CHAPTER 628: SURPRISING REUNION

The tournament had come to an end. Humanity emerged as victors over a cruel week of fighting.

In the current moment, everyone was slowly departing from the Black Rock Island, filled with a mix of relief and sorrow.

Immediately after the tournament ended, Beast King Vladimir hopped onto a black cloud and flew away like the Monkey King of the legends.

At the current moment, ships were departing from the island, and in one of the ships, Kiernan leaned against the railing.

The sea was rough—rocking the ship back and forth—and it was making it so that the ship’s hull was scratching against the rocks of the island.

"...You think that the Animal Kingdom will honor the deal and not attack humanity?"

An agent asked Xerxus.

"...We’ve received a report that Animal Kingdom has already pulled back their ships, and no one will follow Beast King Vladimir into a battle.

"I believe Beast King Vladimir will honor the promise, but even if he doesn’t, he won’t have an army backing him."

Xerxus said with his arms crossed over his chest.

The agent nodded, and then he climbed inside the same ship as Kiernan. His job wasn’t quite done yet.

While Kiernan was already Martial King and could hold his own weight in the dangerous World Sea, he still had to bring him back home.

The ship sailed away from the Black Rock Island and took the direct course to New Rakuya.

"..."

The agent leaned his back against the railing and stared sneakily at Kiernan, who had become the overnight hero of humanity.

There was no one who didn’t know about him anymore, and even his children were begging him to get autographs.

"...Young Kiernan, do you mind if you write down a few autographs for my kids? They seem to be... really big fans."

He asked.

"Oh? Sure."

Kiernan said, quite surprised.

While he had already been a semi-celebrity over in New Rakuya and all around the world after the Junior Martial Arts Championship, this was a completely different thing.

He wrote down his name on several sheets of paper and handed them over to the agent, who thanked him wholeheartedly.

The agent would have to listen to his kids whining for weeks if he didn’t get them at least something.

’...This kind of popularity is new to me, even though I was the strongest martial artist on Earth. There weren’t many people that knew of my existence.

’It was only the underground fellows, and they were all scared shitless, so it wasn’t like they were asking for autographs.’

"An enemy ship on the horizon!"

The ship’s captain shouted, and the bright lights from the vessel shone over to the distance. A ship was heading their way.

It had a flag in the mast. A pirate flag.

"Pirates?"

The agent squinted his eyes and pulled out his hands from his pockets.

’...Pirates? There is no way they would be unaware of the tournament happening over in the Black Rock Island.

’They knew we would be here, so they are coming at us intentionally. How brave of them, especially knowing that there are immortals nearby.’

Kiernan walked to the front of the ship and looked over.

With his amplified eyesight, he was able to see the people on the board, and he wryly smiled as he recognized a few.

"There is no danger. I know them."

"You know them? Pirates? They’re trustworthy?"

The agent asked.

"Trustworthy? No, but they wouldn’t dare to do anything."

Kiernan said.

The agent nodded, listened to the young hero of humanity, and slightly eased his guard, but he was ready to protect him at a moment’s notice.

The ship with silver sails came next to them, and the pirates on board all looked at Kiernan with mixed expressions.

It wasn’t long ago that this young man was just a cabin boy on their ship, and now he was as strong as their captain.

"...Kiernan Hunter, or should I call you Tobias Reiner? I am still trying to figure that out, haha."

Ambrose, the captain of the Silver Hunt Pirates, said with a smirk.

"Well, well, captain of the Silver Hunt Pirates. How brave of you to come here, especially knowing that the ex-Fleet Admiral of the Navy is still nearby."

Kiernan said.

A pretty woman, with a very gothic feel to her, stood beside Ambrose with her arms crossed below her chest, the same old cold look in her face.

Wren blinked her eyes, looked at Kiernan with a very deep look, and wondered how it was possible for someone to change so much.

It had already been a year and a half since the last time they met, and Kiernan had already transformed into a completely different beast.

’...He has a past with these pirates? I thought he was sheltered talent of New Rakuya, but I suppose I was mistaken.

’However, to become a talent as great as him, he definitely had to encounter some dangers during his training.’

The agent thought.

"...I just came to see you and congratulate you for your victory. It was indeed very amazing. I thought war would be imminent.

"If that war had come to be, the new Great Age of the Pirates would’ve started over in the World Sea, and the navy would’ve been overwhelmed.

"What a shame, truly; it would’ve been quite a sight."

Ambrose said.

"...What a shame indeed."

Kiernan squinted his eyes.

"...Well, see you later, I hope. I can already tell that Mister Fleet Admiral’s aura is heading in our way. I’d rather not get sent to the gallows today, so goodbye."

With that, the Silver Hunt pirate ship turned around and sailed away.

Kiernan’s ship went in a different direction. They met with Xerxus’ ship a distance away, who came to check on them, and they said they were alright.

After that brief encounter, Kiernan’s ship took off towards New Rakuya.

’...The tournament is over. I guess I’ll graduate from school for now, but after that, what should I do? I need to keep pushing myself, as I am now Martial King.

’I’ll need to find stronger opponents, and eventually... Maybe I will take a visit to the Dead World.’