CFZ

Three days.
It had been three days since the attack on Hanam.

And those three days had been filled with turmoil.
The Murim Alliance had hosted a grand festival to celebrate peace and a new era.
At the peak of the New Dragon Martial Tournament, held to select a new Dragon Commander—

A man appeared, declaring himself the leader and cult master of the Demonic Cult—Cheonma (Heavenly Demon)—and turned Hanam into a wasteland.
Using sinister sorcery, he immobilized the greatest martial artists present and led a massive force to ravage the city.
The aftermath of the attack was devastating.

The forces of the Demon Lord, Cheonma, proved overwhelming.
With the most formidable masters bound by dark magic, they were unable to mount a proper defense, and Hanam was left in ruins.
Buildings were reduced to rubble, and countless people lost their homes.

But that wasn’t all.
The damage extended far beyond physical destruction—
Lives were lost.

Three of the eight division leaders of the Murim Alliance died in the attack.
And the greatest tragedy of all—
Peng Zhou, the Blade King, head of the Hebei Peng Clan and one of the Six Thrones, was killed.

The attack began in the midst of the martial tournament.
Peng Zhou, the Sword King and head of the Hebei Peng Clan, had just finished his match.
While moving with his son, the Peng Woojin, they were suddenly ambushed.

They attempted to resist alongside the Murim Alliance—
But the situation spiraled out of control when the Demonic Cult’s lieutenant—Demon Spear—escaped captivity and intervened.
The Demon Spear, a master who annihilated the entire Ilryong Division during his escape,
Killed the Blade King and left both the Flying Saint and the Alliance’s warriors gravely injured before disappearing.

And that was how Peng Zhou, the Blade King of the Six Thrones, met his end.
The Demonic Cult—the group that led the attack on Hanam—
Had slain both division leaders and a king-level martial artist.

The loss of a king was a devastating blow.
In Zhongyuan, kings were known as the Six Thrones.
Not all of them were martial artists—some wielded influence through power, wisdom, or politics.

In essence, the title of king wasn’t just about martial skill—
It was symbolic.
Kings were figures who shaped their era.

Whether it was the Sword King, the Blade King, or the Demon Sword Queen—
They were leaders who influenced the world through martial prowess, philosophy, or political power.
Peng Zhou, as the Blade King and head of the Peng Clan, symbolized the pinnacle of blade mastery.

And now, that symbol had been shattered.
With one of the Six Thrones gone, chaos should have erupted—
But surprisingly, most people were calm.

Why?
Because two new kings had emerged to fill the void.
The first was the head of the Hwangbo Clan, Hwangbo Yeolwi—also known as the Fierce Tiger Nine Fists.

Rumors had long circulated that he had grown weaker with age and illness,
But during the attack, Hwangbo Yeolwi proved those rumors wrong.
With unmatched strength, he overwhelmed his enemies—

Stronger and sharper than even in his prime.
Some speculated that his absence wasn’t due to illness but to seclusion for enlightenment.
Regardless, his performance earned him the title of Tiger King (호왕).

The Hwangbo Clan’s reputation soared—
Reviving its glory after a century, when its previous king-level leader had been the Fist King.
Yet, despite the Tiger King’s rise,

Most of the attention wasn’t on him.
Instead, it was on the other new king.
The seventh king.

This man had thrown himself into the chaos,
Saving hundreds of people during the initial attack.
Not only did he rescue refugees,

But he also hunted the Demonic Cult’s curses and the terrifying White-Rank beasts—disasters that breathed death.
Even after exhausting himself, he rushed to the Alliance headquarters,
Breaking the spells cast over the halls alongside the Pungryong Commander.

And—
When the monstrous Demon Lord Cheonma emerged—
A foe who defeated the Tiger King in a single strike and withstood Cheonjon’s lightning without flinching—

This man earned the Demon Lord’s acknowledgment.
Because of these accomplishments, Hanam couldn’t stop speaking his name.
A hero in times of chaos.

A savior sent by heaven.
Countless titles and praises surrounded him—
And officially, the Murim Alliance named him the seventh king.

A martial artist who reached king-level status at the youngest age in history.
A man who stood above the current generation, surpassing even the New Dragons.
They named him the Star King

And as people chanted his title, showering him with admiration—
This so-called Star King—
“Star King.”

“…”
“Did you enjoy your meal?”
“…”

“Star King, why are you silent? Do you dislike my voice? Oh no! ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) It seems I’ve offended you somehow, Star King—”
“…For fuck’s sake… Please, just stop….”
—was being mercilessly teased from morning until night.

 
   ******************
   
Two days had passed when I first heard the news.
It must’ve been around that time since I’d barely managed to pull myself together and regain consciousness.

And the first thing I heard after waking up—
Was that I’d been named a king-level martial artist.
Honestly, when I first heard it, I didn’t think much of it.

Youngest this, youngest that—it was all empty praise.
I was far past the point of caring about such things.
Given the chaos I’d caused, I’d already expected some sort of recognition.

Maybe not king-level, but at least something noteworthy.
‘But they actually gave me the title of king.’
I hadn’t expected that.

The title of king was a symbol—
A living embodiment of power and influence in an era.
For the Murim Alliance to grant that title to someone as young as me—

I almost wondered if they’d lost their minds after the attack.
Tsk.
‘They just couldn’t resist adding an insult, could they?’

I knew the moment I heard the name they gave me.
Star King.
At first glance, it didn’t seem like there was anything wrong with it.

But—
‘Damn bastards.’
Anyone who understood the meaning behind it would know it was anything but flattering.

The current generation of martial artists was called the Meteor Generation—prodigies likened to stars.
So being named the Star King made me their representative.
In other words—

‘They’re calling me a king, but only of the younger generation.’
It was their way of saying, “Don’t get cocky.”
Unbelievable.

‘Why bother giving me the title at all, then?’
Even the name made it clear they didn’t want to give it to me.
And yet, they still went through with it.

‘They must’ve been desperate.’
I didn’t have all the details yet—
I’d only been conscious for a day, but even with limited information, I could tell why the Alliance made this move.

‘They’re trying to distract the public.’
They were probably scrambling right now.
Not just because of the attack, but because—

‘The state of public opinion.’
Judging by how quickly they handed me the title, things weren’t looking great for the Murim Alliance.
This wasn’t new.

When public morale hit rock bottom,
The Alliance always dangled something flashy to divert attention.
Why do you think they held the New Dragon Martial Tournament?

It was meant to make people believe Zhongyuan was at peace,
And to strengthen ties between the Sword Saint and the Murim Alliance.
Even the tournament’s focus on the New Dragons served that purpose.

But the tournament ended in chaos.
Hanam was attacked.
It wasn’t hard to imagine how the Alliance was faring after that.

‘And now—’
Tap. Tap.
I drummed my fingers on the table, smirking.

‘You’re using me this time?’
The Alliance’s usual tricks had now turned to me.
The youngest king-level martial artist.

The representative of the Meteor Generation.
They gave me a flashy title and shifted the public’s attention toward me.
But honestly—

‘I don’t hate it.’
This was the outcome I’d hoped for.
It wasn’t ideal, but it was something I could work with.

‘It’s the kind of cover I needed.’
A crown, a title—
I needed that kind of influence.

I didn’t care if they were using me to draw attention.
Because—
‘I don’t plan to stop here.’

If I’d intended to settle for this, I wouldn’t have done any of this in the first place.
I planned to use this position to my advantage.
Of course, there was one annoying part—

“Ah, the Star King smiles.”
“That must mean he’s happy.”
“Perhaps the tea is to his liking? For a tea that can satisfy the Star King’s tastes, it must be extraordinary.”

“Oh my, I brewed that tea myself.”
“Oh-ho….”
The chatter grated on my ears.

I scowled immediately.
“Can’t you two just leave?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to keep my composure.

“Oh dear, has the Star King grown angry?”
“My, my. How could we, mere mortals, offend you so?”
“…”

For fuck’s sake.
I couldn’t even curse out loud and just rubbed my face instead.
The ones sitting across from me were Paejon and Moyong Hee-ah.

And most of their conversation revolved around mocking me.
The teasing started the moment they heard about my new title.
Already irritated, I’d spent the entire day enduring their nonsense.

Finally, I turned to Moyong Hee-ah and asked,
“…Didn’t you call me here to eat?”
“I did.”

“And you expect me to eat like this?”
“Why not?”
Why?

Because every time I tried to take a bite, they kept teasing me.
I hadn’t touched my food and had only sipped tea out of frustration.
“We just thought you might feel lonely and wanted to keep you company….”

“…Can you stop already?”
“Is it the tea? Maybe it wasn’t to your liking—”
“…I’m getting mad.”

“Fine, fine.”
Moyong Hee-ah immediately dropped the act.
She must’ve sensed I was at my limit.

Finally, she answered the question I’d asked earlier.
“The healer said there’s no major issue. Wi Seol-ah’s wounds reopened slightly, but her regeneration is strong, so she’ll recover quickly.”
Wi Seol-ah had already been injured during her fight with the New Dragon.

I’d been worried about her fighting again in that condition,
But it seemed there wasn’t much to worry about.
“As for Tang So-yeol, she’s fine. Namgung Bi-ah pushed herself too hard, though. She’s suffering from Qi exhaustion, but it’ll resolve with rest.”

“Qi exhaustion, huh….”
It happened when someone overused their Qi too quickly.
Namgung Bi-ah hadn’t fully recovered,

And using Thunder Fang in her state must’ve pushed her too far.
‘…I should check on her.’
It wasn’t just the kids I was worried about.

I needed to assess the overall situation.
I had done my best to handle things before losing consciousness—
But I needed to confirm what had happened afterward.

“Well then, I guess it’s time to get up—”
“You haven’t finished eating.”
“How am I supposed to eat in this situation?”

I had no intention of eating to begin with.
Moyong Hee-ah had barged in and practically shoved the meal at me—only to spend the whole time teasing me instead.
Staying here any longer would probably make me throw up rather than eat.

I figured I’d check on my body’s condition and stand up—
“When you’re done, Young Master.”
“Hm?”

“Take this.”
Moyong Hee-ah suddenly held out a letter.
Why was she giving me this now?

As if sensing my confusion, she offered an excuse.
“This was actually the reason I came, but… I’m sorry. I got carried away teasing you.”
“…”

Her shameless confession left me speechless.
Well, I guess it’s better than pretending otherwise…
I took the letter and examined it.

The seal was familiar—
The insignia of the Murim Alliance.
I unfolded it immediately.

“Hm?”
The message was brief—
It was dressed up with layers of polite wording,

But the meaning behind it was clear.
“…Tch.”
“What is it?”

“Nothing. I was planning to head out anyway, but now there’s something I need to take care of.”
“…Right now?”
Moyong Hee-ah’s eyes suddenly sharpened.

“And just where do you think you’re going in your condition?”
Her glare was intense—
I’d gotten used to it by now, but every time she looked at me like that, I still flinched a little.

That’s how scary her stare was.
“…It’s not like I’ll be out for long. I just have something to take care of.”
“What could be so urgent that you need to go out right now?”

“Who knows.”
I smiled faintly.
“The mighty Murim Alliance has summoned me. I should at least show up, don’t you think?”

“…”
A summons from the Alliance.
Somehow, they’d found out I was awake and immediately sent a message asking me to visit.

I had a few guesses about why—
But it didn’t matter.
‘I would’ve gone anyway.’

If anything, I was grateful they’d saved me the trouble of announcing my arrival.
“I’ll be back soon.”
As I stood up, Moyong Hee-ah hurried to stop me.

“You’re still injured—!”
She tried to point out my wounds—
But then—

“…Huh?”
Her words trailed off as the bandages unraveled.
The scars underneath had already healed.

“I’ll be back. Paejon, we’ll talk later.”
Taking advantage of her shock, I made my escape.
Moyong Hee-ah snapped out of it and lunged after me—

“…That man—!”
But by then, I was already gone.
“Running off again? And in that condition?”

Watching me disappear, Moyong Hee-ah fumed.
Paejon, sipping the leftover tea I’d abandoned, asked,
“Not going after him?”

“No, it’s fine.”
Moyong Hee-ah sighed, then smiled faintly.
Normally, she would’ve chased after me,

Warned me about how reckless it was,
And thoroughly lectured me before letting me go.
But—

“He needs to learn his lesson.”
This time, she decided to let him suffer the consequences.
Moyong Hee-ah snorted lightly and left the room.

Paejon chuckled and nodded.
“She’s not wrong.”
Even he agreed—

I probably needed a lesson.

   ******************
   
I stepped outside the residence and began walking.

It seemed like I’d successfully slipped away.
I’d probably pay for it later when I got back…
But that was a problem for future me.

I walked alone without any guards.
I never liked having escorts,
And I wasn’t about to start now.

As I made my way along the ruined streets toward the Alliance—
“…Huh?”
I heard voices.

Looking over, I saw workers clearing debris.
And then—
“It’s the Star King.”

“The Star King is here!”
“What?! The Star King?!”
The moment they saw me, they lit up and started shouting.

“…What the—?”
I didn’t even have time to process it before—
“Star King—!!”

“Star King!!!”
“The Star King has arrived!”
“…What the hell?”

A crowd surged toward me.
And as I watched them rush in,
I realized—

Something had definitely changed over the past few days.
And not in a good way.