The Martial Unity

If the rumors of Rui’s record-shattering breakthrough to the Master Realm had sent waves across East Panama, then the news of the awakening of the Emperor of Harmony sent tsunamis, avalanches, and floods across East Panama.

An announcement from the Royal Palace shook the world asunder.

[With the power vested in me by the Royal Seal, I hereby verily declare and announce to the Kandrian Empire the complete recovery of the Third Emperor of Kandria, Emperor Rael Di Kandria.

-Royal Chancellor Mandaine Vermont.]

“What?!” “The Emperor of Harmony has healed?!”

“Long live the Emperor!”

“Glory to Emperor Rael!”

Not a single one, aside from those in the know, could possibly contain their shock. Nations, corporations, organizations, and institutions, even powerhouse martial artists from around the continent, shook at the announcement that had been widely spread and broadcast by the Royal Palace.

Despite the fact that news media were not as popular in Gaia as they were on Earth, countless journalists and reporters had hoarded the Royal Palace, causing the Royal Security Force to have to instate barriers, restrictions, and manned security lines to prevent the news-hungry men and women from flooding into the Kandrian Empire.

The many power blocs and factions within the Kandrian Empire were stunned beyond what words could parse. Each and every single one of them had written of the Emperor of Harmony as dead.

Having been embroiled in a throne war that encompassed all of Kandria’s highest echelons, they had been thoroughly shaken by the consequences of Emperor Rael’s illness.

They had shed blood in their cold war for the throne.

An unfathomable amount of wealth, resources, capital, and time had been invested in the Kandrian Throne War.

And all for what?

With the return of the Emperor of Harmony, the result of the throne war never mattered.

Even if the Final Prince wasn’t the one to win, even if the prince or princess they supported won the war, it never mattered.

The Return of the Emperor of Harmony brought about deep frustration among those who had suffered due to the Kandrian Throne War.

The losers of the throne war were depressed.

Yet the winners of the throne war were even more frustrated.

The Rui Faction gritted their teeth with clenched fists as their eyes grew bloodshot.

They had rested easy all this time, knowing that any time soon, Rui would ascend the throne after the Emperor croaked. Some of them had invested billions of gold coins and had essentially made a failing investment. Each of Rui’s many stakeholders had supported him in many ways in exchange for securing promises written in contracts that Rui was to fulfill when he ascended the throne.

Now, those investments were sunk.

The contracts were automatically voided.

They couldn’t even blame Rui. After all, it wasn’t like he had any control or influence over the medical condition of the Emperor of Harmony.

Of course not.

That would be absurd.

“Damn…!” Guildmaster Bradt’s expression morphed into grave displeasure in a rare moment of a loss of composure. He had been one of Rui’s most ardent supporters and greatest benefactors. Among all, he had undoubtedly suffered the most.

Many of his plans had been completely destroyed with the return of the Emperor of Harmony. Many long-term strategies had been thoroughly invalidated now that Rui could no longer ascend the throne.

“Huff…” Chairman Decker heaved a tired sigh. “…This is why you can’t bet on politics.”

The two of them would simply have to take their losses and move on. Yet, despite wallowing in their own self-pity, most of Rui’s stakeholders had the greatest pity for Rui. Despite the fact that he had worked so hard for six years, all his efforts had gone down the drain. Despite breaking through to the Master Realm, if the rumors were to be believed, he would be deprived of the throne.

None of them could even imagine what he was going through.

He had worked extremely hard and diligently ever since he had been unveiled as the Final Prince of Kandria.

He had personally lobbied all of them, one by one, battling the Kandrian Throne War and eventually dominating and securing victory when he got the final vote by defeating the Gatekeeper in their duel.

Even after he won, he didn’t rest, lobbying even more power by forming harems. Though none of them quite understood why he was recently on a spree to get rid of all the harems that he had painstakingly created over the span of three years. Yet, nonetheless, he had also cultivated his Martial power to the point of reaching the Master Realm. All of it had undoubtedly been to seize as much power as the Emperor of Kandria and lead the nation to even greater heights than his father had.

Yet, all of it was now for naught.

They could not even imagine the pain and frustration he must have felt when he learned that he would be unable to ascend the throne. They could only hope that in his grief, he wouldn’t do something drastic, overwhelmed with emotion.

The announcement of the Return of the Emperor of Harmony shook everybody who heard it, even as the world began to ponder the implications of such an extraordinary event on the future of the Kandrian Empire and the future of the geopolitical dynamics of all of East Panama.

Yet, while the world was reeling from the impacts of the Return of Emperor Rael, Rui found himself staring the man in the eyes in his medical room.

His skin glowed with a healthy luster.

His eyes and hair sparkled with golden light.

His body surged with vitality and energy.

He had not only been healed but had returned to his very prime by the magic of the Divine Doctor. An aura of majestic power radiated from deep within him.

It inspired awe.

It inspired deference.

It inspired reverence.

A gentle smile emerged on his soft expression as he gazed at Rui standing before him.

“My son.”

–