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.

time in the Martial Academy, he was the only Martial Apprentice to have never entered the Apprentice

through to Martial Apprentice,

year of entering the Academy. He had mastered the technique to a general level. He had mastered it to a level that other

wasn't satisfied with his

how much better he

sense of inadequacy only grew stronger

more and more unsatisfied with his mastery of

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

Headmaster Aronian had encouraged his decision

highest." Headmaster Aronian told him. "Yet most never realize this until much later in their Martial Path, many have heard this, yet very

sense of inadequacy grows because your subconscious awareness of the infinite potential

you have to realize that potential." Headmaster

that mean?" Hever had asked,

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 technique despite it yielding lower short-term growth

years later, Hever Mandelieve stood before Nel in one of his final few matches in the twenty-seventh preliminary

had yet to master more than

No.

he would say he hasn't mastered a single

excitedly as they waited for the match between Hever and Nel

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