slipped it off her finger before handing it over to him.

"Thank you."

Kiernan leaned to her and planted a soft kiss on his mother's cheek, which made her smile even more brightly, and gave him a farewell hug.

He pocketed the diamond-encrusted ring and approached the window.

"By the way, son. Your time in the Game was beaten just today. Thought I should let you know."

Bella said with a smile.

"Oh?"

Kiernan smirked and waved goodbye before jumping off the windowsill, disappearing into the night.