Unfortunate Hero's Retirement Life

Musashi Clan Training Ground, Core Region

Musashi Naizen was doing seiza with his eyes closed. He was doing meditation, calming his mind and heart. It was his habit before he went out to fight. (A/N: Seiza is a formal standard traditional way sitting in Japan)

Tap! Tap! Tap!

Footsteps were heard and the steps came closer to Musashi Naizen. Musashi Naizen did not open his eyes as he knew who was coming.

"Do you really have to join that useless fight?" The deep voice resounded in the quiet room. It was Musashi Kenzan's voice.

Musashi Kenzan opposed his son to participate in the Fighter Anteriority. He did not want his son to spend his time in a useless fight. He would rather his son use this time for training.

"I must… I must participate in this fight. This is no longer a normal competition, Father! It's not like you don't know the reason for my participation! This is no longer a competition but…"

Musashi Kenzan cut him off, "I know! Those bastards want to do something. They even proposed an assembly on the last day of Fighter Anteriority!"

"They" in Musashi Kenzan's words were the Ranker Alliance. He detected this Ranker Alliance wanted to do something in Fighter Anteriority.

It proved with the fact that seven Legendary Rankers and twenty Crown Rankers participated in the Fighter Anteriority was a show off their strength.

The reason why Musashi Naizen participated in the competition was to prevent the Rankers from dominating the competition. If that happened, it would make the hero's image plummeted down before the citizen.

Musashi Naizen joined the competition for this reason. He did not want the people to think that the hero was weaker than the ranker. He did not want people to lose their trust in the hero.

"Moreover, I have another reason to participate. My brother also participates in the competition. I want to have a rematch against him!" Musashi Naizen opened his eyes and turned toward his father.

When Naizen mentioned his brother, a frown appeared on Musashi Kenzan's forehead.

*** ***

256 heroes and rankers were registered to fight in the main event. The number of participants increased at the end of the day before the Hero League closed the registration.

Five Emperor Class Heroes from three big cities participated in the competition. Aside from the Five Emperor Class Heroes, seven Legendary Class Rankers and twenty Crown Class Rankers also participated.

Four Legendary Class Rankers were bankers from Star City.

This was the main reason why people were excited about this year's Fighter Anteriority. They were excited about the clash between the Emperor Class Hero and the Legendary Class Ranker.

Additionally, Sun Zhou Yi's appearance in the Fighter Anteriority was one of the most awaited shows to watch. His fame was no less to Emperor Class Hero.

Heero and his family booked the same spot when they watched the Junior Event. It was just that Kang Seo-Yeon, Bai Xin Yue, Sun Zhou Yi, and Musashi Hirata were not him.

Kang Dong-Woo and Xu Lingxun were with him, along with the other kids. He sat and scanned the surroundings, the atmosphere was different from the Junior Event.

He felt the atmosphere was more lively and wild compared to the beforehand event. Even so, Heero could hear the people around him talking about the Junior Event while waiting for the main event started.

They were talking about the fight between Kang Dong-Woo and Xu Lingxun. It seemed the two boys managed to leave a deep impression on the spectators, causing Heero to sigh.

He looked at the two boys that were seated two seats away from him. Kang Dong-Woo and Xu Lingxun must be hearing the discussion as they lowered their heads.

If it was the other Masters, they would be proud of their disciples for the fight, but not for Heero. Though he was no longer angry, he was worried about Xu Lingxun's safety.

Ding!

Just like the sound of the bell, it resounded through the arena, and the spectators quieted down. Everyone's eyes were focusing on the big screen, the first match for the main event.

[Kang Seo-Yeon (No.56) vs Darrius (No.203)]

Hoya!!!

The whole arena as the cheers rang. Even the kids were affected by the cheers. Even Hong Yu and Han Ying were affected as both immediately held his hand.

Then, Kang Seo-Yeon entered the arena and the arena shook once again as the girl waved her hand.

However, soon the spectators noticed Kang Seo-Yeon's outfit. It was the same martial clothes as the champion of the Junior Event and Free Fighter.

"Look at her martial clothes! Is not that Heero Academy's martial clothes!" A man that was seated near Heero shouted while pointing his finger at the screen.

On the screen, with her warm smile, Kang Seo-Yeon climbed up the stage. She let loose her long red hair, wearing black martial clothes, and on her back was written "Heero Academy" in deep orange.

She has a red bow in her right hand and a quiver filled with arrows on her waist. There were additionally two short swords hung on her waist.

The whole arena turned uproar upon noticing Kang Seo-Yeon was part of Heero Academy. A phenomenal academy that causes sensation during the Fighter Anteriority.

Kang Seo-Yeon smiled charmingly as she successfully achieved her first purpose of participating in Fighter Anteriority. Her charming smile brought a massive wave of cheers.

The cheer somehow intimidated her opponent. Darrius was a man in his 30s, his ginger red hair and amber eyes told the people he was not a local of Star City.

Using protective gear provided and holding a 1.2 m steel spear in his right hand, Darrius flinched at the massive cheers.

'Even though I get lucky and win the match, I might die afterward… What shitty luck!' Darrius thought to himself as he looked at the scary crowd that cheered for the beautiful girl before him.

Coming from Moon City, he was trying his luck by participating in the Fighter Anteriority. Getting to the top 128 might bring a positive effect to his rank as a ranker.

But the lady luck was not on his side when he saw the opponent's number, No.56.

'Nah, let's try my best…'

The referee looked at Kang Seo-Yeon before turning toward Darrius. The referee was a white long-haired old man. He was the former Emperor Class Hero who retired ten years ago, Long Bin.

Despite his class, Long Bin was one of the unique ones amongst the Emperor Class Heroes. It was that he was not affiliated with any big forces. That was why he was appointed as a referee for the competition. He was also part of The Elder.

Holding a steel staff in his right hand, Long Bin nodded to the two participants. Both returned with a nod as well.

Bam!

Long Bin slammed his staff to the ground, an indication the match was started.

Darrius raised his spear. His opponent was an archer. If he wanted to win, he had to close the gap, not giving his opponent a chance to shoot the arrow.

He raised his head and was shocked by what he saw. Threw arrows flew toward him. From the distance, he realized he had to block the arrow. The three arrows were already two meters away from him.

Clang! Clang!

With his quick response, Darrius managed to deflect two arrows, but he missed the last arrow.

Slurgh!

Urgh!

He let out a pained groan at the same time the last arrow pierced through his protective and stuck on his thigh.

Darrius did not bother with the arrow on his thigh as he immediately tried to find his opponent. The second time he raised his head, he was surprised because the woman archer rushed toward him.

She thought his opponent would use this chance to rain him down with arrows, but the red-haired beauty made an unexpected move. She was shortening the distance between them.

From the thirty meters distance, now their distance was only ten meters apart.

Darrius gritted his teeth and muttered, "There's still a chance for me if she comes into my spear's range!"

But he despaired as Kang Seo-Yeon shot five consecutive arrows in less than three seconds the moment their distance was eight meters apart.

The five arrows were fast and it flew toward his chest, all the five arrows. Stunned, Darrius failed to make a move to block the incoming arrows.

'I will die here…' Darrius despaired, but then the white-haired old man appeared in front of him. The old man spun his staff with his right hand, deflecting all five arrows that were impossible to block by Darrius.

At the same time, the white-haired old man announced the winner, "Kang Seo-Yeon won!"

The white-haired old man nodded his head toward Kang Seo-Yeon and muttered, "As expected of Old Man Kang's granddaughter!"

Kang Seo-Yeon immediately raised her bow up to the air, celebrating her victory with a charming smile plastering on her face.

The whole arena immediately booming in cheers and just like that, the main event of Fighter Anteriority started with Kang Seo-Yeon's victory.