Rui stared at the three Martial Masters with apprehension.
There was the fact that he knew the three of them had confronted Master Deivon about Rui.
And one of them apparently even believed that he was the Virodhabhasa.
He didn't even need to ask which one of them it was.
One look into Master Uma's eyes, and he could literally see the feverous devotion oozing out of them.
She gazed at him like he was destined to be the deity of her worship.
He should have felt flattered.
Honored that such a being worshipped him.
Yet he didn't feel anything other than terror.
'When she sees me, she doesn't see me, Rui Quarrier.' His eyes narrowed. 'She only sees the Virodhabhasa. I am a vessel of the divine or something, not a sovereign individual.'
"Congratulations Champion Falken," Master Greminga smiled.
"You have exceeded every expectation I had of you when I first met you," Master Carian laughed good-heartedly.
Thankfully, Rui detected their composure and calmness. It appeared that they were still not deep down in the rabbit hole. He didn't want to stick around to indulge them.
"Thank you, Masters," Rui bowed. "I appreciate your kind words, as well as the fact that you're taking time out of your day to speak to me. However, I am exhausted, and I wish to rest before what is surely going to be a tiring banquet."
Master Carian and Greminga nodded goodheartedly.
Yet Master Uma simply stared at him, before opening her mouth.
"Accept your destiny."
The air grew ominous once more as the three Martial Masters stiffened at her blatant disregard for polities.
"I'm sorry?" Rui stared at her as his apprehension escalated.
"You cannot hide forever," Her tone, while still reverent, became sharper. "You are a Godling. Destined to become the Antithesis in His full glory. You cannot hide your shine with a Master-level mask for much longer."
"What?"
"Master Deivon cannot protect you forever either." She spoke with sincerity and earnestness despite the edge of her words. "Rather than running away from the inevitable, accept it. Allow me to guide you. I will help shape Your Godship to the best of my ability, and mold you in the image of the Antithesis that the Transcendent Prophet spoke of. Surrender yourself to me, and I will help you realize your destiny."
"Enough." Master Deivon gritted his teeth.
"Do not interrupt me." She didn't even bother looking at him. "I am speaking to him. You are not his sovereign, you cannot speak in his place."
Master Deivon stiffened at those words.
He did not want Rui to get the impression that he was trying to control him by speaking in his place. He had taken great caution and care while interacting with Rui to not alarm the young man that he was out to turn him into a pawn.
He simply turned towards Rui with a cautioning glance.
Rui turned back towards Master Uma with furrowed eyebrows.
"I cannot accept your offer. I am not the object of your worship. I am no object at all. I am my own person with my own goals and ambitions disconnected from this religion. I cannot heed your words," Rui spoke with a determined tone.
"If you do not accept your destiny, then it will force you to. We will force you to. When we discover you naturally once more." Her tone was uncharacteristically soft. She was sincere in every word she uttered. "You cannot live a life of normality, you must not. You are destined for greatness. I implore you. For your own sake, for the sake of the world. Forfeit the life you have forged, the life that you will forge, and dedicate yourself to your destiny as the greatest Martial deity."
"Your words go too far!" Master Deivon snarled.
'She's insane. She reveres me as the sapling destined to become the Antithesis. She is willing to burn away my life if that is what it takes. I bet she wouldn't mind slaughtering my entire family if that is what it took.' Rui realized.
Rui realized that she was a bigger threat to him than even Chairman Deacon. At least Chairman Deacon had political constraints that prevented him from going too far. He hated Rui, but he was sane about the way he went about exacting his revenge.
Master Uma, on the other hand, did not have such considerations.
'If we were alone... She would kidnap me without any hesitation. I am an object in her eyes. A gemstone in the rough that needs to be polished toperfection.' A chill went down his spine as he narrowed his eyes.
Master Deivon and perhaps the other two Martial Masters were the only reason she had yet to make a move.
"Your Holyship... Please consider my words deeply." She said with a lingering hint of mindless devotion, before disappearing the next moment.
'Oh hell no.' Rui shook his head. 'This is why I dislikereligion.'
The sheer amount of irrationality that she spouted made his stomach churn. The Virodhabhasa Faith had already begun morphing into a threat in his eyes. He highly doubted that Master Uma was the only religious zealot who was also a Martial Master.
'I need to get the hell out of here.' Rui realized. 'I need to get stronger. Way stronger. My current level of power isn't enough. Not even being a baseline Martial Senior is enough.'
He clenched his fist.
"Champion Falken, please do not fret." Master Carian tried to quell his growing anxiety.
"We will personally ensure that Master Uma does not engage in anything untoward during your time in the Virodha Theocracy. I swear this on my honor as a Martial Master and as a bishop of the Virodha Theocracy." Master Greminga concurred.
Rui glanced at the two of them warily.
He didn't trust them.
But, it was better than nothing.
Truthfully, he wanted to leave right here and now. He wanted to run for his life. Far away from the Virodha Theocracy.
Yet he did not want to earn the ire of the religious state by shirking the entire nation during one of its most important banquets, in front of all its important guests. That could not be interpreted as anything other than an insult.
He might even get into more trouble doing that than he would by being the so-called Virodhabhasa.
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