Chapter 9: The Revolt Ignites
The storm brewing within the Pillar Clans had finally reached its breaking point. For months, discontent had spread like a virus, whispers of rebellion slipping through the cracks of what was once a unified structure. Now, the time for talking was over. The Pillar Clans, the very foundation of Ron's power, were on the verge of open revolt.
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As Ron secluded himself further into his training, focusing only on surpassing Natsu and the powerful warriors of the West, his absence became more glaring. His once undeniable presence over FOM had diminished, leaving a vacuum that emboldened the other leaders. These leaders—Kazuki of the Iron Wolf Clan, Takeda of the Thunder Serpent Clan, and Kaede of the Jade Phoenix Clan—had grown weary of Ron's neglect and disillusioned with his leadership. They saw his fixation on personal strength as abandonment, a betrayal of the clans that had sworn loyalty to him.
The tension between the Pillar Clans had been palpable for weeks. Meetings that had once been held openly were now shrouded in secrecy, with the leaders of each clan carefully choosing their words, weighing their allies, and assessing their enemies. But one thing became increasingly clear: the FOM, under Ron's rule, was no longer the iron force that had once dominated the East. His obsession with surpassing the demi-gods of the West had made him blind to the fractures forming within his own domain.
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It was during one of these secret meetings that the first real spark of rebellion was ignited. Held in the Iron Wolf Clan's secluded mountain fortress, the leaders gathered under the cover of night. The air was thick with the scent of pine and cold mountain wind, the only sounds the quiet whispers of plotting and the occasional clang of armor. Kazuki, with his sharp eyes and sharper tongue, was the first to speak.
"We've given Ron more than enough time. The West grows stronger with every passing day, and he's done nothing to lead us. He trains for a battle with Natsu while the rest of us prepare to face the West's armies. If he won't act, we must."
Takeda, ever the strategist, nodded in agreement. "It's clear he's lost sight of what matters. The Pillar Clans are the backbone of the East, not Ron's personal army to deploy as he sees fit. The West doesn't care about his personal vendetta against Natsu or Hadius. They'll tear through our lands while Ron sits in his mountain hideout, perfecting a technique that won't even matter if the East falls."
Kaede, the leader of the Jade Phoenix Clan, remained silent for a long moment, her gaze fixed on the table in front of her. Finally, she spoke, her voice low but resolute. "Ron was once a leader we could believe in. But that man is gone. The moment he chose his obsession over his people, he lost the right to lead the East. We owe it to our clans to act before it's too late."
The decision was made. They would no longer wait for Ron to emerge from his self-imposed exile. The Pillar Clans would take matters into their own hands and challenge FOM's authority.
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As dawn broke the following morning, the first signs of open rebellion appeared. In the heart of FOM's territory, small skirmishes erupted between Ron's loyalists and the forces of the Iron Wolf and Thunder Serpent Clans. What began as minor disagreements quickly escalated into full-blown confrontations. It became clear that the Pillar Clans were no longer united under Ron's banner.
Word spread like wildfire throughout the East. The Pillar Clans were rising, and FOM's dominance was being called into question for the first time in generations. Clans that had once sworn unwavering loyalty to Ron now found themselves torn between their historical allegiance to FOM and the promise of a new order under the leadership of Kazuki, Takeda, and Kaede.
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In the midst of the chaos, Ron remained isolated in the mountains, unaware of the rebellion brewing below. His training had reached its most intense stage, his body pushed to the brink as he sought to master his Final Meteor Fist technique. Every strike he delivered sent shockwaves through the mountains, reshaping the very landscape around him. His qi burned with the intensity of a star, but his mind was focused solely on Natsu.
Each day, Ron relived their last battle, the humiliation of being overpowered, the sting of defeat. He knew he had to surpass the demi-god if he was to secure the East's future. Yet, in his obsession, he had failed to notice that the very future he sought to protect was slipping through his fingers.
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Meanwhile, the leaders of the revolt wasted no time consolidating their power. Kazuki, ever the tactician, moved swiftly, sending emissaries to the remaining neutral Pillar Clans, urging them to join the rebellion. Some clans, still loyal to Ron's vision of strength, hesitated, but others, swayed by the promise of independence from FOM's heavy-handed rule, pledged their allegiance to the revolt.
Takeda, for his part, took command of the rebel forces, preparing for an inevitable clash with FOM's loyalist troops. His Thunder Serpent warriors were among the fiercest in the East, and their mastery of qi was unmatched. He knew that the time for action was near. The revolt had begun, but the real war would start once Ron emerged from his seclusion.
Kaede, though outwardly calm, harbored her own ambitions. The Jade Phoenix Clan had long been one of the most powerful and respected in the East, and Kaede saw an opportunity not only to overthrow Ron but to position herself as the new leader of the Pillar Clans. She played her cards carefully, aligning with Kazuki and Takeda but keeping her true intentions hidden.
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As the days passed, the tension between the Pillar Clans and FOM's loyalists grew. The revolt had sparked a flame that could no longer be extinguished. The once-unbreakable unity of the East had shattered, and the clans were now divided between those who still believed in Ron's leadership and those who sought to forge a new path.
The stage was set for an all-out war within the East. The Pillar Clans had risen, and FOM's hold over the region was slipping. But as the rebellion grew, so too did the uncertainty. Would Ron emerge from his training in time to crush the revolt, or would the Pillar Clans succeed in overthrowing him before he could make his move?
And all the while, the West watched, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Taiyo, ever the observer, had not yet shown his hand. He remained a shadow in the background, watching as the East descended into chaos. To him, this war between Ron and the Pillar Clans was merely a distraction. The true conflict was yet to come, and when it did, the entire martial world would be engulfed in flames.