The Martial Unity

Chapter 2656: Downward Descent

”Are we there yet?” she asked enthusiastically. ”I canʼt wait to get there!”

”We should be close,” Rui replied. ”It wonʼt be too long before we arrive at the Trenchil Valley once we cross these mountains.”

The two of them walked through the sky while Rui covered both of them with his Greater Phantomind Void. With the immense boost in his energy reserves that he had gained from the Blood of Solaris, he was able to maintain their stealth for far longer, protecting them from beasts and monsters that would slow them down during their voyage.

Over the span of two months, they had gotten closer and closer to their next destination, crossing many a mountain in the Great Maelorian Mountain Range, even as they moved from nation to nation, seeking refuge.

And now, they were finally reaching the next final destination.

STEP

Rui landed upon a mountain peak, gazing at the vast expanse of a valley that stretched as far as the eye could see. An intricate array of homes, huts, and other little buildings formed a little grid that permeated through much of the enormous valley, surrounded by an enormous border wall.

On the other side of the nation, of course, was an enormous flood of beasts and monsters that ravaged far away from the borders on the other side of the nation.

RUMBLE!!!

”RRRROOOOAAARRR!!!”

”KRRRIIIIEEEKKK!!!”

”RRRAAAWWWRRR!!!”

The world shook as the battle between Martial Artists and beasts raged on. The Nest of Terra was no different from any other nation in that regard. It had no choice but to protect its borders and people from the destruction of the Beast Incursion.

”Weʼre here.”

”Wow…” she arrived beside him with fascinated eyes. ”Erm, what a cute nation!”

She framed it nicely, but he understood her sentiment.

Nothing about the infrastructure screamed Sage-level powerhouse. It had the sophistication of an isolated town or village in so far as its civil engineering went. Not a single building, as far as he could see, rose above a single story.

It lacked the grandiose air of every Sage-level powerhouse he had ever visited thus far.

”And that…” An impressed smile emerged on his face, ”is the genius of the Nest of Terra.”

”What do you mean?” she turned towards him with a curious expression.

”Look at this nation,” Rui remarked. ”Itʼs rather easy to look at it and dismiss it as an Apprentice-level nation, is it not? That is exactly what the world did for a long, long time. Although the Nest of Terra is one of the oldest powerhouses, it was one of the latest to be recognized as such precisely because they deceived the entire world of their true strength for a long, long time. It was only less than a century ago that the world finally realized that something was off, much to the dismay of the nesters.”

”Incredible…” she murmured as she turned back to civilization that she studied the civilization before her eyes. It was quite the convincing facade, admittedly. She could sense people within the little homes and huts. She could sense people walking about its streets, leading an entirely ordinary life. Rui saw the same thing as well, yet he looked for more. With Seismic Mapping, he tried tracking the enormous underground infrastructure that was surely teaming with a powerful civilization beneath the surface of the land.

And, much to his surprise, he couldnʼt sense anything.

”If it was that easy, they would have been found a long time ago?” He wondered aloud. ”Letʼs go, I canʼt wait to meet these people!” Amare grabbed his hand, pulling him down the mountain. The two of them swiftly made their way to the quaint, albeit expansive civilization that stretched as far as the eyes could see. Upon arrival at the border wall, they discovered that perhaps it wasnʼt as different from other Sage-level powerhouses as they had thought.

RUMBLE…

The world tremored as they felt the familiar weight of a Martial Sage.

Except, this time, the Martial Sage did not descend from the sky.

No, this time, the Martial Sage emerged from the with land beneath their feet.

RUMBLE…!

The ground parted as a carriage emerged from the ground. It was spacious and extravagant compared to the norm, laced with expensive adornments to its side. The coat of arms of the Nest of Terra shined brightly atop it, drawing the attention of those who gazed upon it. CLACK

From within the carriage emerged an albino man adorned in an ostentatious Martial attire.

A Martial Sage.

”Your Highness Prince Rui of the Kandrian Empire, Master Amare of the Gen Temple, I am Delirenn Dinses of the Terra Legion of the Nest of Terra.” His fist pounded his heart in a greeting native to the Nest of Terra. ”On behalf of our great nation, I would like to welcome the two of you to the Nest of Terra.”

Rui smiled.

It truly was nice to visit nations that didnʼt hate you.

”We are grateful to the Nest of Terra for its warm welcome,” he replied with a friendly tone, bringing his fist to his palm. ”I hope that I am able to conduct a fruitful and cooperative exchange and relationship with the Nest of Terra.”

”We, too, look forward to maintaining a good relationship with the Dawnbringer, one of the two pillars of hope in the Era of Darkness,” the Sage replied with a formal tone, even as he sized Rui up inwardly. ”Please, board this carriage that we have prepared for you. We are committed to ensuring that your stay in the Nest of Terra is as comfortable and hospitable as possible.”

”Then, we shall do just that.”

The two of them boarded the carriage, sitting opposite Sage Delirenn while the doors closed.

RUMBLE…

The world shook as they felt the carriage descending downwards while they gazed out the window with imminent fascination. From soil to eventually solid rock, they watched the many layers of earth pass them by as they descended down, eventually past solid rock.

”Incredible…” Amare murmured with eyes of fascination. ”How is it even possible for a carriage to pass through solid rock, that too downwards!”

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