The Martial Unity

2866 Innermost Sanctum

With one glance however, he could easily understand why the Esocline Federation was the weakest Sage-level powerhouse.

It was not nearly as in the clear with the Beast Incursion as a lot of other nations increasingly were.

Even at the start of the Beast Incursion, when no nation had adapted yet, the Martial Sages were immovable objects in the face of the beast tides. No Sage-level beast was there equal, and only the quasi-Transcendents that had yet to emerge were their equal.

The Esocline Federation, however, was clearly operating close to maximum capacity just to stave off the Beast Incursion. This showed that they were the least secure in the Beast Incursion out of all their peers.

VMMM…

A MECHA emerged before Rui carrying Amare as he studied the Esocline Federation, drawing his attention.

”Your Sagehood, we would like to welcome you to the Esocline Federation. His Excellency has been expecting you for some time now.”

The voice emerging from the machine was human but distorted.

Rui studied the machine with faint interest, noting the several rounds of improvement and the new-gen technology within it that wasnʼt there in the models that the Esoterist had showed off in the Human Summit.

The technology still relied on hydraulics for a smooth and efficient distribution of force and power. He could sense the human at the very core of the machine both physically and symbolically.

The machine systematically squeezed out every ounce of potential and power that the MECHA Martial Artist had to offer.

”…I have not come here to meet the Esoterist,” Rui replied with a stoic tone. ”I have come here for the Psycher. Take me to meet him immediately.”

”…Yes, Your Highness. Please follow me.”

The MECHAʼs thermal propulsion system shifted as it returned to the Esocline Federation swiftly with Rui steadily following the machine.

STEP

The Esocline Federation was even more deviant when he actually entered the nation in person.

Metal was everywhere around him. The distinct whir of machinery emanated from all directions.

The roads were magnetic tracks that were meant to accommodate swift internal machine-driven transport.

What disturbed him the most was the distinct absence of human presence.

He had heard that the Esocline Federation had merely more than a million people within it. This was a population that was orders of magnitude than many other Sage-level powerhouses.

Even as his gaze swept across the massive but barren skyscrapers across the entire nation, he sensed plenty of activity, but no life.

It was chilling.

ʼIs all labor in this nation entirely automated?ʼ

It was a stunning revelation, but it had to be true. It made sense given that their population was as low as it is for the most technologically developed nation in the entire continent. The sheer scale of technology that he witnessed greatly exceeded even that of the Blood Cult.

He followed the MECHA deeper and deeper into the maze of metal that was the Esocline Federation.

It wasnʼt just labor.

Everything was automated.

Eventually, they arrived at a MECHA docking division where the MECHA landed, before a series of automated arms began unfurling the machine, allowing the human to exit.

”My name is Gover Gellin.” He bowed to Rui deeply as a Senior ought to a Sage. ”Please follow me. I shall take you to see the Psycher immediately.”

He gestured Rui to board a floating platform before it smoothly moved at high speeds across the nation, proceeding deeper and deeper within it.

The sheer scale of the infrastructure grew even more extravagant as they grew closer and closer to the core of the nation. Structure that expanded kilometers and kilometers all entirety devoid of almost any human presence, running endlessly as countless machines hummed.

And then, they went underground.

If not for the Nest of Terra, the Esocline Federation would have surely been the most developed underground nation, with a massive complex of developed subterranean infrastructure.

Rui recalled Consul Notera telling him about how they corroborated with the Esoterist to develop their native technological paradigms for subterranean civilization.

Soon enough, they arrived before a large gate.

It was forged with pure Sage-grade and quasi-Transcendent alloys and deployed sophisticated and robust technologies to increase its fortitude. A barrier so strong that Rui doubted he would even be able to destroy it with a single attack or even several.

RUMBLE…

The massive gate opened up, unveiling a vast laboratory complex spanning kilometers.

For the first time upon entry of the Esocline Federation, he had finally sensed the abundance of human life that almost every other nation he had visited, barring the void of the North-West Panama, had.

Countless men and women garbed in lab coats wandered around the complex maze of labs or flew around on little transportation platforms as Rui, carrying Amare, did.

VMMM…

There were many divisions and departments marked with different names indicating their purpose.

[Nanotechnology]

[Genetic Engineering]

[Artificial Intelligence]

[Large Hadron Collider]

…

Ruiʼs eyes rose with a surprise at how advanced the R&D of the Esocline Federation was. It completely blew other nations out of the water aside from perhaps the Blood Cult that was perhaps more advanced on hematology.

There was an entire wing dedicated to MECHAs.

[MECHA engineering]

[Hydraulics Force Distribution Systems]

[Bioelectric Interfacing Systems]

But Rui went even deeper into the Esocline Federation until he reached the very epicenter of the entire complex.

”Iʼm afraid this is as far as Iʼm permitted to go, Your Sagehood,” Senior Gover remarked as he gestured Rui to the innermost sanctums of the Esocline Federation. ”The personage you seek and the President himself are both working within this lab.”

Rui nodded with a solemn expression.

VMMM…

The door, forged from nothing short of a Transcendent-grade alloy, whirred open as it gave way to Rui.

Within was a massive lab with a handful of individuals.

”Hey there,” the friendly voice of the Esoterist reached him as he entered the lab. ”I figured that you might come here when I heard what happened.”

His attire whizzed with machinery, and glowing grids of energy flashing across the entirety of his suit. A glowing, flashing pair of goggles adorned his eyes, augmenting reality for him as several pointers fixated on Rui, scanning him and supplying data feeds to the Esoterist who effortlessly consumed the information.

”So you are vaunted Dawnbringer.”

Chills crawled across Ruiʼs skin as the unfathomable voice of the Psycher reached him. -