The Martial Unity

Rui grew incredibly excited at this new revelation!

The reason for this was that he had inadvertently come across one of the principles of Jeet Kune Do, a martial art that Bruce Lee himself had developed. The principle of intercepting one’s opponents’ attacks by moving before their opponent moved.

(‘How do you combat something that’s too fast for you to combat after it has begun? You defeat it before it begins,’) Rui hadn’t intended on it but had inadvertently stepped in the direction of one of Bruce Lee’s principles.

After all, his technique relied on predictions to begin to move ahead of time with perfectly timed pre-programmed movements.

(‘It’s more than just that,’) Rui narrowed his eyes. (‘My technique entails not just using predictions to gain foreknowledge on my opponent, and not just using that to move ahead of time. The timing matters the most. In a clash, I must aim to move before my opponents move, yes, but also after it is too late for them to change their movements.’)

Once the decision-making process in his opponent’s head was complete, the moment the brain transmitted a nerve impulse to be sent to the body, it was too late for the brain to change its decision. It was only after this point, that Rui could begin his movements before his opponents began moving without them reacting and altering their original movements.

He had a narrow gap between before it was too late for them to change their movements, and before their actual movements began.

(‘That minute timeframe is within which I must time my technique,’) Rui narrowed his eyes.

This was an exceedingly difficult demand. He had to admit, he was holding himself to a particularly high standard.

(‘Bruce Lee would have approved,’) Rui nodded.

Theoretically, no attack could be a threat if it was crushed before it was even launched. Rui had to remind himself to stop daydreaming so that he could get on with the formulation of the theoretical framework of the functioning of the technique.

(‘Now I just need to find a good movement speed supplementary technique and I’m set,’) Rui knew that this wasn’t going to be too easy.

Supplementary techniques usually involved some breathing technique that would enhance certain functions or parts of the body through the breathing technique.

One example was, of course, Rui’s Wind Breathing technique, and Gale Force Breathing technique.

(‘Those two aren’t bad,’) Rui noted. (‘But they are not what I’m looking for.’)

The two techniques, especially Gale Force Breathing were not strictly combat oriented enough. Wind Breathing placed an equal amount of importance on both combat and travel speed, but Gale Force Breathing was a technique that Rui had developed specifically to move faster when traveling so that he could keep up with Kane if the two of them had to run away, and were unable to rely on their other trump cards.

It certainly had helped in certain moments, like when they were escaping the ant mountain after the ants rushed in. Rui and Kane needed to escape, but Kane was limited to Rui’s speed, since he was faster, and could not move away from Rui, and the two needed to travel as fast as possible. Gale Force Breathing ensured that Rui didn’t drag Kane back too much.

In fact, the fact that they were able to escape as quickly as they did was because of Gale Force Breathing, and it had probably saved their lives that day. Thus, Rui most certainly did not look down on the technique.

That being said, techniques had their purposes. They were quite useful and powerful when used for their intended purposes, but not when used for other purposes.

Not that Gale Force Breathing would be utterly useless when facing off against opponents while also using Project Forestep’s technique, but it could not serve as the main movement-based technique for Project Forestep.

(‘I need something stronger,’)

The problem was that stronger techniques were simply of a higher grade of potency and difficulty. Based on experience, Rui knew that the technique that he needed was most likely going to be an extremely high-grade technique. Only a high-grade technique surpassing grade-eight difficulty and potency operated based on powerful principles could most likely satisfy his needs.

The problem was that when it came to mastering high-grade techniques, affinity mastered and talent mattered. The techniques of the highest grades required the Martial Artist’s Martial Path to have some affinity with the field of the technique. On top of that, they certainly needed talent to be able to master such a difficult technique in the first place.

That was the biggest problem that stood in Rui’s way.

The movement-based supplementary and maneuvering techniques that were viable for Project Forestep were most likely too difficult for him to master.

(‘At least, in their entirety,’) Rui’s eyes flashed with determination. (‘If I can just take what I need, then I’m good.’)

He didn’t need to use every ounce of a technique, what he needed was the core mechanics of how they worked and there was a good chance that he would be able to make do with it.

(As for the precise kind of movement-based technique I need…’) Rui gave it a considerable amount of thought. (‘I need a focus on speed and agility, as well as fluidity.’)

He would need to go through the Martial Union’s library unless, of course, he knew of a technique that he already wanted. It would be rather convenient for him to access the Martial Union’s library so far from home.

(‘It’s not like I know someone with a super fast te-‘) Rui cocked his head back as he immediately thought of someone with a technique who fit that exact description. The best part of it was that this person was also extremely close by, and had been extremely close by for a long time.

Rui pulled out his pocket watch, glancing at the time impatiently as he swept his senses across his environment.

“Tsl, when is Kane coming back?”