"This level of pressure… it's basically a Martial Grandmaster!" muttered a young man, his face grim as he struggled under the suffocating force of the white space.
"Obviously! Who else but a Grandmaster could impose this kind of crushing presence on us?" replied a young woman, equally distressed by the overwhelming aura.
"I knew this guy was lying to us," someone growled angrily. "There's no way a normal martial artist could command this much energy without breaking through to the Grandmaster level. He's just tricking us."
"Jerlos Douglas, you're such a schemer! Compared to Grandmaster Aen, you're a disgrace among Martial Grandmasters, using tricks like this to gain fame!"
"You coward! Picking on us advanced Star Armor users—what kind of skill is that? Why don't you challenge titled Star Armor users like Grandmaster Aen did?"
Hearing their outbursts, Muria couldn't help but laugh. It was clear they had mistaken him for someone who had just broken through to Grandmaster and was eager to make a name for himself.
If he were truly a new Grandmaster, crushing over thirty advanced Star Armor users—no matter how talented—would be effortless. After all, Grandmasters operated on a completely different level of existence.
And if he truly were a newly crowned Grandmaster craving fame, choosing them as his opponents would make perfect sense.
"Listen up, you dimwits! The hallmark of a Grandmaster is their Martial Avatar. Do you see me displaying one yet?"
Only then did the encircled Star Armor users notice the truth. Though Muria's white martial energy surged like a tidal wave, it lacked any definitive shape. This discrepancy made it clear he wasn't yet a true Grandmaster.
A Martial Avatar is the tangible manifestation of a martial artist's achievements, appearing when they reach a certain level of mastery. Its characteristics depend on the practitioner's martial techniques and serves to amplify their aura, enhance their energy regeneration, and gradually strengthen their body.
For example, Muria's chosen technique, Stellar Way of the Celestial Hosts, would grant him superior energy reserves, faster recovery, heightened danger perception, and sharper reflexes. Furthermore, his Avatar would possess immense destructive power.
Muria, however, had already gone beyond the original Stellar Way. He had incorporated the strengths of countless techniques into his own. When he eventually became a Grandmaster, his Martial Avatar would boast even greater and more diverse abilities.
His father, Ansor, was the same. Though he had also studied the Stellar Way, Ansor's Martial Avatar bore little resemblance to its original form, having undergone countless modifications.
This adaptability was one of the Stellar Way's unique strengths. While its basic methods were unremarkable, its foundational philosophy was unparalleled. For those with the skill and insight, it provided a framework to craft the perfect martial technique and eventually the ideal Avatar.
Yet most practitioners lacked the ability to make meaningful improvements and simply followed the traditional path.
"Whether you've created an Avatar or not, only you would know. I've heard Grandmasters can fully conceal their Avatars if they wish," someone countered skeptically.
"Enough guessing," Muria interrupted. "I invited all of you to challenge me together to create pressure. I'm half a step away from becoming a Grandmaster, and I want to break through by pushing myself against your combined strength."
The declaration stunned the group. While Muria could break through at any time, he sought to do so in a dramatic, unforgettable fashion, leaving a lasting impression on everyone present.
"And why should we help you?" one of them snapped. "What do we gain from helping you achieve your breakthrough?"
"The chance to battle someone destined for greatness," Muria replied calmly, crossing his arms. "This fight will be the highlight of your lives, a memory to take pride in. That's your reward."
His words left the group speechless. They had never encountered someone as shameless as Muria.
"How thick-skinned do you have to be to say something like that? Don't you feel any shame?" one of the young men asked, covering his face in disbelief. He couldn't imagine saying such audacious words in front of a crowd.
"I'm confident I'll become the strongest in the world," Muria replied. "With that confidence, why should I feel shame?"
"Then count me out," a young woman said with a laugh, turning to leave Muria's domain. "The four families are rivals, and I see no reason to help you break through. A Grandmaster's influence is too great to risk giving your family such an advantage."
Her departure set off a chain reaction. Others began to share her sentiment. Relations between the families were competitive at best, and they had no incentive to strengthen their rival's power.
"Jerlos, if you're not offering anything worthwhile, I'm leaving too. Bye!"
"You're being naïve," Muria said, grinning as he watched the group attempt to leave. "You're already in my domain. What makes you think I'll let you walk away so easily?"
The white space around them pulsed, and massive dragons of pure martial energy formed, diving toward the group.
"Jerlos, are you declaring war on the other three families?" one of the Star Armor users demanded, preparing for battle. Though they fought back, they felt increasingly frustrated, knowing they were inadvertently aiding Muria's breakthrough.
"This is just a sparring match," Muria replied, manipulating his energy to attack the alliance of young elites. "The four families are allies. We won't break ties over something so trivial."
"Confirmed—Jerlos hasn't broken through yet," one of them muttered. "Let's team up and crush him. He needs to learn the cost of underestimating us!"
"Won't that just push him to break through here and now?" someone hesitated.
"Don't be ridiculous. Real breakthroughs don't happen so conveniently. What is this, a novel?"
"If we don't fight back, we'll be humiliated. We've got no choice!"
"Damn him," another muttered, begrudgingly activating their armor.
...
Explosions filled the air as cannons and energy beams lit up the sky in a dazzling display. The battlefield Muria had forcibly created was a storm of destruction, its shockwaves scattering every cloud in the vicinity.
"Jerlos, I know I can't beat you," one Star Armor user shouted, charging through the chaos. "But your arrogance pisses me off. Even if I get beaten to a pulp, I'll leave a mark on you!"
The attacker wielded a massive blade nearly as wide as their body, swinging it down toward Muria with all their might.
"Using your weakness against my strength? Foolish," Muria said coldly. With one hand, he caught the enormous blade mid-swing.
CRACK!
A sharp metallic ring echoed as Muria snapped the blade in two with his bare hands. Gripping the broken edge, he swung it back at his attacker.
The fragment, charged with white martial energy, tore through the Star Armor, leaving it shattered and exposing the user to the open air.
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