The Martial Unity

The total number of projects that he was undertaking was increasing dramatically. Not only was he taking on four domain techniques that each was difficult and elaborate enough, but now he was taking on two more sets of thought techniques.

He was working on more projects simultaneously than he had ever worked on in his life. That was why his progress with each one of them was miniscule.

Especially Project Reverse Prophet. This project became a scary titan that threatened to cause him failure.

Regardless, he strived through. Months passed as he continued working on them, mostly meditating or working on his heaven and earth bending while he worked.

His life became monotonous, yet never dull. His mind was fully invested in the technique projects that he was working on. It increasingly ceased focusing on other matters. The Kandrian Throne War became but a smaller and smaller voice in his head, until it got buried under the countless thoughts he had about his technique.

He had quickly forgotten about it.

At the very least, he barely thought about it anymore.

Part of the reason was because he had taken the opportunity to speak to the Beggar's Sect before his season-long immersion into his techniques.

He wanted to request for a meeting with Prince Raul.

"He's not in the Kandrian Empire at the moment," Senior Partner Kayla of Lambargeau Legal Services had told him many months ago. "His Highness is away on an important matter."

Rui had stared at her at this revelation. "…In the middle of the cold war with the other princes?"

"The Kandrian Empire is projected to suffer a particularly harsh winter this year," Miss Kayla calmly informed him. "Our projection predict a long and heavy blizzard that will envelop the country for more many weeks. While the rich and even the upper middle class will be just fine, the lower middle class and impoverished class of the Kandrian Empire will suffer immensely. High Highness has personally undertaken the decision to procure enough of an import of crucial resources to last everybody months and will distribute them to all those who need it. His goal is to ensure that not a single mouth goes unfed."

Rui's eyes widened with surprise. "So much so that he is willing to slow down on his lobbying efforts for the Kandrian Throne War?"

"The Kandrian Throne War is not as important to Prince Raul as the people of Kandria, Senior Quarrier," Miss Kayla had calmly informed him back then. "His Highness cares for every single citizen of Kandria more than he does the throne. Between abandoning the throne and abandoning even a single citizen of Kandria, he would much rather do the former than the latter."

She had stared deep into Rui's eyes knowingly. "Such is the endless benevolence that hids in his heart."

"…He will lose the cold war. He will be able to do less good."

"He is not a calculating man," She had informed him. "Regardless, you're wrong."

Her eyes narrowed. "The People's Prince will win this war."

Rui raised an eyebrow. "If he's not even in the Kandrian Empire, then…"

"Prince Raul does not lobby," She had told him.

"…What?" Rui stared at her dumbfounded.

"He does not lobby," She had told him. "He simply does what he will…and people follow him of their own free will."

"You're kidding me."

"That's how the Kandrian Ruffians came to be. Not once did he ask someone to join him on his thankless journey of saving the world one person at a time. Yet they do."

Rui stared at her skeptically, unsure of whether to take her seriously or dismiss her words as rubbish.

"You should meet him, then you'll understand," She had told him. "We will inform you when he returns."

And thus, Rui had gone back empty-handed, before accelerating his training efforts to the max, immersing himself in the development of techniques.

The voidlet techniques developed faster than the rest since he had a timeline for them. He needed to have them completed, finished, and fine-tuned before the annual Martial fiscal meeting. He will also need to have presented it to the major sects of the Martial Union to prove to them that his Martial Art and Martial Path were truly worth spreading.

Months passed, and while Rui was immersed in his projects, the Kandrian Empire had moved on from the excitement of having the youngest Martial Senior. The seven princes and princesses continued their efforts to win over as much political capital as possible.

Slowly, the cold war made progress, step by step. Prince Raijun grew stronger under Rui's training as he slowly refined his individuality. Fixing micro-flaws was something that took time and effort, he could not possibly get away with fixing all of them quickly, even with Rui's efforts into tutoring him.

Princess Ranea aggressively continued with her naval and nautical expansions. Several small new port towns were slowly being put together across the coast of the Kandrian Empire as new shipyards were born, increasing the production and manufacturing of ships. This, in turn, increased maritime flux by eighteen percent in a matter of several months, increasing the weight of her faction.

Princess Rafia continued reeling in corporations and financial companies across the entirety of East Panama in an attempt to raise money.

The Randal Faction continued its preparations for war, improving its probability of victory to compel more people to their hawkish ambitions.

The Raemina Faction held even grander balls and banquets as the Minister Prince used her authority over budget to win over even more to her call.

The Underworld Prince did not sit stationary either. The Six Dons mobilized the entirety of all their assets and power to draw in as much support from certain liberal parts of the government as possible, appealing to greed as opposed to ideology.

Prince Raul, on the other hand, was missing. Nobody had seen him at all.

Yet time waited for nobody.

In just a blink of an eye, nine months passed.