Refusal

"If the Senior Realm was that easy to break through to, I wouldn't have to go through this." Kane sighed. 

Yet his eyes were filled with determination. 

Rui understood his sentiment, though. The breakthrough condition for the Senior Realm was harsh. One needed to be subjected to a challenge that threatened the object of the desire behind one's Martial drive. In Kane's case, that meant his freedom from his family needed to be challenged and threatened.

On top of that, the challenge also needed to exceed what Kane could handle with his existing power. Meaning he needed to be apprehended by multiple powerful Martial Squires or a grade-ten Martial Squire even higher than him, but not too much higher. Just higher enough to push him past his limits and activate the Martial Heart.