For ease of management, White divided the entire contingent into ten camps. The Mingsheng Camp was by far the strongest, while the others—the Mingzun Camp, the Archer Camp, the Close Combat Camp, the Assault Camp, the Charge Camp, the Blaze Camp, and so on—each possessed distinct specializations and methods.

For example, the Close Combat Camp was composed almost entirely of pure-gold-armored warriors who mastered close-quarters techniques from King of Fighters, such as Daimon Goro’s Super Get-Up, Izumo Drop, and Tsubame Gaeshi, as well as Clark’s Spinning Cradle, Frankenstein's Killer Throw, and the Super Argentine Backbreaker. Their primary role was to sweep the battlefield after the initial wave of attacks, and their destructive potential was astonishing.

The personnel in the Charge Camp were the best practitioners of Bukūjutsu (Air Dance Technique). They possessed blinding speed, utilizing specially crafted extra-long spears for impact and throwing, effectively shattering the enemy's tightly packed formations with superb results.

The men of the Blaze Camp almost exclusively practiced techniques derived from Kyo Kusanagi or Iori Yagami. Nearly all of them could execute the Dark Hook Fist, and a single barrage of flame impact carried immense power. ……

Chen Feng was uninterested in the intricacies of offensive formations; the sheer volume of information made his head spin, leaving him drowsy.

“Eldest Master, perhaps you could assign this force an official designation?” White suddenly asked, noticing his lack of engagement.

“A designation?” Chen Feng pondered for a moment. “Most of the gold-armored soldiers in this unit learned King of Fighters skills. How about calling it the [King of Fighters Army]?”

“King of Fighters Army? Quan Huang Jun... Quan Huang Jun...” White murmured, rolling the sounds over his tongue.

Chen Feng felt a headache coming on just hearing the repetition. Before he could speak, White shook his head and continued, “Quan Huang Jun doesn't sound right. It sounds a bit… inappropriate. Our goal for this force is to sweep across the entire continent and establish our own domain. The designation Kamo and I discussed was [Sweep the Horizon]. What do you think, Eldest Master?”

“[Sweep the Horizon]?” Chen Feng frowned, about to refuse. His sole objective was to find a way back to his original world. Now, in their eyes, he was apparently aiming for continental domination! Still, he recognized their good intentions, and the name certainly carried gravitas. Considering this, he said, “Fine, let it be [Sweep the Horizon]!”

Chen Feng’s word settled the matter, much to the excitement of the two men, who chatted animatedly for a while longer before hurrying off to have the designation banner made.

The [Sweep the Horizon] force, which would soon cause headaches for every major power navigating the Alternate Realm, was officially born today. …………………………………………………………

Seeing the two of them rush off in excitement, a slight smile touched the corner of Chen Feng’s lips. He stood up and followed them out. Night had already fallen, and the moonlight washed over the ground, coating the earth in a layer of silver frost.

He wandered aimlessly through the vast camp. As he paused in a dark area, a rapid series of footsteps sounded behind him.

“Who are you? Which camp do you belong to?” a sharp shout rang out from his rear.

Chen Feng turned to see a patrol squad, about fifteen or sixteen men strong. The shout had come from a man who looked to be in his mid-thirties, with a somewhat sallow complexion.

To enforce security awareness, a dozen patrol squads swept the entire camp every night, authorized to execute any suspicious individual on the spot.

“Which camp I belong to?” Chen Feng was about to explain when the sallow guard barked another command.

“Seize him!”

The squad behind the guard immediately surrounded Chen Feng. These men had been recruited after Chen Feng’s period of seclusion and didn't recognize him at all. Hearing him hesitate to name his affiliation, they naturally felt justified in making an arrest.

“Hold on a moment…” Chen Feng called out. “I am Chen Feng!”

“Chen Feng? Who is Chen Feng? He must be a spy trying to infiltrate. Grab him first!” the sallow guard yelled.

The security protocols White and Kamo established were airtight; no spies had ever gotten in. The nightly patrols were more of a formality, and since they never caught anyone, the guards had grown lax. Finally catching someone who couldn't state their camp, they were eager to make an example of him.

Chen Feng was taken aback that his name meant nothing to them. He offered a wry smile; it was understandable. These men likely only knew of the ‘Eldest Master,’ but who knew his actual name?

“I’m from the Blaze Camp!” Chen Feng said casually, unwilling to clash with his own guards.

“The Blaze Camp? Who is the commander of the Blaze Camp?” the sallow guard pressed.

Chen Feng faltered, caught off guard. He genuinely did not know who commanded the Blaze Camp.

His hesitation only fueled the guard’s suspicion. After all, Chen Feng was a hands-off leader who didn't even know the high-ranking subordinates under him!

“Hmph, daring to impersonate the Blaze Camp! Seize him!”

Two heavily armored guards lunged toward Chen Feng, their long spears pressed against his waist. Chen Feng was loath to strike his own subordinates, so he simply stated, “I am the Eldest Master!”

“If you’re the Eldest Master, then I’m the Pope!” the sallow guard roared in fury. They had never seen the Eldest Master, but given the scale and training level of the force, they assumed he must be an overwhelmingly powerful figure. How could this mere youth possibly be him, especially after he’d just claimed to be from the Blaze Camp?

“I really am the Eldest Master. Go and find White!” Chen Feng said, feeling a bit frustrated.

“Insolence! Is the name of Lord White something you can invoke so casually? Take him to the duty headquarters for thorough interrogation!” the sallow guard commanded.

Amidst the commotion, a voice drifted from nearby. “What is going on here?”

Chen Feng looked over to see a middle-aged man with a resolute face walking toward them.

“Greetings, Commander Simon!” the patrol guards simultaneously cupped their fists in salute.

The man called Commander Simon glared coldly at the group. “What is all this noise inside the camp?”

“Reporting to Commander Simon, we spotted this individual acting suspiciously, attempting to impersonate a member of the Blaze Camp while failing to identify himself. We were apprehending him when he resisted,” the sallow guard explained.

It turned out this Commander Simon was the commander of the Blaze Camp. The selection of the ten camp commanders had taken place the previous month via a tournament bracket, ensuring the strongest individual was chosen. Simon had also arrived after Chen Feng’s seclusion. His cultivation was already high, and after learning Dou Qi, his advancement was swift. Furthermore, he possessed a fire attribute affinity. Despite arriving late, he ultimately triumphed over the competition to become commander.

Precisely because he was a latecomer, he had never seen Chen Feng before.

“Our camp?” He scrutinized Chen Feng closely. “There is no one like this in our camp!” he stated with certainty.

The sallow guard became even more convinced of his theory. Seeing Chen Feng stiffen as if preparing to move, the guard pressed the tip of his spear firmly against Chen Feng’s chest. “Don’t move! What have you got to say now? Come with me!”

The guard moved to escort Chen Feng back. Chen Feng found it ludicrous that on his first day back with his own troops, he was being arrested by his own subordinates. With a bitter smile, he extended his right hand, and a ball of purple flame materialized above his fingertips.

His unique flame skill... surely, if he used this, they wouldn't doubt him anymore!

“What a guy, he even managed to steal and learn flame skills! We absolutely can’t let him go!” Upon witnessing this display, the two guards initially pointing spears at him were joined by the rest; all fifteen long spears now aimed directly at Chen Feng.

“I truly am the Eldest Master!”

“If Commander Simon wasn’t here, would you have kept impersonating him?” the sallow guard roared, his eyes burning with killing intent.

Chen Feng realized arguing only complicated things further. He abruptly spun his body, his right fingertips sweeping a rapid circle just above the tips of the spears pointed at him.

Everyone felt a sudden heat in their hands, an intense searing sensation radiating from the spear shafts.

Clang! Clang…

With a series of sharp metallic sounds, the long spears held by all fifteen guards dropped simultaneously to the ground. However, these guards were hardy fighters; as their weapons fell, one guard immediately rushed behind Chen Feng and threw his arms around him in a tackle.

Chen Feng, still unwilling to hurt anyone, took a step forward, swung his arms back, and immediately flung the grappling guard away!

He used Daimon Goro’s *[Kon-Zan] (Root Throw)**!

“Everyone attack! He even stole techniques from the Close Combat Camp!” the guard who was thrown yelled urgently while airborne.

The faces of all the remaining fourteen guards changed instantly, and they all threw themselves forward.

Chen Feng knew explanations were useless now, so he proceeded to knock them down one by one. He utilized almost exclusively close-quarters moves, applying minimal force, just enough to throw them clear. The King of Fighters techniques flowed out of him smoothly and naturally. The guards felt a momentary blankness in their minds, and before they could process why, they were on the ground, looking thoroughly bewildered.

Dusting off his hands, Chen Feng shook his head and addressed the pile of prone guards. “You are very diligent; I am pleased. However…”

“You likely won’t be pleased for long!” a cold shout interrupted him. Simon suddenly manifested a ball of yellow flame in his palm. Seeing his subordinates being struck down had provoked him into action.

His face darkened, his eyes tinged with red. After speaking, he let out a fierce roar and shot his right fist forward like a thunderbolt!

“Araki Nage!” (Wild Scratch!)

He had used Kyo Kusanagi’s Araki Nage! Chen Feng saw the incoming punch was ferocious, mixed with pure boxing force, making the power undeniable. Without hesitation, he met the right fist with an identical counter move: Araki Nage!

Araki Nage against Araki Nage!

“Boom!”

The two flames collided in mid-air, releasing a brilliant flash of light. Simon cried out, stumbling backward seven or eight steps. Chen Feng remained rooted to the spot. To use Araki Nage against him was like bringing a knife to a gunfight—or, more aptly, bringing an axe to the workshop of Lu Ban himself. If Chen Feng hadn't held back, that single punch might have caused Simon to suffer a backlash from his own flames!

Simon’s face turned ashen, his eyes wide with terror. He suddenly pulled an object from his robes and flicked his wrist, tossing it into the air.

“Whoosh…” The object let out a piercing whistle before bursting into a cloud of smoke that bloomed like a firework, dazzling brilliantly in the moonlit night. (To be continued. For the rest of the story, please log on to m, for more chapters, support the author, support genuine reading!) First published

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