The Martial Unity

"...Skinwalkers?" Rui stared at her with a stunned expression.

"Yes," she replied. "They transform into beasts by changing themselves. This is the path created from the inadvertent hybrid fusion of Path of Adaptive Evolution and the Beast Path. While they do not have as strong an affinity for the Beast Path as their therianthrope ancestors do, they will likely be more compatible with you."

Rui fell into thought as he struggled to wrap his mind around the concept of a skinwalker human species descended from the evolutionaries and the therianthropes gaining the ability to adaptively evolve. It was certainly more optimistic that he would be able to get what he wanted from this hybrid species.

"The skinwalkers have successfully assimilated the two paths they inherited into a cohesive singular path, and this is the marker of success for a hybrid species," she informed. "You might be under the impression that hybrids naturally get a fused hybrid path. However, in reality, they need to forge their own hybrid path by harnessing the two paths they genetically inherit."

She directed a pointed gaze at Rui.

"That is why, despite so many hybrid paths in existence, we still insist that there are only six paths of power. Every other path is an emergent path formed by the fusion or harmony of two or more pureblood paths in existence. Of course, with the Martial Path of the Panama Continent, there are now seven, I suppose," she remarked. "Coming back to the point, the skinwalkers are an example of a successful hybrid species. They are powerful in their own right and are just strong enough to have survived the Evolutionary Army with the help of allies around the world. They fit what you are looking for and are likely to be of help to you."

"...I will definitely consider visiting them," Rui replied with an eager tone. "Are hybrid paths as strong as their parent paths?"

This was certainly a pertinent question for the strongest of invaders that they had dealt with had all been of the pureblood species, and while they had run into some hybrids, they weren’t of the same caliber as the evolutionaries, the tekvores, or the therianthropes.

"...It’s not that simple, but on average, the hybrids tend to be weaker," she replied with a thoughtful tone. "However, that is because they haven’t had as much time to explore and develop their path as we of the pureblood paths have. Despite that, there are some hybrid species and paths that have proven to be quite powerful. You will not have run into them because they typically do not occupy the maritime sweetspot of each of their continents by any means."

"By maritime sweet spot, you mean the parts of the continent closest to the Panama Continent?" Rui raised an eyebrow. "After all, all the continents of the true world are mostly on one side of the continent."

She nodded. "That is correct. Hence, seafaring and maritime trade are most concentrated in the continental side of Gaia due to the shorter distance. Which means that the best parts of the continent for maritime trading are the inner coastline of the continents that face each other. The six pureblood species rose to power much earlier than our hybrid descendants, and we have largely monopolized the inner coastlines for this very reason. That is why the most powerful polities you have faced in your invasion from the six continents have been the pureblood species. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t other powerful nations, just that they are on the other side of the six continents and cannot easily access the Panama Continent."

"...That makes sense," Rui realized. "The gaps between the continents are small, making it so that those who occupy the inner coasts of the continent facing the Panama Continent will be able to prevent those on the other side of the continent from reaching us, which means..."