"Immediately, if you so wish." He replied. "Finding the right Martial body is something that requires time and exploration."
"How much time?" Rui asked, curious.
"Oh, it can vary wildly." He replied simply. "I think the minimum it has ever taken was a few days, and the maximum it took was a few months."
"A few months?" Rui frowned.
"Yes, we were dealing with a very fussy and indecisive Martial Apprentice." Squire Gunther nodded. "Lot of it depends on how much clarity you have with how you want your Martial Art to look at the end of your Martial Path. Usually, Squire candidates have very high clarity on exactly what is needed."
"I see." Rui absorbed the information he provided. "Can we begin the process right now then? I do not wish to waste any time before heading to the matter."
"Alright." He nodded. "The preparations have already been made. I won't be conducting the procedure, of course. It's a mostly medical procedure."
"A team is already prepared?" Rui's eyebrow rose. "That was remarkably quick. Wouldn't these things need to be booked days in advance?"
"It was." Squire Gunther sheepishly admitted. "The Martial Union expedited the process so that there would be as few delays as possible, back when you informed commissioner Feristen of your status as a Squire candidate."
Rui's eyebrow rose even higher. To think the Martial Union had gone this far the second he had off-handedly made that comment to commissioner Feristen after the Serevian Dungeon mission ended.
It was yet another reflection of how valuable he was to the Martial Union.
Of course, in hindsight, it was to be expected.
Rui's contributions to the Serevian Dungeon mission were beyond ridiculous. Furthermore, he had made major contributions to a mission that was of great importance to the Martial Union, making his feat all the more impactful on the relationship between himself and the Martial Union.
Commissioner Feristen had already informed him that he could basically ask for a favor from the Martial Union and they would help him out, within reason, of course. Rui still hadn't figured out what he would use the favor for. But frankly, there was no real hurry.
It was a valuable one-time opportunity, he ought to use it for something important, significant, and something only the Martial Union could do.
That instantly disqualified all of his ideas. He had initially considered requesting the Martial Union for waiving his loan, however, he quickly dismissed it as a stupid idea. His income was tremendous as a Martial Apprentice, and although his loan was by no means little, it was static because there was no interest.
Meaning, he would absolutely repay his loan. There was no doubt about that. In that case, there was no point in wasting the favor on something that he was very confident of being able to accomplish by himself.
Was it worth using it on obtaining techniques?
Rui shook his head. Techniques could be purchased, unless it was some confidential technique, there was no point in wasting something that could straightforwardly be purchased.
('Besides, if I'm not wrong, from this point on, techniques are going to be increasingly less purchased and increasingly more developed instead.') Rui mused.
Although there were Squire-level techniques, things weren't nearly the same as it currently was with Apprentice-level techniques.
For one, every Martial Squire had a unique body. Meaning it was impossible for Squire-level techniques to be able to be universally applicable to each Martial Squire.
Furthermore, it was quite likely that no Squire-level technique as they were sold was completely compatible with every Martial Squire.
He recalled when Squire Dylon had told him there existed Squire-level versions of Apprentice-level techniques. He had taken it at face value back then, but of course, there was likely much more nuance to it than he had expected back then. Nuance Squire Dylon had chosen not to reveal because the breakthrough to the Squire Realm was still a secret from him back then.
The deeper down one's Martial Path one went down, the greater the individuality the Martial Art would possess, and the greater the individuality needed to make any progress down one's Martial Path. That was the reason that Rui
However, if it was true that purchasing and mastering Squire-level techniques was far more difficult and less viable, then it was even more unlikely that he would waste the favor on a technique.
He certainly didn't need it for the breakthrough to the Squire Realm either, since he could freely purchase it.
He couldn't really think of any favor he wanted that was important and also something that could only be completed with the help of the Martial Union. Thus far, he had led a relatively simple and normal life as far as Martial Artists went.
('Whatever.') He shook his head. ('I'll leave the matter for another day.')
It was best left for a rainy day when he would genuinely need the Martial Union's help over a matter with high stakes. He did not want to lose something important because he had already squandered his one-time favor on something unimportant.
"The preparations for the explorative process are complete." Squire Gunther nodded, interrupting Rui's reverie. "You will be notified and guided to the procedure room when it is time, which should be soon."
He turned to face Rui. "That brings us to the end of the briefing session. Goodbye, Apprentice Quarrier. I bid you a successful breakthrough to the Squire Realm."
"Thank you, Squire Gunther." Rui bowed as he expressed gratitude and respect to a Martial Artist of a higher Realm. A Realm that he hoped to be a part of soon.
Rui simply waited in the presentation room once Squire Gunther had left, waiting for the promised explorative process that would allow him to figure out the most optimal Martial body suited to him.
Before long, as promised, he received a message on his accounter as he was instructed to go to a particular operating room in question.
