The Martial Unity

"Because the yielded attunement from the added unrefined individuality is low, you make very little progress with drawing out the potential of your mind, leaving it weak. Because it is weak, it cannot survive the Squire evolution breakthrough process," Rui explained patiently. "That is why you haven't reached Squire's candidacy."

Prince Raijun was shocked by the revelation.

He had long grown frustrated with his lack of progress, especially since he had always fostered a deep sense of admiration for Martial Artists.

How could he not? Rather, he never understood why none of his brothers and sisters felt the same way.

Martial Artists were strong!

Martial Masters did not lower their head or chin even in the presence of the Royal Family, barring the Royal Emperor.

Martial Sages bowed to nobody.

All thanks to their personal power. The power that they themselves had cultivated, belonged to them. That nobody could take from them.

He had been overjoyed when he became a Martial Apprentice at the optimistically young age of fourteen. While that age had not crossed into genius-level territory, it was a sign of a great talent and affinity for Martial Art.

It also happened to be the same age that Rui broke through to the Apprentice Realm. Yet despite twenty years of commitment to his Martial Art and Path, he had never reached Squire candidacy.

He never understood why.

Today, he did.

It was actually astonishing how simple the problem was.

'No, it's simple because he accurately understood it and then assimilated and conveyed it in a brief and concise manner that made it simple to understand," He realized. 'Not even Martial Masters had such a conscious grasp of the problem on a theoretical level. He explained the problem the way a scientist would, rather than a Martial Artist.'

He had tales of Rui's scholarly knowledge, only now did he experience it firsthand.

However, he wasn't interested in that at the moment.

"What is the solution for my lack of refinement? Why did it even come to be about in the first place?" The prince asked desperately, throwing aside all of his royal bearing.

"Those questions may as well be the same," Rui remarked. "They share the same answer after all. The cause of your problem is the same as the solution or lack thereof."

He stared straight into Prince Raijun's eyes. "Experience."

"Experience…?" Prince Raijun murmured.

Rui nodded. "Experience is the only way to refine Martial Art. That's how I, and every other Martial Art, have refined Martial Art. Tell me, Prince Raijun, when was the last time you fought genuine conflicts and battles where death was a realistic outcome?"

Prince Raijun's head lowered with shame.

"Don't tell me…" Rui's eyes widened. "You haven't experienced any life-or-death battles at all in your entire life?"

"…"

Rui stared at the man with bewilderment. "I knew you were inexperienced from the very first punch you threw. But not a single battle with your life on the line? Seriously? Surely you jest? There's no way there exists a Martial Artist that has never once staked their life in battle. I mean, come on now…"

As Rui continued, Prince Raijun only grew more embarrassed and ashamed.

"I can't help it!" He protested. "I'm a prince! Do you have many enemies I have because of my status? There are countless people and nations that don't think well of the Kandrian Empire or the Royal Family! I'll be assassinated in a heartbeat if I try anything!"

Rui paused for a moment. "I'm aware of that. But you need to balance risk with reward."

"Even if I wanted to, I cannot. We, children of the Empire, are constrained by security protocols of the state much more harshly than you can imagine. Especially since my late brother died nearly five years ago because he did precisely what you are suggesting to me."

Rui paused once more, confused.

The Martial Prince heaved a sigh. "Prince Raese Von Kandria died five years ago en route to the Kandrian Empire from the Virodhabhasa Theocracy after participating in the seventy-

second Virodhabhasa Martial Contest."

Rui's eyes widened with shock as his mind flashed back to a distant memory that he had almost forgotten.

'That's right! There was the grade-ten Martial Squire prince from the contest,' Rui realized. 'It's been so long and so much has happened that I completely forgot he existed.'

Rui couldn't believe that he had died back then.

"He used to throw himself into life-threatening battles despite knowing the risks for the rewards. He had almost died several times prior to various assassination attempts. Eventually, his luck ran out, and he was wiped out by an extremely powerful Martial Master. Had he returned to the Empire safely, he would be the Martial Prince instead of mere Apprentice like me."

"I see…" Rui murmured.

"This risk has multiplied by a factor of ten because of the Kandrian Throne War," Prince Raijun heaved a tired sigh. "My six siblings would not miss the opportunity to have me assassinated…well, except Raul, that insufferably principled and kind-hearted bastard. Of the remaining more than a hundred siblings that I have, half of them would love to have me assassinated. The risks are astronomical. Thus things like taking missions, commissions, or operations are completely out of the question."

This was indeed problematic, Rui had to admit. He was not impractical, throwing one's self into a situation where an assassination was almost absolutely guaranteed was stupid.

"That's a shame," Rui shrugged lightly. "Good luck overcoming that."

He had already fulfilled his duty to the absolute best he could, probably better than anyone else in the Kandrian Empire would have.

"Please help me overcome this hurdle!" Prince Raijun bowed his head, much to the alarm of the two Martial Masters behind him.

"…What?"

"Lend me your power!" Prince Raijun cried. "You were able to figure out the problem so easily, surely you must have a solution!"

"I'm not a magician, Your Highness," Rui scoffed. "I don't have any solut-"

He paused mid-sentence as an idea popped into his head, drawing his interest and curiosity.

"There!" Prince Raijun exclaimed. "I know you just thought of something! I'll give you anything you want, just help me out!"