"Chairman Tam of Planet Company has refused all interview requests and has yet to respond to the speculation regarding his relationship with West City division champion, Mu Taro. Is Mu Taro related to Mr. Tam? What is the connection between Muten School and the Muten Master? Could Mu Taro himself be the legendary Muten Master? Our station will continue to follow this story closely..." — Roronoa, West City TV.
"It has to be him! That old man Siflo had been searching for the Muten Master for ages, right? And now, this 'Mu Taro' quietly takes the West City championship? He defeated those absurdly powerful Muten School disciples and did it without causing a stir! Who could possibly question his strength? Who else but the legendary Muten Master could pull this off? I'm casting my vote for him!"
Comments like this flooded the online poll boards.
"Why isn't Mu Tam responding?"
"Why are there no West City division match videos of Mu Taro? What tricks is Planet Company pulling?"
"Protest! We demand the release of all footage from Taro's matches!"
"I was there! I watched the tournament live at the West City division!" A passing office worker, caught on camera, spoke excitedly to a reporter. "You have no idea! That old man named Mu Taro... He was amazing!"
"Could you share more details?" The reporter pressed eagerly, but the woman only laughed and walked away.
The buzz surrounding Taro continued to escalate, refusing to die down.
Some daring individuals attempted to sneak into Planet Company in search of major news, but their efforts were fruitless—security was airtight. Tam himself never left his office; whenever he traveled, it was via helicopter from the rooftop. And entertainment reporters? None of them had helicopters.
But there was another way—interviewing the West City division participants. They had shared the same waiting room as Mu Taro. Surely, they would remember the enigmatic champion, the man rumored to be the Muten Master.
June 15
A blond man unwrapped the bandages on his hands, pausing to recall his time in the waiting room. He looked at the camera and shook his head. "The waiting room, huh…? I don't remember." He hesitated, frowning slightly. "Now that I think about it, no one really noticed him. He just sat quietly in the corner the entire time. I don't remember."
"What about his matches? You all watched them, right? Can you tell us about his fighting style?" The reporter's eyes gleamed with curiosity.
"How do I put this... His matches were… ordinary." A middle-aged fighter in a blue martial arts uniform spoke heavily. "No intense exchanges, no dramatic clashes. He just stepped onto the stage, fought, and won. Instantly."
June 17
"I didn't even realize I had lost until the referee announced it."
Reporters had finally tracked down someone who had personally fought against Mu Taro. These were eliminated contestants, though the regional tournament offered prizes beyond just the top three, so they weren't particularly bitter about their losses. Recalling their matches, their faces reflected a mix of admiration and disbelief.
"That old man… How do I describe him? When you stand in front of him, you just know you don't stand a chance. That's the kind of presence he has."
"I've never felt that way before. Not even from my late master. Compared to him, all martial artists are like newborns, just learning to walk… There's no doubt—he will be the champion of this tournament! I can't imagine anyone stronger than him."
"He's beyond comprehension!"
"I never thought martial arts could reach this level!"
"He hit me with a single palm strike! Can you imagine? Just a simple, ordinary-looking palm strike—but I had nowhere to run! It was as if I were an ant, trapped in the palm of his hand… The match ended before I even knew what happened! When I came to, I was already in the waiting room!"
June 19
Following leads, reporters tracked down the former site of Muten School—at the foot of a mountain outside Sayuan City.
"Good evening, viewers. Behind me is the now-collapsed mountain peak, rumored to be the former location of the Muten School martial arts school. Please follow me—we can see that the training hall, once located at the mountain's base, is now completely gone. It has been replaced by an orchard. According to records, Muten School disbanded years ago due to financial struggles, forcing them to sell the land…"
The camera panned across the scene, revealing the broken mountain—severed in half by a single strike from Taro, long ago. The once-mighty Muten School temple was gone, replaced by rows of fruit trees. Time had passed, the mountain remained split, but generations had come and gone, and the world had changed.
"Now, let's head into Sayuan City and see if we can find any trace of Muten School's past… Excuse me, sir, are you a local?"
"Ah, yes, I'm a local..."
"Have you ever heard of the Muten School martial arts school?"
"Of course! Muten School was incredible! You young folks wouldn't know, but it was founded by the Muten Master, the one who saved everyone... The Muten Master—truly legendary! But kids these days… they don't believe in such things anymore, no, they don't..."
"Could you tell us more about the Muten Master and Muten School?"
"Ah, this old man doesn't know much, just the stories my father and grandfather used to tell me when I was little. But look over there, see that broken mountain? That one, right there. Let me tell you—back in the day, the Muten Master sliced that mountain in half with a single finger! Just a light stroke of his finger, and that's what became of it!"
June 20
"The Muten Master? If such a being truly exists, he must be the one!" A square-jawed young man declared to the reporter with conviction.
"I grew up listening to my grandfather's stories about the Muten Master. That's why I decided to pursue martial arts in the first place. The Muten Master is absolutely real! And he… he has to be the one!" A middle-aged martial artist with reddened eyes and a stubbled chin spoke fervently. Though he had been defeated, he looked more exhilarated than disappointed.
One interview followed another, yet oddly enough, no one could find the Muten School disciples who had competed in the tournament. It was as if they had vanished into thin air—the moment the regional tournament ended, they were nowhere to be seen.
Some eyewitnesses claimed to have spotted them near the Planet Company headquarters.
Others insisted they had caught glimpses of the Muten School disciples near Tam's private estate and other luxurious properties he owned...
With all these scattered reports, the connections between Mu Taro, Mu Tam, Muten School, and the Muten Master were no longer just speculation. To the public, they had become undeniable truth.