The Martial Unity

Immediately, the detractors who voted against it earned the ire of the rest of the room.

"Tsk!"

"Fools!"

"You will regret this mistake."

In order for a motion of foreign policy to be passed, it required at least seventy-five percent of the votes. This was to ensure that any decision the Martial Union made as an organization represented the will of a large majority.

The motion to support Rui as an official candidate had just narrowly missed the mark!

While the support for it was far higher than the fifteen percent that Prince Raijun had gotten when a similar proposal had been raised for him, it was still not enough.

Of course, the various sects, factions, and individuals were free to support Rui in an individual capacity. They would not be able to employ the resources of the Martial Union, outside of their direct personal authority, to help whoever they chose to support.

"With no more agendas on the docket, I declare this assemble to be clos-"

Suddenly, a tremendous wave of pressure pressed down on the entire assembly.

An enormous presence had suddenly arrived.

A presence that weighed down not just on the mind but also on heaven and earth.

The world seemed to almost distort to accommodate this new presence.

STEP

He stood at the center of the assembly.

His attire matched that of a monk, with a single robe that wrapped across his entire gargantuan body. His head was entirely bald, while his chin featured a long, white, flowing beard.

Not a single person failed to recognize him.

The Mountain of Fortitude, Sage Kreinwol Vintar of the Earth Sect, had appeared.

"Your Sagehood!"

"It is an honor to be graced by Your Sagehood!"

The non-martial Artists exited their seats, kneeling down on both knees, pressing their heads into the ground, and prostrating themselves with abandon.

The Martial Masters bowed their heads with respect and admiration.

He stared at them for a moment before issuing a single remark.

"I reject this outcome."

His words reverberated through the General Assembly of the Martial Union.

"Your Sagehood…?" One Martial Master inquired.

"The Martial Union shall support Prince Rui Quarrier," He declared.

The General Assembly of the Martial Union shook as the veritable Martial Sage made his bold declaration.

Martial Sages normally did not partake in the nominal decision-making process of the Martial Union despite being the recognized leaders of the Martial Union.

They couldn't be bothered.

However, that did not mean they couldn't.

Every Martial Sage reserved the right to veto any decision made by the General Assembly of the Martial Union or any other committee.

Their singular word alone was enough to outweigh the words of all Martial Masters of the Martial Union.

It was an authority that they seldom used.

Yet, every once in a while, a matter worthy of their time and attention appeared.

This meeting was one of them.

It had appeared that the Mountain Of Fortitude had chosen to intervene upon the failure of the motion to pass.

"Your Sagehood, if you may be so gracious to give this one an opportunity to speak?" The speaker humbly requested.

The Mountain Of Fortitude glanced toward the inconspicuous human.

"Speak."

"Can this be interpreted as the exercising of your veto authority?"

"Indeed," The Martial Sage calmly remarked.

He glanced over to the detractors of the proposal, who shirked under his vision. "I have determined that the General Assembly is compromised by interests outside of the charter of this organization. I hereby exercise my veto authority as well as my decision vote authority as a member of the Sage Council and thus…"

His eyes sharpened. "…I hereby pass the motion."

His powerful declaration spread across the General Assembly, stunning everybody.

Not only was he going to undo the decision that the Martial Masters had come to, but he was going to forcefully pass the motion using his authority.

The Martial Masters who had opposed the motion gritted their teeth, yet they didn't dare utter a word. He possessed the absolute authority to overcome theirs, and more importantly, he was a Realm of power above them.

No Martial Master could resist a Martial Sage's decision.

However, a Martial Sage could resist a Martial Sage's decision.

And, on this historic day, it appeared that one had indeed chosen to.

A single whisper echoed through the General Assembly.

"Do not get ahead of yourself, Vintar."

A second Sage-level aura spread through the General Assembly.

The world seemed to contort and shiver under the weight of two Martial Sages.

The Mountain of Fortitude narrowed his eyes "…Lemolen."

A veiled shadowy figure had appeared before the monk. His face was entirely hidden, unseen to those who peered into the hood that covered his head.

All they saw was darkness.

"…Your Sagehood!"

"It is He!"

The sole assassin Sage of the Kandrian Empire, the Whispering Widower, had chosen to make an appearance.

"…Do you truly intend to oppose me?" The Mountain Of Fortitude stared at the Assassin Sage with fixed eyes.

"I reject your decision vote," The Whispering Widower's raspy whisper was fierce.

The air boiled in alarm.

The lands beneath their feet quivered in fear.

Heaven and earth despaired as the two Martial Sages glared at each other.

One could only imagine its reaction when a third Martial Sage appeared.

"I support the Mountain Of Fortitude's decision vote."

RUMBLE

The very world itself seemed to shake under the weight of her words.

A lean, elderly woman draped in long, overflowing robes appeared. Her silver hair overflowed far, far beyond her body.

Yet it did not fall.

It swayed afloat midair.

Almost like it was underwater.

"This union shall support Prince Rui Quarrier Kandria," Her imperious tone left no room for retort.

The Breath of Destruction, Sage Malaya Avastriya of the Breathing Sect, had declared her intentions.

Three Martial Sages stood at the center of the assembly.

An undercurrent of tension washed across the entirety of the General Assembly.

The humans were reduced to prostrating voiceless spectators. Before the three Martial Sages of the Martial Union, they did not even have the right to speak.