Chapter Three – A New World

The city was unlike anything he had ever seen. Towering buildings loomed above, their facades flickering with neon lights and advertisements. The streets pulsed with life—merchants barking out deals, cars honking, people bustling in every direction. The air was thick with the scent of street food, exhaust fumes, and the distant salt of the sea.

This was nothing like the quiet mountains where he had spent the last two years. There, the only sounds were the rustling of trees, the chirping of birds, and the steady rhythm of his master’s teachings. Here, it was chaos—loud, relentless, and overwhelming.

He had no money, no allies, and no clear direction. The World Martial Arts Tournament wasn’t even held in this city, but it was a start. A place to gather himself, to find work, to figure out his next move.

The weight of uncertainty pressed down on him. He had trained for this—for the moment he would step out into the world on his own—but now that it was real, it felt different. The crowded streets reminded him how small he was in the grand scheme of things.

Yet, even among the sea of strangers, something felt… off. There were eyes on him. Not the casual glances people threw at a newcomer, but something deeper—sharper. A presence that didn’t belong to the noisy, indifferent city.

He didn’t react. He kept walking, blending into the flow of the crowd. But his senses sharpened, muscles tensed, instincts flaring to life. Someone was watching him. Someone who knew he was here.

He wasn’t alone. Not entirely.