The Gereign Distribution Center which served as a base of the foreign affairs department of the Beggar's Sect was not doing too well, but still far better than the rest of the Gereign Region.
There were many able-bodied men and women who were working furiously on all kinds of duties and tasks. "Move!" One woman shouted at him as she shoved past him, carrying a stack of documents. The fact that they didn't even bother deferring to him the way they normally did Martial Seniors showed just how dire of a situation they were in. Not that Rui minded, he didn't care about such meaningless matters.
'I do hope I can meet Ferm,' Rui sighed. That was the executive who was his point of contact within this base of the Gereign Region. "I'm here to speak with Executive Ferm," Rui approached a staff member at the reception counter. "He's busy," She replied not even glancing at him while she furiously fiddled with her terminal.
"I'm willing to wait."
"You're going to have to wait a while."
"I don't mind," Rui replied turning back, taking a seat on the crouch.
It turned out that she wasn't kidding. He did have to wait for quite a long time. He spent most of his time reflecting on his battle with Senior Zenshin.
Out of all the Martial Seniors he had ever faced or even seen, Senior Zenshin was definitely the strongest. The second strongest was probably Senior Ceeran, while the third strongest was Senior Marna.
He had managed to defeat the strongest Martial Senior he had ever met, though it truly took him everything he had, and he almost died. 'His raw physical parameters were leagues above mine. Especially his lethality, it's unlike anything that I have," Rui sighed. "My ability to inflict damage is somewhat limited. I need Hypertrophic Surge, and even then he's far stronger than I am, and more lethal in his offense."
Rui heaved a sigh. If not for Breathing Crucifix, not even the pattern recognition system would have been in enough. It wouldn't even have made it in time. Although he was glad that the upgraded VOID algorithm with the Hypnomatrix and the Metabody System was powerful enough to bridge such a large gap, he was not pleased that such large gaps existed in the first place.
When it came to his Body, Heart, and even the techniques that harnessed the power of Body and Heart and employed it, he was behind in all aspects.
He pondered about the details of the fight deeply, it was a good way to spend the time.
"Sir?" An exhausted assistant approached him. "Executive Ferm is ready to meet you."
"Finally," Rui muttered. The assistant led him to the man's office, leaving him inside before closing the door.
"Senior Falken," The man addressed Rui without much of a smile. "We have much to speak about. Please have a seat."
"I have completed the mission that the Beggar's Sect gave me," Rui remarked. "With this, the Carnil mafia will surely not return after their operations have experienced a catastrophic failure. Even if they did, they have earned the ire of the Vale Syndicate and will face even greater pressure. The years worth of reconstruction due to the sheer distance, the general chaos of the Gereign Region, and the losses they have already incurred, the inevitable delay to their plans. It's simply not worth it anymore."
What especially sealed the deal in his mind was the loss of a Martial Master. That was very painful even for the Carnil Mafia.
Executive Ferm simply stared at him with a neutral expression and perfect posture, considering his words. He hid it well, but Rui could tell that he was running on fumes.
"It is true that you have completed the operation we gave you. But a side consequence has been the clash of Martial Masters that caused immense damage to us," Executive Ferm replied.
"I do not control a Martial Master's actions," Rui shrugged. "I did not summon the Hypnomaster, and I certainly did not summon the other Master. In fact, had the Beggar's Sect informed me of Master Haishi's impending arrival, I would have done things in a very different way, if at all."
Executive Ferm simply stared at Rui. Unfortunately, it was true that Rui could not be held responsible for a battle between two Martial Masters that essentially crippled the Gereign Region.
"Your statements are accurate," Executive Ferm sighed. "As per the clauses of the commission contract, we will fulfill our end of the deal. Unfortunately, our operations, both external and internal have ground to a halt. It will take quite some time for us to procure what we are obligated to give you."
"You seem to be doing fine," Rui remarked. "In fact, I've noticed a lot of people in this building are."
"Core internal staff have undergone rigorous mental fortitude training, as have executives like myself. We are specifically trained to resist mental pressure from Martial Artists like yourself. Thus, while we have suffered immense stress, we have avoided suffering damage or breakdowns." The man calmly replied.
"Oh?" Rui raised an eyebrow. "I didn't know that that was a thing."
"It's not a custom exclusive to the Beggar's Sect," The man remarked. "Most people in power have undergone varying levels of mental fortitude training. People in positions of power cannot afford to be mentally intimidated by the average Martial Apprentice or Martial Squire. The more power one wields, the greater the mental fortitude training."
Rui grew intrigued by the man's remarks. He recalled that Guildmaster Bradt had personally signed a deal with a Martial Sage, of all people. He was willing to bet that the Guildmaster too had undergone some pretty severe mental fortitude training himself for him to carry himself in a manner befitting his power before a Martial Sage.
"Huff…Well, putting that aside, let us conclude this matter quickly. This is a statement of acknowledgment of the fact that you have fulfilled your agreement," Executive Ferm sighed, sliding him a stamped and signed paper.
