The Martial Unity

Chapter 2572: Acquisced Offer

It wasnʼt too long before the clan leaders of the Sekigahara Confederate got back to him with an arranged meeting on their response to his demands. He quickly found himself in a meeting with all the clan leaders of the Sekigahara Confederate.

”We heard that you have sparred with our Masters,” one of the clan leaders began with an unamused tone. ”We did not expect you to have engaged with the Masters of our nation due to... history.”

Rui shrugged. ”It doesnʼt matter to me. Iʼm sure they, too, will assert something similar as well. Itʼs just friendly sparring between fellow Martial Artists.”

The clan leaders stared at him bluntly.

”Anyway,” Rui coughed. ”I would like to hear your response to my demands, have you decided to acquiesce to my terms and conditions?”

They gazed at him for a moment before the patriarch of the Shinken Clan shook his head. ”We have decided not to.”

Rui narrowed his eyes. ”What?”

”Instead, we would like to make a counter-proposal,” the matriarch of the Tsuki Clan continued. ”We are willing to offer you a continuous supply of fruits of the Tree of Healings, but not partial ownership over the tree itself. Additionally, as long as your solutions are as powerful as you claim, we are willing to commit to the joint unified task force.”

Her voice was firm and unyielding.

Rui could tell that this was undoubtedly a painful concession to make. There was a solid chance that he wouldnʼt be able to get a better deal than this. Of course, there was also a high chance that he would be able to squeeze out the original deal of partial ownership over the Tree of Healings.

Ultimately, however, Rui decided not to risk it.

If this truly was their bottom line, then pushing past it would sour the negotiations, and it would be difficult to return back to their bottom without ceding a position of strength. Ultimately, Rui was decently satisfied with a constant supply of healing fruits. This still satisfied his personal needs as far as he was concerned.

He stirred at their offer before eventually relenting. ”Alright then, I accept your offer. Reparations in the form of a constant supply of healing fruits and a commitment to join the Sage task force. In return, I give all of you Hellbringer training, breakthroughs, and a real opportunity to become allies with the Kandrian Empire.”

Simply giving reparations was hardly enough to become allies with the Kandrian Empire. The reparations were merely payback for the things that the Sekigahara Confederate had done to the Kandrian Empire.

And yet, that was good enough for the Sekigaharans.

A hint of relief could be detected from the clan leaders of the Sekigahara Confederate. ”We look forward to working with you.”

”But first,” Rui smirked. ”I want the healing fruits right away.”

The clan leaders frowned at his request. ”Are you planning to consume them outside of combat? That is a highly wasteful utilization of this precious resource. It is only temporary and is thus best used in the most important of battles.

”I do with the fruits what I want,” Rui calmly retorted. ”Humankind will have to forgive me for being a little selfish.”

He was sure that his contributions were more than overcompensated for this self-centered utilization of the healing fruits. Regardless, he swiftly signed an agreement with the clan leaders of the Sekigahara Confederate on a delicate scroll woven from silver and gold. It was only after the two parties formed the written agreement that it was now official.

”Alright, take me to the tree immediately.”

The clan leaders readily acquiesced to his demand. It wasnʼt long before he was led into the heart of the Sekigahara Confederate and into their national vault of treasures, where they stored their most valued possessions.

At the very heart of the massive vault of the Sekigahara Confederate was an ethereal tree that bore a variety of ripe fruits. They glowed magnificently, lighting up the especially monitored environment to ensure that the tree was never at risk of suffering due to an incompatible environment.

Not only did the tree and fruits glow in a myriad of colors, but they were ever so translucent. It gave off a sensation that was beyond words.

For a moment, Rui had wondered whether the Tree of Healings would be outside the Tree of Life of Gaia, but it turned out that it very much was within the Tree of Life indeed. Although he had never seen this particular species before, he could see what environment was most antithetical to this creature with his enlightenment.

”Beautiful, is it not?” the patriarch of the Shinken Clan beamed with pride. ”She is our greatest treasure. You are the first outsider who has ever had the honor of witnessing her in person.”

Rui gazed at the tree with appreciation while his eyes lit up at the fruits that hung from its branches. He made his way to the tree that was guarded by Martial Masters at all times, carefully reaching out to pick out some fruits.

”Woah...” Rui murmured. ”They even feel as though they are not actually in this world.”

They were weightless, yet Rui could feel a solid presence when he grasped his hand around one and pulled it off the tree.

He cautiously ate one curiously, surprised at the empty taste and texture of the fruit.

”It doesnʼt taste as good as it looks,” he murmured as he munched into the fruit.

Yet, it was hardly the taste that he had come for in the first place.

He gazed at his hands with an intrigued expression.

SPLAT!

He slit his wrists as a test, causing blood to splurt out and bleed profusely from the wound.

WHOOSH

His eyes widened with a hint of surprise as the wound disappeared, completely healed. ”Thatʼs incredible...”

It didnʼt even feel like how Weaving Blood felt, which merely accelerated his natural evolved healing. It felt like it was a glitch in reality, simply skipping time forward to how it would be after the wound was fully healed.

An excited grin emerged on Ruiʼs face.

”I can work with this.”