The Martial Unity

"Please wait here a moment, Apprentice Quarrier." An assistance staff told him. "I will inform Apprentice Sierra Frial that you have arrived."

"Please do." Rui nodded, as took a seat in the reception of the Martial Academy.

Five minutes later, he felt the presence of a tall and burly Martial Apprentice enter the room, recognizing her immediately, the Frial Family had provided him with a picture of her.

"Apprentice Frial." He began. "Pleasure to meet you. I'm-"

"I know who you are." She rudely cut him as she folded her arms. "Follow me to the sparring facility immediately. I want to see what you're made up of."

Her tone had more than just a little hint of challenging hostility.

Rui stared at her for a second, before wordlessly getting up. They both headed towards the Apprentice sparring facility of the Martial Academy. Rui felt like a celebrity as everyone he walked past. Staff, foundational and explorer students, Martial Apprentices etc all recognized him as their eyes widened. It got even worse once he actually entered the sparring facility. It turned out there was an ongoing regular Apprentice sparring session. Nothing odd about that, his Academy had held plenty of those as well.

He just felt countless eyes widened with surprise as each and every single one of them recognized him.

To be fair, he understood their emotions. He would be surprised as well if someone like Fiona walked into his Academy one day wearing her Martial uniform. He just ignored all of them as Siera Frial dragged him to an empty ring.

Yet before they could even reach it. Siera had been flooded with Martial Apprentices who all pestered her with questions.

"What's going on here?!" One of them asked in a barely concealed whisper.

"Why's he here?"

"My Family hired him as a sparring partner." Sierra huffed with a hint of pride. "He's mine for the next seven hours."

A flash of surprise made its way through the small crowd as the Martial Apprentices glanced at him with expressions of curiosity and admiration.

"Enough." A powerful voice drew everyone's attention as all of them experienced a familiar pressure.

The Martial Squire instructor of the facility

just as they were

time." A deep voice called

turned around, recognizing the towering, imposing man. "Arjun Erigaisi. I

smiled friendlily. "What

mission." Rui

that's

"Don't waste

turned around. He quickly put his standard gear and kit aside the ring, before

stances."

and close to her in a solid guarding position. She even planted her feet apart, a position

he was an offense-oriented Martial Artist. Yet Siera was a defense-oruented Martial Artist. It seems that her Family

an offensive maneuvering stance. Positioning his arms in a way that made it easy to launch both quick and powerful strikes while remaining

The referee commenced the

immediately dashed towards her swiftly. As the only fighter with an offensive fighting style at all, the initiative

POW POW!

speedy jabs, yet they

('Solid.') He mused.

POW POW!

swift combo. Siera turned trying to block in time,

do any meaningful damage. He wasn't accumulating momentum or using his weight, but it was still a proper strike empowered with Outer Convergence and Vital

alone is not enough at the higher echelons of the Apprentice Realm, it seems.') He mused. ('How

from behind him as he threw

BAM!

she remained steady even if

retreated before accelerating towards

BOOM!