The Martial Unity

The nations in the Saiful region were aware of what was unfolding. Many of them possessed strong diplomatic ties to Farun Ferendul, the previous king, and did not like the militaristic regime that had been instated by the usurper.

It was in their interests to not only not convey the intelligence, but also hide it and prevent the current militaristic regime from learning of the impending coup. They even aided the coup force by supplying resources and funds, which Farun vowed to repay when he ascended the throne.

When the night came, many forces and nations watched with attention.

Rui, however, didn't know or care about the various developments that unfolded in the Saiful region. He didn't even care to ask about their plan to take over the Ferendul Kingdom, overcoming Albus' base of power.

He didn't care all that much.

He was simply interested in fighting and killing Albus. He had a good impression of Farun, thus he did not think the man would fail if he decided it was time to commence the coup.

BZZZZT!

The pocket watch vibrated as Rui watched it. 

It was time, he tossed it away as he lashed forward toward the mansion in the distance at top speed. He instantly alarmed the Martial Squire security detail that instantly took their positions, yet he abstained from killing them, at Farun's request. 

These Martial Artists were merely doing their jobs.

Instead, he activated his Martial Heart while emitting a flash of bloodlust. Glowing red lines emerged from his heart, spreading across the entire time body.

THUD

The Martial Artists crumpled down to their knees with a shudder. The Martial Squires of this region were largely too weak to be able to maintain their wits in the face of Senior-level pressure.

Furthermore, it was a signal to the man in the mansion.

A challenge.

Rui waited for a moment on guard as nothing happened.

Yet the very next moment.

BOOM!

A powerful explosion shook the land around them as the wall of the mansion facing Rui exploded as a figure with a Senior-level aura lashed out toward him with remarkable speed.

BAM!

Their fists clashed, and an enormous explosion swallowed up a large patch of the forest.

"Hahaha!" Senior Albus laughed with a wide grin. "Looks like I've finally gotten my first assassination attempt!"

The man had donned a simple attire that bore the crest of the Ferendul Republic. His flowing brown hair swept with the wind as he lashed out.

"It will be your last," Rui remarked.

POW POW POW!

The two furiously exchanged fists, uncaring for their environment. Rui had already known that this place was devoid of any settlements, thus he had no compunctions about going all out with his Martial Heart.

RUMBLE!

The very land beneath them shivered.

The skies howled in pain.

Yet the two Martial Artists clashed, blazing with the power of the Martial Heart that coursed through their body, uncaring for the world around them.

WHOOSH!

Rui evaded a hook, throwing a flurry of body blows at his opponent.

POW POW POW!

His opponent blocked with a wild grin. "Not bad!"

His fists blurred into motion as he threw a seemingly endless flurry of jabs at Rui's body, making it incredibly difficult to dodge them.

POW POW POW!

Rui narrowed his eyes as he had already begun creating a predictive model of his opponent. The man was a striking-oriented Martial Artist with an emphasis on swift and short blows.

Nothing special, but nothing weak either. He didn't need powerful blows to knock Rui out.

A single well-timed blow to the jaw or head would do the trick.

Yet Rui had no intentions of allowing that to happen.

BAM!

Rui landed a powerful blow to the man's gut after avoiding a swift uppercut. The full weight of Reverberating Lance and Outer Convergence elevated to a higher Realm of power crashed into man's gut.

Yet before he could even gather himself, Rui's second strike had already begun flying at him. He swerved to the right, dodging it, and yet;

BAM!

It struck him nonetheless, adjusting course even he himself did.

Almost as if Rui knew where he was going to go.

POW POW POW!

A barrage of heavy blows crashed into him. Yet guard as he might, each blow cleanly navigated through the chinks of the man's defenses, and each blow cleanly struck him despite his dodges.

His offense began crumbling rather quickly, even as his defense may as well have not existed. Every strike he threw increasingly erred, either falling flat before Rui's defense or simply cleanly missing him from a mile away. 

BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM!

It hadn't even been ten minutes, yet Albus was swiftly reduced to a punching bag as Rui hammered away at him with his most powerful blows and attacks. 

BOOM!!

A powerful blow crashed into his gut, squeezing away his breath as he struggled to breathe.

BANG!

Rui launched him across a forest with a swift. The sheer speed at which he flew ignited the air as he flashed through it. Rui put out the flames with powerful Transverse Resonance attacks that flew towards Albus, burying him under barrages of attacks.

His body had already begun incurring some serious wounds, yet Rui wasn't done. Rui rushed forward at top speed even as he blasted him with sound.

BOOM!!

A powerful Flowing Canon crashed into the man's guts, stacked with Outer Convergence, Reverberating Lance, and Gale Force Breathing. 

"Rgh!" The man spat some blood as he fell to his knees.

At that moment, Rui's mood fell. 

He clenched his fist, gritting his teeth. "...Is that all?"

Albus looked up to him with an expression of fear. His two silver eyes seemed to hold endless voids that raged in hunger.

"Is that all?" Rui repeated himself. "All these years that you were a Martial Artists, and this is all that you've accomplished?"

Rui had hoped that the man would at least force him to use the Metabody System, but alas, that was not to be.

"Tsk. Worthless. To me and to this nation." Rui's eyes intensified as his attack surged forward.

BOOM!!!