The Martial Unity

Rui's dark eyes lit up with a flash of interest. "…Gaia?"

The Divine Doctor heaved a soft sigh, glancing at the sky of the manifold.

He grew quiet as his smile faded and his eyes softened.

A profound silence seemed to overtake the atmosphere.

For a moment, he became human.

"You see…" He began, his voice growing soft. "One fine day at dusk, when gazing at the setting Sun, I had an epiphany."

He continued, immersed in a reverie. "I consider it to be the most glorious moment of my long life. Not even overcoming death inspired the depth of emotion that I experienced from this magnificent revelation."

He closed his eyes. "In that moment, I came to realize that this world was not merely a lifeless stage for all life to occupy. It was not merely a dead speck of rock floating about in an infinite void we call the universe. It was not merely sustenance for the Tree of Life."

His eyes opened.

Within then flashed boundless intensity.

"No." His voice grew more intense. "This world is alive. Gaia is alive."

Rui and Kane widened their eyes in shock. "Gaia is…alive?"

of him,

him was

more than six centuries, traveling the world and gaining priceless knowledge and experience in the domain of medicine and biology. His sole knowledge and mind exceeded the combined

him,

was far from

"She is more alive than any of us. She is more alive than all of us! She is the life that nurtures the

gazed

Divine Doctor's expression fell immediately after, growing regretful. "…Yet, along with the magnificent revelation

returned to Rui.

A stunned whisper escaped Rui.

don't know, but I made it my life's mission as the

her ailments, let alone treating and curing her, unfortunately. Even for someone of my ability, it has proven to be the most difficult endeavor I have ever undertaken in my entire

that the Divine Doctor made

shocked. "How

the Divine Doctor replied softly. "Yet, it is one that is beyond me. However, I do not find it impossible considering the most extreme forms of life that exist in this world that make it plausible for an enormous planet to be

with that particular statement. "If deserts and golems can be alive, then it isn't impossible for a planet to be

life that exists in this world, it is only the scale

of silence overtook

that's why you entered the Beast Domain, to look for clues in different parts of Gaia's 'body' for symptoms for a diagnosis." Rui realized. "The Human Domain is transparent, the Beast Domain is a region filled with countless mysteries and was most

nodded, growing more open. "However, the Adventurer's Guild is incompetent, and my friend's sect cannot help me with the Beast Domain, so I consulted the Ecologer, an unparalleled genius and the leading authority on the Beast Domain. Yet, diagnosing Gaia was beyond even her. I was almost out of options until she told me about the existence of the Garden of Salvation and the all- knowing Elder Tree and how I might find

"…well, I'm sure

Mellow Manifold. "Fascinating, but ultimately not