The Martial Unity

The time Rui spent in the Solaris Kingdom was enlightening. Rui was truly surprised to what extent a single field of Martial Art could become central to every Martial Path in a nation. Having been born and brought up in the Kandrian Empire, he had fallen under the impression that it was impossible to make everybody’s Martial Path fall within the same field.

Martial Paths were a product of the sum totality of a person’s intrinsic traits and the entirety of their lives. And since there was great diversity among people, one would expect every nation to have great diversity among its Martial Paths.

However, the Solaris Faith and the religious and sociocultural importance of light in the Solaris Kingdom warped the average person so much compared to the rest of human civilization that almost all their Martial Paths were somehow related to light-bending. This was perhaps the first nation that he had come across that altered the variance of Martial Paths to such an extent.

“Fascinating, don’t you think?” Rui pondered aloud. “Shame we weren’t safe within the country, I wouldn’t have minded exploring the intricacies of their Martial Art.”

“I would have liked to stay there for some time as well,” she wistfully replied. “Seeing their golden skin… triggered some memories.”

Rui’s eyes lit up at her words. “You… you remember coming here?”

Her eyes grew hazy as she tried recalling memories that weren’t her own. “I… remember flashes from a long, long time ago. I came across a small village of people with a lightly golden skin. They were… different to the Solaris Kingdom of today.”

“Interesting that they don’t seem to have any records of your visit to them,” said Rui with a thoughtful tone. “I suppose not everyone would come to worship the Progenitor who passed on the knowledge of Martial Art to all of them. And it wouldn’t exactly play into their Solaris Faith.”

She nodded. “It helps me understand how much people have changed and how much the world has changed since I visited them in my sealed memories.”

Rui raised an eyebrow. “You sound like you identify with those memories.”

She fell into thought at his words. “…They feel so real. They feel… like they belong to me.”

Rui understood the feeling, but that was because he had spent a long time believing that he truly was the entity John Falken. She, on the other hand, had been informed by him about the true nature of her memories by Rui.

He found it mysterious that she could grow attached to them to such a degree.

“Amare.” He gazed at her with deep eyes. “What is your Martial drive?”

It was something he hadn’t been able to learn about her naturally. She certainly didn’t seem to be driven by any of the usual things that drove most Martial Artists, like wealth, prestige, or glory. She didn’t appear to care much about political power or anything of the sort. She didn’t seem to harbor any special objectives or ambition, either. Nor did she strike him as the type to be obsessed with power. A warm smile emerged on her face as she turned towards him with bright eyes. “I just want to live a satisfying and fulfilling life.”

Rui’s eyes widened at her words. “…That is what drives you to cultivate Martial Art?”

“Haven’t I told you?” she giggled. Rui raised an eyebrow as a mirthful smirk emerged on her face.

“Everything is Martial Art.”

A wry smile emerged on his face as he heaved a sigh. “Of course, how could I forget?”

“Because you’re silly.” She smiled with a hint of mischief. “I believe that everybody pursues their Martial Path for the same reason that I do.”

Rui scoffed with a hint of incredulity. “You haven’t met a lot of Martial Artists outside of the Gen Temple if you truly believe that.”

“I haven’t,” she readily admitted. “But, the more I travel and the more Martial Artists I interact with, the more I have come to be convinced of this truth. Everybody pursues their Martial Path because they believe that it will lead them to satisfaction and fulfillment. They believe that it will make them happy and joyful. They believe that it will banish their suffering.”

Her soft and gentle gaze found itself fixed on the skies. “Ultimately, we are all driven to the same place. We are all driven down the path that we believe will bring us peace. Some people believe that wealth will bring them all the joy and happiness in the world. Some people believe that prestige and respect from society will bring them all the happiness in the world. Some believe that power will surely bring them all the joy they think it will. Others…”

She turn to him with a knowing smile, “…strive towards an ambition they’ve harbored most of their life, believing that doing so will bring them satisfaction and fulfillment.”

He simply gazed at her silently. “My Martial drive is the essence of all Martial drives,” her tone was gentle. “If people are driven by what they think will give them happiness and fulfillment, then I will skip the middle step and strive for happiness and fulfillment itself.”

“…I’ve come across a lot of drives that drive Martial Artists forward, but that is the first time I have ever heard someone say that,” Rui mused with a thoughtful voice. “The essence of all Martial drives, was it? Omni-Martial indeed. You are a special one.”

His words brightened her smile. “Thank you. You are a special one as well!”

Rui smiled at her words. “Still, driven to satisfaction and fulfillment, was it?” Rui wondered. “Fascinating. I wonder if I can get my hands on a portion of your power if I’m driven by the drive too.”

“You should try,” she simply stated with a light tone. “Live a satisfying and fulfilling life to the fullest.”

“…And how has fulfilling that drive been working out for you?” he wondered aloud.

She smiled at him warmly. “It’s been a wonderful life.”

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