The Martial Unity

Everyone tensed when match commenced.

No one could get used to it.

Kane exhaled a puff of air and sashayed out of reality.

It was as though he had ceased to exist.

Could one fight someone who may as well no exist?

That the herculean task Sahar Kal was faced with.

(‘Now then…’) Rui mused as he closed his eyes. (‘What does she plan to do?’)

By now the entire Academy was aware of the magician that Kane had come to be. Surely Sahar must have had some plan against him.

“RAAARGH!” She swung at empty air all around her.

“…”

“HYAAAH!” She drop-kicked empty air.

​ “…”

BAM

She body-slammed empty air.

Rui could sense with Seismic Mapping and Primordial instinct that Kane hadn’t landed a single attack at all since the match began. He was merely circling around her.

(‘He’s probably laughing his fucking ass off right now.’) Rui couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought. He sighed; a bit depressed. He was hoping he could get some useful data, but it seemed that this was merely unrealistic optimism on his part.

Suddenly, Rui vaguely sensed Kane had begun moving towards her while she continued swinging empty air.

Whether by some sixth sense, or sheer luck. She coincidentally launched a sweeping kick just where Kane was about to attack from.

WHOOSH

The attack missed, of course. Kane would never get hit by such a kick.

But he was visible the instant he paused, before becoming imperceivable again.

(‘This…’) A realization dawned Rui. The Void Step technique was a technique that misdirected attention and cognition of observers via maneuvering-based misdirection techniques. It employed the same tricks that magicians used in order to perform magic. Once someone was paying attention on the user, the user would move while misdirecting their opponent’s attention away from them and the direction they were moving in. Meaning in order to actually execute the misdirection, he needed to maneuver; to be in motion.

That also meant if he ever had to inadvertently pause or stop in order to avoid an incoming attack, the technique would also cease to function for the brief moment of time.

He needed to constantly be in motion for the technique to constantly be in effect, it seemed. That one brief moment of Kane appearing had given Rui some hints about potential shortcomings in the technique’s mechanics that could potentially be exploited.

Although this wasn’t the first time Kane had become visible in a battle, it was the first time Rui was able to associate a cause with the phenomenon. Since he hadn’t purchased the technique, he wasn’t familiar with all its mechanics.

POW POW POW

Kane had begun his onslaught. Peppering his opponent with a volley of strikes.

Ever since he had mastered the Void Step technique, he had inadvertently become more offensive in his fighting style.

This wasn’t because of any changes to his Martial Path.

It was simply because he was too strong, he didn’t need bother using his real Martial Art against most Martial Apprentices.

What was the point of being super evasive if his opponent couldn’t even sense him, let alone come close to touching him?

If he did run into a Martial Apprentice who could counter the Void Step technique and sense him despite it, he would immediately revert back to his evasive style, since his opponent could now land strikes on him.

But if they couldn’t even sense him?

There was simply no point in wasting time. Victory could only be won through offense.

He launched many strikes across her entire body. Targeting not just her vitals. He was cautious but not worried, he didn’t think there was anything she could really do against him.

POW POW POW

He jabbed at her throat before casually evading a wild haymaker with ease.

Sahar Kal had grown more and more frustrated, swinging around more and more wildly as she endured more and more damage.

BAM

He launched a strong kick to her solar plexus that left her grimacing.

POW

A swift kick to her jaw caused brain trauma, knocking her out immediately.

She collapsed immediately, as Kane came to be perceivable again.

“Winner; Kane Arrancar!” The supervisor declared as Kane walked off.

“You must have laughed your ass off at the start.” Rui chuckled.

“You goddamn bet I did.” Kane laughed. He had laughed so hard that he almost deactivated the Void Step technique by mistake!

Perhaps if Rui wanted a sure-shot way of taking Kane down he ought to arrive to their battle with stand-up comedy prepared.

“Clean win Kane.” Fae nodded warily.

“As ridiculous as always.” Dalen agreed.

Rui had grown engrossed on his thoughts from early on in the battle. Could there be a way to exploit the fact that the Void Step technique could only be operated when in motion? Perhaps, but Rui didn’t think it was that simple. For him to be able to exploit this trait would mean that he was somehow able to exploit the fact that Kane would be visible for a brief instant.

But how was that exploitable exactly? A brief instant was just that; A brief instant. He did not think it would be easy to exploit. Even if Kane was visible briefly, there wasn’t too much that could be done. Even if it was a bit more than just a brief instant it would not be easy. Kane was quite strong even without the Void Step technique. Just because it was inactive for a moment didn’t mean he was suddenly extremely weak.

Even without the Void Step technique, Kane could probably beat most of the Martial Apprentices. Admittedly he would need to go all out and there might even be several close calls, he should be able to make it to the top unbeaten, though there he would likely be defeated by one of the rank-one candidates.

The Void Step technique greatly enhanced an already strong Martial Apprentice. Rui did not think he would have an easy fight even if countered it.