The Martial Unity

Everything had patterns. Everything was made up of patterns.

People, animals, plants, rocks, dirt, all of them had patterns in their very being, one way or another. Whether it was behavioral, psychological, cellular or even molecular and atomic.

Even the universe itself had patterns. These were codified in the laws of physics.

Martial Artists were no different.

The pattern recognition systems of the VOID algorithm collected data on the movements of the opponent of the user, organized them into an ordered data set and then conducted a statistical analysis on them to create a predictive model of the movements of the opponent based on the data gathered.

This predictive model allowed the user to predict the movements of their opponent based on certain parameters such as; position, center of gravity, distance, speed and acceleration. The greater the amount of data collected, the more accurate and precise the predictions of the predictive model were.

However, that was only half the work. After all, the VOID algorithm was an algorithm to adapt and evolve to your opponent, not an algorithm to merely predict your opponent.

Once the predictive model was completed, the user would input the predictions into the adaptive evolution model of the VOID algorithm that would output the move needed to counter the inputted move. The adaptive evolution model was created after many years of empirical research by Rui on what the best counter to every move was. It outputted the best counter for every move.

For example, the objectively best counter to a crouching sweeping kick was a flying knee kick. A flying knee kick cleanly would avoid the sweeping kick since the user jumped, while the knee kick would land perfectly into the face of the crouched person that was executing the sweeping kick.

If one inputted the crouching sweeping kick into the adaptive evolution model, it would output the best counter to the inputted move; the flying knee kick.

Thus, pattern recognition systems of the VOID algorithm had the user predict the movements of their opponents using the predictive model, then they would figure out the best counter to the predicted moves by inputting those predicted moves into the adaptive evolution model. The adaptive evolution model would output the counter to the predicted move, and then the user would execute said counter moves, once the prediction came true.

This allowed the user to fight in a manner that was completely adapted and evolved to their opponent. Such was the prowess of the VOID algorithm, yet the difficulty of executing this was inhuman. Which was why Rui had failed to make it viable in his previous life.

'In his previous life', being the key phrase.

He grinned with excitement.

He was succeeding!

It took another lifetime, but he had experienced the first taste of success!

His dream was possible!

He felt like a parched traveler taking the first sip of water after days of being stranded in the desert.

('Hahaha... HAHAHA!') he felt ecstatic excitement course through his body. ('I can do this! I can-')

POW!

"Gugh!" He grimaced as Kyrie's fist crashed into his face, knocking him down like a bowling pin.

Kyrie's head tilted in confusion. His movements had suddenly become clumsy despite being pristine the moment prior.

Rui grimaced as he retreated. ('...Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.') He mused.

The predictive model of the VOID algorithm was not absolute. The user needed to always be ready if the predictions didn't come out to be true. Of course, Rui had momentarily forgotten this because no one had even been able to reach a stage where he could warn them of this before.

He was the first person to get this far with the VOID algorithm.

Squire Kyrie narrowed her eyes as she dashed towards him, unaware of the sheer complexity of the mystery of Rui's incredibly accurate and well-timed movements.

WHOOSH

Rui cleanly leaned out of a hook as he simultaneously launched an upper cut that perfectly exploited the gap in her defense created by the hook.

Yet;

WHOOSH

She avoided it cleanly.

He wasn't surprised.

Her power, defense and speed were limited to the peak Apprentice Realm, but her reflexes were much harder to limit, reflexes were subconscious and she could not consciously reduce it.

This was even though she was holding back, they were still there. Rui was fighting against someone with Squire-level reflexes.

And he wasn't losing.

"Squire Kyrie." Rui said to her. "Please use as much power as is needed to defeat me. There is no point in holding back for my sake if you cannot force me to go all out."

Her eyes widened at those words.

He was telling her she wasn't strong enough.

He spoke those words seriously, yet he didn't realize how shocking it was for a Martial Apprentice to utter those words to a Martial Squire.

"...I see." She eventually replied. "I don't know what happened to you, but it seems I underestimated you."

Rui stiffened up as the pressure she exuded grew perilous. His sense of survival was triggered by the weight of mind she exerted onto him.

WHOOSH

The VOID algorithm barely predicted her movements in time as he just barely managed to throw a guard together before her attack crashed onto him with a power that exceeded what Martial Apprentices were normally capable of.

BAM!!!

Even with the four techniques of defense he had, his arms were bruised. His focus deepened as he drew everything he had, preparing for onslaught she was about to unleash.

And, onslaught it was.

Her every movement reverberated the ground and the shook the air violently. Their fight was no longer localized as it drew attention from everyone within the facility.

The spectating Martial Apprentices and staff all froze, gaping in disbelief at what unfolded before their very eyes.

In their eyes, Kyrie was no longer operating within the Apprentice Realm.

What did that say about the Martial Apprentice that was able to keep up?