The Martial Unity

"It has been a pleasure watching you grow into a fantastic Martial Artist, Your Highness."

A profoundly powerful voice escaped Sage Sayfeel.

It reverberated in his heart.

Rui stared at the Martial Sage with unadulterated shock. "So all this time…you were a hidden Martial Sage."

Rui felt weak in his legs at the weight of this new revelation.

He recalled the incident quite clearly and deeply in his mind. He had yet to become a Martial Artist; he hadn't even had a real fight with his life on the line at that point. That had been his first conflict.

The very memory of it embarrassed him.

The man who had saved him was a Martial Squire or was supposed to be. He had taught Rui that neither fear nor failure disqualified him from being a warrior. It was what he did after that decided whether he was a warrior or not.

This man had done much to set Rui down his Martial Path; if it weren't for him, let alone a Martial Artist, Rui would have died long ago.

"…Thank you," Rui whispered, bowing his head deeply. "Thank you."

"I was simply doing my duty, Prince Rui," The man smiled before gazing at the Emperor reverently. "It was His Majesty truly saved your life."

Rui turned back to his father with gratitude in his eyes, earning a nonchalant dismissive wave from him before turning back to Sage Sayfeel.

The bewilderment in his eyes had yet to dim.

just the fact that this

to notice that this wasn't any of the known fourteen Martial Sages, the appearance of all of

a

he had never

tingled as the frightening implications of this revelation

utterly bewildered by the string of revelations that he had been bombarded with that he no longer had the energy

He was utterly drained.

pull a Martial Transcendent out of his

Rael calmly declared. "My hidden weapon. The fifteenth Martial Sage of Kandria. Everybody who knows

Sayfeel, stunned speechless. "The fifteenth Martial

who sought to keep me from reaching the throne," Emperor Rael calmly informed Rui. "Thus, about thirty years before I assassinated your grandfather, I began cultivating a

he

now as his

in common with the Emperor than he

weight of this

gesture of trust

been entrusted with a

"You said you protected me

Emperor nodded. "That's right. Once you became a Martial Artist, protection would only hamper your growth.

Rui nodded.

the Emperor for not protecting him when he became a

times through your journey, of course," The Emperor remarked. "Yet you managed to overcome every tribulation that you faced

in confusion. "What is

think it's a coincidence that these nicknames that belong to you all suspiciously share the theme of 'void' even though they were supposed

with a stunned expression. "You were responsible