The Martial Unity

Rui’s eyebrows rose at that remark.

His father had mentioned taking the Ecologer with him in his delegation to Genora, but he had refused, largely because he didn’t want to journey with a third wheel by his side. He didn’t want to burden with needing to keep an eye out on her while he was spending time with Amare.

“Well, that’s good,” Rui remarked. “The Ecologer should be able to absorb any ecological technology like this quite well.”

The Kandrian Empire and the Esocline Federation had undoubtedly sent their best biotechnologists along with her, since she didn’t have a technological background. Together, they would likely be able to learn the biotechnology of the dark elves.

’Do we have an agreement?’ Mother Alicia remarked. ’I’m inclined to think that this is a rather fair trade.’

Rui nodded. “I will have to verify it with my people one time to ensure that there isn’t anything that I have missed, but as long as everything is fine, this deal is perfectly acceptable.”

’I’m pleased to hear that,’ Mother Alicia replied with a pleasant tone. ’This will invigorate both our civilizations and give us the tools that we need to protect ourselves from forces that seek to conquer our lands.’

Rui nodded. “Still, that deal is only good for human civilization as a whole. You see…”

A smile of anticipation emerged on his face.

“I haven’t gotten what I came here for.”

’…Did you not come here as a representative for your people, Prince Rui?’

“That is a secondary priority for me,” Rui replied. “It wasn’t supposed to be my main priority, although I have resolved a bit of it before what I truly came here for.”

’Then what did you truly come here for?’

“I came here to harness the power of nature.” Rui’s eyes lit up with eagerness. “I wouldn’t have made my way to this continent if I thought I couldn’t harness it. I came here to tread the Nature Path and then harness it to enhance my adaptive evolution in whatever manner I can. I know you know this, given that I have informed Mother Pruschilia about it.”

’…She did inform me of it, yes,’ Mother Alicia admitted. ’However, what you have explained is so outlandish that I simply assumed that it was partially in jest or unserious. Do you truly believe that you can possibly tap into the Nature Path? You who is so distant from nature?’

Rui’s expression grew more serious.

“Of course.”

His tone was one of confidence.

Certainty.

“I have no doubt that I can succeed.”

’…I’m afraid you’re being rather arrogant about this.’

“I don’t think my goal is that extravagant and out of reach.” Rui shook his head. “If you think I’m that disconnected from nature, then you’d better think again. I am the Emperor of the Beast Domain. I am the King of Beasts. I am the overlord of nature back home.”

He raised his hand to the giant tree in the distance.

“Teach me, and you will be surprised at just how much I’m able to harness nature.”

He could sense a hint of disapproval from the Mother of Nature.

’I am aware that you have somehow gotten your hands on the Authority of Alpha,’ she mused. ’However, that is more on the fauna side of nature rather than flora. Plants, vegetation, and flora do not have the same kind of hierarchical structure. There is no ’Tree King’ or anything of the sort among us who command other trees. Even we Mothers of Nature are not queens or empresses, merely matrons. Your Authority of Alpha, as confounding as it is, will not aid you in harnessing the Nature Path. You simply do not have the aptitude to tap into nature.’

Rui sharpened his eyes. “Because I am not an elf? Because I’m not female?”

’Indeed, but even more because you reek of death. I sense within you enough death to cause an untold destruction of life. It is of great power, but it also permanently dispositions you away from nature,’ she explained. ’How do you intend to possibly cross over such massive hurdles?’

“…With ingenuity,” Rui replied. “Every hurdle can be overcome. Everything can be adaptively evolved to. You will discover that I’m not as limited as you suggest. But only if you give me a chance and teach me the secrets of the Nature Path.”

If Rui could overcome the curse of the Soul Transference Ritual and reach Enlightenment of Self with the help of his ingenious solution, then he was confident that he could find a loophole in bridging the gap between species and learning to harness a power that was once theirs exclusively.

’…You are persistent,’ Mother Alicia heaved an exasperated sigh. ’However, we do not teach our ways to outsiders. Even if there is nothing that can be lost by doing so. Our bond with nature is ours.’

“I’m not asking you to do it for free,” Rui replied with a knowing smile. “I can make it worth your time.”

’…What do you offer in return? Our bond with nature is very precious to us, teaching others to harness, if this was even possible in the first place, is not something we would ever do lightly.’

“I think a fitting exchange would be teaching you the power of Martial Art,” Rui replied. “I have noticed that your warriors are frankly hilariously unskilled. Their training in hand-to-hand combat and their movements are deeply untrained. I can tell that you guys only train their nature manipulation and nothing else, but this makes them vulnerable in combat because they are easy to read. If even the strongest of your warriors are so transparent to me, then you guys have a serious deficiency when it comes to training your warriors in basic skills.”

He had noticed from the very first dark elf he fought to the very last one, the Genoran Guardian. They had an abysmal skill level that barely even matched Martial students at the Martial Academy, something he found absolutely mind-boggling.