The Martial Unity

"Commencing trial W68-21," Rui remarked aloud. "The goal is to examine the effect of lowering temperature on the polarization index of the domain medium Mark54634. Previous experiments have yielded results that plot a parabolic locus on a temperature-polarization index graph. The goal of this experiment is to, hopefully, reach a state of complete darkness."

"Must you say that shit out loud each time?" Kane snorted.

"It makes remembering it a little easier," Rui replied. "I have noted, through empirical experiments, that the memory associations of sound are easier to retain in my Mind Palace than pure thou—"

"I literally don't care," Kane cut through what was undoubtedly going to be a mind-numbing monologue. "Just end this nightmare already."

Rui smirked. "As you wish. Commencing experiment."

He began his heaven-bending, altering temperature to manipulate the polarization index to try jamming light entirely.

"Woah." Kane's eyes widened with shock as pure darkness overtook the entire world. "I can't see anything… It worked!"

Rui's eyes lit up with ecstasy. "FINALLY!"

Kane almost began sobbing with joy. "No more being subjected to the most torturous experiments anymore."

Rui walked up to Kane, putting an arm on his shoulder.

"What are you talking about? Now that the domain has been worked out, we are going to move on to the hypnosis phase. I will have you serve as a proper test subject for that as well."

"No! I refuse!"

Rui laughed at his expense, thoroughly enjoying the tantrum his best friend threw before returning to his own devices.

passed, and he had finally made significant progress on the first half of Project Telepath. He had also fleshed out the

Prisms. For one, as Martial Seniors, there was nothing there that could threaten them. However, they had experienced the chaos of the Beast Domain even in a region like

some seismological event happening deeper in the Beast Domain. Most

allow so much as a scratch of harm to

he? They were precious carriers of intelligence about the Divine Doctor. The moment Project Telepath was complete, he would use his

region of the Beast Domain eventually became something that the two of them got used to. The unpredictability became

two of them rapidly grew stronger as they each trained their own techniques. Kane decided that he could not afford to fall behind Rui anymore than he already had. He began working on honing his skills and developing a new technique

take nearly as

Hypnomatrix or the Yggdrasil System. It even put the Greater Phantomind Void

algorithm and

nail down the hypnosis," he remarked. "I shall add this new technique to the Yggdrasil System since it is fundamentally a

lingered on the matter before a fitting name

"Soul Void."

care about whether that was truly an accurate description.

Telepath was done. He then spent his days refining the hypnosis that would go hand-in-hand with the Soul

using Kane as a test subject,

processing a maelstrom of information as it worked towards reaching its desired outcome. During that time, the catoblepas of the Valley of Prisms lived their lives peacefully under the protection of Rui and Kane. They didn't know that they were

livestock awaiting traumatic recollection of

that was what was required to extract even a single shred of useful information that pointed him in the direction

just a blink of an eye, eighteen

uncelebrated. Neither of

sat Rui. His demeanor was one of serenity

It conveyed profound harmony.