The Martial Unity

"That idea seems increasingly alluring," Prince Raijun remarked. "I, for one, find it hard to imagine that all four of them had a massive shift in priorities simultaneously. It is much more likely that there is a common causal factor between them."

"We agree," The advisors nodded. "That is our analysis on the matter as well. We believe that there is a common cause behind their aggressive shift towards you."

Prince Raijun nodded, narrowing his eyes. "I just am unable to imagine who or what it could be; these are truly mind-boggling events."

"There are some possibilities, but there is one that stands at the top of the list..." One of his advisors signaled to an assistant, who promptly supplied Prince Raijun with a report document.

"What is this...?"

"Something you haven't heard about yet. We saw fit to hand it to you ourselves to minimize an information leak," His advisors explained.

Prince Raijun raised an eyebrow as he went through it.

His eyes widened. "Father...has awoken once more?"

"His Majesty, Second Emperor Rael Di Kandria, has awakened from his Eternal Dream sleep, perhaps for the final time," The advisors solemnly informed him.

The atmosphere was severe.

Rael Di Kandria was the man who elevated Kandria to

was known as the Emperor of Harmony in

because, across all of Panama, he alone was the one and only ruler in the history of the Age of Martial Art to

phenomena during the early half of the Age

side of the civil wars were the ruling political establishment that had been in power

Artists of the new age who broke free of the control of the existing political establishment. These were younger Apprentices, Squires,

this power struggle. It was the defining hallmark of the earliest phase of the Age of Martial Art, which itself was an era marked by

a civil war that led to the old monarchy falling, replaced by a Martialocracy. The Sekigahara Confederate was a state where Martial Artists grouped together, selectively breeding with each other to create their own bloodlines, resulting in clans that swept the militaries of the aristocratic clans that

the only nation in history that had never

It had come close.

and the Covenant, he did expect loyalty

led to immense friction between him and the young Martial

bound to lead

before he could pull the trigger,

agreements with the Martial Union with a compromise on both sides, conceding to a highly conditional and limited defensive conscription in the event of an

system of governance that worked around the Martial Union and slotted perfectly into the power system of Kandria, seamlessly harnessing its power. His diplomatic and militaristic acuity empowered Kandria's influence and control over its domain of power, becoming a true powerhouse on the international

who saved all of Kandria from destruction and elevated it to power and dominance, earning the respect and admiration of

His name invoked silence.

lying if they did not have an immensely favorable

he should have stayed asleep. Better