The Martial Unity

Rael bristled as he glared at the Divine Doctor. “What is the cure?”

“I already told you,” the Divine Doctor calmly replied. “Unless he accepts those memories as the truth and as a defining part of who he is, he will not be all to wake up. His brain will not be able to conduct the neurological processes that ultimately removes the barrier between his mind and the senses and body that exists during sleep. He will remain in this state forever unless he accepts the truth and accepts it as a part of who he is. I suspect that there is absolutely nothing that can be done in this regard. He alone controls his own destiny.”

Rael turned back to his son with a grim expression. “How did this even happen…?”

“That is indeed the odd part.” Faint interest appeared in the Divine Doctor’s eyes. “As I mentioned, suppressed memories do resurface. However, in the case of your son, it appears that it is resurfacing endlessly until he accepts them. That is very abnormal. It is more than abnormal. It feels… engineered.”

His father frowned. “But who would torment my son by engineering an eternal nightmare?”

“Most likely your son himself,” the Divine Doctor answered flatly. “If he sealed his memories off consciously, actively, and voluntarily, then it is possible that he has engineered a mental and self-hypnotic technique to relentlessly resurface old memories to the mind until his conscious and subconscious mind cease rejecting them and finally accept the truth of those memories as a part of who he is.”

“But why would he seal his own memor—” Emperor Rael froze. Goosebumps spread across his skin as his gaze shifted to Tokugawa Ieyasu.

His eyes widened with horror as the truth dawned on him. “You appear to have gleaned an insight,” the Divine Doctor noted. “Care to share them with me? It may be diagnostically relevant. I have a stake in the recovery of your son, unfortunately.”

“…Just that your prior words were correct.” A hint of bitterness dribbled from Emperor Rael’s tone. “It is fascinating, or horrifying rather, what Martial Artists will do for the sake of winning a fight.”

“I find it amusing, personally. Though, in this case, my precious stethoscope has been crippled. So not so amusing after all.”

Emperor Rael directed a disapproving gaze to the Divine Doctor.

He didn’t like his son being referred to as a tool.

“Speaking of recovery, your timing is perfect. Your son’s self-inflicted infinite nightmare aside, my other patient has fully recovered.”

Emperor Rael’s gaze shifted to Tokugawa Ieyasu with a hint of anger and displeasure concealed in his eyes.

Ieyasu’s black eyes opened slowly.

For a moment, he was lost.

He didn’t remember what was happening.

And then, the fog in his eyes disappeared as he gained full cognizance and awareness. His eyes darted around, trying to understand his current circumstances.

To his credit, he didn’t lash out in a panic, understanding rather quickly that he wasn’t being held captive so much as being treated and healed.

The glowing fluid in his chamber began draining until his feet finally touched the ground. The cylindrical glass opened up as a Martial Sage descended upon the ground before him.

After witnessing his fight with Rui, they quickly learned that with the latter still in recovery, it was best to assign a Martial Sage to put him in check.

And thus, the Tempestuous Fortress himself was placed in charge of keeping an eye on the Tokugawa Ieyasu. Although Emperor Rael had ruled out all possibilities of his stunt to join the Kandrian Empire being a ploy from the Britannian Prime Minister, it would be foolish to trust easily right off the bat.

CLICK

The gas mask fell off as Ieyasu glanced at his hands, clenching his fists as he experienced a  surge of power. A hint of satisfaction and relief flashed in his eyes before his attention shifted.

Yet, the first person he acknowledged was not the powerful Sage before him. Nor was it the most powerful ruler in human civilization.

Nor was it the greatest doctor in the history of humanity.

No.

The first person his gaze fell upon was none other than Rui.

His eyes grew complicated.

“You dare ignore a Sage and the Emperor of the Kandrian Empire, lad?” the Tempestuous Fortress growled. Yet, his gaze remained fixed on the Void Prince.

A single whisper escaped.

“…The price of adaptive evolution.”

He shook his head with a mixed expression before his gaze shifted to the Martial Sage, the Divine Doctor, and the Emperor of Harmony.

He wasn’t able to read any of their minds, either. The former was to be expected given that he was a Martial Sage, but the latter two were normal humans.

Physically, at least.

Yet, after the shock that he had received in his battle when Rui had adaptively evolved to one of his greatest strengths and powers had immunized him from receiving that shock from anybody else.

His attention returned to the individuals before him. “I can conclude that he has not suffered brain damage.” Faint interest could be detected in the Divine Doctor’s tone as his cold clinical eyes regarded Tokugawa Ieyasu like he was a test subject. “I shall have the medical team conduct a standard battery of tests nonetheless just to confirm his recovery. After that…”

His gaze shifted to the Emperor of Harmony. “He’s all yours.”

Emperor Rael’s expression was calm and powerful.

His heavy gaze bore down on Ieyasu’s dark eyes. “I hear you are able to read minds.”

Ieyasu simply stared at him wordlessly.

“I require you to read just one.” A thinly veiled command escaped the Emperor of Harmony as his gaze shifted to Rui.

Ieyasu followed his gaze as he beheld the unconscious Rui floating about in the fluid in his chamber.

He stared at Rui for a few seconds, before closing his eyes.

“…More pain, grief, and horror than I am able to parse.”

Yet, before Emperor Rael could even respond, a wave of power swept over him.

BADUMP

In depths of his chamber, Rui’s Martial Heart and Mind erupted with power.

From the depths of his mind erupted an endless wave of darkness.

An infinite void.

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