“Should’ve done it like this a long time ago.”

Watching the board play out exactly the way the Martial Alliance had planned, I let out a small, amused snort.

For the past several decades, the stars of the martial-artist license exam had been the Eight Great Sects. The only exception was when Richard Han had appeared.

All that time, the Martial Alliance had always been nothing more than an extra. Even as the host of the exam, all it could do was provide a stage to make the Eight Great Sects’ young talents look good.

Now it’s the other way around.

Seeing Yeo Pilgeuk personally test the young talents on the sparring platform, deciding pass and fail with his own hands, I felt an authority that was more “leader of the orthodox martial world” than ever before.

“Next!”

“Next—!”

Even after Shin Kangheon got carried away by the medical team, Yeo Pilgeuk, as if he couldn’t tire, kept calling for the next.

No one dared object to the result the Martial Alliance Leader declared—or show even the slightest dissatisfaction.

The mood’s completely flipped.

The star of this place, no matter what anyone said, was the Martial Alliance and the Martial Alliance Leader.

Even after the license exam ended, that influence would linger like a shadow.

On the other hand, the Eight Great Sects’ sect leaders—people unfamiliar with being “extras”—couldn’t fully hide their discomfort.

“Definitely... it’s changing into something different from what I knew.”

Just as I was feeling quietly proud that I’d helped push that change along—

“Are you prepared?”

No Gucheon had come up beside me.

A Martial Alliance elder and the Martial Alliance Leader’s trusted man. Someone who’d played a major role in planning this license exam.

Lately, people had even started calling him the Martial Alliance’s strategist.

“Does preparing at the last second really change anything? I’ve trained hard the whole time. Won’t the results come out exactly to that extent?”

I answered with an easy expression.

Bu Yeonha—who’d been pressing me again and again about joining the Azure Sky Sword Gate—had just stepped away after promising to talk later.

Most participants either had their eyes stolen by the sparring platform or were focusing on themselves while preparing for their turn.

Thanks to that, the two of us could talk a little more freely.

“Heh heh. I can’t tell if you’re humble or arrogant.”

“Mm. I think I’m pretty good at seeing myself objectively...”

Because I looked like I truly believed it, No Gucheon let it go with the thought that a disciple really did resemble his master.

“Anyway, I came to tell you this. Your master met the Glacier Priestess last night and succeeded in persuading her.”

“Then...?”

With a qi barrier around us, No Gucheon smiled in a way that felt loaded.

“The arrest team will move soon.”

The Glacier Priestess—who had personally brought Yang Hayun all the way to the exam venue—had been out of sight for a while now, but with everyone’s attention glued to the Martial Alliance Leader, it seemed no one had noticed.

I nodded quietly.

“Timing will matter.”

“That’s why he told me to let him know right about when you go up there.”

“...Why that moment?”

“Because people’s minds will be the most distracted then, obviously.”

No Gucheon grinned like a mischievous kid and patted my back.

“Your master’s message. Go up there and do whatever you want.”

I looked at him with an expression that said that’s a lot to ask.

Even now, the Martial Alliance Leader’s fist was sending one martial artist flying into the air.

“I don’t know what you’re expecting, but... I’m not the type to run wild like that lunatic Shin Kangheon.”

No Gucheon clearly didn’t believe me at all.

His face said, If anything, you’re worse.

And I felt wronged at the thought of getting lumped in with Shin Kangheon’s brand of insanity.

“Anyway, I’m rooting for you.”

With a wink, No Gucheon gave my shoulder a final couple pats and left.

“Seriously...” 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

KWA-BANG!

Even in the short time we talked, a few more bodies flew.

“Neeeext—!”

Still, the Eight Great Sects’ young talents showed their depth.

Song Junho of the Supreme Pole Sword Gate endured a full six techniques, drawing cheers and applause.

Yang Hayun of the Sun and Moon Gate went down on the seventh, making the dignitaries sigh in admiration.

Pi Seunghwa of the Golden Glory Gate lasted five techniques, and Oh Jungmin of the mid-tier Songwol Gate—someone nobody had expected anything from—blocked three techniques before collapsing to applause.

Maybe because Shin Kangheon had sparked everyone’s competitive fire, they were all pulling out more than their usual level.

WAAAAAA—!

Every time a truly skilled participant proved themself, the cheers poured down, and as the young talents preserved their sects’ pride, the corners of the Eight Great Sects leaders’ mouths crept upward.

The broadcasters’ ratings and the viewer count on YouTube were climbing sharply with each passing minute.

And finally, it was time for the last participant of the first-rate license exam to step up.

“Now that I’m finally warmed up, it’s already the last turn.”

Yeo Pilgeuk—whose complexion looked even better after sending over a hundred people flying off the platform—turned to me with a meaningful smile.

“Last first-rate license challenger, step onto the sparring platform!”

I went up.

I didn’t launch myself with a flashy lightness technique, and I didn’t shout a battle cry to pull attention on purpose.

Everyone’s eyes were already on me.

Step. Step.

A young man with a still-youthful face, climbing the stairs slowly toward the sparring platform.

Curiosity and expectation clung to me like hands.

“This is... pretty stressful.”

But my mouth kept wanting to curl upward.

A place where countless eyes were fixed on me.

Even for someone like me—who’d lived through all kinds of things as a vagabond in my last life—this was unfamiliar. My heart started beating faster and faster.

The World’s Number One Martial Arts Tournament must be far bigger—and far heavier—than this.

I forced my racing heart down and looked around.

Among all the people watching this broadcast right now, not many would know what kind of martial artist I really was.

But after today...

A lot would change.

“You’re the first one who’s ever dragged their feet coming up.”

At the center of the platform, Yeo Pilgeuk stood with his arms folded. At his playful grumbling, I answered leisurely.

“I waited a long time too. Can’t you wait just a little, Leader?”

“...What did you just say?”

At the sight of a young talent talking back to the Martial Alliance Leader, the dignitaries watching widened their eyes.

People watching on broadcast looked dumbfounded, and the YouTube chat started blasting upward like it was about to explode.

“Is that guy insane?”

“Of all people to provoke, the Leader....”

“He’s gonna learn the hard way.”

But that backtalk was exactly what I intended.

No Gucheon had told me to draw attention so the arrest team could move more easily.

And it wasn’t like the only way to do that was with martial arts.

This should buy enough time.

Yeo Pilgeuk looked momentarily thrown off, but then, as if he’d realized my intent, he gave a cold smile and played along.

“Yeah? Why don’t you record a video message to your parents while you’re at it? Might be hard to see them for the next few days...”

He said it like a joke, smiling—yet the gaze he leveled at me was colder than anything.

The young talents watching shivered without meaning to.

Watching quietly, Na Ilcheon narrowed his eyes and muttered,

“Heh heh. If the Leader put him in the last slot... this kid must be someone he’s really looking forward to.”

The other Eight Great Sects leaders were the same. Without realizing it, they leaned forward to see more clearly.

But the person who was anticipating this spar the most was Yeo Pilgeuk.

I can feel how relentlessly he’s been training.

Because this was an official setting, he didn’t acknowledge me as someone he knew—but wasn’t I the young talent he’d personally handed the Five Elements Divine Art to?

Only a few weeks had passed, but it was impossible for him not to be curious how much I’d improved.

“...Since you’re the last first-rate license participant, I’ll ask for your resolve.”

Yeo Pilgeuk slammed his two fists together in front of his chest and spoke with a fierce grin.

“Did you come out here intending to beat me too?”

It was a question that clearly pointed back to Shin Kangheon, who’d left the strongest impression.

Even though it ended in three techniques, the martial artists who watched that match were sure that if Shin Kangheon hadn’t thrown his decisive gambit so quickly, he could’ve endured a few more techniques.

So could this young talent—Kim Muhyuk—show something even more intense than that?

But I shook my head with a calm expression.

“I’m not that reckless. I’m the type who sees himself objectively. I won’t entertain an arrogant thought like ‘I’m going to beat you.’”

My answer sounded like a lack of confidence, and a hint of disappointment colored the faces of the people watching.

If you were a young talent of the martial world, people wanted to see overflowing bravado and spirit, even if it bordered on posturing.

But Yeo Pilgeuk didn’t look disappointed.

Unlike everyone else, he knew a little more about me.

“Oh? Then you must’ve come out with a realistic goal?”

I nodded, flat.

“Yes. I came out after setting a goal that feels achievable. So there’s one thing I’d like to ask...”

“Ask.”

“Instead of the first-rate martial artist exam... may I challenge for the pinnacle-expert qualification?”

It was the moment question marks popped over the heads of everyone there—including Yeo Pilgeuk.

I drew my sword from my waist and smiled.

“Enduring ten techniques from you, Leader. Watching you, it looks like it’s realistically enough.”

At that exact moment, in the infirmary, Shin Kangheon—who had just come to—watched it on TV and lifted his thumb.

“Yeah. You’re the craziest one.”

The live viewers and YouTube reactions were no different. Communities began to ignite around the name Kim Muhyuk.

The only one who burst out laughing was Yeo Pilgeuk.

“Hahahahahaha—!”

Choi Geon’s disciple truly didn’t disappoint.

With just a few lines, I had dragged an absurd amount of attention onto myself.

In the Korean martial world right now, how many people weren’t watching me?

Since I’d done this well, it was only right he played along too.

“Fine! From this moment on, think of it as the pinnacle-expert test, and I’ll treat you accordingly!”

KWA-KWA-KWA-KWA-KWA—!

Yeo Pilgeuk’s martial robe snapped and whipped like it had gone mad.

A fierce light poured from his eyes, and a chilling momentum began to spill from his whole body.

This isn’t a pinnacle-expert test. This is... enough to beat pinnacle experts to death.

The sensation of my fine hairs standing on end made me wear a brief, dumbfounded expression.

But I had no intention of backing down—or asking him to go easy on me.

I would simply draw out my full power in response.

Five Elements Divine Art.

Internal energy surged up from the depths of my lower abdomen, spreading through my limbs and every channel in my body, activating me from head to toe.

Metal and water took the lead as they raced through me. The other three energies were still faint, but they followed behind, lending strength.

KWA-KWA-KWA—!

My hair fluttered, and a golden current and a blue current began to flow faintly over my skin.

“You have no intention of hiding your strength anymore?”

At Yeo Pilgeuk’s question—spoken with a quiet smile—I nodded.

“Yes. I’m going to show it properly. To the world.”

Smiling with genuine pleasure, I charged first at Yeo Pilgeuk.

*****

At the exact same time, when most of the Korean martial world’s attention was locked onto the license exam—

Something no one could’ve predicted was happening in the building where the Sun and Moon Gate’s headquarters stood.

WHOOSH!

CRRRAAAACK—!

Violent flames and razor-cold frost collided, belching steam so thick you couldn’t see a hand in front of your face.

But the clash of flame and frost only held for a moment.

CRRRAAAACK-CRRRAAAACK—!

A terrifying cold began to shove the wall of fire aside and advance.

From beyond the retreating flames came voices thick with fury.

“Grand Elder! What is this insane act?!”

“Glacier Priestess! Are you betraying the sect?!”

“Get in touch with the sect leader—now!”

“T-communications are down! Everything’s dead...!”

Amid the roar of shouts and screams, no one could stop the Glacier Priestess’s advance.

This was the corridor leading to the underground location where the sect leader hid all manner of secrets.

After forcing her way through countless security measures and martial artists by sheer power, the Glacier Priestess warned the blazing-yang lineage martial artists who still resisted.

“Who the traitor is will be revealed today. So move. I’m very angry right now... and I might make a mistake and kill a few people.”

“......”

At her ice-edged warning, Jang Jinmyeong’s trusted blazing-yang martial artists stumbled backward in a hurry.

.

.

.

A short while later, after completely suppressing the opposing lineage, the Glacier Priestess turned back with a weary expression.

“...I’ll leave the rear to you.”

Standing there were three people: Choi Geon, Kim Bokja, and Hwang Suksu—Choi Geon’s face hidden behind a mask.

Choi Geon nodded.

“Priestess, step back. We specialize in dirty investigations.”

“...I’ll go up and keep an eye on my disciples.”

The Glacier Priestess left, saying she would stabilize the sect.

And the three of them stood side by side before the underground door.

With bloodshot eyes blazing with excitement, Hwang Suksu worked through the complex locking mechanism, muttering,

“Heh heh heh. To think I’d live to see the day I loot the Eight Great Sects...!”

“Frivolous fool. The materials containing the necessary information come first. If you lay a hand on anything unnecessary, I’ll cut off your wrist.”

“I-I mean, I’m just saying.”

“Hurry up, mister. This operation lives and dies on time.”

“Why are you only picking on me....”

While I was clashing with the Leader above, the three of them were digging out the Sun and Moon Gate’s secrets below.