The Martial Unity

Rui waited in position, standing some distance away from the path. Flashes of carriage traveling at truly remarkable speeds went in either direction on the road. The sun mercilessly baked anything unfortunate enough to be within its direct exposure.

Of course, Rui was unbothered by this. Not only was he a Martial Senior, but he had also prepared himself physically and mentally for this for quite some time. Physically, he had ensured that he had gotten plenty of sleep before he undertook this mission. He didn't want to perform sub-optimally since his combat and assassination prowess greatly depended on his mind.

He had been meticulous with his nutrition, making sure he was fed and just lightly full enough where he wouldn't feel uncomfortable with great physical exertion. He had also mentally prepared himself for this day for quite some time, subjecting himself to a lot of meditation and mental conditioning.

Today, he was different from other days.

He seemed to ooze peril, much unlike his normal day-to-day impression. His eyes were sharp, devoid of the warmth that they normally possessed.

His senses were active, directed towards the carriages that arrived from the direction of the Shionel Confederation.

His eyes widened as they pricked, detecting the approach of the travel convoy from Deacon Industries. He quickly used Riemannian Echo to pierce through the anti-sensory measures of the central convoy.

His expression crumpled with cold fury. 'He's here.'

Rui had no interest in attacking his convoy if the man himself wasn't here. It would be a disaster if he attacked the convoy to kill Deacon only to find the man's butler or subordinate.

But he was here. He had aged a lot in the past seven years, but Rui couldn't possibly fail to recognize him.

The time had come. Although the carriage moved at extremely high speeds from the perspective of normal humans to Rui, it may as well have been nigh-stationary, especially when he activated his Martial Heart.

'First step; cripple the carriage,' Rui fired off a Squire-level Mighty Roar Flash Blast, having activated the Pathfinder technique, that was just weak enough such that it would pass below the senses of the Martial Seniors within the carriage. This ability was the reason he had been able to assassinate the Martial Seniors of the Shadow Isles. BAM!

CRACK!

wheels of the carriage broke off after the attack hit a crucial component of the axel. In the past three months, he had studied the model of the carriage that Chairman Deacon traveled by, thoroughly familiarizing himself with its

draw out the Martial Seniors,' Rui inhaled deeply as he activated Hypertrophic

THWOOM!!

five attacks merged into one, flying

Yet, it never reached.

out as the doors burst open

BOOM!!!

power had been dispelled. The one advantage that they had in addition to their

were prepared for precisely such

dying then and there. It was as though someone had cut off the strings of

THUD

widened

had one of their Martial Seniors spontaneously experienced a lethal

this. That was

TAP!

closest Martial Seniors, causing his eyes to roll back as he too collapsed lifelessly. He surged forward

not

BAM!

within the carriage with severe expressions. Many an assassination

not prudent to allow only two Martial Senior bodyguards to fight such a fiendish assassin.

was not

did he not withdraw, he looked as