Chapter 5: Awakening the Four Fronts
Aadi returned to the Star Eagle Clan with the Emperor Santa Beat's blood still dried on his spear and his footsteps marked with the weight of survival. The guards at the gate didn't speak. They only moved aside.
Word had already spread. He had done what no one dared. Again.
But Aadi wasn't there for praise.
He had a mission.
---
The Preparation Begins
Over the next few days, Aadi focused on preparing for the journey to the Central Part of Deadland. He knew the path would be long and dangerous. If his team survived, the village had to survive too.
He selected fifty villagers—men and women with heart, even if they lacked experience.
He split them into two groups:
25 stayed behind to defend the clan. Aadi taught them how to fight with unity, build barriers, use traps, and protect the young and old.
The other 25 joined the journey, trained not for combat, but for logistics. They were supply pack runners—responsible for transferring goods, medicine, and communication back to the clan during the expedition.
Aadi's elite group—the original eight warriors and Aarna, the clan leader's daughter—remained close to him. They trained under him daily. And one rule was made clear:
"You move when I say. You strike when I command. No exceptions."
No one questioned it.
---
Journey to the Center
The group began the long march toward the Central Part of Deadland.
It took them weeks, through forests that never slept and deserts that burned even at night. But eventually, they saw it—an enormous open field, with ancient stadium structures forming a ring around a massive tower.
Yet, something felt… wrong.
There was no one there.
Aadi approached a nearby outpost and found some relaxed travelers.
"When's the tournament?" he asked.
An older man laughed. "You're early, boy. Real early."
"How early?"
"Six… maybe seven years early. The tournament happens once a century. And the last one just ended years ago."
The warriors behind Aadi groaned. The younger supply villagers were stunned.
Aarna asked quietly, "What do we do now?"
Aadi didn't hesitate. "We train. We grow. We conquer every corner of this land before the tournament begins."
---
The Four Fronts
Aadi divided the next years into four long campaigns, one for each direction of the Central Deadland.
They would face the deadliest monsters in each terrain and master the nature of each zone.
---
1. The North – Desert Revisit:
The group returned to the deserts to face a new Emperor Santa Beat—stronger, faster, more intelligent than the last. With refined strategy and improved coordination, they destroyed it, but not without cost. Two warriors were nearly lost.
---
2. The South – Ice Realm:
South was frozen wasteland.
Snow wolves ruled this land. Giant beasts with white fur and crimson eyes.
Stage One: Normal wolves — fast, savage, and in packs.
Stage Two: King Wolves — massive, tactical leaders, larger than rhinos.
Stage Three: The Emperor Ice Wolf — an ancient predator with a howl that froze bone.
The final battle lasted two days. The group suffered frostbite, exhaustion, and near-death. But they won.
---
3. The West – The Ocean War:
The sea was alive.
The Ocean Squad, aquatic warriors of deep origin, met them on arrival. Not enemies at first—but competitors. They challenged Aadi's group in tests of strength, agility, and underwater survival.
When a monstrous Kraken-like sea beast emerged, both groups fought side by side.
Respect was earned.
The squad named Aadi an "Honorary Wave Lord."
---
4. The East – Jungle of Giants:
The last region was madness.
Ape-like beasts, gorillas with armor-thick skin and monkey scouts that climbed with impossible speed.
Stage One: Normal tree apes.
Stage Two: King Gorillas — intelligent, coordinated, and brutal.
Stage Three: The Emperor Iron Ape — a titan.
The jungle battle was the worst. The enemy had numbers, terrain advantage, and pure muscle. But Aadi's group had become something else—a force.
Together, they brought it down.
---
The Transformation of Aadi
But Aadi's power wasn't only from training.
Ever since entering this world, something had changed within him.
When he pushed beyond exhaustion, his body didn't break—it adapted.
His cells absorbed natural energy from this world and channeled it into:
Organ enhancement — sharper senses, faster healing, higher endurance.
Muscle evolution — strength grew without bulking, speed increased with precision.
Cognitive acceleration — Aadi's mind processed faster, memorized faster, learned faster.
But unlike others, he didn't rely on the world's magic. He refused it.
His growth was raw. Natural. Something deeper. Something the world hadn't seen before.
---
Six years passed.
The stadiums around the Central Deadland began to stir.
Flags were raised. Camps formed. Powerful clans arrived. The crowd grew.
The Tournament of Dominion was about to begin.
Aadi stood at the top of a cliff, wind whipping through his hair, eyes locked on the arena.
"We've hunted monsters," he said. "We've survived every test. Now it's time to see who really rules this world."
---
Next: Chapter 6 – Entry into the Tournament of?