The Martial Unity
chapter-2187

Rui had already expected this. After all, there was no way he was going to get away with the unauthorized use of a forbidden technique. However, he was glad that she believed his testimony. That established the premise of trust that Rui could exploit at the right time.

That time was yet to come, however.

Sage Kole moved on to the other charges immediately after.

"Now that I have established that you are criminally liable for the unauthorized use of a forbidden technique, judging you on the basis of other crimes becomes a lot simpler," she continued. "The second charge is that of destruction of property."

She paused for a moment, glancing back at Rui. "I don't think a deliberation is even required. The fact of the matter is that your dangerous fusion of two techniques was the cause of the destruction of the sparring battlefield that you were assigned to. The evidence is, of course, overwhelming. Do you deny this?"

"No, Your Sagehood," Rui promptly replied.

There was no point in offering even the slightest bit of resistance on this particular matter.

"Then, I judge you guilty of the crime of destruction of property," she remarked with a mild hint of appreciation. "Onto the next charge—the deaths of several human employees of the Panamic Martial Federation. Do you deny that you are responsible for that?"

"No, Your Sagehood." Rui shook his head. "However, it certainly was not my intention as I have already established. Had I known that such an unfathomable outcome would unfold from my fusion of techniques, I would not have done it."

"Indeed, in that case, you are devoid of malice for these particular charges," she stated with a composed tone. "However, can the same be said for your last charge?"

Rui narrowed his eyes. "According to the testimony of the five Martial Masters overseeing the evaluation, there is no doubt that you exhibited hostility, bloodlust, and aggression in your battle against Master Uma." Sage Kole Kellin peered right into Rui's eyes. "In other words, you are being charged with the murder of Master Uma. Your most serious charge of the five. So tell me, Master Rui, did you intentionally kill Master Uma?"

Rui closed his eyes.

"Yes."

Sage Kole stared at him for a moment. "That is rather honest of you. But why? Why did you seek to kill a random combat evaluator assigned to you in a sparring match? Do you have contempt for the Panamic Martial Federation? Was this an act of defiance?"

"No, Your Sagehood." Rui heaved a sigh, shaking his head. "It was not an act of defiance or contempt towards the Panamic Martial Federation."

"Then, did you truly grow furious at your inability to overcome her due to your ego, as is speculated by our investigation department?" Sage Kole continued probing him for the truth. "You don't strike me as a man with a large ego, Master Rui. So tell me, what is the truth? Why did you intentionally kill Master Uma?"

Rui winced, eventually relenting before narrating the truth.

"I knew her…"

Sage Kole simply stared at him.

"…from eighteen years ago," Rui continued. "I killed her out of a grudge and for revenge."

He narrated the story from beginning to end as Sage Kole patiently listened to his testimony.

It was a deeply unpleasant memory.

Not because the actual damage she had inflicted on him was high.

No.

But because she had been the straw on the camel's back.

The period of his life where he had escaped from her while returning to the Floating Ajanta Island was perhaps the worst period of his life. She had made him feel weak. Living in fear of the possibility of her finding him.

Things had taken a turn for the better only after he had broken through to the Senior Realm shortly after his battle with Ieyasu.

"…And then I made the decision to kill her on the spot then and there," Rui concluded.

Sage Kole stared at him for several moments, trying to evaluate how sincere he was about the story that he had just narrated.

It was not easy to believe.

However, considering that she did not dismiss him as a liar meant that she detected that he was telling the truth.

"So you insist that you killed her because of a grudge, revenge, and because she was a threat to you due to alleged religious fanaticism?" Sage Kole considered his words. "Unfortunately, even if all of this was granted to be true, it still does not change the gravity of your crime in the eyes of the law of the Panamic Martial Federation."

"I am aware, Your Sagehood."

Her gaze returned to Rui. "…and yet you still killed her despite knowing of the consequences of doing so?"

"Yes, Your Sagehood." Rui smiled bitterly. "I learned more about myself in that endeavor."

Sage Kole understood what he meant.

Yet, she shook her head. "I'm afraid that is not an excuse. Tell me, was the whole purpose of your visit to the Panamic Martial Federation because of your alleged grudge against Master Uma?"

"No, Your Sagehood," Rui replied with greater certainty. That was not the true purpose of my visit to the Panamic Martial Federation. Neither were the Panamic Martial Federation's resources nor its connections across the entirety of the Panama Continent. None of them were the true reason for my visit that led to all of this happening."

"…And what was the true purpose of your visit, then?" she asked, gazing at him with eyes of intrigue. "Surely it has something to do with the case. Otherwise, you wouldn't have brought it up."

He had been waiting for this moment, carefully manipulating her and the conversation until this point so that she would find herself asking him exactly what he wanted her to.

It needed to come from her.

If he had told her the reason for the visit without her prompt, she would have been less inclined to accept it.

Rui smiled. "The true purpose of my visit is you, Sage Kole."