The Martial Unity

'...Besides, there's still something I have to do during the banquet.' Rui narrowed his eyes.

Once he completed that, he would have no qualms about running as far away from the Virodhabhasa Faith as he could. Finally, the angsty meeting with the three Martial Masters ended as the remaining two also disappeared, wishing him a good day.

Rui heaved a sigh with furrowed eyebrows, glancing at Master Deivon.

He took looked weary. "Master Uma is not all up there. But she was right about one thing..."

He glanced at Rui. "I cannot protect you forever. You need to grow stronger. Gain power. Higher Realms of power. Only then can you exert your sovereign. The only reason you could even engage in a dialogue with her is because I was standing beside you. In the future, you must be able to do that by yourself."

Rui understood this dynamic quite well.

It was no different from caretakers and other staff assigned to care of an infant heir of a powerful emperor, tasked with shaping him into a powerful person worthy of succeeding the throne.

They essentially revered him as the future emperor, but they nonetheless would not accommodate his autonomy in order to nurture and train him to shape him to be exactly what a nation needed.

The resistance of a child was futile, in that regard.

Rui knew that something similar was going through the mind of Master Uma at the moment. A twenty-four-year-old Martial Squire may as well be a child in the eyes of a grandma who had lived for more than two centuries. She had addressed him as boy before she came to believe he was the Virodhabhasa.

is all that matters in this world.' Rui

And now he could feel the

when he pursued his Martial Path purely for the sake of Project Water. But it was undeniable that he was a lot more driven now that he pursued his Martial Path for more than just the ambition of his previous

grow a lot more stronger than he would when he pursued his Martial Path for

world was brutal. He needed to traverse

rest..." Master Deivon told him, earning a nod. "Ah, and one last

Rui glanced at him.

have accomplished." Master Deivon smiled. "I am honored to be your patron. Not because of your connection to our religion, not because of your status. But because you are one of the most extraordinary Martial Artists I have ever seen. Your dedication to your Martial Art is inspiring. Your determination to tread your Martial Path is admirable. The individuality you have generated to propel yourself forward is humbling. Your devotion to those you care about is heart-warming. You have truly earned my respect and my admiration as Falken, not as the Antithesis. So long as I am alive, I will not allow the

closing his

at his retreating figure as he felt a surge of sentiment gripping

made a spontaneous decision after scanning the limits of the full-range Riemannian Echo for any espionage technology or spies, before whispering in a voice so soft and muted

the spot, turning ever so slowly.

real name,"

his eyes widened in

regret this decision," Rui

laughed mirthfully. It appeared that the

went about his own day, as he prepared for what was shaping

the ceiling,

mind to the limit in the tournament. He had gone above and beyond just the VOID algorithm in two of the three fights he fought, and while he most certainly enjoyed every minute, it did take

abused techniques like