The Martial Unity

When Ria stepped up in front of him, Sternon found himself experiencing protectiveness for the first time in his entire life. By a stranger he had only just met the day before. They had moved to the lounge, where there were better things to do and more time to kill. Sternon had nervously looked forward to spending time with his new friends.

Until, of course, someone cursed him out.

“Fucking evosapien maniacs,” a Martial Sage spat as they passed by him. “Wish they would do us all a favor and throw themselves into a star.”

The group of Martial Artists they were in snickered, laughing cruelly. Sternon’s expression didn’t change all that much at those words. He had heard much worse, and he was accustomed to a standard amount of verbal abuse, no matter where he went.

What he didn’t expect was for Ria to turn around, smacking with fists blazing, blasting the man who had uttered those words in the back of his head.

BANG!

And that was what led to the current confrontation. Sternon watched with an anxious expression as Ria, followed by Runark, stood up front in a confrontational manner. Misha took their side, even if her nonchalance didn’t indicate she would be willing to use her power to intervene. Siliscia, on the other hand, appeared to be even more nervous than he was.

“What the fuck did you say, little wench?” the man growled, stepping up even closer as he balled his fists. “First, you smack me on the head, then you start saying tough words. Are you trying to pick a fight? You have some nerve confronting a Martial Sage like me when you’re just a Martial Master!”

“You’re the one who picked it first,” Ria retorted sternly. “You specifically said those things so that Sternon would hear it. You’re practically begging for a fight. Don’t start crying when you get what you want.”

The air in the lounge, a place where one was supposed to be able to relax, grew tense as other pathwalkers grew nervous. Fighting on a ship was very bad, even if they were Martial Artists who had tremendous control and efficiency. One misplaced strike and it could cause great internal damage to their section of the ship, potentially affecting vital systems.

“Ria…” Sternon tried to get her to calm down, tugging at her shoulder. “I’m fine, really… so let’s just go, ok?”

Yet she was too stubborn to back down.

“Apologize,” she demanded.

“Hah! That’s rich,” the Martial Sage sneered. “Give me one reason why I shouldn’t just wipe you out right now.”

“If you use your Martial Soul, it would destroy the ship.”

“…Damn smartass,” the Martial Sage spat with a hint of irritation, knowing she was exactly right. His gaze turned towards Sternon with a hint of contempt in his eyes. “Why do you defend demons like him?”

Ria’s amber eyes flashed with anger. “What did you say?”

“You heard me,” he spoke with a contemptuous drawl. “Do you have any idea how much of a monster he is? He inherited the mind of a monster. All they do is destroy. Hell, we Martial Artists are all about fighting, and even we aren’t as much a plague to the world as these bastards are.”

“You can’t judge a person for the crimes of other members of their race,” Ria retorted. “Sternon is a good person. The same cannot be said for the likes of you. So, apologize to him right now.”

The Martial Sage snorted. “If we were on land, I would have wiped the floor with you and taught you a lesson in respect. But since we’re on a ship, I have no intention of continuing this nonsense.”

He turned away, walking away from the group with disinterest. It was beneath a Martial Sage like him to get into a yelling contest with Martial Master kids. Ria looked like she wanted to smack him in the head again, only for Sternon’s intervention.

“That’s enough, Ria, you don’t need to do more than that.” He coaxed her. “I’m fine, see?”

His words conveyed sincere gratitude. If not for the imminent danger of fighting on a moving ship, he would have liked for that moment to continue for just a little while longer. It was perhaps the first time in his entire life that someone had defended him. And it was someone whom he had just met yesterday. He smiled at her with appreciation, causing her to cool down a little. She still wanted to give those Martial Sages a piece of her mind, but ultimately calmed down. If the man himself wasn’t severely affected, then she had no reason to be that angry either.

“Thank you.” Sternon’s words were filled with genuine sincerity. “I appreciate that. Standing up for me.”

She huffed lightly. “It wasn’t that much either. Let’s go get a drink.”

They watched her lead the way as Sternon smiled with a hint of amusement at her behavior. “She sure doesn’t mess around,” Misha remarked with a tone of curiosity.

“She’s always been like this when it comes to friends,” Runark heaved a sigh. “But that’s also one of the best parts about her.”

“How long have you known her?” Sternon turned towards him.

“Basically, my entire life,” Runark remarked with a wry smile. “We were born just a year apart, and our parents are family friends.”

“I see…” Sternon turned towards her. “That sounds enviable.”

“Come on, guys, stop standing around and get moving!” Ria called at them, having already begun ordering drinks for herself and her friends. “We have half a day to kill!”

The rest of her team simply heaved a sigh, following her lead. She somehow became the de-facto leader of the team even though none of them had formally agreed to it. Her combat prowess and her powerful attitude predisposed them to such a thing.

Meanwhile, in a separate section of the ship, a hooded figure dropped several unconscious bodies to the ground.

They were the Martial Sages who had attacked Ria.

“Threats incapacitated,” Sage Sayfeel coldly remarked before disappearing into thin air.