The Martial Unity

[Contestant Falken versus Contestant Ran Al Venin]

Rui glanced at another figure in the room.

She met his gaze briefly, before closing her eyes. She too was a masked contestant like he was, it appeared that he was not the only one who found the fame and attention to his identity troubling.

But unlike him, she did not go to great lengths to conceal her identity by procuring a Master-level mask that could hamper even the senses of Martial Masters. He was able to sense her appearance through it.

But it wasn't her identity or appearance that he was concerned about. He quickly studied her Martial Body.

Powerful lower body. He immediately noted.

That alone allowed him to rule out many possibilities.

He definitely did not get the sense that she was an ordinary Martial Artist as far as her Martial Path was concerned.

There definitely were clues that she most likely was not a simple offensive, defensive, or maneuvering-oriented Martial Artist.

He recalled that she had been quite close to being eliminated by the abyssfeeder creature. That did not give him a good impression of her, but he didn't necessarily underestimate her because of that.

He didn't even bother considering the other match-ups at the moment, the tournament would soon begin, and he was going to have to face her in combat, he did not have the luxury to care about other people's match-ups.

"…And with that, it is finally time to begin! We now call upon Contestant Falken, the dark horse of the Martial Contest! A man who came out of nowhere, participating in the contest for the very first time, and reaching the top eight out of nowhere! Will he be able to overcome his opponent, a dangerously powerful warrior, and veteran of the Martial Contest known as the Unearthing Dancer?!"

The crowd cheered.

The two of them headed out toward the colosseum together.

The tension was palatable.

So much so that one may very well have been able to cut it with a knife. He could feel her wariness tingling on his skin.

It couldn't be helped. His performance in the previous round was domineering. He was the only one who defeated the abyssfeeder. He was also the first one to break out of Master Carian's technique.

Her muscles were taut with tension.

Her eyes were sharp.

She couldn't even hide her gritted teeth from him.

other hand, was a

be helped

newcomer to the Martial Contest while she was allegedly a veteran, neither of them had

She was the challenger.

measure of

the only one who was determined to

and Squire Meera, each of them had something to prove in their

a good fight," She abruptly

A small smile

"But I will win."

was as strong as her tone. Rui could

didn't even

had arrived at the entrance

Words no longer mattered.

"Wooooo!"

"Go Falken!"

"Kick his ass girl!"

two of them entered

The podium and the

awaited them at

am Senior Priest Deril," The man informed them. "I will be serving as the

expressing the deference that a

me… 'As a contestant of the Virodhabhasa Contest, I solemnly swear not

several oaths regarding fair play and abide

informed them. "Take a distance from the center of your pleasing, and take

take a close-range distance, clearly indicating that she

to take a long-range distance given the long-range prowess that he demonstrated

merely smiled, walking towards her, and standing

murmurs across the crowd

your peril,"

consider myself proficient at not underestimating," Rui

lifting one

millimeter despite

balance is abnormal.

closed his eyes,

an evenly

stance, the most common stance there