Chapter 724: At The Start Of It All
724 At The Start Of It All
Some of the Dark Faction leaders didn't really know what happened that day, while others had more vivid memories that would be kept with them for as long as they could remember.
The devastating power that Murkel, the leader of the Erupting Fist Clan, and also Principal and head of the Dark Faction possessed. There were no complaints from any of the members, it was impossible for them to complain unless they were willing to give their life up for it.
So on that fateful day, at the abandoned temple, each of them bowed down on their knees and pledged loyalty to him. There were those that had done so with different things in mind.
Gavin had done it out of fear for his life, Crine had done it believing that a new wave was now going to lead the Dark Faction, that they would come out on top of everyone after such time had passed.
The others would have felt this way as well, but they had mixed feelings because of who Murkel was, he wasn't exactly like them, he was a hybrid, which meant he was partly non-human as well.
"I have to ask!" Feebie said, as she lifted her head, "Now that we have sworn loyalty to you and to help you be part of this change in the world. When did this happen? Has the Erupting Pist Clan always been like this... have you always been like this?"
Everyone knew what Feebie was referring to, and some thought that she might have lost her life for just asking, but Murkel remained calm.
"My story has been an interesting one, and it's only right that I share it with you all." Murkel answered.
The first interesting part of Murkel's story was the fact that it started hundreds of years ago. The faction, with the current setup of clans, only existed in the last two hundred years or so, but the clans themselves existed far longer than that.
Before it was just clans of Pagna warriors claiming to be the strongest here and there, and it was only later that the famous Noctis Clan had come around and formed the Dark Faction, the last of the three factions to form.
They wondered though, why was Murkel starting his story from here, why from a time when even the current heads themselves didn't exist?
Murkel started his story at the Erupting Fist Clan base. A base that was located deep in a forest, in a large field stone area that had been crafted from an old fishing village that was located near a river.
They weren't the biggest clan back then, but then again, the scope of where things were with other clans was almost non-existent.
That's when he added, and Murkel himself was there, a young student at around the age of 25 years old. Back then, the Erupting Fist Clan wasn't very big, and due to his talents, he had pretty much already been selected as the next head of the Clan despite his young age, but it just went to show how talented he was.
In the world of Pagna though, Murkel had quickly learned that his talent didn't mean much. One
day, Murkel was training the next set of students. The Pagna academy hadn't existed and clans just trained students themselves.
There had yet to be the faction that had come into place. However, there were a few things that had spread in the continent of Pagna. One of them were tales of portals that were opening up.
Some claimed on the other side of the portals were other worlds, other dimensions. They had been appearing for years and were simply rumors but gradually they were turning into full-fledged stories.
Some stated that beasts had appeared out of them, while others said that if one went through these portals they could obtain great treasures that increased one's strength.
As for another rumor, it was of a wanderer that was going from clan to clan, facing the best of the best that were currently present, and that day as Murkel was training the students, they had a visitor enter from outside.
Murkel remembered the visitor well as he came through the door, a man that looked to be in his fifties, maybe even older. He had a well-built body, but it was his clothing that stood out.
It wasn't a simple cloth like they had in Pagna, instead, he was wearing a robe that fluttered down cleanly on his body, and went over his head. Pulling it down, his long black straight hair was revealed, untied, unusual for a warrior.
"I hear there is a talented individual from the Erupting Fist Clan, I have come here to face the strongest." The man stated.
The current Elder wasn't present, nor was the Clan Head. They had gone for a meeting with the nice outlying clans, but if Murkel was honest with himself, he would consider himself stronger than the others.
Even though he was at the starting stages of a middle stage warrior, unheard of for someone his age, he believed his skills and quick thinking would allow him to beat even those higher staged than him.
One of the few rarities and exceptions in the world. A person who truly understood how Dark Qi worked.
"Stranger, what clan do you come from, to be able to so brazenly barge in and challenge our clan like this?" Murkel asked.
"Clan... I guess I have no clan." The man answered. "I am just a wanderer who is going from place to place."
When hearing this, Murkel had a good idea that this man was perhaps the wanderer that people were talking about. The wanderer that was besting clan heads. What was surprising was that the stories they heard, at times the wanderer would lose challenges, but he would come back rather quickly and when he did, he would beat them, and move on from there. Continually improving his craft.
"I am willing to fight you, but I want to know something." Murkel said as he told the students to clear the way and step to the side of the room. "What is your goal in all of this?"
The mysterious man drew his sword out.
"Goal... I guess for now I just want to explore this world, and see what it has to offer. I have decided to try and create my own art, you see I'm quite a competitive person, so I am trying to
create the best type of martial art there is out there, one that can't be beaten.
"Interesting" Murkel replied. "And what is the name of your art?"
"The Dark Edge Sword Arts" The mysterious man replied.
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