The Martial Unity

The meeting with Sage Council continued for some time as Rui went more in-depth into the nuances of the character profile that he had formed on the Silas Clan and their interests and objectives. This time, he spoke more about Matriarch Nephi, who had earned their interest and curiosity; she was the most important member of the Silas Clan by far, after all.

Simultaneously, he gauged just how far the Sage Council was willing to accommodate the Silas Clan.

"We hope to forge an exclusive partnership contract between the Silas Clan and the Martial Union," the Flickering Sage informed Rui. "We are aware that it is somewhat unrealistic for the Silas Clan to acquiesce to becoming a part of our internal corps."

Rui nodded. "They strongly value their autonomy; they are deeply unwilling to move at someone else's order. Most likely, they will not cede to any sort of conscription clause. Thus, I think forging a partnership like you do with external partners like myself is ideal. A revenue split agreement, a mutual-aid clause where both parties aid the other in times of unprovoked conflict by the respective parties, and a commission clause where you make use of their services for a certain annual fee might be the best way to go about it and free access to the Martial Union's technique data base."

Such an agreement would give the Silas Clan the guaranteed political and militaristic protection of the Kandrian Empire, where they would be required to aid the Martial Union. It would also allow them to sell their services for wealth that they could use to procure potions and other resources.

It was a win-win situation as far as Rui was concerned. Both parties got what they wanted. The Martial Union could boast a whopping eleven Martial Sages and the other Martial Artists of the Silas Clan, and it could also make use of prophecy services.

In turn, the Silas Clan could relax under the guaranteed protection of ten Martial Sages, a hundred and ten Martial Masters, and more than a thousand Martial Seniors. It also had the protection of the Kandrian Border Patrol Force and the Kandrian Security Agency, each boasting a Martial Sage. They also would be able to purchase and procure potions and the endless Martial Art resources that the Martial Union had.

"You are truly incredible."

RUMBLE

His statement permeated through the world itself.

The weight of his emotion coerced him into submission.

The Mountain of Fortitude gazed at Rui with admiration as his voice cut through all of Rui's thoughts.

"Your value to us is beyond what any kind of remuneration can possibly justify," The Mountain of Fortitude remarked. "We are willing to wage wars for you should the need ever arise. We look forward to seeing what you accomplish on the throne. I have been one of your most ardent supporters as the next Emperor of Kandria."

Rui had to control himself from wincing and grimacing, bowing his head in turn. "Thank you for your kind words, Your Sagehood."

Yet he couldn't help but feel heavy in his heart.

"Silas Clan, eh?" the Sloth Sage yawned lazily, heaving a sigh. "This is going to be a drag."

"You have given us much to think about, Prince Rui Quarrier Kandria," The Flickering Elder. "We will endeavor to approach the Silas Clan after we have thoroughly prepared ourselves to make the most favorable first meeting. Any intelligence reports on your behalf would be appreciated. When that happens, we will look to you to mediate the meeting as trusted members of both groups."

"I will do my best, Your Sagehood," Rui bowed towards her.

Soon enough, the meeting came to an end.

Rui heaved a sigh, massaging his temples as the stressful meeting finally came to an end. Now, he just needed to convey this to Matriarch Nephi so she could be aware of it. Then, he had to wait for the Martial Union to arrange for a meeting with the Silas Clan and mediate it. Once the arrangement was set, then there really was no need for him to stick around as things would proceed smoothly.

When he returned to his office, he found a strange package waiting on his office room table.

He frowned. "Did you put this here?"

"No, Your Highness," she furrowed her eyebrows.

He opened the package, inspecting its contents as realization dawned on him. "It's the Beggar's Sect. Show off."

He shook his head before going through the information package that the Beggar Sage had prepared for him.

[Doctor Kar Mar-Vel]

Rui narrowed his eyes. 'Is that his real name?'

He had only heard the Divine Doctor addressed by the name 'Divine Doctor,' considering that this man was allegedly older than the Age of Martial Art, it was not strange that his real name had long been buried in the sands of time.

According to the Beggar Sage, the Divine Doctor was a young boy who grew up in a settlement in North Panama. Born in an unstable age with little prosperity, he grew up having to satiate his endless curiosity regarding the mechanics of life with experimentation and self-experimentation.

So much so that by the age of fifteen, he singlehandedly cured his entire village of a plague that had spread across human civilization, if it even existed in any meaningful sense then.

That event triggered him to pursue the path of medicine, creating and founding the modern medical school of thought.

Disease after disease, condition after condition, his understanding of the human condition spiked, far outstripping the nascent medical professionals that had been born as a result of the field of medicine that he had founded.

He traveled across the world, spreading the art and science of medicine across all of human civilization.

His contributions to humanity were immeasurable. It was difficult to say whether humanity would have survived the harshness of this world without his medicine.

Yet there had always been one condition that he had never been able to cure.

Death.

Try as he might, once a human died, nothing could fix them. When his life soon approached its natural end, rather than gracefully accepting his death, he sought to overcome it.

His lone efforts were not enough.

Yet he was not alone. Two others, who were equally gifted in mind, aided him: the Psycher and the Beggar Sage.

Together, the three of them pooled their ingenuity, and shortly before the Divine Doctor was to die, they did it. Together, they freed the soul from the shackles of a dying body and implanted it into a new, younger body.

They conquered death.