The Martial Unity

WHOOSH

Rui pirouetted, evading a powerful, swift blow as a spinning kick crashed into the man's head.

BAM!

Once again, not a spec of damage was inflicted on his opponent even as a power haymaker arrived hurtling at Rui.

WHOOSH

It crashed into an empty image of Rui.

A feint.

POW!

A straight hook kick crashed into the man's jaw, yet again failing to hurt him.

"Why do you bother?" The Gatekeeper murmured even as he launched an enormous flurry of blows at Rui. "Your paltry power is unable to hurt me."

He narrowed his eyes, gazing deep into Rui's eyes.

He saw but one thing.

An endless darkness.

A void.

It threatened to consume him.

Yet, a single remark escaped him.

"Trivial."

His eyes intensified as he unleashed a titanic amount of power against his opponent.

BOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Rgh!" Rui vomited blood as the destructive shockwaves of the evaded attacks battered his strained body.

THUD

He fell down to one knee as his leg gave out. Weaving Blood had reduced tremendously since Rui began using it.

WHOOSH

He leaped away, barely evading the Gatekeeper's attacks.

Yet a single truth had become entirely evident to not just his opponent, but to every single spectating the battle.

"The time is nigh."

While the Gatekeeper had also grown slower and weaker, his condition was far more stable than Rui, who had been battered deeply throughout the entirety of the battle. The disadvantage of forbidden techniques was that any damage exacerbated their consequences.

It was a negative feedback loop that worked against the user.

Had Rui been able to inflict a similar amount of damage, he would have ensured that the battle remained balanced.

Yet, since the inception of the battle, Rui Quarrier Kandria had been unable to inflict so much as a scratch upon his opponent.

Was there ever a more clear indicator of inferiority?

The realization had long set a deep gloom upon those who yearned for his victory.

"…Rui!" Master Ceeran gritted his teeth, clenching his fist.

Master Vericita bore witness to the battle with deep angst.

She was not worried that he would lose. As far as she was concerned, that was inevitable. She was afraid that he would lose his life in addition to the duel.

Master Zentra simply closed his eyes, shaking his head.

Headmaster Aronian beheld the battle with a grave expression.

Resignation flashed in his eyes.

Only Master Reina continued to spectate the battle with deep enthusiasm and excitement. A knowing look flashed in her eyes as she continued to eat her popcorn, cackling out aloud.

WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH

Rui grew more disoriented, struggling to evade the attacks one after another.

With each maneuver, he grew slower.

He grew sluggish.

Pain ravaged his body. His body felt like it was burning, burning alive.

Blood spilled from many orifices across his entire body.

A single truth became evident to everyone.

He was at his limits.

"I will say this one last time," the Gatekeeper's voice spread through the battlefield. "Forfeit."

"Huff…Huff…" Rui stood unsteadily, breathing heavily. His vision grew disoriented while his balance seemed to crumble by the millisecond.

He could barely maintain his Martial Heart.

He had already deactivated his dying metabody techniques, using Final Breathing to prolong what little time he had.

Yet, with herculean effort, he pulled himself together, taking a stance.

His body coiled as he tucked his fist at his side, gathering what little power he had left.

Instinctively, realization dawned upon all of them.

This was his final attack.

The Gatekeeper closed his eyes. "So be it."

He took a powerful charging stance.

"I will not forget you," his final remark rang in the air. "Rui Quarrier Kandria."

RUMBLE!!!

Heaven and earth shook as he shot himself at astronomical speeds. His body coiled as a titanic amount of power exploded from across the entirety of his gargantuan body. An astronomically devastating, powerful attack was hurled forward at extraordinary speeds.

It converged unto Rui.

The end seemed nigh

BOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What followed shook everyone to their very souls.

What followed ensued seemed to defy the law of causality itself.

What unfolded would go on to sear itself in the minds of all those who beheld it.

One moment, Rui was to be struck by the ferocious attack that the Gatekeeper hurled at him.

The very next?

His fist crashed into the Gatekeeper's head.

Every single person widened their eyes as the Gatekeeper's attack crashed into an empty image, only for Rui to emerge as his attack crashed into the man's head.

Yet that wasn't the miracle that put the fear of God in all of them.

A single whisper escaped Rui's mouth.

"Sympathetic Death Lance."

The Gatekeeper's Martial Heart flickered, snuffing entirely.

His body grew limp.

His eyes grew unfocused as he began to fall.

Rui closed his eyes with regret.

Yet, this time, it was his turn to be shocked.

CLASP!

Rui's eyes opened, widening with shock as the Gatekeeper stared deep into Rui's eyes, having caught both his arms.

His eyes were bleeding profusely.

A small smile emerged on his face.

"I have you now."

SPLAT!

In a single gesture, he tore both of Rui's arms from his body.

DRIP DRIP DRIP DRIP!!!

"AAAARGRAHRVAGHHHHHHH!!!!"

A horrifying screech echoed through the battlefield.

The Gatekeeper surged forward with jubilation and triumph as the armless Rui fell backward.

Victory was his.

POW

He froze as Rui's foot crashed into his head.

The second Reverberating Death Lance of the battle.

His brain shook for a second time despite the extraordinary skull that protected it.

THUD

He fell to the ground, collapsing.

Collapsed and unmoving.

"ARRCGH!" Rui coughed blood even as blood gushed out from the open wounds of his torn arms. Combined with the loss of two arms and the effects of the forbidden technique, the cells across his body began dying rapidly.

He was on the brink of death.

On the brink of death, yet conscious.

"Winner! Rui Quarrier Kandria!"

"RUUIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!" Master Ceeran bellowed as he and his fellow Martial Masters rushed forth with Hearts and Minds ablaze with prepared potions.

It remained to be seen whether the battle was the only thing that would come to an end.

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