The Martial Unity

Several waves rippled through the Derschek Region and the Shadow Isles. For the first time in a long time, the Shadow Isles experienced more emigration than immigration. The Martial Squires and the Martial Apprentices weren't dumb.

Five Martial Seniors were assassinated back to back, roughly once every five days. There was no common pattern in the allegiances or loyalties of the Martial Seniors as far as the organizations that they had joined went. There were no common patterns in any regard except for the fact that they were at the bottom of the informal rankings among the Martial Seniors.

Many subscribed to the hypothesis that an assassin was targeting all the Martial Seniors of the Shadow Isles. Many further extended that subscription that the assassin was targeting all assassins and was beginning with Martial Seniors. Perhaps if and when this assassin succeeded in killing all the Martial Seniors, they would move on to the Martial Artists of the lower Realms.

If that were to happen, they were undoubtedly screwed. That was why there was a group of particularly fearful Martial Artist assassins that actually chose to leave the Shadow Isles.

Unfortunately, they didn't know that Martial Seniors were not allowed to unscrupulously bully particularly large numbers of the Apprentice and Squire Realm unless in retaliation to a provocation or an antagonization.

Funnily enough, while the Panamic Martial Federation enforced this rule, it also enforced a rule that prevented Martial Apprentices and Squires from learning of this rule.

Martial Seniors were to be respected and feared.

Thankfully, it worked in Rui's favor.

fact that the Martial Seniors began finally waking up to the threat that Rui represented after the

was that despite retaining the corpses of three bodies, a cause of death had still not been established. Rui's incredibly delicate care ensured that

to walk an incredibly thin line successfully, optimizing the outcome in his

not be on the lookout for this particular manner of

from the Martial Seniors being at the bottom of the totem pole

several Martial Seniors took an indefinite hiatus from undertaking assassination operations,

you are, Sonel."

only get to say that because you've been in the Senior Realm strong enough to not

with another Martial Senior?" Riya asked. "That way, you'll have more

else to

assassinated had already begun hindering the Shadow

through the transcripts of confidential conversations held between important individuals in the upper echelons of the assassination sector of

is?" Professor Carl asked as he organized several more

is much stronger," Rui replied. "Getting rid of Martial Apprentices and Squires without killing them would have been a challenge if not for the fact that they are terrified of Martial Seniors, as they should be. The best part is that the

Seniors that have ceased undertaking commissions?"

of course," Rui replied with a composed tone. "Not immediately, it's more convenient to eliminate the Martial Seniors that still have the courage to undertake commissions. It will be a little challenging if they do partner up with another Martial Senior. But I can't indicate that