The Martial Unity

The pattern recognition system of the VOID algorithm functioned with two models working side by side. The predictive model inputted any and all data on his opponent before outputting a statistical predictive model on said, opponent. Followed by the adaptive evolution model, which inputted the newly created predictive model to create a fighting style that was adapted and evolved to counter that opponent.

He had spent many years creating the adaptive evolution model of the pattern recognition system. It had taken him years upon years, almost two decades’ worth of rigorous empirical research into all existing martial arts and unarmed combat styles. He had come to gain a level of understanding that very few humans in the history of planet Earth had ever come to possess.

Despite not being a fighter himself, John Falken had come to touch the essence of the most ideal form of applying one’s mind and body.

The pinnacle of martial arts.

“Be Water, my friend,”

Yet he had created the VOID algorithm for everybody else.

Not himself. Thus, even if he himself had achieved what was nothing short of enlightenment, it was useless.

Project Water was a project that was for everyone else, not for himself. It was to give everyone what he could not have. The ability to practice the greatest martial art that his idol Bruce Lee had come in touch with

How could he pass on his understanding to others? How could he allow others to replicate his thought process, harness his knowledge and understanding that came with a lifetime of learning and exploring?

That thought was what led to the birth of the adaptive evolution model. A rigorous database system that outputted a counter for every input from the predictive model. It was the crystallization of his understanding of how to counter every predicted move in the most optimal manner possible.

It was him, himself, was it not?

He had always subconsciously treated it this way, it was one of the reasons he loved the VOID Algorithm. It contained the fruit that bore the blood, sweat, and tears that he had put into it. It contained nothing short of his very life itself.

Yet, only now had he realized that perhaps this was not just a sentiment.

Perhaps this realization… this accomplishment was a key to the higher Realms!

“I am a part of my Martial Art and my Martial Art is a part of me.”

He had felt as though he had been blind his entire life and had truly opened his eyes for the very first time.

At that moment, he felt boundless peace and serenity.

And yet.

He felt boundless energy and power.

BAM!!!

A titanic blow more powerful than any that Rui had ever launched impacted his opponent’s gut like a meteorite.

“ARGH!” he vomited blood as his broken ribs pierced into his lungs, that was what he violently spewed when Rui’s fist crushed his lungs flat. “I’LL FUCKING KILL YOU!”

His body coiled to an inhuman degree as he accumulated a tremendous amount of potential energy, yet before he could even unleash it.

THWOOM!

An invisible blast of sound crashed into him, sending him tumbling backward in the air. Rui had taken the liberty to launch the Might Roar Flash Blast technique that he had acquired from Vilun Island and blast his opponent before he could execute his flashy move. Because the attack could vastly surpass the speed of sound, he was able to strike his opponent before he executed a time-consuming attack.

Rui immediately rushed after his opponent with Gale Force Breathing, Parallel Walk, and Outer Convergence, unwilling to let him any respite or let him escape. His opponent froze seeing Rui rush after him, before turning away, and running away as fast as he could. He was faster than Rui, thus he had some hope of running away from Rui at top speed.

Yet, what he hadn’t taken into account was the difference in their conditions. Rui had taken far less damage than he had and had haled more of his damage than his opponent had. As Rui had expected, that made all of the difference.

CLASP

Rui caught his shoulder, and a second later his fist whaled down on his opponent.

BAM BAM BAM!

“ARGH! Let me go!” He struggled to escape. “Ack!”

He choked when Rui’s coiled around his neck as he squeezed down on his carotid arteries that supplied blood to the brain. Martial Squires could hold their breath for a very long time, thus there was no point in shutting his airway down alone. However, all cells required oxygen supplied to them via blood, thus shutting down the arteries was quite effective.

The man struggled desperately to break Rui’s grip over his neck, yet Rui refused to yield as he continued to squeeze harder.

Eventually, the man’s resistance grew weaker, until eventually his arms dropped. His breathing stopped and his heart slowed down as well.

It was done.

Rui simply let go of the unconscious body, watching it fall down to the ground. Three meters before it reached the ground, two taipans lashed out from beneath the soil before they dug their fangs into the unconscious Martial Squire’s body, before wrangling the body from each other.

He would die very soon with all that poison coursing through his body.

He sighed in relief as he relished in his victory. (‘He was probably an A-rank Martial Squire.’)

That meant that he was at least a grade-seven Martial Squire if not grade eight. However, Rui still managed to win, even if he was on the losing initially. His revelation mid-battle seemed to deepen his journey down his Martial Path as he felt a surge of power that aided him in battle.

He had gotten stronger. He wasn’t sure if he would concretely count himself as a grade-seven Martial Squire at the moment, he didn’t entirely understand what he had experienced, after all. Still, he was sure that it was a positive outcome.

Of course, the entire battle would have ended instantly had he fought the Martial Squire with Kane, but ultimately he chose not to.

There was a reason why he had gotten Kane to help some of the others.