Cloudia

"Grrr..." The man understood Rui's ploy. "You paused the story at the most intense and suspenseful moment, knowing that I would have no choice but to accept this deal. Hmph!"

Rui shrugged with a smirk.

"Alright then, young man, I accept you as a pupil," The man snorted. "Now continue immediately."

Rui smiled. "After that, I had a tough choice to make. Either submit to the Martial Union and essentially forsake my agency until I became a Martial Senior because of their grasp over my family, or use all my wealth to buy a decade of Senior-level protection from them. Guess which one I chose?"

"Hm, a prudent decision," The man remarked thoughtfully. "You wouldn't be the youngest Martial Senior if not for that. Martial Squires must fight for their own drives to reach the Martial Heart. But how did you escape Chairman Deacon?"