The Martial Unity

With his biggest problem solved, Rui’s time in the Virodhabhasa Theocracy had all but come to an end. He quickly conducted the Hellbringer embedding for the Sages and Masters who were away when he did it the first time, fighting off the beast tides while also completing the breakthroughs for the lesser Martial Artists who had also missed it. Just like last time, he had found himself running into new familiar faces.

“Meera…” he gazed at the peak Squire among countless others with a shocked murmur.

She had grown older, but he remembered her quite well.

She had been his final opponent in the Virodhabhasa Contest, eventually losing to him. Her eyes had grown wearier, and her demeanor had grown darker.

The air of instability around her that he recalled from long ago had diminished, making her come off as more sane and tethered than he recalled her to be. She simply flashed a melancholic smile at him.

“It’s been a long time, ‘Falken.’”

He simply gazed at her forlorn and defeated form.

While she had changed in many ways, she was still the same in the most important avenue.

“You were right…” she murmured with a shaking voice. “Both of you were right.”

She disguised her sorrow with a smile. “I am cursed to remain a Squire forever.”

More than twenty years ago, in the real world, they were both Squires.

Today, however, he had reached the very pinnacle of what a Master could achieve while she was still a Squire.

It took him a minute to remember what her problem was because of how long ago it had happened.

“…Your drive is too unstable.”

It was her greatest strength, allowing her to fluctuate her output so wildly that even the VOID algorithm fell short of predicting her. An impressive feat without a doubt. Yet, that same unstable drive meant breaking through to the Senior Realm, which required a stable drive to be directly challenged.

Both Rui and Ieyasu had foreseen this problem.

Both of them had warned that she would never be able to reach the Senior Realm.

And twenty years later, he was right.

She had failed to break through despite his ability.

Rui scratched his head as he wondered if there was any way in which he could potentially help her break through.

Unfortunately, he was not a psychologist.

“Honestly, only the Transcendent Prophet or the Psycher can help you,” Rui shook his head. “This is beyond me, at least. I would recommend you do your best to get permission to speak with him and request him to help you.”

It was a hopelessly difficult condition, of course.

She shook her head. “I have made peace with my condition.”

She didn’t feel the need to stick around, simply departing from the field after Rui had conducted his second round of breakthroughs on those who weren’t there the first time. “…A friend?” Amare emerged by his side.

“…More like an acquaintance.” Rui shook his head.

“I can’t help everybody, unfortunately.”

Most of the Martial Artists whom he attempted to break through simply weren’t going to be blessed with a breakthrough.

Either because their Martial foundation wasn’t enough to be broken through to the Apprentice Realm.

Or they hadn’t drawn out their full physical potential to be broken through to the Senior Realm.

Or because their nascent Martial Mind wasn’t developed enough yet.

In her case, she was just a broken person.

Rui heaved a sigh before gazing at the gathered Masters and Sages.

They gazed at him with pious reverence.

“…in two and a half years, the quasi-Transcendent beasts and monsters will emerge from the Beast Domain.”

Rui’s voice was calm and composed.

“If left unchecked…” his eyes narrowed. “If left unchecked, they will destroy everything.”

The weight of his words weighed down on the atmosphere.

The air tingled with a hint of peril.

“I know that you Antithetants do not regard the prophetants of the Silas Clan in high regard,” Rui continued. “However, I’m sure you have heard of their tremendous prophetic power. It is not an exaggeration to say that the Kandrian Empire would not have emerged unscathed from the third Great East Panamic War. The Celestial Seer herself has foreseen what is to come.”

The prophetants and antithetants were two factions within the Virodhabhasa Faith that had different perspectives on the Antithesis and the Transcendent Prophet. The former believed that it was the prophecy that was divine and allowed the Antithesis to exist, while the latter believed that it was the Antithesis who was divine and the Transcendent Prophet had merely seen the inevitable.

After his conversation with the Transcendent Prophet, he knew that the prophetants of the Silas Clan were correct, or at least less wrong.

“Within the next two years, the Sages of human civilization will depart to the Beast Domain to combat the most powerful of monsters and beasts so that the impact of the battle does not spill over into the Human Domain,” Rui reiterated. “In that time, the Virodhabhasa Theocracy will only be protected by its Masters, Martial Artists of the Lower Realms, and its seige artillery weapons. Adopt all solutions at hand. Including mine with the Water Sect and those of the Esoterist and his revolutionary MECHAs.”

The Sages stirred at the final point with mixed expressions.

It became clear that they all had mixed expressions on MECHAs.

It was not surprising to Rui, considering their aversion to technology, but regardless, they didn’t dare disobey the Antithesis’ command.

“Understood, Lord Virodhabhasa.”

“Then, I shall depart from the Virodhabhasa Theocracy and continue about my mission through human civilization,” Rui declared, rising in the air with Amare by his side. “Farewell.”

He directed a deep gaze in the direction of Mt. Virodha before departing from the Virodhabhasa Theocracy, swiftly heading off in the direction of their next destination.

His visit to this nation had ended up enlightening and offering closure to a grudge that had brewed for two decades, leaving him feeling lighter and freer when he left the nation.