The Martial Unity

News of Ieyasu’s betrayal shook the Kandrian Empire as the already tense and perilous atmosphere of the Kandrian Empire grew even more severe and grave. The Martial Masters, enjoying the first hint of reprieve for the first time in years, grew extremely tense as a Martial Artist with whom they had come to fight alongside for the first time in years had betrayed them in such a flagrant and traitorous manner, before departing from the Kandrian Empire.

The worst part was that they didn’t even have the power to stop him at the moment, for much to the shock of every single person who heard the news, Tokugawa Ieyasu had broken through to the Sage Realm upon his betrayal of the Kandrian Empire.

STEP

Within a medical facility of the Kandrian Empire, the Emperor of Harmony appeared by the door of a spacious and extravagant medical room.

A Martial Master, garbed with a medical gown, laid in the medical bed at the very center of the medical room, surrounded by several medical machines that detailed his vital signs while several medical instruments were attached to his body, administered by nurses around the entire room.

The Martial Master slowly turned towards the newcomer, as his brown eyes widened with shock, trying to get up. “Your Majesty…!”

“Don’t.” The Emperor of Harmony raised a hand. “You’re not in any condition to move after what has happened.”

“…I’m honored,” the Martial Master bowed his head slightly.

Emperor Rael nodded gravely. “You… have my condolences and my apologies.”

The Martial Master stirred at those words.

“It was my decision to allow Tokugawa Ieyasu to remain in this nation as an asset despite the warnings of Matriarch Nephi about the threat he posed to the Silas Clan,” the Emperor of Harmony heaved a sigh. “And it was my decision to continue doing so even after the two Martial Sages protecting the clan departed along with our other Martial Sages. I am, in part, responsible for this disaster.”

The Martial Master remained silent, his gaze fixed on the Emperor of Harmony with a mixed expression.

“I swear to you, Master Mern Silas,” the Emperor of Harmony swore with a powerful tone. “…That Tokugawa Ieyasu will pay the price for this betrayal with his life.”

Emperor Rael’s voice was fierce.

“The Kandrian Empire doesn’t tolerate traitors, and we do not spare them.”

His eyes flared with ferocity.

“We will hunt him down to the world’s end if we have to, but we will find him and deliver his head before the Silas Clan.”

The sheer gravity of the Emperor’s menacingly intense and powerful voice, rich with fierce determination, moved Master Mern.

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Master Mern remarked. “Frankly, I have considered the possibility of the Silas Clan departing from the Kandrian Empire depending on your response to this disaster, but your words have reaffirmed that the Kandrian Empire is our home. We… hope that you will keep your promise.”

“You have my word,” the Emperor of Harmony nodded, turning to the doctor in the room who silently monitored the Martial Master’s condition. “How is he?”

“He was on the verge of death, Your Majesty,” she replied earnestly. “If not for the medical knowledge and skill that we have inherited from the Divine Doctor in the past fifteen years, we would not have been able to save his life. With a damaged brain and ravaged skeletal and muscular structure, perforated internal organs, his death was almost certain, and his recovery will not be quick. But we predict that there is a high chance that he will be able to practice Martial Art once more.”

The Emperor of Harmony heaved a sigh of relief, turning to the Martial Master.

“Rest assured, I will have the Divine Doctor personally treat you when he is available. He will ensure that you are as good as new in the blink of an eye.”

The Martial Master nodded appreciatively. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“Now…” the Emperor of Harmony took a seat beside the Martial Master with narrowed eyes. “I have read the reports, but I want to understand from you personally what happened. Why did Ieyasu attack the Silas Clan and kill your clans’ members?”

Master Mern’s expression grew ugly as his eyes glinted with grief and hatred. “That filthy traitor… attacked us to copy our technique.”

The Emperor of Harmony’s golden eyes darkened.

“He attacked you to force you to use the Eye of Prophecy technique to protect yourselves?”

The Martial Master nodded fiercely as his fists clenched. “We didn’t have any choice, lest we die on the spot. He used his MECHA to crack the anti-Ieyasu technique that His Highness gave us, and then continued attacking us until he copied the technique. The only reason he spared me was that…”

The Martial Master gritted his teeth. “…he had already copied the technique by then, and immediately ran away to escape from the Kandrian Empire, not that he needed to with his breakthrough to the Sage Realm.”

The Emperor of Harmony shook his head. “He wasn’t running away because he feared the forces that we have here. He was running away because of the Martial Sages that would soon return, most likely.”

Master Mern stirred at those words. “…Most likely?”

The Emperor of Harmony nodded with a grave expression. “The status of the battle against the Beast That Roared is still unclear. In fact…”

He closed his eyes in frustration. “…I was planning to use his extraordinary capabilities to find out what has happened in the center of the Beast Domain. But now I’m glad I did not send him there.”

If Rui was weakened or unconscious, there was no telling what the man would do to extract all his Martial Art techniques from him.

“For now, we will launch an investigation into Tokugawa Ieyasu and begin tracking him immediately,” the Emperor of Harmony promised. “However, I’m sure you understand…”

The Emperor heaved a sorrowful and regretful sigh.

“We can’t afford to chase after him right now.”

–