Rui heaved a sigh as he stepped forward to Senior Zenshin's body, having consumed several rejuvenation potions.
"Rgh…" The man beaten-down man stirred, waking up from being knocked out. He opened his eyes, dazed, turning to Rui who stood beside his body.
Normally, Rui killed his victims when they were unconscious, but this one had managed to wake up.
"…Any last words?" Rui asked in the Kandrian language. The man's eyes widened, narrowing. "You bastard… You're from the Kandrian Empire, not the Republic of Gorteau."
"That unsubstantiated confidence is precisely the reason you're in this situation, among others," Rui replied.
"Why do this? Who sent you? Was it the Aggragor Syndicate? Any of the other mafias?"
Rui didn't respond, having simply activated his Martial Heart, ready to kick at the man's head and put him to rest. That was when he felt the oppressive pressure crash down on him. His eyes widened with shock as chills crawled up his spine. Shivers went down his skin. He recognized this pressure. It was the same kind of pressure he felt when Master Uma had ambushed him and Master Deivon.
His eyes widened as realization dawned on him.
"So, you're the assailant that has caused us immense trouble, hm?" Master Haishi asked, standing beside.
Rui hadn't even been able to react to her approach. 'Dammit, I didn't expect them to not only bring a Master but also be able to hide this information from the Beggar's Sect.'
"I'm going to have you come with us," She remarked. "You're going to regret having antagonized us. We're going to squeeze every ounce of information you have on you, then we're going to take our time killing you and everyone you love."
"Heh…" Senior Zenshin grinned vindictively. "I call first dibs."
Master Haishi narrowed her eyes at his words.
BOOM!
"Rgh!" The man grimaced in pain as she swiftly lifted and crashed her foot on his injured body in a powerful drop-kick.
Yet the fear he felt overwhelmed the pain. He shivered as he felt the pure fury that Master Haishi radiated.
"You dare make claims after the mess you've caused?" She gritted her teeth with rage. "You dare? Your fate isn't going to be too much better than his."
Senior Zenshin shook at those words, his expression growing grave. "…I accept responsibility."
"Hmph, you will, whether you like it or not. Still, perhaps you have some saving grace. I'm going to train you to your bones"
She turned towards Rui. "Now then, go to sleep. It'll be your last peaceful one."
Her hand balled into a fist as it blurred, surging forward at blinding speeds, disappearing from his vision.
Yet it never landed on him.
It froze just inches away from his jaw.
Master Haishi's expression grew alarmed as she stared at her frozen hand. It refused to move. It refused to obey her commands.
It was as though her body had been stolen from her command.
Rui didn't understand what was happening.
"Hohoo…?" A familiar elderly voice emerged from behind him. "A foreign Martial Master dares to enter my domain."
Master Haishi's eyes widened in shock, still struggling to control her body. "You…" owns this.
"Your presence is well hidden," He remarked, studying her with interest. "Furthermore, I see you're armed with esoteric substances that sabotage the subconscious mind's senses. I see, so this is why you were so confident in coming to the Gereign Region. You thought that these measures would be enough to disguise your state as a Martial Master…"
"…Well, you were right. They were enough. I hadn't sensed a thing! Hahaha!" Master Zeamer guffawed as the mental pressure he exerted plummeted. "Frankly, you would have been able to reside in the Gereign Region without me noticing, as long as I never directly focused on you. Yet you made one crucial blunder…"
His smile grew a hint more perilous. "You attacked my pupil…The moment you did that, you earned my personal attention. You see, I'm quite possessive of my things, especially from my peers."
Master Haishi gritted her teeth, struggling to move her hand. "Pupil…? This kid?"
She glared at Rui, who was finally spurred out of his reverie, leaping away as he joined Master Zeamer's side. The air grew taut as the two Masters stared at each other.
"Master…" Rui began, clenching his fist. He knew how bad things would have gotten without his intervention. It would have been hopeless. "…I'm truly gra-"
"Don't mentioned it," He remarked. "Stand back, things are going to get just a little rough. Just a little."
Those words pricked at Master Haishi. She gritted her teeth, narrowing her eyes as they glowed, activating her Martial Heart, finally freeing her body. "You…"
Both Zenshin and Rui flinched. The sheer amount of pressure that she was unleashing prickled at their minds. Pure fury seemed to reverberate from deep within her being, inspiring primal fear within them.
Yet Master Zeamer simply stared at her with a mundane expression.
Yet Rui recognized his displeasure. He had come to learn in the pas two years that it wasn't the best idea to become the source of Master Zeamer's displeasure.
"First, you send your disciple to sabotage our operations. Next, you actively antagonize me, a Martial Master of the Carnil Mafia…" Her voice was ladened with bloodlust as her eyes flashed with fury. "You dare provoke the Kandrian Underworld? You? A single Martial Master?"
"Hah…" Master Zeamer snorted. "Why wouldn't I? There's only one person in the Kandrian Underworld who can overcome me."
"Arrogant…" She murmured. "That's the third time you've provoked us. Know that your death is yours to blame."
An aura of power that surged far beyond the Martial Heart seemed to radiate from her.
"Hohoho…" Master Zeamer chuckled. "Scary. But I like that. I'd let you go since it would be a shame to kill such a feisty woman. But there is something that not even being female can excuse."
His Martial Heart blazed into power, shining like the sun. "Like messing with my pupil."
"Enough talk," She snorted. "I'll show you just how small you are."
"Hah," Master Zeamer smirked, activating his Martial Mind. "That's what she said."