The Martial Unity

The two dashed towards each other.

('I'm faster.') Rui realized.

Yet despite this, Gale's strike reached first.

WHOOSH

Rui dodged the strike.

Gale continued dishing an onslaught of strikes and Rui avoided all of them cleanly. Ever since he mastered Primordial Instinct, his timing had grown much sharper and more accurate. Its synergy with the VOID algorithm was truly impressive.

Gale didn't stop, his strikes were straight forward and had a huge range. He launched all of them from outside Rui's striking range, so Rui wasn't able to do much.

('He's a long-range striking specialist.') Rui realized. Each strike had a huge reach, and he launched them in a way that deliberately prevented Rui from reaching close enough to launch his own attacks.

Rui keenly observed this before making a decision, he stopped avoiding Gale and instead dashed against him once more.

A flash of surprise morphed into Gale's expression as he quickly launched a straight jab at Rui, growing even more surprised when he saw Rui didn't avoid them, and instead ran into it even faster. Just as the strike was about to hit Rui

WHOOSH

Rui disappeared.

('A feint!') Gale realized.

BAM

meteoric impact struck

to draw his strike away while simultaneously using Flowing Canon once he

reeling. He just barely managed to throw up

Gale leaped back, grimacing.

him recuperate and regain his bearings, he rushed in. Gale panicked when he saw Rui dashing in, feeling an immense

Rui, expecting another feint. This time he was a bit more prepared, he didn't

Rui didn't dodge

CLASP

moving with it to reduce the impact while simultaneously grasping Gale's arm

The Binding Lash technique.

dragging outside the realm of striking which is where his specialty

CRACK

grimaced in pain as Rui managed to cleanly dislocate his arm. The Binding Lash technique allowed the user

of these conditions

of his timing immensely. The VOID algorithm allowed him to

virtue of being much older, but Rui

excruciating pain he felt, Gale did give up, struggling with everything he had. Despite the advantageous position Rui had, he didn't give up and ruthless pressed and twisted

but in the world of Gaea, within the Martial Art, this wasn't much of a big deal. Healing potions ensured that Gale would make a

was far too excruciating and even if Gale somehow broke through, he had no

relief. He did not enjoy the act of inflicting pain on others. He carefully let go of Gale's arm,

Gale exhaled deeply, getting up slowly, before throwing a bitter smile at Rui. "You're truly

He meant it.

he'd displayed from start to finish. Rui had shown him just how big the gap between them was. Gale had spent a long time in the Academy, and even with his mediocre growth, he

Rui offered a hand

cleanly, even if he won every other fight, he almost would not be chosen as the representative of the Academy. "I haven't given up yet though. On becoming the representative,