"Brother, have you really become a Martial Lord?"
When Muria returned to his residence, his younger half-sister, a girl with long dark hair, rushed toward him with excitement written all over her face. Her cheeks were flushed red, her enthusiasm unmistakable.
"Yes." In contrast to the overly excited Desley, Muria was utterly calm, his emotions completely unaffected.
"Desley, didn't you already see it live? Your brother is now a distinguished Martial Lord! Everyone online is talking about it!"
Behind the girl, Robert approached with a sycophantic grin, his demeanor obsequious. "Jenos-sensei, you've made a name for yourself with this battle. Right now, you're the hottest topic on the internet. Many are already comparing you to Martial Lord Ayn."
"Tch, our master is ten years younger than Ayn. How can they even be compared? They're not even on the same level!" Victor, who had been humbled after a previous reprimand by Muria, chimed in eagerly to flatter him.
"He's the one who guided me on my martial path," Muria said flatly, his gaze fixed on Victor.
"Uh…" Victor's face froze momentarily, realizing his attempt at flattery had backfired.
"Hahaha…" Seeing Victor's awkwardness, the others who had also come to praise Muria burst into laughter.
At the same time, they mentally noted Muria's words. Martial Lord Ayn was his guide? Did that mean the two were master and disciple? This revelation would surely be a bombshell, as no one had disclosed such news before.
After briefly entertaining students and well-wishers who came to congratulate him, Muria finally found peace in his residence. Now that he was a Martial Lord, his status had drastically changed—few could meet him without proper cause.
"Two Martial Lords have emerged back-to-back. This likely signals the beginning of a martial arts resurgence," Muria pondered.
In the entire Federation, only a small fraction could become Star Armor Masters. Most people lived ordinary lives, and a significant portion of these ordinary individuals longed for extraordinary power.
But the talent for controlling star energy was innate. So far, no methods had been found to develop it postnatally. These people could only accept their limitations and live as commoners.
Were they content with this? Of course not. The recent rise of two Martial Lords, however, pointed to a promising path. Their relatively young ages created the illusion that mastering martial arts was simple.
Muria foresaw a surge in martial arts aspirants within the Federation. Of course, only a few would achieve significant success.
...
As night fell and tranquility enveloped the surroundings, Muria sat in his room meditating. Suddenly, he opened his eyes, hearing faint, hesitant footsteps approaching his door.
Knock, knock.
A soft yet uncertain knock came. "Brother, are you awake?"
"Desley, what's the matter?" Muria asked, his tone carrying a hint of curiosity.
"I have something to discuss with you. May I come in?" The girl outside sounded cautious, her apprehension evident.
"Come in. The door's not locked."
With a soft click, the door opened, and a girl in pink pajamas cautiously stepped in.
"What do you want to talk about?"
"Brother, I want to learn martial arts too!" Desley hesitated briefly but then gathered her courage to voice her thoughts. She wanted to grow stronger.
"Hmm? What did you say?" Muria raised his head, looking at the bashful girl who had come to him in the middle of the night. A hint of surprise appeared on his face.
"Is it not possible?" Seeing Muria's astonishment, Desley grew even more embarrassed. She lowered her head, fidgeting with the hem of her pajamas like a shy child.
"Well… it's not impossible," Muria said, rubbing his forehead as he looked at his sister, who was acting like an inexperienced little girl. "But starting martial arts at your age won't yield significant results. Your body is already developed, and your foundation is set. Starting now would be a waste of time."
"Oh…" Disappointment washed over Desley's face. She bowed slightly to Muria, having gotten her answer, and turned to leave.
"Wait, I haven't finished speaking yet. Why are you in such a hurry?" Muria called out as she reached for the door.
"Is there something else, brother?" A glimmer of hope appeared on her face. She knew her brother possessed extraordinary abilities that defied common sense.
"What I just said applies under normal circumstances. If I weren't around, starting martial arts now would indeed be futile." Muria studied his sister, who looked nervous and out of place. "But because I'm here, you have another option."
"What option?"
"With my power, you can embark on the martial path!" Muria said. Behind him, a radiant and vast starry sky appeared, as he summoned his Martial Avatar.
"Brother, what are you…" Desley looked at him, puzzled.
Without replying, Muria extended his hand. From the eternal starry sky above his head, a white star detached itself and fell into his palm like a shooting star.
"This is the choice I'm offering you." Muria held the glowing star in his hand, showing it to Desley.
"What is it?"
"This is a crystallized fragment of my Martial Avatar. By fusing with it, you can begin your martial journey. Moreover, you'll face no bottlenecks until you reach Martial Lord. As long as you keep training, you'll continue advancing."
"Brother, are you saying that if I fuse with this star, I can cultivate without worrying about limitations, as long as I don't surpass your strength?" Desley blinked, seeking confirmation.
"Exactly. But that's not the only restriction," Muria said with a nod. He explained the consequences of fusing with the crystal. "Once you fuse with my Martial Avatar's fragment, I'll be able to freely manipulate the energy you cultivate. I could even strip away all your martial strength in an instant."
"Is that all?" Desley asked after hearing the potential cost.
"Isn't that enough?" Muria replied. Fusing with his Martial Crystal would essentially make her his subordinate, unable to resist him.
"To me, the only real limitation is not being able to surpass you. The other restrictions don't matter because I'd never oppose you, Brother. And I trust you wouldn't strip away my power for no reason."
"Of course not."
"Also, given the pace of cultivation, I'll never have to worry about catching up to you. So, I don't see a downside."
"Then you're willing to fuse with my Martial Avatar's crystal?"
"If there are no other conditions, my answer is yes."
"This is your choice. I hope you won't regret it someday."
Muria raised the white star in his hand and gently pushed it toward Desley. It turned into a streak of light and entered her abdomen.
"I won't regret it," Desley replied resolutely. As the star merged into her body, she felt a warm sensation radiating from her abdomen, like a small sun.
But as time passed, the warmth grew hotter, almost scalding. She began to feel pain, but it remained bearable. The clear-skinned girl merely furrowed her brows slightly, making no sound.
"This is a Martial Crystal I cultivated. The fusion process requires adaptation. It won't be pleasant, but it shouldn't be too painful either," Muria explained as he watched her skin gradually turn red.
"Understood."
"If you feel it's too much, just let me know. Though I doubt it'll come to that—it should be manageable for you."
"I can handle it." Desley felt the heat in her abdomen growing intense, as if it might burst. She also sensed streams of energy radiating from the "sun" within her, circulating throughout her body. This must be the adaptation process her brother had mentioned.
"How do you feel now?" Muria asked curiously. It was his first time doing this, and he wasn't sure how the process would unfold, though he'd read similar accounts in martial texts.
"I feel bloated, like my body's about to burst," Desley described.
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