The Martial Unity

1961 Departure

The two quickly packed up all their essential needs, restocking their supply of high-quality food pills from the Elder Tree, taking everything they needed for a long journey to the Mellow.

His stoic eyes slowly returned to the Elder Tree. "Once again, thank you for saving our lives."

What should have been a pleasant, warm expression of gratitude turned into what was almost an intense face-off.

"Thank you for telling us where the Divine Doctor went," Rui continued, devoid of warmth. "Thank you for bequeathing a millennium's worth of knowledge and experience with the biosphere of the Beast Domain."

…Thank you for knowledge from another world. The Elder Tree returned his gratitude. I look forward to you keeping your word in regard to aid from the Kandrian Empire.

"I will." Rui nodded slowly. "You know that."

I do. Be sure to plant a grove of connector tree species in the Kandrian Empire.

Rui nodded. "Well then. It's been…enlightening."

"Bye-bye!" Kane waved at the enormous tree. Good luck finding the Divine Doctor, and goodbye.

Kane's eyes widened as the Elder Tree transmitted a private message to him just before they were teleported out of the Garden of Salvation.

Look after him, Kane. He needs you. He needs you more than you realize.

WHOOSH!

magically

in the Beast Domain outside of the Garden of Salvation. Rui narrowed his eyes sharply as his expression grew cold. "No more safety from this

nodded, staring at him uncertainly, keeping the Elder Tree's message close to heart. He didn't fully

didn't understand what he could do to fix his friend.

could be there for

need to get from the North

from the West to the North took three months. Wouldn't that mean this journey would take

I sucked as a navigator. With our tremendous speed, we could have made it

your navigation skills

"Yes."

elaborating. However, it

Elder Tree had given him a map

comparison, the Adventurer Guild's map was not only useless, it was downright dangerous. Rui was hardly surprised that adventurers had

Rui a combination of the Elder Tree's knowledge and his grandmother's prophecies, two extraordinary trump cards to not feel like he would die in

a lot safer than Kane had expected. They didn't run into countless ambushes or attacks and were rarely caught off-guard. For the first time since entering the Beast Domain, the two of them truly lived the philosophy 'the only way to win a fight is

Rui had been precisely on point when he said he could get them there much sooner. They zipped through the Beast Domain, navigating through niche routes and paths that efficiently avoided danger in the Beast Domain. They traveled at a far greater pace than Kane had ever imagined possible. Rui didn't talk much during the journey. He had grown more silent and aloof, limiting his words to the bare minimum whenever he did

for lack of trying, Kane had tried his damndest to make him laugh with all kinds of jokes, yet none

the only change that he had undergone.

BAM BAM BAM!

SPLAT!

exploded upon contact with Rui's attacks,