Ajanta Island was far more lucrative than the Floating Sect made out of it. Because the Floating Sect disregarded monetary goals when it occupied and developed Ajanta Island, it did not earn much.
It had instead put a lot of weight on creating an environment that could attract even the most powerful of Martial Squires, and give them a reason to stay committed to the island even in the event of the war.
Rui had long realized that the sheer quality of the free training chambers and their ability to luxuriously accommodate all ranges, and also train all kinds of techniques and attributes relevant to combat was meant to strongly incentivize guardians to stay and continue training.
And it seemed to have worked well.
After all, the tensions between the Floating Sect and the nations of the Kaddar Region were perenially extremely high, their relationship was hostile beyond diplomacy. Yet these guardians stayed in the Floating Sect despite the prospect of war not being too unlikely.
The Kaddar Region wouldn't need to employ such a strategy, thus it could make smaller chambers simply for engaging in basic training under the circumstances of the island's environment for a fee.
That alone would generate an enormous market and would attract Martial Squires from all over as long as they publicized it well. It could effectively become like what the Uminana Trench was for the coastal nations of the ocean.
('In fact, they're actually quite similar,') Rui realized.
The Uminana Trench and Ajanta Island were both existential threats to civilization in their respective surroundings, yet humans profited off them nonetheless.
Rui shook his head, dispelling such thoughts. Regardless of what their motivations were, it didn't matter. content.
The only thing that mattered was that they were in for a war.
Rui glanced around to gauge the reactions of the various guardians.
While they were surprised by this remarkably abrupt development, he did not get the sense that any of them were considering ditching the Floating Sect to avoid being targeted by the Floating Sect.
('They can't leave it even if they wanted to,') Rui mused.
The Kaddar Region was probably strengthening its grip on the island even as they stood there.
Rui heaved a deep breath before considering options.
Unfortunately, there weren't many.
('Besides, I've already committed myself to growing stronger on this island, I probably won't have an opportunity to hone my body as well as I can on this island.')
It was as though just existing here was a Squire-level training technique like Adamant Reforging.
He immediately felt an urgency to get to higher ranks, an urgency that he did not feel before. The higher the rank of his chamber, the greater the rate of his growth.
('I wonder what measures the Floating Sect will undertake in response to this declaration of war.')
He couldn't help but notice that the notice from the Ajanta Termination Act did not mention anything about dealing with the three Martial Seniors of the Floating Sect.
('They're being careful around the matter of the Martial Seniors.') Rui realized.
For Senior-level states, Martial Seniors were national treasures. Every time a Senior-level nation deployed a Martial Senior to a battle, they were risking losing their national treasure.
This was starkly different from how stronger nations like the Shionel Dungeon treated them, hell, Rui had been able to purchase the services of Martial Seniors from Guildmaster Bradt.
He absolutely would not be able to do that if Martial Seniors were the strongest Martial Artists of the nation.
('They're a deterrence towards the other nations of the Kaddar Region,') He knew that no nation would willingly volunteer their Martial Senior for war.
The reason for that was deploying them for war would weaken their national security due to a deterrence being absent. Although the nations of the Kaddar Region were united on the matter of Ajanta Island, that did not mean they were united in general.
Many of them had major conflicts and grievances with each other, and there were always perennial conflicts of interest. It was just not something that the nations could ignore in favor of taking down the powerful and elite Martial Seniors of the Floating Sect.
If they died, then the nations that lost their Martial Seniors would be devastated.
('Though if they all deployed their Martial Seniors altogether, then maybe…') Rui considered the moment. ('No, that wouldn't work either actually. Oh that would be devastating because of external threats.')
The Kaddar Region was not isolated from the rest of human civilization, if the satellite nations of the region lost their largest deterrence, then the prospect of invasions became a lot more realistic.
These two concerns were probably what was holding back the Kaddar Treaty Organization from deploying Martial Seniors. Not even the prospect of obtaining Ajanta Island was good enough to make them take such a risk.
Suddenly a wave of murmurs swept through the crowd as their attention was drawn in by a powerful presence.
Rui instantly recognized the man as the Martial Senior he was.
This was one of the three Martial Seniors of the Floating Sect, Senior Leonil.
He didn't say a word yet as he waited for the incoming influx of Martial Squires to abate.
"You've finally gathered here," The man calmly remarked once all one thousand Martial Squires had stood in the courtyard before him. "We do not tend to stand on ceremony here at the Floating Sect. We are all Martial Artists here, so I will be brief and succinct."
He paused for a moment. "War is upon us. All of you have learned that the Kaddar Treaty Organization has declared war on the Floating Sect. They have spent an enormous amount of capital to immigrate over large numbers of powerful Martial Squires for quite some time now in top secrecy in addition to their own Martial Squires. You do not have any choice, you cannot even leave even if you tried, you would be taken down before you could make it to land. Your only option is to win, or die."