The Martial Unity

STEP

They landed atop Mt. Vanfeiger.

It was a mountain at the center of a barren desert in South Kandria, devoid of too much activity and life. The area was as desolate as it was serene.

"Huff…" Rui heaved a sigh as he quickly consumed a light rejuvenation potion, restoring his expended stamina.

He gazed at the Monastery of Mysteries.

"We will secure the area, Your Highness," Master Zentra calmly remarked. "Not that it is required, but nothing can be allowed to disturb your audience with the personage that awaits you."

"…Understood."

"Break a leg, my friend!" Master Iskan slapped him on the shoulder, leaving him a bruise as he walked away.

PAT

Master Vericita smiled warmly as she reassured him with a hand on his head. "Good luck, my child."

She, too, stepped away.

"You don't need luck," Master Ceeran smirked. "If it's you, you are able to make your own, am I wrong?"

Soon enough, he was alone before the giant structure.

His heart felt heavy.

A profound sense of power radiated from within the monastery.

A Realm of power that he had come to recognize.

It was a Realm of power that seemed to bend the world itself.

A power that bent heaven and earth itself.

His Martial drive stirred.

His hunger stirred.

The void in the depths of stirred.

"I want this power…" A single whisper escaped his mouth.

Feeling such power only brought about greater clarity in his heart.

Was he going to sit on a throne and play Emperor while such godly power awaited him?

Determination flashed in his eyes.

"No."

forth with a

have

CLACK

Monastery of Mysteries opened before he could reach them, closing behind him when he

The monastery was hemispherical.

also almost

of all but

A man.

No.

Rui's eyes narrowed.

Not a man.

A Sage.

Rui could feel it.

that accompanied all

finger

Heavy.

presence weighed down on the world around them. It weighed down on space and time itself, almost generating a gravitational field by virtue of the weight of their being, so much so that Riemannian Echo had

He didn't understand.

didn't understand this power that he deeply yearned

his head as a cushion while his legs stretched

fluffy single-piece garb, a fusion between Martial

too lazy to switch back and forth

him instantly,

The Sloth Sage.

considered what to do. The meeting was too important to act without carefully considering

that

remark escaped

his mouth hadn't

looked tired as he got up. "Huff…at my age, even getting up

His mouth didn't move.

Rui could

'How?' Rui's eyes widened.

at him with

of Mysteries manifests thought as sound and

His mouth hadn't moved.

it? I love this place because I'm

as his thoughts manifested into

stronger the closer you get to the center." He

at

lazily. "I won't tell anyone about the depraved thoughts and fantasies you have

head, heaving a

STEP

world around him

of the monastery

in its place was a sight that he had grown extremely

His Mind Palace.

literally shook on the spot, bewildered at how his

as he gazed at the sight that emerged before him with interest. "I