The Martial Unity

1539 Friends

Kane felt chills when Rui described the risks. The breaking of his Martial Path? He couldn't even begin to imagine how horrifying that would be. It sounded like a fate worse than death.

Martial Artists were prepared for death. The risk of death was part of the job description. What they weren't prepared for was being permanently crippled from even wielding their Martial Path.

That, to most Martial Artists, was a fate worse than death.

The power that they had cultivated was the most important thing to most Martial Artists. It was born out of years, decades, and even centuries of hard work. The very idea of that power being stripped away was highly disturbing to say the least.

Kane heaved a sigh.

"Think about it," Rui remarked. "Don't feel pressured to accept immediately as proof of your determination or something. The fact of the matter is that risking the very root of your Martial Path is an extraordinary risk to take for anything, even if it is the power of the higher Realm. It's not an easy thing to decide upon. Think it over and then let me know."

Kane nodded, deep in thought. The two of them returned to the Kandrian Empire as quickly as they had left. Kane, expectedly, wasn't in the mood to chat. His eyes swam around in thought as he considered Rui's offer deeply.

Rui, too, did not want to distract him from what would probably end up being the most important decision of his life. Although he would love to express the story of his time apart from Kane, it wasn't nearly as important and could wait until Kane was no longer preoccupied.

"Don't sweat it, and remember; there is no wrong decision from where you stand at the moment," Rui advised Kane as the two of them bade each other farewell, parting ways. Rui wanted to give him enough free space to think about it without humoring him.

That gave Rui plenty of free time. Naturally, he returned to the orphanage to spend some more time with his loved ones, while pondering about what else he ought to have scratched off his list.

'I ought to meet up with my other friends.' Rui smiled as he recalled the memory of the times he spent with Fae, Nel, Hever, Dalen, and Milliana. Although he hadn't been with them in a long time, he never once stopped considering them his friends.

He spent the rest of the day reaching out to all of them. Thankfully, all of them happened to be within the Kandrian Empire at the time, fulfilling some domestic commissions. It took a few days, but Rui was finally able to organize a rendezvous with all of his friends.

At a spot in the town of Hajin, six people had gathered at a spot, waiting for the seventh.

They spotted him in the sky.

"That's him," Fae murmured with a composed yet delightful smile.

In the past eight years, she had fully matured as a woman. Her beauty conveyed a sense of calm maturity in place of the youth that used to characterize it. She had a more serious and solemn demeanor compared to when she had been in the academy.

Unlike Kane, she loved the Dullahan Family, embracing her role as the heir of the Martial Family. She had worked hard in the past eight years. While her progress wasn't nearly as impressive as Kane's or Rui's, she had progressed much faster than most Martial Squires, becoming a grade-six Martial Squire in less than ten years.

"He looks…different. He's taller." Fiona murmured with an expression of curiosity as she eyed Rui sky-walking down. "He has a heavier presence than before."

Unlike Fae, Fiona's physical stature had not changed all too much since when she was in the academy. She retained her diminutive stature, much to her dismay. Her temperament had remained unchanged in the past eight years. The glint of curiosity that flashed her in eyes had remained unchanged.

"He looks way stronger than before!" Nel's grin spread wide and far as he felt his heart beating harder.

He could tell.

He could tell that Rui had grown incredibly powerful. In the past eight years, he had honed his body and instincts to an incredible degree, becoming a high-grade Martial Squire. His instincts told him that Rui was not only incredibly strong but also stronger than him.

Yet that didn't discourage him.

No, that only made him more excited.

"Do not even think about doing something as outrageous as attacking a friend we haven't seen in many years," A calm and composed voice advised Nel.

Hever's impression had remained unchanged in the past eight years, unlike his appearance. He fashioned a thick beard that covered the lower half of his face, adding a lot of masculinity to his appearance.

"It's surreal seeing him after all this time," Dalen smiled, earning a silent nod from Milliana. The two of them stood side by side, holding intertwined hands. If one looked at Milliana closely, one would observe that her belly seemed inflated, ever so round.

Rui gently landed near them after he slowly descended from the sky. Too many people meant that he couldn't move at high speeds, the very shockwaves from his speed could kill a lot of people.

"You guys…" Rui murmured as he grinned. "It's been a long long time. How have you all been doing?"

His words sparked a sequence of greetings as each of them reunited with him for the first time in many years.

"You've grown up," Fae murmured.

"Definitely," Fiona nodded, having last seen him since before even before his long-term mission away to Vilun Island.

"LET'S FIGHT!" Nel roared, rushing in with a swift attack.

An incredibly irresponsible thing to do in a crowd.

And yet…

CLASP

Nel's eyes widened as Rui effortlessly curbed his attack on the spot. His power and momentum had disappeared magically, almost as if Rui annulled it with but a touch.

"Let's take things slow, shall we?" Rui heaved a sigh of exasperated amusement.