CHAPTER 2157 MARTIAL PARADISE
When he returned home, he would definitely smack everyone for not telling him that the headquarters of the Panamic Martial Federation was a floating tectonic plate so large and so far above sea level that it was outside the range of even his immensely powerful senses.
Martial Squires and even Seniors would not be able to reach it by skywalking due to how low the air density would become unless they used a powerful sky-maneuvering technique.
He didn't understand how such a phenomenon could even exist naturally.
This floating tectonic plate was so absurdly massive that it made the Ajanta Floating Island look like a pebble in comparison. Yet, not only did it exist, it was somehow also the headquarters for the most powerful Martial force in the world.
It was such an extravagant and ostentatious choice that it put to shame all other abodes and centers of power in the world. Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.
The Presidential Headquarters of the Republic of Gorteau, the Royal Palace of the Kandrian Empire, the Table of Fourteen of the Sekigahara Confederate, and even the Imperial Castle of the Britannian Empire.
None of them could even begin to compare to the sheer glory, might, and dominance that the tectonic plate floating in the mesosphere of the planet's atmosphere conveyed.
It was overwhelming.
As Rui soared up in the sky, he eventually activated his Martial Heart, gaining a surge in the speed at which he ascended to the surface. Yet, as the air grew so thin that his steps could hardly elevate him at all, he activated his Martial Mind, surging at even higher speeds.
That journey alone took far longer than he had expected, giving him even more time to process everything he saw.
While he scaled the heights that separated him from the surface of the headquarters, he got a better idea of what he was looking at now that his senses could reach his destination.
The vast expanse of land that spread across the sky was remarkably compact despite its size. It was rather surprising that something that large could possibly hold itself together in a single piece. Yet, from what he could see, there were no signs of instability.
The closer he got, the more he sensed an immense power emanating from atop the location.
He instinctively knew that an immense number Martial Artists had gathered atop the floating tectonic plate.
It simply added more gravitas to it.
Rui felt a growing weight on his shoulder as the mental pressure he experienced increased.
Yet, it disappeared once he arrived at the surface of the headquarters of the Panamic Martial Federation.
"…Ah." A sigh of awe and amazement escaped him. "Magnificent."
If there ever was a place that could be declared as the paradise of Martial Art, it was this place. The surface of the tectonic plate domed in, allowing him to see everything across it. An unfathomable amount of Martial infrastructure stretched out across the entire surface of the country-wide headquarters, arranged in an intricate layout of concentric rings.
The overwhelming majority of it was dedicated to Martial Artists of the Upper Realms, comprising of many megastructures that accommodated Martial Masters and even Martial Sages without any limitation.
Rui couldn't even begin to fathom the amount of capital that had been invested into the headquarters of the Panamic Martial Federation over the centuries. It undoubtedly exceeded the Kandrian Martial Chambers—that had been created as a joint venture between his father and the Martial Union—draining the nation's resources and esoteric inventory.
Yet, the headquarters of the Federation allowed Martial Masters and Martial Sages to exert their power to the absolute limit without being restricted by concerns of space or of spreading too much damage.
"I can see why Martial Masters and Martial Sages would never want to leave this place."
Considering the sheer number of Masters that had gathered here from across East Panama, he was deeply allured by the prospect of gaining more experience by sparring with all of them.
If not for the fact that he could gain even better experiences from the war, he would definitely be inclined to remain here for a while.
He understood what his father meant when he said that the Panamic Martial Federation did for Martial Artists of the Upper Realms what the Martial Union did for Martial Artists of the Lower Realms.
"Welcome to the eastern headquarters of the Panamic Martial Federation, Prince Rui Quarrier Silas Kandria."
Two Martial Masters broke him out of his reverie.
He glanced at the two Martial Masters that arrived before him. The elderly man and woman donned extravagant Martial attires that bore the crest of the Panamic Martial Federation. They regarded Rui with a pleasant expression.
"We have awaited your arrival for three years now," the woman told him. "We of the Panamic Martial Federation have looked forward to meeting the youngest Martial Master in history," the man continued. "There are many a thing that we must speak to you about."
Rui regarded the two Martial Masters with a wary look.
He hadn't forgotten his father's warning about the fact that he would be targeted for the information regarding the mass Apprentice breakthroughs. As an organization that existed by, for, and of Martial Artists, it could never overlook such a miraculous means to mass produce Martial Apprentices.
"I thank you for your kind welcome." Rui cupped his fist with his palm in a greeting gesture between Martial Artists. "I, too, have looked forward to my visit to the cradle of Martial Art in the Age of Martial Art."
Rui's gaze returned to the amazing view of the headquarters of the Panamic Martial Federation.
"Remarkable, isn't it?" They followed his gaze. "No matter how many years I patrol these exalted lands, I am never able to overcome my awe for this bastion of Martial Art."
Rui couldn't help but agree with their sentiment.
"Come, Master Rui." They beckoned him. "Let us go deeper. There is much to do now that you're here."
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