The Martial Unity

As time passed, a greater vice gripped Rui's heart. The endorphins from the initial attack of Master Uma had long passed, and now he was feeling a lot more stressed than before.

His mind constantly went back to the fear of Master Uma appearing out of nowhere he couldn't help but be on edge at every moment. He hated it, but he knew that it was too arrogant of him to not be afraid of a Martial Master.

Even as an hour passed, he was unable to lower his guard. He didn't possess the capital to relax. He continued running mindlessly, pushing his body to the absolute limit.

He applied Final Breathing together with the Reaper's Poison, allowing him to sustain his stamina for incredibly long stretches at a time even if his speed was reduced. It was more important to spend every second traveling as far away from the two battling Martial Masters as possible.

The journey was almost mind-altering.

Perhaps it was because he had been exposed to fear that stemmed from his own weakness and inability that it caused a shift in psychology. Being forced to confront his weakness every second for hours on end was nothing sort of torture.

He couldn't ignore it. He couldn't focus on anything else. He was confronted by the fact that he was insignificantly weak, and was forced to run in fear because of that.

It was maddening.

He had yet to notice the intensity of his eyes.

His eyes, within which one could once get lost, had turned sharp.

They could see only one thing.

The power of a higher Realm.

That was the only thing they sought. Nothing else mattered at the moment. Nothing else could matter at the moment.

He discovered that he was unable to relax even once the implicit pressure of Master Uma started declining.

Half a day passed. He had been running for half a day and had covered an enormous amount of distance. It would be an extreme challenge even for a Martial Master to find him under these circumstances even if they had already begun. There were too many possibilities after a day of travel.

Yet even as the pressure of the Martial Master inside his mind decreased, his mentality was unable to return to what it used to be.

It was as though that sustained pressure had already left its mark on his mind while it was there. It was as though he had already been molded by it, like a sword being shaped by the pressure that the hammer exerted on it with every strike

It didn't even feel unnatural.

Rui Quarrier. Hungry for power. At all costs.

It didn't used to fit. Yet now it was the most apt description. It could be seen in his eyes. He didn't like how he felt, but it felt natural. Inevitable.

How could he possibly maintain his pure frolicking exploration of his Martial Art after experiencing everything that he had experienced in the past three years?

The fiasco of the Shionel Confederation had been the first step, but even something as large as that had not been enough. It had caused a dent. The passage of time made his deadline arrive sooner and sooner, putting more pressure on him.

He had briefly been satisfied with his progress after the Metabody System, yet all that satisfaction had long gone away after the Martial Contest and the emotional experience of feeling how insignificant he was, happened.

All of these factors culminated in the mental shift that he experienced today. Only an uncaring fool could possibly not be affected by what he had experienced. He had initially set out to procure medical treatment because if concern and care for Senior Xanarn.

Yet he increasingly cared less. The treatment had long been procured, and it had already escaped his mind. An entirely different, and much deeper desire and hunger had taken root in his mind.

That was why he didn't even feel relief as time passed.

Hours. Days. Two weeks.

He crossed towns, countries, mountains, valleys, inland oceans and seas.

He never once stopped for more than the briefest respite, consuming all the portions that he had.

Master Uma never once appeared.

Yet he never once heaved a sigh of relief. If he did feel relief, it was buried somewhere deep under his frustration.

STEP

Rui paused as his eyes fixed on a small figure that floated in the sky.

An island.

He had finally arrived at the Kaddar Region after a long journey across the continent.

He took to the air, as he briskly sky-walked to the floating island, making sure that he was well away from the territory of the Kaddar nations. He didn't know what happened since the year he went away, and wanted to make sure that he didn't make any careless mistakes.

His impatience only grew the closer he got. Admittedly, it was not just because the opportunity to gain the power he sought, but also to meet his best friend after a year of staying away.

STEP

A familiar weight burdened his body, a rich and nourishing atmosphere invigorated his breathing.

"...I'm back..." Rui heaved a sigh.

He sensed an approaching presence, feeling deja vu.

"Welcome to the Floating Sect, I am Guardian Rel-Ivon of the two hundred and fiftieth chamber." A woman addressed him.

Yet she froze when she glanced at Rui's eyes. She felt a deep sense of peril just looking at him. In that moment, she knew that she stood no chance against him in a fight, he would crush her effortlessly.

A nervous expression overcame her face. "...The Floating Sect doesn't accept Martial Seniors."

The smallest of grins cracked at the edge of his mouth.

Suddenly, an incredibly swift figure moved in their direction from deep within the island. One that radiated far deeper power than even Rui.

STEP!

"It is a pleasure to have you back..." Senior Sarak smiled. "...Squire Falken."

Squire Rel-Ivon's eyes widened when she heard that name.

She recognized it.

She stared at him with awe.

"Come..." Senior Sarak said as he got a closer look at Rui. "It appears that we have much to talk about."