The Martial Unity

K'ahru grinned at the chieftain's words. "Does that mean-!"

He froze as a wave of anger washed across him.

"Do not interrupt me," The chieftain's sharp eyes glared at him. "I see much merit in both your stances. However, what we lack is the necessary information we need to make this decision. Therefore, I have decided we will wait until we can move with confidence. None of us wish to weaken ourselves with a war that doesn't need to be waged just to be consumed by our real enemies. Yet, at the same time, none of us wish to simply hand over our precious and sacred techniques so easily."

He stood up, indicating the end of the meeting.

K'Mala and K'ahru felt ambivalent, while they did not get what they wanted, at the very least what they definitely didn't want happening did not happen. Thus the outcome was tentatively neutral.

The council dispersed quickly as each member processed what they had learned from it.

Back in the settlement of the Martial Union, Rui and Special Agent Cravis were still concerning themselves with the reaction of the G'ak'arkan Tribe.

functioning wiretap in the

since then," Rui shook his head. "The presence of three Martial Seniors concentrated within such a small village makes it difficult to infiltrate the

possessed tremendously powerful natural senses, Rui had confirmed. Senior Ceeran's natural senses were sharper than all of Rui's sensory techniques combined. This meant that trying to infiltrate the village when there were Martial Seniors

was asleep. That is the only reason I approved Kane

to put his best friend on such a dangerous mission

can the intelligence and analytics teams tell me about the impact

can be assured that they will be shocked regardless of what

shock a tribe that had been practicing and refining their long-range techniques for centuries was greatly validating, but that was beside the point of the

"Well?"

us to obtain our techniques," Special Agent Cravis explained. "Cooperation would be the common sense option were they a normal state, but given their warped culture as well as the fact that they perceive a Martial Squire instead of a Martial Senior leading our settlement will likely make the latter option more alluring than it normally would be. As

back up, I presume?" Rui asked as he

"However, the problem is that propping up Senior Ceeran may also make the situation

Cravis with a knowing expression. "His previous interactions with the

their pride in his previous endeavor to negotiate with them. One of the reasons that war didn't break out then and there was because he apologized. Martial Seniors apologizing are an extremely heavy and significant gesture in the G'ak'arkan Tribe, after all. Although Senior Ceeran never intended to offend the and was merely