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

chosen the Meteor Swing technique the day he broken through to Martial Apprentice,

had mastered it to a level that other Martial Apprentices would have stopped training it and

Hever wasn't satisfied with his mastery

much better he

inadequacy only

and more unsatisfied with his mastery of

attempt learning other techniques, but he had deigned to reject their suggestions. He would

had

limitless well of potential and possibilities. This is true even for the lowest of techniques, as well as the highest." Headmaster Aronian

paused before, continuing. "Your sense of inadequacy grows because your subconscious awareness

your technique grows, doesn't necessarily mean you have to realize that potential." Headmaster Aronian told him as he stroked his flowing white beard. "You

that mean?" Hever had

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 or...

five years later, Hever Mandelieve stood before Nel in one of his final few matches in

he had yet to master

No.

would say he

honest." Rui muttered excitedly as they waited for the

had long since migrated 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