The Martial Unity

Once his meeting with the Sage Council ended, Rui began making preparations for his immediate departure from the Kandrian Empire. Thankfully, with his status, it was easy getting his hands on everything that he would need for his voyage.

Even for a Master of his caliber, he would need to be careful traveling across human civilization. An overwhelming majority of the beasts and monsters were too weak to be even remotely a threat to him. However, even then, they could drain him of his stamina while he traversed human civilization.

He needed to be prepared for all of that when the time came.

He armed himself with a large number of healing and stamina potions. He also prepared several other resources that would help him through his journey, including a portable cloud that would conceal his presence while simultaneously serving as a small rest space should he ever need to get some sleep.

When asleep, he was quite vulnerable, after all. And it was difficult for him to travel across human civilization if he could only obtain rest when in human territory. Although he certainly preferred resting while in human territory than in the clouds if he had the chance, it was just safer all-round.

He didn’t spend more time on visits or other social obligations. He didn’t have time and human civilization was in a dire situation, thus he decided to simply save time on social visits. All except for a few.

“Oh come on, you’re not taking me along?” Kane complained.

“This is different from before, Kane,” Rui replied. “I will literally just be traveling around human civilization administering hypnosis to embed the Hellbringer model in people’s minds and perhaps breaking Martial Artists through. There really isn’t anything for you to do. Unlike in the Beast Domain where it was travelling with another person, it’s best if I go alone.”

“Damn, I thought it would be fun,” Kane grumbled.

“It’s not fun bearing the pressure of being a pillar of human civilization.” Rui shook his head. “On top of that, your best hope of catching up to me is abusing the manifold when I’m gone. After all, I believe that is more important to you than simply accompanying me everywhere I go.”

Rui’s words had him pondering this choice seriously. “Not to mention,” Rui continued, “do you really want to test your luck with the Sekigahara Confederate? Need I remind you that they probably hate you more than they hate me and you don’t have the absolute diplomatic immunity that I have? Unlike with me, they won’t be committing political suicide and self-destruction by killing you. The world won’t be astronomically furious if someone kills you, and the Sekigaharans are not exactly the type of folks who are reserved.”

Chills crawled across Kane’s skin as he recalled the absolute hatred the Sekigaharans had for him due to the fact that he killed almost all their surviving Masters from the Kandria-Sekigahara battle except one. “You know what? Upon careful consideration of the pros and cons, I think I’m good.”

Rui chuckled before his expression grew more serious. “Be sure to put this time to good use. I have just finished a major training phase, so I will mostly be refining my Martial Art with experience, exposing my Martial Art to new forces outside of the absolute safety within the Kandrian Empire, and making whatever progress I can to the Sage Realm with different tactics. I probably will not gain too much more power, so if you can use the manifold and the Beast Incursion to good use, you may just very well catch up with me.”

Kane’s eyes flared with motivation and drive. “When I’m done, let’s have a duel.”

Rui smiled. “Will do.”

Having Kane driven and motivated to make perfect use of this prime opportunity, he went on to meet the few people he deemed necessary to speak to before he left.

“Well, look who has finally come to fulfill his promise.” The measured tone of the Divine Doctor was lacking in warmth, as always. “If it isn’t the deluded inheritor.”

Rui narrowed his eyes as they met the clinical gaze of the Divine Doctor.

After all these years, the Divine Doctor still gave him chills.

He was an inhuman being.

A monster created by the original Divine Doctor.

Having met the Beggar Sage, the Ecologer, and the Esoterist, he knew that this wasn’t something universal to all the human sages. If it were a consequence of the soul transference ritual, then he too would be a clinical psychopath.

It was something that was unique to the Divine Doctor.

“Was your patience running out?” Rui raised an eyebrow. “You did say I didn’t have any time limits for this particular mission.”

“I have infinite patience, but only as long as you truly intend to fulfill your end of the agreement,” the Divine Doctor answered with a chilling tone. “Should I determine that you have no intention in fulfilling your end of the bargain, then there will be… consequences.” Rui narrowed his eyes.

He didn’t like the sound of that. He didn’t want to know what the Divine Doctor was capable of if he wanted to use his knowledge, skill, intellect, and experience to punish someone.

“I’ve never had any intention of ditching my agreement with you,” Rui replied. “I was unable to fulfill it all these years mostly due to being heavily involved in a war. And once the Beast Incursion began, I was busy with that and my own power. And now I’m finally ready to commence fulfilling my end of the bargain.”

“Good.” A hint of approval slipped past the frozen smile on the man’s face. “Then good luck. Do your best. For my sake and for the sake of Gaia.”

Rui raised an eyebrow. “That’s it? You don’t have a system in mind for how you want me to do this?”

“Prior to the Beast Incursion, yes,” the Divine Doctor remarked. “But, after the Beast Incursion, I have decided to trust your judgment. Not only will communication become impossible with the continuous esoterification of the Human Domain, but I have also determined that your judgment as a Martial Artist in this apocalypse will be more accurate than the models of environment and ecology of the entire world that I have plotted in my free time. Not to mention…”

His gaze returned to the alien specimen that he had been studying for quite some time now.

“She still has more secrets to reveal.” A chilling whisper escaped him.

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