The Martial Unity

Chapter 2741: A Shocking Revelation

Up until that very moment, Rui had a hard time putting in words why he hated the Virodhabhasa Faith.

He disliked religion.

He disliked theism.

But that wasnʼt it. Genism had elements of theism and was considered a religion as well as a philosophy. Yet, he experienced harbored no negative emotion against it. He even really liked it and enjoyed its Martial aspects.

The Solaris Faith was also a religion, and while Rui didnʼt like ethnoracial supremacistic religion, he didnʼt harbor any particularly negative emotion towards it. The Nest of Terra also had a light, non-dogmatic religion centered around Gaia, but he had no qualms about it either.

Yet, there was something about the Virodhabhasa Faith that made him irrationally angry. If he was being completely honest, his hatred for the religion exceeded what it had done to him. The Virodhabhasa Theocracy, as a whole, had treated him quite well in both times.

The first time he had come for the contest, he had received good hospitality and help from someone like Master Deivon and others.

He had also received a fine banquet to celebrate his victory.

Really, his hostility should have been directed toward Master Uma alone and not to the Virodhabhasa Theocracy or Faith as a whole.

And yet, he found himself cursing the entire religion and state out with an irrational amount of anger and hatred.

And only now had he truly understood why.

He was extremely sensitive and protective over his fragile identity.

He was afraid that the religion and the nation would take away his already shattered sense of identity and replace it with whatever they thought of in the Antithesis. He feared this possibility because he understood how much he resembled Lord Virodhabhasa.

To raise or raze Martial Paths.

A being from an otherworld.

A being with otherworldly knowledge and power.

He fit the description almost perfectly in too many ways.

That was why, especially after he broke through to the Master Realm and received the Divine Doctorʼs revelations, he feared that others would see the resemblance and attempt to hijack his identity, something he was extremely sensitive about, and make him the Virodhabhasa against his will through unsavory means.

This insecurity and paranoia were at the very epicenter of his hatred for the Virodhabhasa Faith, and only now had he fully understood that. The realization helped him understand himself better.

It helped him understand why he acted and felt the way he did.

It helped him take one more step towards the Sage Realm.

The Martial Transcendent simply waited with a patient smile as Rui grew immersed in his discovery of self. He didnʼt respond immediately to Ruiʼs hostile words and tone; instead, he let Rui drive the conversation however he pleased.

Rui opened his eyes, returning his sharp gaze to the Transcendent.

The realization of self helped him and did not abate his anger at being actually declared as the Antithesis, beyond merely a trick or a hint of deceit.

He stared at the Martial Transcendent, waiting for a response an explanation.

”Well…” Transcendent Raizel began. ”Your words are partially true, regarding the prophecy.”

Ruiʼs eyes widened. ”What do you mean?”

The Martial Transcendent smiled.

”I made it all up.”

”…!!!”

Ruiʼs body rocked with raw, unadulterated shock as he shook where he stood.

His expression grew aghast while his jaw dropped.

”…Made it all up?”

The Martial Transcendent stroked his beard thoughtfully. ”Or rather, I made most of it up.”

Rui simply stared at him, frozen.

”At least the part about Antithesis, that part is pure fiction. Hohoho…” the Martial Transcendent chuckled lightly.

He chuckled as though he didnʼt just utter the most shocking and world-shattering revelation that Rui would wreak havoc across human civilization if it ever got out.

He simply stared at the Martial Transcendent with a bewildered and dumbfounded expression.

”Well, let me explain.”

It took herculean effort and self-control to maintain his composure at this shocking revelation.

The Virodhabhasa Gospels documented the entirety of the Transcendent Prophecy and divine revelations that the Martial Transcendent had gained upon entry to the Transcendent Realm.

These gospels were at the very epicenter of the Virodhabhasa Faith, which was at the very epicenter of the Virodhabhasa Theocracy.

The Virodhabhasa Theocracy was one of fourteen Sage-level powerhouses and wielded a tremendous amount of influence over human civilization. In other words, the Transcendent Prophetʼs prophetic revelation was a pillar of much of human civilization at the moment and had shaped history.

And the Transcendent had very lightly admitted that he made it all up as though he was recounting a small prank.

Rui stared at him with a horrified expression. The Martial Transcendent, however, was entirely unfazed by Ruiʼs piercing gaze.

”Do you know what the first emotion I experienced when I broke through to the Transcendent Realm was?”

Ruiʼs eyes narrowed as he recalled the Devilʼs recounting of the Transcendent Arthurʼs breakthrough to the Transcendent Realm.

”Fear.”

The Martial Transcendent nodded appreciatively. ”Correct. I felt more fear than I had ever felt in my entire life. In fact, even at this moment…”

His hand found itself placed on his heart as he closed his eyes.

Chills crawled across Ruiʼs skin as he experienced bone-chilling terror and blood-curdling horror from the depths of his being.

”You have experienced fear continuously for the past hundred and fifty years…?” A horrified whisper escaped Rui.

He gazed at Rui with a hint of melancholy. ”Correct.”

He heaved a deep breath. ”It is similar to what you experienced when you reached my shrine. Why is it that you feel fear in my presence when the citizens of the Virodhabhasa Theocracy are entirely unfazed by my presence?”

Ruiʼs eyes widened with shock.

”…Because they are too weak to even begin fathoming your presence to fear it in the first place.”

He nodded encouragingly.

”Something similar is happening…” his eyes narrowed. ”A source of fear so profound and unfathomable that one can only experience that fear when one enters the Transcendent Realm.”

His attention returned to Rui.

”That is what I experienced when I entered the Transcendent Realm.”

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