Chapter 234: An Entertaining Lunatic

The moment Kim Muhyuk arrived in America, weapons were pointed at him from every direction.

There was no killing intent, but a dozen sharp gazes tracked his every movement.

Grace Taylor warned him in a low voice.

“Do not move. The moment your hand touches your sword, we will consider it an attack.”

Kim Muhyuk stopped the hand that had naturally been moving toward Phantom Dream and gave her a vicious grin.

“You’re the ones who drew your weapons first, but I’m not allowed to?”

“...As expected.”

Kim Muhyuk could feel people glancing over at the sudden confrontation between martial artists.

The airport security personnel themselves looked indifferent, as though this sort of thing happened all the time. But that was only on the surface. The presences of the experts responsible for airport security were already drawing closer.

“Is this how the World Martial Alliance normally treats its guests?”

Choi Geon stepped in front of his disciple, his voice icy.

Even with both hands bound and supposedly under the effects of qi-dispersing poison, his eyes gleamed like freshly honed blades.

“You suddenly draw weapons without so much as explaining yourselves, and you think it strange that he tries to defend himself? I had no idea the World Martial Alliance was such a discourteous organization.”

Ptui.

Choi Geon spat the pill everyone thought he had swallowed onto the floor.

The World Martial Alliance martial artists stared at him in disbelief.

“The qi-dispersing poison...”

“Heh heh. I have never seen any of you before in my life. Why would I obediently swallow whatever you hand me?”

The corners of Choi Geon’s mouth curled upward savagely.

The cuffs were still around his wrists, but everyone there knew that a peerless master could break them whenever he pleased.

Ssssss....

The two words DEMON EXTERMINATION emblazoned across the chest of Choi Geon’s Martial Alliance uniform began to ripple and swell.

“I believe your objection is justified. We acted rashly in that regard. You have my apologies.”

Grace Taylor signaled her colleagues to lower their weapons and continued.

“Choi Geon, Investigator Ivan Volkov recently submitted an additional report concerning you. Kim Muhyuk was marked as a person of interest in that report.”

“...Me?”

Grace nodded at Kim Muhyuk’s dubious question and explained further.

“A person of interest who has not yet been entered into the World Martial Alliance system has entered the United States. We overreacted somewhat because of that. And...”

She added that Kim Muhyuk’s gesture a moment ago had looked hostile, prompting them to respond reflexively.

Choi Geon and Kim Muhyuk exchanged awkward looks.

“Disciple. It appears this is all the result of your own past behavior. Perhaps you should have shown a little restraint.”

“You do remember I ended up like this because I was trying to help you, right, Master?”

Kim Muhyuk grumbled under his breath, then held out both hands to Grace.

“Fine. I just wish you’d explained that from the beginning.”

“...Thank you for understanding.”

Soon, Kim Muhyuk was fitted with the same cuffs as his master and made to swallow qi-dispersing poison as well.

Even after repeatedly checking that both men had actually swallowed the pills this time, Grace continued watching the master and disciple with suspicious eyes.

Damn. Orthodox Mode.

Only after he was already being escorted away with a displeased expression did Kim Muhyuk realize his mistake.

He promptly put his orthodox-martial-artist demeanor back on and smiled pleasantly.

“Ha ha. It seems there was simply a minor misunderstanding between us. As a young rising star representing Korea’s orthodox martial world, I hope to establish a good relationship with all of you. Ha ha ha ha!”

“...!”

But Kim Muhyuk’s carefully manufactured smile only made the World Martial Alliance martial artists tense up even more.

Watching him transform his expression and demeanor so completely in an instant, as though he had become another person altogether, left all of them thinking roughly the same thing.

What a creepy lunatic.

Are all Korean martial artists this weird?

I’d rather deal with Sunwoo Jeha....

Contrary to Kim Muhyuk’s intentions, his first impression seemed to have firmly established him as an unusually dangerous lunatic.

*****

THUP-THUP-THUP-THUP!

The two crossed the city aboard a helicopter provided by the World Martial Alliance, heading toward its headquarters.

Choi Geon stared out at New York spread beneath them in admiration.

“Now that is quite a view.”

New York was called the capital of the world for a reason.

From the air, the city was breathtaking: sunlight glittering across the Hudson River, countless skyscrapers including the Empire State Building rising into the sky, and the vast expanse of Central Park stretching between them.

It was a sight neither of them was likely to forget.

But Kim Muhyuk’s attention was quickly stolen by a building towering beyond them.

A steel skyscraper that narrowed as it climbed until its summit formed the point of a sword.

The headquarters of the World Martial Alliance.

<The Martial World Center>.

So that’s the heart of the global martial world....

In his previous life, Kim Muhyuk had only ever seen the building in videos and photographs.

Now that it was drawing closer before his own eyes, he could hardly contain the pounding excitement in his chest.

Grace smiled when she saw his reaction.

“Welcome to the World Martial Alliance.”

Her voice was composed, but her expression betrayed immense pride in the organization she belonged to.

Hummmm!

As they approached headquarters, Kim Muhyuk felt an immense concentration of spellcraft energy.

Dozens of the world’s foremost Grand Spellcasters had worked together to complete the spell formation protecting both the building’s outer walls and the airspace above it.

Rumor had it the defenses were strong enough to withstand even a peerless master’s Transcendence-Level Ultimate Technique.

“We’ll be entering the spell barrier shortly. You may experience some dizziness, so please be prepared.”

Bzzzz—.

After the helicopter passed safely through the aerial spell barrier, the group landed on a helipad atop World Martial Alliance headquarters.

“We’ve arrived. Thank you for cooperating so readily with our security regulations.”

Grace immediately removed the cuffs from both men and gave them the antidote to the qi-dispersing poison.

The gesture spoke volumes.

Inside World Martial Alliance headquarters, they were confident they could keep even a peerless master under control.

“You’re free to explore anywhere except the restricted areas. You’ll be contacted sometime today with the specific schedule for your Black Restraint Band suitability assessment.”

“Heh heh. Thanks to you, I enjoyed quite the sightseeing trip on the way here.”

“I hope your stay brings you both remarkable experiences and an enjoyable time.”

After Grace left, Kim Muhyuk and Choi Geon took an elevator and pressed the button for the floor where the World Martial Alliance had arranged their lodgings.

Both were astonished by the martial presences they could sense all around them.

“...Master. Isn’t this a ridiculous number of supreme masters for a single building?”

“Heh heh. There are several peerless masters as well. After seeing this place, I don’t think I can call anywhere else a den of monsters again.”

Choi Geon said he could sense at least five experts inside the building who were comparable to himself.

Of course, they were not all permanent forces stationed at World Martial Alliance headquarters.

Most were probably famous figures from various countries invited as guests for the World’s Strongest Sparring Tournament.

After reaching their lodgings and unpacking, Choi Geon immediately changed into comfortable clothes.

“This journey has been rather tiring. I think I shall rest for a while... What are you doing?”

Choi Geon stared incredulously as his disciple changed out of the suit he had traveled in and into another suit.

“Master, don’t you want to go to the party hall?”

America being the land of parties, World Martial Alliance headquarters had a party hall that was always open.

It was a place where major figures from martial worlds across the globe could meet, mingle, and build connections.

For Kim Muhyuk, it was an invaluable opportunity for new encounters and experiences.

Choi Geon, however, waved him away with no interest whatsoever.

His expression said the mere thought of attending gave him goosebumps.

“Go by yourself. I am going to rest.”

He sank into the sofa and muttered to himself.

“Tsk. He truly does not know when to give up. A man’s natural disposition is not so easily changed....”

“I’ll be back!”

Pretending not to hear his master, Kim Muhyuk shut the door behind him and left.

Build a good reputation and develop enough influence to stand against Richard Han. This is the first step toward becoming the heroic swordsman who will one day represent Korea’s orthodox martial world.

There had been a minor mishap at the airport, but Kim Muhyuk refused to be discouraged.

This time, he was determined to show the entire world the results of the intensive training he had undergone with Bu Yeonha.

And when he strode ambitiously into the party hall, he ran into someone completely unexpected.

“...Transcendent Extremity Gate sect leader?”

“...Obnoxious bastard?”

Sunwoo Jeha, who had been concentrating on her meal in one corner of the hall, raised her head and looked at Kim Muhyuk.

She seemed a little sharper than the last time he had seen her.

When she saw him dressed head to toe in a suit, she blinked several times and tilted her head.

“Did you decide to copy that bastard exactly? You’re even more obnoxious now.”

Kim Muhyuk frowned slightly, walked over, and grumbled under his breath.

“I actually met him not long ago. First thing he did was grab me by the throat and try to kill me.”

“...Really?”

Sunwoo Jeha’s eyes widened slightly at the news that Kim Muhyuk had met Han Shinhu.

Then she looked him up and down.

“You met him without me and still came back with all four limbs attached? He must’ve really liked you. But you....”

Her eyes lit up as she realized Kim Muhyuk had become a supreme master.

She abruptly jabbed her fork at him.

Kim Muhyuk barely avoided it by jerking his head back.

“Before or after?”

“...Before.”

She was asking whether he had become a supreme master before meeting Han Shinhu or afterward.

The question had omitted practically everything that made it a complete sentence, yet for some reason, Kim Muhyuk found her easier to understand than he used to.

“But why are you here, sect leader? You’re not exactly the type who enjoys parties.”

“To eat. There’s lots of food, and it’s good.”

“....”

Sunwoo Jeha.

Sect leader of the Transcendent Extremity Gate and currently regarded as the only Korean national who qualified as a peerless master.

She was using the World Martial Alliance’s party hall as a cafeteria.

Kim Muhyuk sighed at the damage being done to the image of the Korean martial world.

“Oh, is that Shin Kangheon guy still alive?”

“He’s got one tough body. Nothing’s happened lately that was likely to kill him, either.... More importantly, are you almost done with the peerless-master verification?”

“Last stage. Just one left. I’m going to challenge it after I finish eating.”

“Can I come watch?”

“If you want to die?”

A peerless master from Korea with a distinctly unusual air about her.

And a young Asian rising star who somehow matched her perfectly and carried on a smooth conversation with her.

Even in the World Martial Alliance, where seeing a peerless master was hardly unheard of, the atmosphere around the two of them drew particular attention.

“Who’s that young man?”

“Never seen him before....”

“He can actually hold a normal conversation with Sunwoo Jeha?”

“...I wouldn’t exactly call that normal.”

Sunwoo Jeha had become a subject of considerable interest here lately.

She was an old friend of the Strongest in the World and a martial artist widely expected to complete her peerless-master verification soon.

But her distinctive demeanor made her difficult to approach.

And now some unknown young rising star had appeared and was casually chatting with her.

“Ha ha. Who’s that entertaining lunatic?”

A man pushed through the foreign martial artists watching the pair with interest and strode toward them.

“You two look like you’re having fun. Mind if I join you?”

“No.”

Sunwoo Jeha answered without even turning around, looking thoroughly annoyed.

The man merely laughed heartily.

Kim Muhyuk, on the other hand, turned to look at the newcomer and froze in surprise.

“Lucas Pereira?”

“Ha ha! You know me?”

“...There isn’t a martial artist alive who wouldn’t know that name.”

Lucas Pereira.

A Brazilian martial artist who used his entire body as a weapon.

He was in his mid-forties, at the peak age for a martial artist. He wasn’t absurdly huge, but even beneath his suit, his powerful, muscular build was obvious, matched by an open and vigorous demeanor.

His popularity in South America rivaled Richard Han’s—and might even have surpassed it—thanks to his forthright, larger-than-life personality and countless stories of him crushing gangs from the unorthodox martial world with nothing but his two fists.

He was also a peerless master with martial arts formidable enough to place him among the favorites to win this year’s World’s Strongest Sparring Tournament.

And....

Kim Muhyuk knew one more secret about him.

A secret the rest of the world did not.

He’s also a high-ranking member of the Heavenly Demon Cult.

When Heavenly Demon Cult terrorist attacks had erupted across the globe, Kim Muhyuk had seen the footage on the news.

He still remembered it vividly.

Lucas Pereira bringing down the Statue of Liberty with a single punch.