The Martial Unity

Techniques were like weapons themselves. They allowed Martial Artists to achieve things that they would ordinarily not be able to. They allowed for greater prowess in combat. Lower-grade techniques had a marginal effect whereas higher-grade techniques could change the tide of battle.

Usually, the one with more of these weapons, and better-quality weapons won. They would usually overwhelm with a quantity or a quality advantage.

However, there was a variable that was often left unseen.

Mastery of these weapons. Mastery of these techniques.

Someone who had higher mastery of a technique would defeat someone with a lower mastery. Mastery was an important variable that had significant impact on the outcome of a clash.

Yet, there was a reason people moved on to another technique after mastering one to a satisfactory level. Learning new techniques was easier than increasing an already high mastery.

The higher the mastery, the more energy and time it took to raise that mastery. It became an inefficient exchange and the effort and energy it costed to raise the mastery even a bit simply wasn't worth it. Why spend all that time and energy for marginal gains when one could simply start mastering a new technique and make much greater progress?

This was the rationale that drove ninety-nine percent of Martial Artists to mastering multiple techniques.

Even Rui was part of this group. Perhaps he was even at the forefront of that group with sheer number of techniques he had mastered in a short amount of time.

But not Hever Mendelieve. Born in a prestigious Martial Family, he had reached Martial Apprentice even before he had joined the Academy.

the only Martial Apprentice to

Meteor Swing technique the day he broken through

a general level. He had mastered it to a level that other Martial Apprentices would have stopped training it

wasn't satisfied with his mastery

much better he got, there

his sense of inadequacy only grew stronger

unsatisfied with his mastery

had deigned to reject their suggestions. He would move onto other techniques after he was satisfied with his mastery of Meteor Swing, despite

Aronian had encouraged his

limitless well of potential and possibilities. This is true even for the lowest of techniques, as well as the highest." Headmaster Aronian told him. "Yet most never realize this until much later in their Martial Path,

because your subconscious awareness of

have to realize that potential." Headmaster Aronian told him as he stroked his flowing white beard. "You don't have to

that mean?" Hever

isn't an obligation. It's a choice, it's a will, it's a desire." He said. "You only need to do what you want to, if you wish to keep travelling down this Path. So what is it that you want to do? Continue mastering this

of his final few matches in the twenty-seventh preliminary contest of the Hajin branch of

had yet to master more than

No.

asked, he would say he hasn't mastered a single technique

to be honest." Rui muttered excitedly as they waited for the match between Hever and Nel to

the sparring facility waiting for the matchup between Nel and Mendelieve. Neither Rui, Kane nor Fa had faced either one of the, so that alone was enough reason to spectate their match. Furthermore, this was a fight between two undefeated top rankers, the outcome mattered a lot and