The Martial Unity

“We will die.”

Tokugawa Ieyasu’s voice drew Rui’s attention. It was stoic and calm despite his ominous words.

Rui’s dark eyes shifted towards him with a powerful gaze.

“…Then we’ll die fighting.”

A profound serenity took over the air as the two young men gaze out into the landscape stretching outside the Kandrian Empire from atop the border wall.

They experienced a profound sense of peace in the inevitability of what was to come even as the lands beneath them tremored and shook from the devastating battle of seventy-five Martial Sages.

RUMBLE

“Your Highness…! The preparations are complete!” An official of the Kandrian Border Patrol Force appeared, saluting the prince of the nation. “The Apocalypse-class long-range heavy artillery and the Sage-level corps are both ready! We will discharge our duties to protect the Kandrian Empire, no matter what!”

“Your loyalty to the Kandrian Empire is noble and honorable, commander,” Rui calmly replied to him. “Ensure that there are no hiccups. Everything must proceed according to my plan, or we have no chance for survival.”

“Yes, Your Highness!” He saluted Rui with deep respect and admiration before heading back down to discharge his important duties and assignments.

RUMBLE

The shaking lands did not lift morale, but it did not despair the two young Masters.

“I adaptively evolve, and you follow suit, got it?” Rui turned to Ieyasu with a pointed gaze. Ieyasu’s gaze remained fixed on the horizon. “…”

Rui’s eyes sharpened. “You cannot copy the Martial Art of a Sage. Do not even bother. My Martial Art is the most effective in this circumstance. I will adaptively evolve, you follow suit. We establish perfect coordination with mind reading and bring about a sum that is greater than the parts.”

Ieyasu shook his head. “Even if I were to agree, this plan has no chance of succeeding. We cannot defeat a Martial Sage, not even if we combine our power.”

Rui’s gaze returned to the horizon. “That is what the Apocalypse-class weapons and the Sage-level corps are there for.”

“Both forces are categorically inferior to Martial Artists.” Ieyasu’s tone remained composed. “Martial Sages would be the equivalent of combining weapons of mass destruction and Sage-level enhanced units into a single force.”

“They cannot defeat Sages, but they can soften them, slow them down, tire them out. That is their purpose,” Rui retorted with a pointed tone. “This is after they are already tired and wounded by the Sages of the Kandrian Alliance. Once they have finally gotten through it all, that is where we come in. It will be up to us.”

His tone was grave, yet firm.

He understood that it was impossible for two Martial Masters to defeat a Sage, even if that Sage was tired and wounded.

However, they were not ordinary Martial Masters.

It was not an exaggeration to say that the two of them were the most extraordinary Martial Masters in the history of the Age of Martial Art.

If they used to sum totality of what they had to offer in a hyper-synergistic fashion to exceed their limits, then it was not absolutely impossible for them to stalemate a critically wounded and exhausted Sage.

If necessary, Rui was willing to push the limits and use some of his forbidden techniques to tip the scales in his favor.

“I have no intention of going down easily.” His eyes narrowed with ferocity. And that was when they heard it.

The horrifying roar shook them where they stood, sending chills across their skin. In an instant, their Realms of power blazed into existence as their instincts and nerves screamed with danger.

They felt more horror and dread in that moment than either of them had ever felt in their lives. The roar effortlessly stripped them of their composure. Not even the prospects of having to fight Martial Sages head-on had inspired anything even close to the raw terror that they felt squeezing their hearts with a vice-like grip!

“What…” Rui’s eyes widened with horror. “…what was that?”

Ieyasu remained frozen where he stood as his expression grew severe. “…Something beyond us.”

None of them had even the faintest clue as to what that blood-curdling monstrosity of a roar was, but it didn’t take a genius to figure out that it probably wasn’t good!

The air tingled as the atmosphere grew electric.

It boiled with peril.

The two young Masters stood frozen in rapt alertness. A looming power grew closer and closer to the Kandrian Empire.

Their expression graver and graver as many seconds and many minutes passed.

RUMBLE!

Their eyes flared with power and reckoning as they felt the arrival of the Sages.

And yet, it wasn’t the enemy Sages.

No.

It was none other than the twenty-four Sages of the Kandrian Empire!

A cause for relief and celebration.

And yet, in the face of the grave severity that lingered in each and every one of their eyes, any and all hope was choked out of Rui. Sage Aggragor was quivering with terror as he bit his nails obsessively. The others didn’t seem to be faring much better.

They were returning from the battle, but whatever had happened had been so extraordinarily horrifying that even their safe retreat was not enough to drown out the horror written in their eyes.

“What…” A whisper escaped Rui. “Just what happened?”

None of them could even bring themselves to explain what they had experienced. None of them except the Devil.

“A monster caused a ruckus,” he gruffly snorted. “Nothing more. Nothing less.”

Just before Rui could even heave a sigh of relief at the astronomical understatement, another refused to allow that to stand!

“B-BULLSHIT!!!” Sage Aggragor shrieked with terror. “You felt that horror! You felt the horrifying power of that abomination! It has the power to kill us all!”

The air boiled with peril as not even Sage Damian was able to retort to this absolute truth that lingered in the atmosphere.

Sage Aggragor’s gaze turned to Rui. “You want to know what happened?”

His expression crumbled with despair. “AN APOCALYPSE! THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED. ENDLESS MONSTERS. ENDLESS BEASTS. A HELLISH NIGHTMARE THAT WILL DESTROY EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE!”

RUMBLE

The world shook under the weight of the truth.