The Martial Unity

1821 Aged
The revelation of his awakening immediately prompted a medical team to tend to him. They conducted a small battery of tests, testing his mental and physical parameters.
TAP
A hammer struck his knee, flinging his leg forward.
"Are you experiencing any trouble feeling that?" The doctor asked while a tendon reflex exam was being conducted.
"Not at all," Rui promptly replied.
"Hm, good," the doctor nodded with an encouraging smile. "Congratulations, none of our tests have indicated anything of even the slightest concern. We can confidently say that you have made a full recovery and are fit for discharge."
"Thank you," Rui expressed gratitude to the doctor. "I am grateful that you and your team have restored my health from the dire condition that I was in."
It wasn't long before Rui was flooded with visitors from his faction, expressing their relief at his recovery.
At that time, he also got a preliminary report of everything that had unfolded since his battle with the Gatekeeper.
Prince Raijun had obediently terminated his contract with the Minister of Domestic Affairs. Immediately, the Minister of Domestic Affairs had chosen to join the Rui Faction as he had always wanted to.
"With that, we have now acquired support from seventy-five percent of all high- ranking government officials," his chief of staff explained. Congratulations, Your Highness; you have won the Kandrian Throne War."
Her words were heavy.
The Kandrian Throne War had boiled underneath the surface in a cold war for eight years, ever since Emperor Rael's condition became known. It had escalated greatly over the years, embroiling all of Kandria and eventually spreading far beyond the Kandrian Empire.
And now, it had finally effectively come to a conclusion.
Rui smiled wryly as he went through the stack of reports. "It would seem that I have."
Of course, Rui doubted that his half-brothers would call it quits this easily, but their battle was as good as lost.
"In addition to the Kandrian Throne War, Your Highness," Master Zentra remarked. "We would like to congratulate you on your victory against Sir Armstrong."
He closed his eyes. "I had told you that you would lose. It turned out that it was I who was patently wrong. I apologize for doubting you."
"No, you don't need to apologize for that," Rui shook his head. "Frankly, once the battle commenced, I understood why everybody had been deeply skeptical about my victory. I would too, had I been in your positions."
"Yet, you managed to wring victory from the jaws of defeat!" Master Ceeran grinned. "I knew you could do it!"
"Uh huh," Rui stared at him with a dubious expression.
"What matters most is that you ultimately managed to come away with your life and body intact and restored," Master Vericita heaved a sigh of relief as she patted his head affectionately.
Headmaster Aronian smiled with a hint of pride. "Your victory has sent waves across the Martial Community of the Kandrian Empire and East Panama. While those outside the Martial World are unaware of the significance of a Martial Senior defeating the Gatekeeper, those within have been thoroughly shaken by the significance of this feat."
It was only then that Rui realized that the way that the Martial Masters regarded him had changed.
Their manner of communication with him had grown more...
deferring.
In hindsight, it was not surprising. Especially when one considered how much respect the eldest and most powerful Martial Artists had for the Gatekeeper. How would they feel for someone who managed to edge out a victory against this Martial Senior?
"It signifies the emergence of the new strongest Martial Senior in Kandria and perhaps even all of East Panama," Master Zentra remarked.
Rui liked the sound of that, but...
"...I'm not worthy of that title," Rui shook his head. "As far as I am concerned, the Gatekeeper is still the strongest Martial Senior of the Kandrian Empire despite my victory against him."
"That's not how it works, Rui," Master Ceeran calmly disagreed with him. "The strongest do not win; those who win are the strongest."
Rui considered the man's words, shrugging.
One consideration that immediately entered his mind was the fact that if they had a fight again, Rui would probably win much quicker, considering that he now knew the exact resonant frequency of the Gatekeeper. Thus, he no longer needed to go through the lengthy and tedious process of banging his head with attacks that did literally no damage to him in order to find the resonant frequency.
It wasn't nearly as satisfying as holistically being stronger, but it was true that his victory against the Gatekeeper was secured.
Rui turned to all of them. "What about Sir Armstrong...? Is he...?"
"He's alive," Master Zentra remarked, closing his eyes. "...
Unfortunately, he is still in a coma and has yet to awaken from it."
The air grew heavy.
"...I see," Rui remarked.
His tone was solemn.
Yet, it also encapsulated the respect that Rui felt for the man for surviving not one
but two Reverberating Death Lance attacks. It was an unprecedented feat and showed just how absurdly difficult the Gatekeeper was to actually put down.
"That's a shame," Rui shook his head. "I actually wanted to speak to him."
"We will inform you of if and when he awakens, Your Highness," Master Zentra remarked. "Unfortunately, the man's physical condition was actually more dire
than yours."
Rui frowned, confused. "How does that even make any sense? I didn't inflict any real damage on him. His skull was so tough that I only managed to knock him
out."
"That's because he is five hundred years old, Your Highness," Master Zentra remarked, heaving a deep sigh. "Even by Martial Artist standards, that is extremely old. His body has long moved past its prime. He is the equivalent of an
eighty-year-
old man. This is after prolonging his life significantly with potent life-prolonging potions. Healing potions are significantly less effective as are all medical treatments and healings, esoteric or otherwise. On top of that..."