The Martial Unity

"Be careful, don't push yourself too hard, okay?" Lashara asked with a worried expression.

"Don't worry mom, I'll be fine." Rui insisted, yet she didn't appear convinced.

It was a cold morning, as always. Rui had was standing at the entrance door of the orphanage, facing Lashara and other members of the Orphanage. Three days had gone by and now it was time for Rui to return to the Academy.

The Academy allowed for short vacations per season for a reason. So that students didn't lose their disciplined mindset. This was especially true for students at earlier stages. The Foundation and Exploration Stages, in particular. Three days was around the sweet spot where there was just enough time for a break, but not long enough to break the students out of their mindsets. They all knew they were returning to the Academy in three days so they psychologically didn't relax too much and adapt to their circumstances, knowing they would be returning soon.

Rui wasn't too sad either, he loved his family and truly enjoyed catching up with them. However, three days was a lot of time for chit-chat and banter. He had conversed with all of them for hours and the all the standard topics of conversation one would engage in when conversing in family reunions were already over. Rui had satisfied his homesickness and now his urge to complete missions grew even stronger!

He couldn't wait to get a taste of what it was like to be a Martial Artist. Furthermore, he couldn't wait to earn credits so that he could purchase higher-grade techniques. His Martial Art yearned for greater development! His Martial Path yearned for more depth!

He felt the itch to begin running towards the Academy even in the middle of his farewell! Immediately invoking even stronger feelings of guilt. Which he pressed down, forcefully.

"Alright mom. Everybody. Goodbye." He said. "I'll be back sooner than you think, so don't miss me too much." he grinned.

He began his journey once he finished exchanging farewells with all those who were there to see him off.

he applied for the Entrance Exam. Back then he had a

year had passed since that day, and he had gotten vastly stronger since then. The bloodlust test in round one, the bouncing slimes, the tag

hindsight, those trials were trivial. In his current state he

from back then,

be

a double-take as he realized it had been truly a long time since he thought of Nel. He had been so

an Apprentice." Rui murmured. He hadn't seen Nel in the Apprentice sparring sessions, which he

he was able to defeat an Apprentice while still being a novice. Relying largely on brute strength. Only after Rui became a Martial Apprentice did he realize how absurd that feat was, even if Felix was much weaker back then, much weaker than

sure why he was taking so

one year isn't abnormal." Rui remembered. He

Rui concluded. The mental evolutions that discovering the Martial Path provided would complement his innate physical

What about Squire Kyrie?

with him hard with just a portion

even see the large prominent figure of the Mantian branch

left well ahead of the already

himself to the limit as he used Parallel Walk, Balance Direction and Helical Breathing to their maximum, zipping through