The first light of dawn pierced through the old treetops surrounding the village.
Crows circled in the pale morning sky, heralding the start of a new day... and a crucial judgment to come.
Villagers gathered at the central square—a wide dirt clearing often used to settle matters of importance.
At the front stood the elder, the village's de facto leader.
His eyes were sharp with doubt and caution.
Beside him were several burly men—those known as the strongest fighters in the village.
Joseph Leifvogger—though still Ek in his heart—walked barefoot across the dry earth, gaze sweeping over the people gathered.
This was his trial.
If he wanted the right to lead them into a new future, he would first have to earn it.
"You claim you can lead us," the elder said loudly. "Yet you've proven nothing. Fine then! Defeat all of our warriors—one by one!"
The crowd murmured.
Some looked at Joseph with mockery, others with quiet pity.
But Joseph simply smiled and nodded.
"As your custom demands… I accept."
His voice was calm, yet firm enough to make even the elder furrow his brow.
---
The challenge began.
The first man stepped forward—a muscular farmer, his skin burnt from years of fieldwork.
Without hesitation, he charged.
One punch.
Joseph's right fist shot upward, striking the man's chin with a crack.
The man collapsed instantly, unconscious.
The crowd gasped in stunned silence before erupting in whispers of disbelief.
The second and third fighters followed quickly.
One was thick-bodied with crushing power.
Another, a nimble hunter with a spinning kick.
But all fell the same way—defeated with a single blow from Joseph.
---
The final opponent: "The Shadow."
The village's most feared fighter.
Lean and silent, his movements flowed like a predator in the wild.
"You won't beat me with one punch, stranger," he said coldly.
Then, without warning, he lunged.
Joseph barely raised his guard in time.
WHAM!
The impact numbed Joseph's forearm, knocking him back half a step.
"...This guy's no joke!"
Joseph grit his teeth and raised his stance.
Shadow launched a relentless assault—low kicks, knees, hooks—no pause to breathe.
Joseph countered with basic Muay Thai: jab-cross, knee strike, leg sweep...
But Shadow read every move.
Joseph's punches could no longer bring him down.
---
A moment of awakening.
"If I keep fighting like this... I'll lose."
As another punch brushed past his face, a whisper echoed in his mind:
> [High-threat situation detected.]
[Unlocking Bloodline Memory: Ancient Muay Thai Art]
A flash—
Visions of ancient warriors danced in his head.
Elbows slicing throats.
Fists piercing hearts.
Knees soaring through the air like weapons of war.
"Destructive-style Muay Thai...?"
His heart raced.
The fighter's blood inside him ignited.
"Let's give it a try!"
---
Turning the tide.
Shadow came in with a straight uppercut.
Joseph ducked low, spun, and drove his elbow into Shadow's ribs.
THUD!
Shadow staggered back three steps, shocked.
Joseph didn't let up.
He rushed in, locked Shadow's waist, and spun.
SLAM!
The earth cracked under the impact.
Shadow lay sprawled, defeated.
Silence.
Children. Elders. Every villager stared in awe.
No one had expected the stranger to defeat the Shadow.
---
Recognition.
Joseph stood silently, catching his breath.
Sweat poured from his body, but his eyes remained steady.
Shadow slowly pushed himself up, laughed, and dropped to one knee.
"You're the real deal," he declared loud enough for all to hear.
The elder stepped forward, bowing his head with respect.
"From this day forward... you are our village chief."
Cheers erupted across the square.
Children ran about in joy, and even the solemn villagers cracked smiles.
The gloomy village felt like it was celebrating a festival.
---
The return of memory.
As the village rejoiced, Joseph stood alone at the edge of the square.
Suddenly, memories surged into his mind—
A majestic palace.
A young man with golden hair in royal garments—
The boy... was him.
"I was a prince..."
"Kidnapped at seventeen..."
"Left in the wild by a caravan..."
Grief, loneliness, and rage burned through him.
Joseph clenched his fists.
"If fate abandoned me... then I'll make my own."
He looked up to the sky,
his eyes burning with reso
lve—and a new dream.
---
This was the true beginning of the Fighter's Village.
One day, it would become the greatest empire the Dark Blue World had ever known.