"Of course," Kan added. "It still makes me dependent on the Lightning Sect for protection against being coerced against my will to rejoin my family, but hey, we're getting there."
"Indeed." Fae nodded. "I am particularly impressed that your plan actually succeeded."
"It won't be that easy breaking out of the Arrancar Family's grasp, you know," Dalen told him.
"I know," Kane replied. "But there's a limit to how far they are willing to go."
"Perhaps," Hever replied calmly. "But that limit is likely much higher for someone like yourself. You're no ordinary Martial Artist. With your talent, you're a precious boon that any Martial Family would kill to have."
Kane sighed. He was aware of that, it would be much easier to cut ties with his family if they didn't give a shit about him.
"You should just fight them if they try holding you back." Nel snorted.
Kane snorted, ignoring him as he turned back to Rui. "Well, putting that aside..."
He studied Rui from head to toe. "So this is you as a Martial Squire, huh? You don't look or feel any different."
Rui chuckled. He had sealed the pressure that they would experience with the help of the Mind Mask, he didn't want them to change their behavior with him now that he was a whole Realm of power above them. "I've taken some measures."
"What was the experience of breaking through like, I've wondered." She stared at him with interest and curiosity in her eyes.
"Painful," Rui replied immediately.
Silence befell the group as they processed his simple yet scary answer.
"Like... breaking bones painful? Stubbing your tow painful? Or worse? Like stepping on lego painful?" Kane asked blankly.
"No no, it's not nearly as bad as stepping on lego, obviously." Rui shook his head. "But it was pretty bad."
The two of them exchanged a chuckle as Fae rolled her eyes. "I'm serious, you have to tell us more about the experience."
Rui scratched his head awkwardly. The information regarding the breakthrough to the Squire Realm was classified and not something Martial Apprentices were privy to until they fulfilled the conditions for Squire candidates.
Partly because the actual information itself was strategic intelligence that was highly relevant to the Martial power of a nation. Rui was vaguely aware that the discovery of the Martial body set the foundation for the higher Realms of Martial Art, though he wasn't aware of any details.
He sighed. "It's not that I don't want to tell you, it's because I can't."
There was also the fact that if their Martial Art hadn't reached maturity, then there was a chance that their lust for the power that the breakthrough to the Squire Realm would grant them would warp their Martial Art. Instead of their Martial body catering to their Martial Art, their Martial Art might cater to the ideal Martial body that they may desire.
Fae sighed. "I expected as much. Every Martial Artist of the higher Realms has unilaterally refused to tell me any meaningful information about the breakthrough to the Squire Realm, and what it is that actually separates Martial Squires from Martial Apprentices."
She turned back to face Rui. "It's because we aren't Squire candidates, correct?"
Rui sighed in relief, if they were aware of the concept, then it was easier to refuse them. "Correct."
"Would you tell us if we became Squire candidates?" Hever asked thoughtfully.
"If you became Squire candidates then you would be informed by qualified experts trained to explain to Martial Apprentices like yourselves about the breakthrough condition to the Squire Realm, you won't need to hear it from me," Rui explained.
"Don't care about that." Nel snorted, interjecting abruptly. "How strong have you become?"
Rui smiled at the hint of battle lust that flashed through his eyes. "Stronger than I ever thought I would be."
"Show me." Nel grinned.
Rui sighed. "In time. You should focus on attaining that power rather than challenging those that already have it before acquiring it yourself. How much stronger have you gotten."
"Way stronger." He grinned. "I would crush the old you!"
"That's quite remarkable." Rui smiled, amused. "You must be close to Squire candidacy, right?"
He shrugged silently.
"Each of us has fulfilled at least one of the conditions of Squire candidacy," Fae told him.
"That's good to hear." Rui nodded, before pausing. "Ah, I need each of you to contact me when you reach Squire candidacy."
"Why's that?" Kane asked curiously.
"I have an Apprentice-level technique to give to each of you," Rui told them.
They all threw confused expressions at him.
"It's complicated." Rui sighed.
He wanted to get all of them to master the Mind Switch technique. Specifically, the version of the technique that he had mastered. Triggering the neurological and metabolic phenomenon associated with hunger via pain. This would increase their stamina very naturally and organically, allowing them to ultimately obtain a stronger Martial body.
"You said 'give' us a technique." Fae frowned at his odd wording. "As in, a technique of yours and not something in the Martial Academy."
"Sort of." Rui scratched his head awkwardly. "It's a personal modification of a technique that exists in the Apprentice library."
"Why not give it to us now instead of after we become Squire candidates," Dalen asked thoughtfully.
"Mmm..." Rui wasn't sure how much to tell them. "Let's just say it has something to do with the breakthrough to the Squire realm."
"I don't do techniques." Nel snorted.
"You do training techniques, however." Rui pointed out. Nel was not averse to any training technique that naturally made his body's natural physicality greater. He had no problem with conditioning techniques that increased his body's natural toughness. Autophagy was a very normal and natural phenomenon, thus it wouldn't clash with his Martial Path.
"Will it make us stronger?" Nel asked.
Rui smiled. "Much."
"So you're telling me..." Kane summed up Rui's instructions. "...that you have an Apprentice-level technique that you modified to make you much stronger as a Martial Squire. A technique that the Martial Union and other Martial Squires don't have?"
