The Martial Unity

What followed was exactly what the testing supervisor had hoped for.

She was an unparalleled genius of unprecedented caliber in every measurable metric. It was as if the God of Martial Art had personally crafted her to be good at Martial Art.

Reflexes. Speed. Agility. Stamina. Precision. Accuracy. She hit new high scores in each and every single one of them, greatly surpassing the previous highest scores on each of those tests. More shockingly, the mandated limits of each test couldn’t even push her to her limits, leaving the testing supervisor to wonder just how extraordinary this young girl was.

Her performance attracted a crowd of spectators who grew curious and amazed by just how incredible this young girl, no older than five years, was. “She might…” he muttered. “She might surpass His Majesty one day. She truly has the potential to!”

Those words made everybody widen their eyes in shock.

The emperor of the Kandrian Empire was widely regarded to be the greatest Martial Artist in history, despite the fact that he had yet to become a Martial Transcendent. The sheer pace of his growth and the sheer threshold of power that he had achieved as a Martial Sage was so extraordinary that just the notion that a girl this young had the potential to surpass him was truly stunning.

Ria didn’t understand what all the fuss was truly about.

She didn’t understand what a Martial Artist even was.

Who was ‘His Majesty’?

Why was everybody acting so shocked?

She didn’t know.

“Ria! You’re so amazing!” Runark beamed at her with an excited expression. “Let us become Martial Artists together!”

She tilted her head. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to become a Martial Artist or not, but it sounded fun to do something together with Runark.

“Ok!” she smiled at him with enthusiasm. “Let’s become Martial Artists together!”

**************

“You did something to her, didn’t you?” Kane’s voice hung in the air as his green eyes brimmed with interest and curiosity.

He sat on a rock on a hill in the forest outside of Laenar City, sharpening his eyes as he studied Ria while she undertook her aptitude test.

Rui turned towards him with an amused smile. “There are better ways to phrase that, you know?

“I mean, come on, I know you did something to her,” Kane remarked with an amazed expression. “That kind of talent is waaay too crazy to be natural. I mean, that just puts even monsters among geniuses to shame. What is she, part evolutionary? You gave her some of your Gene Realm power?”

Rui shook his head. “She’s entirely Panaman. But yes…”

He smiled with pride at his daughter. “I did give her a little boost.”

“Little?” He turned towards Rui with a dubious scoff. “Little boost?”

“Ok, a massive boost,” Rui admitted, still smiling as he watched his daughter go back. “I used vibrations to align her existential parameters towards Martial Art.”

“I don’t even know what the hell that means.” Kane shook his head, turning back in the direction of the school, watching Ria and Runark play together with their new friends once the aptitude test ended. “You really want her to become a Martial Artist, huh?”

“I just want her to become happy, whatever form that takes,” Rui replied with a sincere tone. “Even if she chooses to become a Martial Artist, she doesn’t have to be hardcore about it like I was. Or she could choose to do something else if she wants. Even if it doesn’t align with Martial Art, I can get her the absolute best resources in the entire world to help her pursue whatever direction in life she wants to go down.”

“She just promised my son that they would become Martial Artists together, though.”

“Let’s see if she feels the same way in some years. I don’t think anybody has the same dream across those ages of their life.”

Both Rui and Kane took the liberty of watching over their kids on their first day of school from outside the city. He initially hadn’t meant to, but he found himself growing extremely worried about what her first day was like, feeling the need to watch over her from afar.

Coincidentally, he ran into Kane, who also had the same idea. The two of them perched some seventy kilometers away, using their powerful senses to keep a watch on their respective children.

Rui was pleased by how well Ria handled her first day at school. She didn’t cry or feel distressed, she made new friends, and she discovered her talent for Martial Art. “Ah Ria, you’re so brilliant and adorable.” Rui heaved a deep breath, placing his hand on his heart as it ached. “Papa is truly happy to see how well you’re doing without him.”

 Kane turned towards him with a scoff. “More like deeply saddened that she doesn’t need you as much as you wish she did. Most parents are happy to see their kids become independent. It feels like you would keep the Ria the same age forever if you could.”

“That sounds wonderful,” Rui heaved a deep breath. “But… her growth is also wonderful and heartwarming. I just hope she adores me as much when she grows up.”

“That’s not happening, pal,” Kane chuckled at him. “Wait till she hits puberty and starts her rebellion phase. She might even tell you she hates you one day.”

The very thought of it made Rui’s heart palpitate. “I-I don’t think I can adaptively evolve to that. That might actually just kill me then and there.”

“You’ll be fine, you big softie,” Kane muttered. “You just gotta do what you gotta do for her.”

Those words made Rui solemn as he gazed at the evening skies.

Only a few hours were left.

There wasn’t much time before he would do what he needed to do for her.

For everybody.

For Gaia.

He heaved a deep breath. “I should get going. Keep an eye on those two for me, will you?”

Kane raised an eyebrow. “You’re going away from Ria?”

Rui’s ethereal eyes grew severe.

“It has been a long time since I honed my very existence to its absolute peak. But I have a feeling that I will need to for this particular task.”