The Martial Unity

"You're going to hole yourself in the highest security arena of the Gereign Base?!" Senior Zenshin glared at a man seated in front of him.

A few days had passed since the death of Senior Marna, it had caused quite an uproar within the Gereign Base of the Carnil Mafia. "Of course," The man replied calmly, sipping some tea. "I do not wish to die or get hurt."

"You sorry excuse of a Martial Senior," Senior Zenshin curled his mouth with contempt. "You really are the most pathetic Martial Artist I have ever met. A Martial Senior cowering away like a little girl is something that should not exist!"

"The feeling is mutual," Senior Francis calmly replied. "If anything, it is the rest of you who are idiots. How many times did I tell you we should cease all activity until Master Haishi arrives? How many times did I warn the others to abstain from traveling across the Hypnonarak forest? No one listened, and all of them died. Hmph, serves them right."

"You bastard…" Senior Zenshin narrowed his eyes. "You cowardly wimp. You haven't a single bone of pride or courage in you."

"If those bones didn't break so easily, the others who had them would still be alive," Senior Francis snorted. "Hmph, Martial Artists of the Underworld are too reckless, irrational, and volatile. That's why they have a higher casualty rate than those in the Royal Army."

"You aren't fit for the Carnil Mafia, that's one thing we agree on," Senior Zenshin narrowed his eyes. "This ain't the Martial Union. This ain't the Royal Army. This is the Underworld. There is no royalty agreement. There is no hefty salary with government benefits. There is no safety blanket, guarantees, rights, or privileges. Only one thing matters in the Underworld."

"…Power," Senior Francis muttered. "That's right," Senior Zenshin's eyes narrowed. "The weak are exploited and killed, the strong exploit and kill. That is the only rule of the Underworld. You can't show weakness. You can't let others walk over you. You can't be willing to back down. You can't run away. If you do…"

His expression intensified. "You'll never stop running. You'll never stop backing down. You'll never not be weak. They won't let you. That's the reason the other Seniors of our team decided to go hunting for the Plum Ecstasy Fruits even though they knew they were going to be attacked…A pussy like you who is willing to let others walk over all over you by showing weakness would never understand."

a risk, that too an implicit one, was weakness. And weakness was consumed in the Kandrian Underworld. If word got out that the Martial Seniors that the Carnil Mafia at the Gereign Base were too scared to leave

the Kandrian Underworld. None of them were willing to do that. That

of them except

done with this assignment," Senior Francis remarked. "I will have paid off

snorted contemptuously. "You don't actually believe that

no intention of staying, I'll tell you that

eyes. "Master Haishi may dispatch me to

head aching. "Speaking of,

Senior Zenshin grunted, his

than I expected," Senior Francis remarked with surprise. "She was furious when I informed her that Senior Marna died at the hands of the assailant," Senior Zenshin grunted. "She was personally ordered by Lord Carnil to stabilize the Gereign Base and restore the

"I might just choose to run away before she arrives. I'm

you try running away," Senior

HQ command center, the most secure place in this facility. Mark my words, Zenshin, I'm not going to die, I'm going to

body went

eyes rolled to the back of

THUD