The Martial Unity

"This is why I told her to pair with me!" One Martial Senior gritted his teeth. "But she said no, and went and got herself killed! How many Martial Seniors must fall before it becomes clear that we are dealing with a high-grade Martial Senior?!"

The man's words rippled across the table. A table featuring high-level executives, chairmen, directors, and Martial Seniors.

High-grade Martial Seniors were rare. Because the depth of the Senior Realm was considerably greater than the Squire Realm, the difficulty of reaching the high grades was as proportionally high as the difficulty of becoming a grade-ten Martial Squire.

Just because there were five additional grades above the tenth grade did not change the fact that grade-ten Martial Seniors could dominate any Martial Senior below them. A high-grade Martial Senior assassin was a terrifying foe to face if one was not that deep within the Senior Realm.

"For now, I believe it is prudent for all remaining Martial Seniors to start pairing up." A director of Navar Assassination Guild spoke. "Although it does not bolster defenses too much considering this assassin has bypassed the senses of a Martial Senior in their passive state indiscriminately, it does serve as a greater deterrent."

"Unfortunately, it is constrained by the fact that an assassin can prepare for retaliation from the remaining Martial Senior as well." Another high-level executive sighed. "In that case, it is better to increase the number of Martial Seniors huddled up together. Perhaps three or four in a group. Ideally five. In fact, it is best to have all the Martial Seniors of each assassination organization stay together at all times."

"I don't tolerate my peers well." One Martial Senior hissed coldly. "I operate solo. Always have, and always will."

"He's right." Another remarked. "I don't do 'together'. I only joined a guild so that annoying menial management work can be taken care of by skilled people."

"I don't trust them." Yet another remarked. "I don't trust any of them. I would rather rely on, at most, one person that I have personally vetted."

"Speak for yourselves. I don't want to die!"

continued to echo around the room with little exception. The powerful egos, distrust, and entrenched solitary temperaments typical of assassins

Shadow Isles and the Derschek Region, they did not have any power over the Martial Seniors of their respective organizations. Being too antagonistic with them

the room to deal with a

remarked. "Please, talk some sense

at the elderly woman sitting at the head of the table.

that would gently

there was a depth in her eyes that they did not

what

assassin," She remarked gently, sipping some tea. "I trust assassins to know how to deal

at the table with a soft smile. "Why don't we trust them to do what they

various organizations did not look satisfied with her response, yet the Martial Seniors around

Lady Crina. You understand us

a

is the only thing we can agree

Seniors were delighted that they did not end up being pressured into measures that they did not wish to take. They would rather find and kill their targeter themselves than huddle up with others that they did

them down paths that they did not wish

gather information on our target." One official suggested. "Even if the Martial Seniors refuse to cooperate too deeply.

Given that we unanimously agree.

Intelligence Task Force was constituted. A network of intelligence-gathering resources and manpower was soon put

got a hold of the transcripts of the entire