"Sir, are you perhaps overestimating how bad an all-out large-scale conflict would be?" Zeyra couldn't help but ask. "After all, there are several other advantages we have asides from just higher-quality Martial Artists. We also possess a massive advantage in covert operations like intelligence gathering, sabotage, infiltration, destabilization, and assassination. We also possess an advantage in tactical and strategic asymmetric warfare. These are all considerable advantages that would no doubt, in conjugation with higher quality Martial Artists, grant us an advantage against any Martial tribe. Wouldn't we be impressing the G'ak'arkan Tribe more if we go all-out and defeat a Martial tribe?"
"You're not wrong, but your analysis is too shallow," Rui shook his head. "Yes, it is true that we possess advantages in the field of covert operations and intelligence, we also possess a more sophisticated approach to war. Not to mention, we even have better technological aid in the form of potions. But, have you forgotten why we are trying to execute this war operation? Hm?"
Rui looked around. "We want to demonstrate the prowess and utility of our Martial Art techniques, not everything else except that. What message does it send when we win a war through all of the aforementioned advantages and not the prowess of our Martial Art?"
Realization dawned on the team as their heads tilted downwards in thought.
"It overshadows what we are offering to them, the one thing that they have responded to positively," Rui sighed. "We cannot allow the only thing of ours that they have shown interest in to be overshadowed and trivialized to a certain extent. That's self-sabotage."
"Furthermore, an all-out war will still lead to too many casualties and too much expenditure. It would cross our bottom line and this whole diplomatic mission can be kissed goodbye," Rui explained patiently. "We need to ensure that this remains a scuffle, but scuffles that we overwhelmingly dominate and dazzle the G'ak'arkan Tribe scouts that will no doubt be paying close attention to us. Martial Apprentices mostly, Martial Squire conflicts too, and to top it off maybe one exchange between Senior Ceeran and a native Martial Senior."
His reasoning was solid, leaving the diplomatic team speechless. For a second, they had forgotten that Rui was not a career diplomat and was actually a Martial Squire. For several seconds, it was difficult to reconcile that fact with the image that they had inadvertently built in their head.
Squire Rui Quarrier. Shrewd and Sharp. Intelligent and rational. Knowledgeable and wise.
"Now," Rui interrupted their brief reverie. "Let's get to work. Break into teams and look into every Martial tribe and evaluate how well they satisfy these conditions."
"First," Rui raised a single finger. "As we just discussed, the Martial tribe needs to be preoccupied with existing opponents, or, otherwise preoccupied with its Martial forces."
The entire team nodded.
"Second," Rui raised another finger. "Their compatibility with long-range techniques must not be high. We aren't going to be able to show off much if our techniques aren't intrinsically effective against their Martial Art. Winning better is always going to make a better impression than losing better. Still, none of you are experts on Martial Art, so I will mostly evaluate this parameter by myself. Still, I want you to be aware of this condition nonetheless."
"Three, there needs to be an avenue or interest of theirs that we can clash with. Something justifiable," Rui raised a third finger. "Remember, we are not going to trigger hostilities to break out, we are going to provoke them to break hostilities with us. Which means we need an effective and guaranteed way to provoke them. The simplest way that comes to mind is infringing on home territory, however, that will most likely be interpreted as an act of war. Perhaps something more benign like infringing on hunting territory or airspace. Whatever works."
Rui listed out some more minor conditions before finally being done. "Alright, let's get started."
While the assistants immediately got up and ran around, picking and scouring through the documents that detailed the relevant information that they needed. Rui simply sat down on a chair and drummed his fingers on the table, absorbed in his thoughts as his eyes flickered around.
Unlike his team, he didn't need to reach for the physical documents, he only needed to enter his Mind Palace and access all the documents that he stored there.
The Mind Palace technique had proven to be invaluable to him during this mission. It could be said that because Rui was able to speed through information like a breeze thanks to it, the entire schedule and pace of the mission had increased a lot. The long and extensive process of familiarizing himself with the G'ak'arkan Tribe was finished in a matter of hours and days, after all.
What was going to be a long-term mission from the Marital Union became a much more mid-term almost solely due to this fiendish cognition.
"Sir, the X'erhnu Tribe might fit the bill," One group of assistants reached out to him after a few hours.
"No, they're not fit," Rui shook his head. "They are indeed in hostilities with two martial tribes, but the level and scale of the conflicts is too low and doesn't seem to be escalating any time soon."
All of them did a double-take at that. It had appeared as though Rui was simply daydreaming away, but now they weren't even sure what to say.
"Sir, the Q'ueta Tribe might be a good target,"
"Their Martial Art techniques give them remarkable maneuvering, allowing them to penetrate past offense and defense. They are a poor match for our techniques when you pair that with the environmental familiarity and expertise that they have, having lived on this island their entire lives. It's all they know and you do not want to challenge them on that part, trust me," Rui shut down the suggestion of yet another team.
Hours flew by as Rui vetted all of the work of his team.
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