It was more important to take a not entirely probable success versus a relatively certain failure.
"What did you say?" The man stepped forward.
The air changed as his expression crumpled in rage. His aura became more aggressive and savage.
"I respect you. I'm asking for you to respect my power," Rui replied. "Are you a warrior who cannot sense the truth?"
Rui waved around. "Because the truth is clear to everyone except you. Any warrior can see this is as plain as day."
The man followed the gesture as he looked around.
Their expressions were clear.
According to Rui's senses, he probably was a grade-six Martial Artist at most. His own projected power was leagues superior. The man-made eye-contact with his fellow tribesmen as his expression turned sour.
"We come in peace," Rui replied. "We respect your strength,"
He paused, before turning to all of them. "We respect all of your power. That is why they sent someone as powerful as me."
He gestured to himself. "We came to the G'ak'arkan Tribe because its proud and powerful warriors are the most powerful warriors of the entire island."
Had he been conversing with a trained diplomat, or even a normal Martial Artist of modern society, none of them would have fallen for flattery that shamelessly obvious.
Unfortunately for them, both Rui and Carl came to the agreement that even the age-old classics of communication and manipulation tactics would be utterly useless against people extremely aware of such tactics.
The same could not be said for the warriors of the G'ak'arkan Tribe with no culture of refined communication, no education in the field, and almost no experience in negotiating with genuine outsiders.
Of course, they weren't too stupid, but Rui's words had clearly spoken to all of them and had tickled their pride in the process. Still, that didn't make them chummy with the outsiders, however, their hostility had reduced.
"We want to talk to the G'ak'arkan Tribe because it is the most powerful Martial Tribe on Vilun Island," Rui nodded, before pausing. "But, just as we have given you the respect that all of you mighty warriors deserve, we deserve the respect of speaking with an equal, or superior."
This time, the old man was a lot more pliable.
('Don't fight the pride, harness it,) Rui smiled inwardly.
Just as he opened his mouth to respond, things changes rapidly.
A mightily powerful presence exerted itself on every sentient being. If not for the two Martial Squire bodyguards that gave them mental protection with their own auras, they would have very well fainted.
"My lord," All of the Martial Squires bowed deeply in the presence of the newly arrived figure.
The atmosphere that had previously warmed up a bit quickly crawled to a freezing halt as the gears ground and jammed.
The unadulterated might of a Martial Senior washed onto his body. Rui smiled unchangingly as he bore the mental pressure that the man unscrupulously had thrown all over him.
Rui felt more pressure put on him than he ever did before.
('Martial Senior,')
This was the first time that he had seen the mental force of the Martial Senior laid and bared out in the open.
Neither Colonel Geringan nor Senior Ceeran had demonstrated their own prowess to him in their talks. Rui never bothered asking, but he was quite curious regardless.
Suddenly, the pressure disappeared.
"He's right," The man lightly nodded, with a hint of respect. "He is stronger than all of you, and we will not leave him with someone not fit. No one in the second rank is fit to take him on."
The comment hurt, and Rui could feel that the older Martial Squire did not appreciate it.
Still, it did not matter.
The Martial Senior had already overridden his authority and control with the discussion with the diplomatic team of outsiders that had approached their Martial Tribe.
('The first objective, achieved,') Rui smiled inwardly.
The first objective in the initiation of contact with the G'ak'arkan Tribe was to enter diplomatic talks with one of the three Martial Seniors of the G'ak'arkan Tribe. The Martial Squires were pawns or, at best, slightly more valuable pieces.
Rui hadn't expected it to this be easy to obtain what he wanted, the Martial Seniors were the only ones who had the influence and power to make a decision such as trading the Martial techniques of the Marital Union.
('I pressed the right buttons and it happened.') Rui nodded.
"But, you are guests," The man straightforwardly informed Rui. "Take some rest. We will talk later."
"Thank you, we have traveled very far, thus we are tired,"
Rui didn't need the rest, but he needed to build a friendlier relationship with the G'ak'arkan Tribe. Declining an invite for hospitality would be an especially bad choice considering it was not necessary.
The Martial Squires reluctantly escorted all of them closer toward the G'ak'arkan Tribe settlement.
Soon enough, they arrived at the village of the G'ak'arkan Tribe.
Rui kept his eyes wide open, not wanting to miss a single detail. Unfortunately, he wasn't allowed to join the village, he was given a small hut at the corner of the small mini-village.
('The intelligence did not paint the most accurate picture of their nomadic lifestyle, or their lack thereof.') Rui noted.
Of course, not every piece of intelligence was one of high confidence, the Martial Union probably had the highest rate of credibility, and not everything could be accurate all the time.
('Thankfully, this doesn't change anything of my plan,') Rui noted.
"You two, get back down and back to the case, inform them that I have accepted the hospitality of the G'ak'arkan Tribe.
They needed to engage in all the detail-oriented technical stuff to be approved. While Rui played along with his hosts that had gone out of their way to show him some hospitality. He was willing to do whatever he could as long as it primed the future discussion with the G'ak'arkan Tribe in his favor.
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