The Martial Unity

It wasn't long before Rui was discharged after a health check-up. He found that special clothes.

"Hah..." Rui chuckled as he recognized the Senior-level attire that the three, now five, Martial Seniors of the Floating Sect wore. They were made out of fabric from esoteric fauna that could survive the extensive rigors of Senior-level combat.

"It suits you." Senior Sarak's voice remarked as the man approached Rui. The two of them sized each other up momentarily for the first time since Rui broke through.

'Strange, I don't feel like I'd lose.'

"Congratulations on being the youngest Martial Senior in history. Your fight was a spectacle unlike anything I have ever seen in my entire life." Senior Sarak smiled. "You're going places. That, I know for sure."

"I'd hope so," Rui replied with a brief smirk. "I can't remain here for too much longer."

"I am aware." Senior Sarak remarked. "Walk with me, there are some things that you should know now that you have ascended to the Senior Realm."

The two of them strolled across the Floating Sect leisurely. They would run into a guardian every now and then who would bow with profuse admiration. Rui could feel the difference in his status now that he had become a Martial Senior.

He had top-level authority within the sect as a member of the Floating Sect, only the three Martial Seniors of the Floating Sect could overrule his word now, due to higher seniority.

It wasn't long before they arrived at the highest peak on the island atop a large hill.

"Well?" Rui asked. "What is it that you wanted to tell me?"

"Have you tried activating your Martial Heart since you became a Martial Senior?" Senior Sarak asked calmly.

"...No, there's no point in knocking out the medical staff with the mental pressure, not to mention the risk of a power that I don't know how well I can control," Rui replied.

"Prudent, still, you can't hurt anyone here. Give it a shot." Senior Sarak coaxed it.

"Ok..." He didn't know where the good Senior was going with this, but he obliged.

He closed his eyes, dedicating his senses deep inside his body.

Deeper than he had ever gone.

It was as though barriers had been erased.

It was as though the fog had disappeared.

He came across a mighty ocean.

An ocean of pure power. Power that greatly dwarfed anything he had possessed as a Martial Squire.

It was right there in front of him.

He could reach out at any moment.

And he did, fully expecting to be able to harness it effortlessly.

That was why he was horrified when he wasn't able to.

A final barrier of some sort was preventing him!

It didn't respond no matter how much effort he put into it.

"What?!" Rui exclaimed with a terrified voice. "Why can't I activate it?!"

"Calm down," Senior Sarak stated with a composed voice. "The Martial Heart is a hidden well of power within the Martial Body. You have gained access to it through the Martial Path, treading down that Path to your Heart by developing your Martial Art to maximize the potential of the Martial Body. In other words, the Martial Path is the bridge that gets you to the locations of the Heart, while the Martial Art is the key that opens the door to it."

Rui immediately understood what Senior Sarak was conveying without needing any further explanations.

He activated a breathing technique that was a part of his Martial Art, before reaching out to his Martial Heart again.

BADUMP!

A Senior-level aura radiated through the Floating Sect caressing every sentient lifeform.

It demanded acknowledgment.

It demanded attention.

It demanded respect.

His heart roared into action as his heart rate spiked. Blood itself seemed to begin boiling, shining brightly as it coursed through the Body. Glowing red lines streaked throughout the entirety of his Body from his heart.

His mind grew sharper as well. Time itself seemed to slow down to a crawl. Everything was frozen before him.

His ascended senses granted him an otherworldly awareness. Both its reach and its depth soared to uncharted territory.

He felt all-knowing.

Everything was within his awareness.

Everything on the island, living or non-living, was subject to his mind. Nothing could hide from him. He could peer into the depths of the world with greater ease. Surfaces that used to appear smooth now appeared incredibly rough and bumpy. Things that used to appear stationary were actually quivering and shifting ever so slightly.

A whole new world opened up to him.

It was intoxicating.

"See? It works just fine. The Martial Heart can only be activated through the Martial Art. Always remember that. You should bake that into your memory so that you don't delay the activation of the Martial Heart at crucial moments." Senior Sarak advised. "This is something that all Senior absolutely must know. It is better to learn it from me than to learn it the hard way."

Rui deactivated his Martial Heart, nodding with a look of appreciation. "Thank you for informing me. The psychological shock of not being able to access my Martial Heart would lead to momentary openings that would undoubtedly get me killed."

"Mmmm," Senior Sarak nodded. "Another thing and this is something you already know for the most part, but it is to make sure that you temper your attitude as a Martial Senior. I understand just how confident and powerful you must be feeling with the power of the Senior Realm. It is precisely because of that that I need to warn you..."

He paused for a moment, turning to look Rui in the eye.

"Do not grow arrogant. The power of the Senior Realm is different from the power of the Squire Realm, it is not a permanent passive fixture of your Body that will never fade. It is something that runs out, and once it runs out, it truly brings you closer to your limit. It is because of this that Martial Seniors are not invulnerable. Never forget that."

Rui nodded with a solemn expression.

He understood this better than anyone. After all, he himself had been able to kill a Martial Senior once their Martial Heart ran out, and their guard was lowered. Of course, basically, no Martial Squire he was aware of could replicate that feat, since Ieyasu had also become a Martial Senior.

However, the point remained. Bloating his ego and arrogance with the power of the Senior Realm was a good way for a young Martial Senior to get himself killed.