The transition from the wild, rugged terrain of Sekigahara to the northern reaches of the Kandrian Empire was like crossing a threshold between two different eras.
As Merun and Iro descended, the clouds parted to reveal a landscape that hummed with a different kind of intensity—one driven by commerce and stone rather than just martial might and nature.
Following Iro's plan, they touched down several kilometers from the border. Merun practiced his ki suppression, pulling his power inward until it was a mere ember.
To any passing martial artist, he looked like nothing more than a sturdy, well-built peasant boy.
With his tail wrapped tightly around his waist and hidden beneath his rough tunic, they began the scenic walk toward the Town of Hajin.
———
As they approached the town center, the silence of the outskirts vanished, replaced by a dense, bustling energy. The primitive dirt paths transitioned into well-developed cobblestone streets, and the infrastructure grew increasingly sophisticated.
"Welcome to the classroom," Iro remarked, gesturing to the streets.
She waved down a rickshaw puller, tossing him a single bronze coin. As they climbed in and began moving through the market at a brisk pace, Iro leaned closer to Merun, her voice a low murmur.
"Look at him, Merun. To a martial artist, this man is nothing but background noise. Remember what I said before? In our world, he is a sensor. He crisscrosses every district, hearing the gossip of merchants and the secrets of the wealthy who think he is too 'low' to matter. He sees who visits which house, who is running low on funds, and who is carrying a concealed weapon."
The rickshaw wove past the massive fortress walls of the Martial Academy, a bastion of knowledge that loomed over the city. Iro didn't stop there; she directed the puller toward the heart of the commercial district, eventually coming to a halt before a lavish corporate complex. A sign of polished brass hung over the gate:
[Lambargeau Xavier Legal Services]
"A law firm?" Merun raised an eyebrow, his eyes scanning the extravagant gardens and marble fountains.
"This is how we operate in plain sight," Iro explained as they were ushered inside by a clerk who offered a reverential bow. "We don't need secret bases when we can simply inhabit the workforce of existing organizations. The clerks, the cleaners, the guards—they are all ours. This firm handles the contracts of the elite, which means we handle their secrets."
She led him to a private seating area shielded by anti-sensory technology—a common luxury in high-end Kandrian firms that drew no suspicion.
"By joining us, you gain the 'Eyes and Ears' of billions," Iro said, her tone growing solemn. Merun was pretty sure the Beggar Sage also said that.
"You won't just be a puppet; you'll be the one who knows exactly where to strike to maintain the global equilibrium." She added.
Merun leaned back, finally understanding the "Joe-Schmoe" philosophy the Sage embodied. The Sect wasn't just a collection of the poor; it was the hidden nervous system of the world.
"So joining you isn't about becoming a beggar," Merun murmured, a smirk finally cracking his face. "It's about becoming omniscient."
Iro smiled back, a genuine luster in her eyes. "Now you're getting it. Welcome to the invisible world, Merun Furutsu."
Merun was about to banter back when he suddenly froze.
His breath hitched, and he came to a complete, rigid halt. His eyes—normally sharp and cynical—widened into saucers. The fur on his tail, hidden beneath his robes, rose like goosebumps.
"Merun?" Iro asked, stopping and looking back at him. "What's wrong?"
Merun didn't answer. He couldn't. Although there were dozens upon dozens of rickshaws flowing outside, his gaze was locked on a particular rickshaw weaving through the morning traffic toward the distant, fortress-like walls of the Martial Academy.
On the rickshaw sat two figures.
One was a young man, perhaps sixteen or seventeen, with a calm, intelligent face. But it was the boy sitting next to him that made Merun's heart hammer against his ribs. He had pitch-black hair and eyes that seemed to greedily absorb the light around them.
It was him.
Rui Quarrier.
They were talking, the younger boy looking focused, his small frame taut with a type of determination that didn't belong to a kid his age.
They were on their way to the 106th annual entrance exam.
The older boy must be Julian Quarrier.
...Right now, Rui is thirteen. He's older than me.
Merun's hand instinctively reached for the scouter at his temple, clicking the sensor with a trembling finger. The lens flickered, a green grid scanning the boy on the rickshaw.
[?: 5 - NON-MARTIAL]
He was unnamed in the scouter, meaning the Beggar Sect hadn't taken note of him yet.
Merun let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. He was looking at him. The protagonist of the Martial Unity novel.
The Voidbringer.
The Voider.
The Dawnbringer.
The Antithesis.
Right now, that legendary figure was just a kid on a rickshaw, clutching a pouch of essentials and a student ID. Merun was witnessing the first chapters of the protagonist's journey in the Martial World.
"Merun? You're spacing out," Iro said, her voice tinged with suspicion. "Who are you looking at?"
Merun forced his features to relax. He turned away from the window, his mind racing to process the timeline. "Just... noticed that kid's hair," he lied smoothly, gesturing vaguely toward the retreating rickshaw. "Rare to see someone else with pitch-black hair and eyes around here. I thought I might have found a long-lost cousin or something."
Iro squinted at him, her eyes searching his face for a tell. Eventually, she shrugged. "Black hair isn't that rare in the northern provinces, though yours is certainly... darker. Don't get distracted. We have a meeting with the district head."
As the rickshaw carrying the future monster turned the corner and vanished, Merun smirked to himself, his black eyes glinting with a new kind of hunger.
"Just some kids on their way to the Academy," Merun murmured, falling back into step with Iro. "Let's keep going. I want to see how this 'invisible substrate' of yours handles a real city."
The story had officially begun.