Book 1 Chapter 2: The political turmoil of Koi

Through the rise and fall of many kingdoms, a certain type of government style was crafted over many millennia.

Kings of course had power through the martial way, but were named kings as they were the greatest of the element they were practioners of through a weapon. Or the weapons they had spilled countless lives over to fuel their ultimate skill.

However, there was a duality to all things. Emperors existed in parallel to these kings, as practioners and cultivators of the pure essences and elements of the world.

To define these in more simple terms, Kings ruled the warriors while Emperors ruled the mages.

Like this, one king existed for each weapon at the peak of training. The Sword Saint King, the Dragon Spear King, The Sun Chasing Archer King, The Saber King, The Indomitable Wall King, and the mysterious Metal Knight King. Each known from first to last for versatility, one hit kill power, accuracy, speed, defense, and strength.

For the emperors that existed, there was the Flame Emperor, Ice Emperor, Mountain Emperor, Sky Emperor, Emperor of the forest, and the mysterious Heavenly Lightning Emperor. Each pertaining from first to last in the elements, Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Nature, and Lightning.

There was also the element of metal, but most deemed The Metal Knight King as the emperor of steel. The reasoning for this was that unlike the other kings he didn't stand in the politics or war of people. The same went for the Emperor of Steel. With the common phrase, "Well you never see them in the same room together" even amongst the most powerful in the world, it was heavily assumed they were on in the same. As for the mysterious Heavenly Lightning Emperor, he too didn't dwell on politics and thus a balance was made between the sides, of 5 rulers each.

Yet, another two sides were formed in the world of darkness and light. Neither King nor Emperor of people, but two sides of religion.

The Dark Pope, and the Light pope.

At first most would assume that the Light pope was the nice one, with the Dark Pope being that of evil but in actuality both sides were neutral in all aspects. They didn't affect the kingdoms or empires, yet still held great power under their wings. Their true adversaries were each other, and the worshippers of the other side.

The Dark pope was a practioners of Darkness, an ethereal and enigmatic element. While the Light pope of course was a practioner of Light. The difference between the two once boiled down, past the study of the soul, and energies of each side, was that in the Dark Pope region they also trained in Necromancy while in the Light region they trained in Light Type.

Like this, a 4 sided chest game had ruled over the lands for a very, very, long time.

What broke these peaceful balances were the 'Miracles' in the world. Things outside the understanding of even the mightiest. These, were the appearances of the ruins, cities, tombs, forbidden areas, terrains, towers, libraries, even challenges of the heavens.

No matter who you were, or what side you were on the more of these places you conquered the more powerful you could be come and the more cards you could hide under your sleeve.

These weren't always related to the elements themselves, or weapons, they could be strange things like the ability to clone yourself, teleport, grow in size, cast rituals, find strange magic, divine weapons, upgrade your body, spirit, or mind.

All were possible within these places, if you survived of course.

The very weapons each of the kings and Emperors wielded came from places like this, even the strange abilities of their subordinates, and most importantly the powerful clans on each of their sides.

Powers were hereditary, whereas magic was taught just like weapon techniques. Some clans purely revolved around their skills, and abilities earned from these zones rather than something forged through learning. In context of course, you still had to learn how to utilize something regardless of its origin.

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In a hall that was grand, and yet ancient, stood ten figures gazing deeply at one another. 5 on each side of a massive table, that was over a foot thick and adorned with countless crystals.

A red robed man with crimson hair took a heavy step forward and looked at everyone around him, "We know it may be dangerous…but this…isn't within our control as humans, solely based on ourselves, to protect and use."

A man with a massive blade on his back, standing over 2.3 meters tall nodded "The Flame Emperor is right…when this place appeared, it opened gates to other planes on purpose to allow other races to utilize it…but only within its vicinity, meaning our world is safe…but not without danger."

"What do we call it?" A female spoke softly, her voice drifting on the wind with an icy air.

Everyone shook their heads that they couldn't guess what would be proper.

*BOOM*

From a massive bolt of white lightning, that seemingly came from nowhere at all, a man appeared within the room amongst the ten.

*Clink*

*clink*

*clink*

Following his appearance was a man clad in silver armor, which deemed to have an almost dark glow to it. The two looked at each other and then strode forward and clapped arms together before turning to everyone else.

The man who appeared from the lightning of course was the Heavenly Lightning Emperor, with the man in silver dark armor being the Metal Knight king, and under most of their guesses, the Emperor of Steel.

Nobody had ever seen these two together, and even these mighty people were surprised to find the two were so amiable to each other.

This hall was deep in a hidden mountain, protected by all of them and only used in times of great turmoil to settle disputes, talk of dividing up treasures, or how many people they would send into a danger zone to claim prizes. These two hadn't appeared ever before in this hall, and seeing the two together now must mean that what had appeared was indeed cataclysmic or worth their attention.

The Azure robed Heavenly Lightning Emperor nodded his head several times, "What appeared isn't on our plane of existence…"

"What?" Clamored voices spoke out back and forth.

He nodded again, "Indeed…other gates from different planes exist with access to this…space…but that doesn't mean they can enter ours through our gate. Haven't you all noticed the dwindling amount of appearances of miracles? If my guess is correct…as I have spent a long time thinking about these things, they only appeared here because that place existed…now that the gate to it is opening...they are being called back to their origin…and only there will we have access to the wondrous things we have found thus far…"

"This could change the balance of the world…" The Sky Emperor thought aloud. Several nods were cast his way, as a man with a titanic spear with the shape of a dragon head at its tip shook his head "It will not…this will merely create a different system in which are people strive towards…as we will. We must…"

The Metal Knight King cast his gaze towards this man, and feeling that gaze, the Dragon Spear king looked over to him.

"You're right…" A steely voice said, not too fast or too slow.

The Heavenly Lightning Emperor looked shocked over to him, "You made him speak? Why isn't that when I speak to him he doesn't, but when you just spoke…never mind that…fuck it…"

Why did it seem these two were brothers? Or best friends? Why hadn't any of the most powerful people in the world known about these things? They couldn't dwell on that for now.

The Metal Knight king patted his friends shoulder, "It is because I think too deeply…about what is the right thing to say. I must speak now…"

Everyone sat down in chairs each constructed by themselves. Some of the chairs were crafted of ice, or flame stone, whereas others were made of dark iron or trees.

The Lightning Emperor and the Metal King hadn't come here, if at all, before and thus waved their hands creating for themselves a chair of lightning essence and the other of metal essence.

"So it's true…you are the Emperor of Steel." The Emperor of the Forest spoke with an ancient tone.

"No…he was my teacher…and father." The Metal King said softly.

Everyone tightly closed their mouths, 'Father? Who was the mother?'

The lightning Emperor clapped the table, "Regardless…my powers are far more reaching then this plane, I have already probed the gate…and as for what I said before, it is indeed true. Most likely…just as we have all been told in secret by our ancestors, a new game is beginning by the gods."

"A new game…" The biggest men in the room, the Indomitable Wall King and Mountain King spoke silently.

"This isn't about treasure…or power anymore…this is about humankind being tested, as we were before. We need to send our best, and train the best…to go into this place…I call The Dark Abyss…"

Everyone nodded to this name, accepting it, even if it was a bit eerie.

"So…I recommend a competition…this gate…god this gate…feels so stable, that I know…it will last for tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of years…"

Several of the kings and Emperors nodded, speaking their opinions back and forth before coming to a consensus.

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"War! Read all about it! The kings and Emperors have declared a free for all war! READ ALL ABOUT IT" A voice shouted at the top of his lungs throughout a crowd. People ran over to him in droves and in mere minutes his hundreds of papers were sold.

War, a word that people hadn't heard in a long time. The kings and Emperors had declared war on each other without any warning, causing a mass stir in every kingdom, empire, city, and village. Many noble clans had already found out about this, as each of the Emperors and kings had passed down this action to them directly through their subordinates.

What was strange was that the noble clans didn't have to attend these wars.

Every once in a while a war like this would occur, to keep the populations in check, and also bring rise to geniuses previously unknown within those populaces.

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"Emperors and Kings are now choosing personal disciples! READ ALL ABOUT IT!" A voice rang out into a crowd of tattered soldiers, men and women, immigrants, and children.

"What? Personal disciples?" Several voices murmured in the crowd.

"I am not selling papers this time! Broke a leg the last time! When the gold in this leather bag here…" the news speaker held up a worn out leather satchel, "Reaches a certain amount…I will announce all I know to everyone!"

"Ow!"

"Fuck!"

"Shit!"

The crowd looked at each other, and then began throwing money at the messenger. He got pelted from head to toe, and yet didn't stop himself from picking up the gold and placing it in the leather bag.

"So? Enough?" Someone in the crowd asked

.

"Yeah…that's enough…I can't take anymore…"

"What was that?" Someone else in the crowd asked with their head tilted.

"I… yes! I have now received enough gold, I shall relay my message to the honorable patrons of this street!" The messenger rubbed the red spots on his face, and looked at the bustling crowd of one of the main cities of the north.

"Each of the kings, emperors, and hidden experts of the world shall hereby hold competitions in each of their main capitals. No person is barred from participating, but must specifically choose which competition they shall take part in. They will give 10 years to choose, and 10 years to travel…as the lands are vast, and it takes quite a while to reach between the north and the south. Even on the fastest of creatures or machines, this would still take a minimum of 7 years. Thus a ten year marker, has been decided…After the recent war, the emperors and kings have reached an agreement! That any person from any other side is allowed entry into the competition."

"Just like that! Just like that everything fine again! Fuck you!" a soldier said in extreme anger.

"I am just the messenger! I also have more to say!" The man quickly said while waving his hands.

"Speak then bringer of confusion and turmoil" A young noble said with fuming eyes, ever since the emperors and kings declared all-out war the people were pulled into countless battles and wars. It all started with the messengers telling them it would begin, and thus without being able to punch the powers to be in the face, the people beat up the messengers.

"With a choice made, all participators shall be given a rank, depending on the rank you will be rewarded land based on merit, or even acceptance into the greatest of schools! Money will also be rewarded, as well as magical items, treasures, and nobility rites! If you win well, your entire family can be moved into a kingdom or empire…the top 3 of whatever competition it is that you choose…will have the choice of becoming a personal disciple, acceptance into any school of the place you choose…and even a personal item from the treasury of that emperor or king!"

Many murmurs moved back and forth amongst the crowd as the young noble from before stood forward and patted the messenger on the shoulder. He even took his time to brush the messenger off, "Oh young lord…I didn't know this was what you had to say. I am sorry for my anger from before…oh, do you recommend any place in particular? I train in the saber you see…"

Others began to inch forward, with amiable smiles on their face. It wasn't that they weren't angry, but that the messengers words had wooed them too greatly. Battles, war, death, it was all a matter of happenstance and association but in the case of it being worth something? As large as this? Who wouldn't be moved to make it all worth it?

"Ah…yes…I was also told of many other things…" The messengers head was spinning, he was so uncomfortable he was hoping to be beat up again.

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In many other places, this exact scene was playing out as well. Even the nobility of those cities, and major cities were keeping a keen ear to each messenger's words. The Emperors and kings had never passed down this knowledge to them, so for them to hear it now made them all the more excited for the geniuses they were preparing on the side during the outside impending and ongoing wars.