The Martial Unity

Rui immediately understood what she was getting at.

"Experience."

"Correct," she nodded. "Prior to breaking through, you had more than enough experience from years in the Beast Domain. However, that was before you broke through."

Rui had to admit that she was right.

As far as being a Martial Master went, he was newborn infant.

"You need to gain experience with using your Martial Mind in combat. You need to gain experience with using your Martial Art, Body, and Heart alongside it," she continued. "In addition, you need experience against Martial Masters. Experience with beasts and monsters in the Beast Domain is all well and good, but the biggest threat to a Martial Master is another Martial Master. While Master-level beasts and monsters need an overwhelming numbers advantage against Martial Master, your peers are strong enough to fight and defeat you by themselves."

Rui's expression grew more serious as he absorbed her words.

"Combat in the Master Realm is more dynamic and less certain than that of the Lower Realms. There are far more variables and parameters that matter," she remarked. "You have a powerful Martial Mind, but you have not fought other Martial Minds. Your Martial Art does not utilize your Martial Mind as well as other Martial Masters do. I would recommend you hone your combat with experience and refine your Martial Art experience before you return to training."

"…I presume you mean more than just sparring," Rui replied. "Sparring is great, but it does not compare to genuine combat. It certainly doesn't compare to life-and-death combat."

"Just so," she nodded. "Thankfully, you have returned to a nation with nearly a hundred and sixty Martial Masters, so you don't need to search very far."

"…Yeah, but most of them are in the Martial Union," Rui heaved a sigh as he felt a headache coming back to him.

He had not forgotten that mess that he had to deal with.

"You will have to deal with it on your own," she closed her eyes. "While it is true that I have gained a lot of power and influence within the Martial Union, I will not be able to protect you. In fact, any attempt on my part will make it worse, it will provoke the rest of the Sage Council who are also displeased with your deceit."

"…I suppose that means I'm going to be dealing with the Master Council," Rui replied with a severe expression. "That is the norm for offenses perpetrated by Martial Masters. Based on my estimations, there is a high probability that the Martial Union will attempt a form of peacemaking. There is a low probability that they will break relations with me or persecute me for fraud."

Rui had gathered enough data on the Martial Union to model their behavior and decision-making. Thus, he had enough reason to believe that things had not turned for the worse.

"You have made too many contributions." His grandmother gazed at him knowingly. "They will let you out with a slap on the wrist."

"I'm afraid you're wrong."

Rui's tone was certain. "Outside of the faction that is through- and-through pro-me, there will be a lot of disgruntled Martial Masters who will be pissed that I cheated them of their efforts. I wouldn't be pleased if I were in their position, either. I wasn't able to build form personal rapports with each of them as I did with the ones that I am closest with."

"Are you certain about that?"

"About eighty-six percent certain, yes," Rui's eyes narrowed. "I highly doubt I can get away without paying for my deceit. And frankly, I do not believe that I should get away scott-free."

His grandmother frowned at his words. "You want to be punished? Is this an attempt at trying to learn more about who you are, my grandson?"

"Hah," A mirthless laugh escaped Rui. "No. It's a consideration for long-term well-being."

"I do not follow."

"A portion of the Martial Union will never forgive me if I do not pay reparations, at the very least," Rui replied. "These are some of the hardliner Martial Masters and Martial Sages that will harbor resentment towards me for taking from them without giving back. I do not wish to have any more enemies within the Kandrian Empire. Especially powerful enemies. Thus, it is within my interests to make reparations for cheating them. Especially when they are well within their right to demand it."

"…That is rather honorable of you. But that's not going to be easy, my grandson," his grandmother calmly advised him. "The Martial Union has invested immense Martial and wealth into your deceitful campaign. Eve for a Martial Master of your caliber that cannot be repaid easily."

Yet, her words brought a smirk to his face. "Don't worry. I know how they think. I have some juicy trump cards that will dazzle them so much that they will forget that I ever defrauded them."

His grandmother gazed at him quizzically as Rui's smirk widened at the thought of their reaction to his successful capture of the Divine Doctor, the Elder Tree intelligence network, and some secrets of his Martial Art that he had kept hidden for a long, long time.

"The Master Council is holding a meeting as we speak," his grandmother informed him. "They were alerted of your return the moment you went back to the orphanage and have scrambled to put together a meeting to deal with your return and the revelation of your breakthrough." His grandmother calmly remarked.

"That is to be expected, considering that one of the guards around the orphanage was of the Martial Union," Rui muttered with intrigue as a glint of amusement flickered in his eyes. "It would be rather interesting if I crashed that meeting, wouldn't it?"

His grandmother peered at him disapprovingly, like he was a mischievous boy. "That is rather juvenile."

"I am a Martial Master," Rui reminded her. "So I am well within my right to enter that meeting. Besides, I do not have the patience to gather all of them another time."

He turned in the direction of Vargard with enthusiasm even as his grandmother heaved a sigh.

"Let's go pay them a visit, shall we?"

-