The Martial Unity

The entirety of the colosseum watched in rapt attention as the volatile battle ensued.

They didn't understand.

They were unqualified to.

The battle has begun relatively even.

Then it had shifted in Squire Falken's favor.

And now, it had shifted in Meera's favour.

What had changed?

BAM BAM BAM!

Meera's eyes were fixed on him as she pummeled him with a series of kicks.

Rui's eyes narrowed as he barely managed to deal with them.

Her weight shifted.

He rapidly leapt back, avoiding a predicted swift front kick.

And again.

POW!

He gritted his teeth as he barely blocked the early attack.

BOOM!

She spotted an opportunity as she rushed forward, pressing both her palms into Rui while rushing forward a blinding pace.

WHOOSH!

"And Champion Meera launched Contestant Falken into the distance!" The commentator exclaimed. "Is Contestant Falken simply unable to compete?!"

The crowd's sentiment sunk as they watched Rui increasingly overwhelmed by Champion Meera.

After the previous fight, nobody wanted the champion to win the Martial Contest.

Many people had begun rooting for Rui in earnest.

It had not been pleasant to watch him get overwhelmed.

Rui, on the other hand, wasn't paying attention to the spectators. They may as well have not existed to him.

His eyes were focused on a single person.

to be quite

twice in the Martial Contest. Yet it was understandable for a creature like the abyssfeeder

a human? That too a fellow

come across something

wasn't a complete invalidation. What she did was

was extremely important in general, but especially so when

their effectiveness was greatly compromised. That was why despite predicting the actions,

directly was not light. It was a psychological blow. Project Water was founded on the premise that people had core patterns that could not be changed

His eyes widened.

gazed into her eyes as a chilling realization dawned on

a being is incoherent.' His expression turned grave. 'The root of her mind is in a greater

the source of the chaos within her. That was

being exist? It was said that the sum of one's life was

have resulted in

He didn't know.

He didn't understand.

didn't need

win.' His eyes narrowed he

power responding to the

thought even as he defended himself from

him a second to

compensate for the failure of his pattern recognition system. It was too short-lived. It was meant to press an advantage on top

His eyes narrowed.

was only

wasn't something that he could

His stance shifted.

back, bolstering his

His arms drew closer.

Martial Artist to see what he was going

A fortress-style defense.

He had abandoned offense.

A sensible decision.

the spectators couldn't help

the same as

appeared that Meera was less

that it?"

BOOM!

a powerful attack

to

can do?" She asked as she immediately arrived in front of

strange sensation when

fixed on

once broke eye

It was deliberate.

He was...watching.

felt a profoundly faint sense of peril. It was as though his eyes captured