The Martial Unity

Chapter 3818: The Realities of the Martial World

The tension in the air grew suffocating.

The atmosphere tingled electrically as Princess Ru’s declaration of defiance hung in the air. The darkness of the night sky above seemed to grow richer as the two royals directed a deep gaze at each other.

Princess Ru simply waited for Rui’s response to the wave of opposition to his vision of change to the Martial World that had emerged from the Martial Sages of human civilization.

Though she was cautious, she evaluated that she had rhetorically capsized his momentum from earlier. She had managed to dim the halo of political invincibility with the tide of support he gained earlier. She hadn’t yet found a very viable way to defeat him, but she was doing decently well in resisting him, considering the tremendous gap in political power between them.

She was grateful that he refused to cross the line of using his power directly to force her to obey. Though if he did, she had resolved herself to seeing her defiance to the very end, even if it meant sacrificing her life. At the very least, she would be able to shatter the aura of saintliness that Rui had in the eyes of the people and allow them to see the truth clearly.

It gave her a little bit of confidence.

A little more hope.

If she continued like this, she could find another opportunity to seize the throne.

She just needed to keep fighting.

”You don’t understand.”

Rui’s ethereal voice broke the silence that had hung in the air.

It was unfazed.

”You don’t understand the Martial World if you think this little show of support means anything.”

Her golden eyes grew serious at those words as he continued.

”So what if all of you don’t like it?” His ethereal eyes swept across the Martial Sages in the audience. ”So what if you voice your opposition to it?”

Many of the Martial Sages stiffened at his words as they struggled to meet his domineering, powerful ethereal eyes with a defiant glare.

”So what if all of you oppose it?” Rui’s voice grew stronger as his eyes sharpened with a chilling ferocity. ”What are you going to do about it?”

RUMBLE

The world stirred, tremoring from the sheer weight of his voice.

Rui unfurled just a portion of the tremendous power within his existence as the Martial Sages shivered, feeling his horrifying, yet awe-inspiring, power. They clenched their fists, gritting their teeth as their expression tightened, growing gravely severe as they struggled to maintain eye contact with Rui.

It was as much a display of finesse as it was power.

Only the Martial Sages could feel it.

Only they could feel the unfathomable power Rui radiated.

The lesser beings, even the few Martial Masters among the guests of honor, were simply unqualified to even sense the threat that he was making to his fellow Sages. The non-Martial guests of honor simply frowned at the paralyzed terror that the Martial Sages around them were in, confused at their behavior.

Princess Ru’s expression darkened as she understood what was happening. ”So you are a tyrant, after all. All this effort you put into trying to earn a mandate, was that all just a lie? Just a little bit of a speed bump is enough to make you completely throw your own principles away? I thought you were a better man, Prince Rui.”

”I have not thrown my principles away.” Rui’s ethereal eyes shifted to his sister as he retorted with a calm voice. ”I decided not to use force or hold the nation hostage to ascend the throne. I decided to obtain a mandate from the stakeholders and the people of Kandria to become Emperor, and I have yet to violate that principle. After all...”

His eyes sharpened.

”This has nothing to do with the throne war.”

She frowned at those words.

”The Martial World is unconnected to the throne war,” he declared. ”I will subjugate the Martial World with force to bring law and order, regardless of whether I become emperor or not. The absence of a throne will not stop me, but the presence of a throne will not help me either.”

One of the peak Martial Sages among the guests of honor mustered the courage to stand up with a mix of fear and defiance. ”S-So you’re openly declaring in front of the entire world that you will subjugate us?!”

”Is that so bad?” Rui’s ethereal voice grew calmer as he gazed at the Martial Sage with a raised eyebrow. ”The Martial World has always innately been deeply Martialocratic, has it not? Do you Martial Sages rule your respective organizations or nations using diplomacy and harmony like my dear sister here advocates for? Do you listen to the woes and complaints of your lesser Martial Artists with harmonious compassion? Or...”

His eyes sharpened. ”Do you flex your power as I did and force them to shut up when they defy you?”

Their expressions grew grim at those words as he turned the mirror to them. They couldn’t even bother denying that they used force to maintain control and order within their organizations and nations. Even the most gentle and harmonious among them, the Gen Temple, used Martial force, stemming from the very top with the Bodhisattvas.

It was simply the way of the world.

”The difference is that people can leave their organizations and nations if they don’t wish to subject themselves to their rule,” Princess Ru retorted with a stern tone. ”Leaving a Sage-level powerhouse nation is not always easy, considering the risks of intelligence leaking. But at least it exists in principle. The same cannot be said for the Martial Sages of our civilization. Permanently leaving the Panama Continent and its civilization is very difficult, and they will not be welcome in the other major continents, occupied by the six pureblood races of the true world. No, it is a wonder if they will even be let gone considering all the classified intelligence they have.”