The Martial Unity

Chapter 2661: A form of Art

Rui found his exploration of the Nest of Terra to be rather thrilling.

He found, even outside of the city, through a tunnel network that was so complicated that it could be its own labyrinth, there was Terran Civilization thriving in darkness. These were people who were unable to afford to live in the big hundred mega-cities of the Nest of Terra and instead had chosen to carve their own homes in off-shoot paths of their own building.

Considering that expansion was extremely difficult, he was sure that the population of the Nest of Terra had risen much faster than available land, causing real estate in the Nest of Terra to be extremely expensive and precious.

There was no doubt many millions of people had to make makeshift homes outside of the big cities, causing unofficial labyrinths of people forming homes in tunnel networks in between cities.

He spotted little huts, caves, and homes across tunnels. Even larger spaces that harbored something like a small settlement within them. ”The population estimate of the Nest of Terra,” Rui wondered aloud, ”does it include people living in off-shoot tunnels outside of cities?”

”As far as Iʼm aware, it does not,” Sage Kyria freely informed him with a composed tone. ”These are undocumented people who are unofficial citizens of the Nest of Terra. Eventually, one of the spaces that you have sensed far off into the tunnel network will grow larger and larger, at which point it will be officially recognized as a city and will come under the strict management and regulation of the Council of Cities and the two ruling consuls. Until then… they will simply receive unofficial aid and support from the state.”

Although it might have felt a little cruel to exclude people who didnʼt live in the big cities, Rui could understand why this policy had to come into place.

”It must be a logistical nightmare tracking people across this expansive labyrinth,” he noted. ”So much so that itʼs not worth it until they gather enough people in a large enough space over time. But itʼs fascinating to know that the Nest of Terra does not regulate these people. Considering how precarious life underground can be and how many systems are in place just to ensure basic survival.”

She nodded at his words as she led them through a corridor at a considerable speed. ”All the big cities, like the City of Nagara that you have just explored were created this way. It has been our way of expansion for centuries now. We have discovered the hard way that organic and natural expansion is better than a state-planned expansion. It gives our people more freedom in a way of life that is restricted compared to most other nations above the surface.”

Rui nodded. ”I suppose that makes sense. This is a truly fascinating nation indeed.”

”We have finally arrived, Your Highness,” Sage Kyria remarked.

WHOOSH

They emerged from a tunnel, sky-walking into the air above the city of Martia.

”Wow…” Amareʼs eyes lit up with amazement.

”This is remarkable.” Rui nodded with an approving expression.

Although this was the one and only city out of a hundred that was dedicated to Martial Art, it was tremendously enormous, exceeding the many Martial metropolises of the Sekigahara Confederate. It even exceeded the Grand Martial Chambers within the manifold of the Kandrian Empire.

It was second only to the Panamic Martial Federationʼs eastern headquarters.

Countless training chambers and battle arenas stretched across the entirety of the massive city, each larger than the next. A vast majority of the training chambers were gigantic chambers meant to harbor a small number of individuals relative to their size. They were training chambers for Martial Artists of the high Realms.

Ruiʼs eyes lit up as he managed to catch an open training chamber with a Martial Master training within.

His body moved gently and smoothly.

It flowed.

And with it, so did the land beneath his feet.

Ruiʼs interest heightened as he watched the Master exert a tremendous amount of fine control over the soil beneath his feet. ”That…”

He could sense a profound exertion of sound, pressure, heat, and electromagnetic fields to manipulate the earth beneath his feet in ways that Rui didnʼt even know was possible.

And yet, what followed next was truly unlike anything Rui had ever seen.

RUMBLE…!

A clone of the Martial Master made of rock emerged from the land, facing the earth-bending Martial Master, taking a fighting stance.

It was nothing short of a magic spell in Ruiʼs eyes.

And then, they began fighting.

Or rather, they began dancing.

Both the original and clone began shifting around with mesmerizing footwork in a soulful yet fierce dance.

”That is the Dance of Terra.”

Sage Kyriaʼs tone was profound.

”The Dance of Terra?” Ruiʼs eyes widened. ”To us, Terrans, the Martial Art is an art form.” Her voice was solemn. ”We believe that the ʼArtʼ of Martial Art is more important than the former half.”

Amareʼs eyes brightened with wonder while her expression lit up with delight. ”Thatʼs beautiful!”

”An art form?”

”Indeed,” Sage Kyria replied. ”Watch him, Prince Rui. Watch his movements. Watch his expressions.”

Rui paid closer attention to the man, even going as far as to use his Martial Mind to sense his emotions.

What he sensed was enlightening.

It sent chills across his skin.

”A tremendous love…” He murmured. ”A tremendous love for the world around us.”

”We stoke our emotions, gathering them in our heart, harness them into our movements, and then…” her tone grew profound as her eyes narrowed.

”And then, we unleash them onto our opponents.”

BOOOOOM!!!

Ruiʼs eyes lit up with amazement as the man ended his dance with a firm stomp, unleashing a tremendous tsunami of land onto his own clone. The sheer power of the technique easily breached grade-ten territory and continued as he turned earth into a liquid and obeyed his will.

”This is the Martial Art of the Nest of Terra,” Sage Kyria told him with a proud expression. ”We harness our connection to Gaia and express our love for her through our art.”

A profound flush of thrilling excitement flushed through Rui. ”Incredible…!”

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