The Martial Unity

1879 First Step

Since the Divine Doctor, for all his biological and medical prowess, could not survive Master-level zones, that means Rui could firmly rule out zones that were deeper into the Beast Domain.

It made his job easier.

It wasn't long before he finished memorizing all the data that he needed to.

Once that was done, he had no reason to stick around anymore.

"Er, Your Highness, are you leaving so soon?" Guildmaster Vaughn frowned as Rui abruptly informed him of his departure on short notice. "You have just arrived, and we have yet to be able to prepare a feast for this occasion."

Rui smiled. "I'm sorry about the short notice and the abrupt departure. However, I am pressed with urgent matters that require my immediate attention. The information that I sought from you was relevant to it. Thus, I personally came to acquire it."

"But…"

"I look forward to speaking with you in a more extended meeting next time," Rui continued. "I shall invite you to the Kandrian Empire next time, and perhaps we can finalize some agreements pertaining to greater cooperation between the Kandrian Empire and the Adventurer's Guild when I ascend the throne."

Clearly, the guildmaster was pleased to hear that.

"Why, most certainly, Your Highness," he remarked courteously. "I shall look forward to that. In addition, there is an ongoing potential agreement regarding the Silas Clan and the longevity potions. Our respective staff have already begun negotiations, too, after all."

"Indeed, I believe that we can reach an agreement in this regard," Rui nodded encouragingly. "On that note, I shall take my leave; I am grateful for the hospitality during my brief stay here and look forward to our next meeting."

"I, too, am eager to build a working relationship with you, Your Highness," the man smiled. "It is unfortunate that you are pressed with urgency this time. Thus, we will have to leave it for next time."

They bade each other goodbye as Rui boarded his royal carriage before it took off into the air from the guild headquarters estate into the air.

Rui smirked mischievously once he was alone with the Sloth Sage in the compartment of the carriage. His body began to warp as his shoulders shortened, his hips widened and his chest expanded, growing larger while his face and head changed.

"Hehehe… first target fooled," Master Reina chuckled as she scribbled down on a notepad.

The Sloth Sage didn't mind her, having been on the plan for quite some time and having aided with the switch.

"He was a shrewd and sharp man, yet he wasn't able to see through my act," She grinned smugly. "Pretty convincing, am I not?"

"To anybody below the Sage Realm, yes," the Sloth Sage lazily remarked. "But a Martial Sage will see right through you, in person at least."

"Rui said he entrusted that part to you."

"…Yes, unfortunately," the Sloth Sage heaved a tired sigh. "Just keep a low profile and don't do anything that would warrant you meeting a Martial Sage. I'll handle the rest."

"Mmmm, I wonder how far those two are now," Reina voiced her thoughts.

Many kilometers away, two hooded men watched the carriage flash away from the town at incredibly high speeds. Around them were crowds of customers and clients looking to make commissions from the Adventurer's Guild or from the many Martial Artists around them directly.

"Welp, no turning back now," Kane remarked.

Rui stared at the distant carriage, closing his eyes. "…Yeah."

He turned around, heading back to the guild headquarters.

"No turning back now."

His voice was determined.

"Wait up," Kane caught up to him. "So what now?"

His appearance was much different than normal. As was Rui's, returning to the silver hair that he had fashioned during his eight-year exile from the Kandrian Empire, using the appearance-altering technique that Master Reina had taught him while he trained under her.

"Now, we register as adventurers," Rui replied.

"Well, do you intend to undertake commissions for the Beast Domain?"

"No," Rui shook his head. "But I want to avoid relying on the resources of my faction because that will give me away with the sheer number of eyes on my faction at the moment. The Adventurer's Guild will be useful for procuring resources relevant to the Beast Domain."

Of course, this was merely a precautionary measure. Rui had already come loaded with everything he would ever need in his entire life.

Underneath the hood were layers of belts that were armed with all kinds of useful and necessary tools, artifacts, and instruments that would come in handy in the Beast Domain and its extreme environment.

"Won't registering in the Adventurer's Guild expose us since we need to give identities?"

Rui shook his head. "The Adventurer's Guild is very lax about identity requirements. This is to ensure that they are able to maximize the number of Martial Artists who will register to become Martial Artists."

Many Martial Artists were in a position where they could not reveal their identity. Usually because they were in hostilities with a given state and did not want to be exposed. This excluded them from being eligible to register with a lot of Martial brokers or mercenary groups that sold their Martial services to the highest bidder.

The Adventurer's Guild did not even require any proof of identity. This was why it was extremely alluring for Martial Artists who wanted to work without having their identities exposed. It was perfect for Rui in his current circumstances.

The two of them got to experience the adventurer town in its rawest self. They navigated dense, bustling crowds filled with Martial Artists and civilians who each sought to participate in the market as suppliers and consumers in the adventurer industry. The atmosphere was electric and infectious, riling anybody it touched.

Kane grew more excited while Rui maintained his calm and composure. The latter knew that he had entered a period of his life that would require a lot of patience and perseverance.

Thus began the first step towards finding the Divine Doctor.