"Big brother, you're looking great today!" On a sunny afternoon, as Muria enjoyed his tea, a fawning face appeared beside him.
"If you've got something to say, just spit it out! Look at you." Muria stretched out a hand and pushed the face away.
"Uh, boss, I heard you turned your sister into a martial artist. Is that true?" Victor, who had already been beaten up once, asked cautiously, hoping to confirm the news.
"Yes." Muria responded while glancing at the information being pushed to his communicator.
"Teacher, was it costly to make your sister like this?" Victor hesitated, then asked again, his eyes glinting with a hint of hope. After all, most people yearned for greater power—it was hard to resist.
"Not too bad."
"Could you do the same for me?" Victor asked eagerly.
"Oh?" Muria's eyes lifted from his communicator, gazing at Victor with interest. "I can give freely to my sister. But tell me, why should I divide my power for you?"
"Well…" Victor scratched his head awkwardly, unable to find a justification. He had no leverage to demand such generosity from Muria.
"Let's put it another way. If I grant you power, what do I get in return?" Muria's tone turned coaxing. Victor's desire for martial strength was clear, or he wouldn't have approached him in the first place.
"You're already a Martial Lord; I don't think I have anything of value to offer you," Victor pondered, searching for anything he could trade.
Then, as he thought about it, his eyes brightened. He realized that Muria hadn't outright refused his request but instead asked what he could offer in exchange.
"How about I call you 'Boss' for the rest of my life? Deal?" Victor tested cautiously, thinking that his loyalty might be his most valuable asset.
"Come here." Muria beckoned with a finger.
"Heh heh!" Victor grinned and approached.
"Do you understand the cost of accepting my power and becoming a martial artist?"
"I do." Victor nodded emphatically; he had already consulted Desri to understand the implications.
"Looks like you've made up your mind." Muria said no more. He placed his palm on Victor's head, and a radiant starry sky unfolded behind him.
"An immortal strokes my head, binding my fate to eternal life." Muria silently recited the poetic phrase. From the starry sky behind him, a white meteor streaked down, entering his palm and merging into Victor's body.
...
And so, after Desri, Muria created his first true follower in this world. Victor ascended to martial artistry in one leap, stirring envy among the talented Star Armor users under Muria's tutelage. No one could resist the allure of greater strength.
Longer life spans and unrestrained power, free from the constraints of Star Armor, were immensely tempting. The only hesitation lay in the price required to attain such power.
"Teacher, is there a way for me to practice martial arts without paying the price?" A girl approached Muria with cautious optimism, probing for an answer.
"There's always a way. Nothing is truly absolute in this world." Muria, amused by her attempt, answered kindly.
"That's great!" The girl pumped her fist, feeling a sense of superiority.
"But I don't know how." Muria added, just as the girl was celebrating.
"What?!" Her excitement froze. Internally, she raged, Why did you even bring it up then?! But she swallowed her frustration, aware that the Martial Lord before her could flatten her with a single slap.
"In other parts of the world, there might be methods to practice martial arts at your age and achieve respectable results. But here, I don't have such options."
Muria's tone remained calm as he observed the girl. In her demeanor, he detected traces of her family's elders—those who sought longer life spans but resisted his influence.
"To gain something, you must sacrifice something. That's how it works here." Muria felt no guilt. He laid out the terms plainly; the choice was hers. If she couldn't resist the temptation, that was on her.
"Alright then, sorry to bother you, Teacher." Embarrassed, the girl quickly excused herself.
...
Time passed uneventfully, but the rise of Muria as the second Martial Lord triggered a martial arts frenzy across the Federation.
Becoming a Star Armor user was a privilege limited to a select few, with over 80% of the population disqualified by innate limitations. Yet most people craved extraordinary power.
As a result, martial arts schools sprang up like mushrooms after the rain across the Federation, rekindling the golden age of martial arts. Parents eagerly brought their children to these schools, paying tuition and enrolling them as apprentices.
"Tsk, tsk. Muria, you have no idea how crazy humans in this world can be for money. They come up with all sorts of nonsense. Some even claim to be recruiting disciples under your father's name. Ridiculous!"
On Muria's communicator, a golden dragoness with a mature, commanding presence ranted to him.
"That's expected. With my father and me as precedents, people are bound to try their luck, especially since we both appear so young," Muria replied calmly. The martial arts craze in the Federation was well within his and the dragoness's predictions.
"If you also showcased your power, the frenzy would grow even more intense."
"You and your father are enough. There's no need for me to reveal my strength just yet." The dragoness, also a Martial Lord with remarkable talent, responded nonchalantly. Then her expression turned mischievous.
"I'll just announce my relationship with your father and our wedding date. That'll make headlines across the Federation."
"And then use the publicity to launch a chain of martial arts schools?" Muria asked, unfazed by her statement.
His father, under the alias of Martial Lord Aen, was a super celebrity in the Federation, the most powerful known individual. Naturally, his every move attracted attention.
Aen's marriage would undoubtedly dominate the news. Using this media storm, the dragoness could easily establish herself as a financial mogul.
"Martial arts schools? Don't insult me, son. That's just one small goal. I'm aiming to create a massive corporate conglomerate, monopolizing key industries," she declared with disdain.
Muria's lips twitched, but he stayed silent. Each member of his family had chosen a unique approach to reshape this world.
His father, Aen, sought ultimate power, aiming to control the world through unmatched strength. His mother, the golden dragoness Atreus, was obsessed with accumulating wealth. Muria, on the other hand, focused on expanding his influence and authority.
In the Federation's system, money and power were closely intertwined. His parents' methods might have their flaws, but together, they were an unstoppable force.
"Unlike me, you were lucky to be born into a prominent family. I assume you've started spreading your influence within the family?" The dragoness asked, her tone teasing.
"Just getting started," Muria replied humbly, then described his plans involving his martial law avatar to consolidate control.
"You're so lazy! Using such a crude and direct method," she scoffed, though a hint of envy crept into her voice.
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