The Martial Unity

The Blood Goddess’ eyes widened at Amare’s response. “Don’t you feel violated? With the fact that someone tampered with your mind as a child?”

Amare fell into thought as she pondered the question. “…I don’t want to feel about the fact that the Psycher sealed another person’s memories in me. I think… I think I will need to understand why he did what he did to gain clarity on how I feel about it. But regardless of why he did it and how I feel about it, I am grateful to him for placing me in front of the Gen Temple.”

She closed her eyes as she thought back to the wonderful life she had lived in the Gen Temple.

“I would not be who I am and would not have come to love the people I love if not for him. So, If I do meet him, I will thank him for what he did before I ask him why he did it,” Amare smiled. “I will forgive him for everything.”

The Blood Goddess’ expression grew even more stunned as she listened to her unbelievable.

“…How do you do that?” her voice shook with emotion. “How do you forgive? So easily? When I think of that bastard Vrukshus…”

Her eyes flared with rage and hatred. “I want to choke the life out of him.”

Amare’s expression grew pained as she pulled her new friend in for a warm embrace.

“You don’t forgive for others. You forgive yourself.”

The Blood Goddess’s expression grew complicated. “Easier said than done.”

“If you ask me, you should grow stronger so that you can actually choke the life out of him.”

The women grew startled as Rui’s voice reached them.

He stood at the door of their quarters, inspecting the quarters that the Blood Cult had assigned to them. “Luxury quarters, I’m glad you were treated well.”

Amare’s eyes lit up. “Rui! You’re back!”

“Yep.” He nodded. “Let’s get out of here. I’m so done with the Blood Cult.”

He turned to the Blood Goddess with a neutral gaze. “Half your eggs belong to me and the Kandrian Empire, so you’re technically not yet a free woman officially. But you will effectively be one. I can’t send you off to the Kandrian Empire by yourself. It’s too dangerous and not worth the risk. I would rather not burden the Sages who are preparing to take on the quasi-Transcendents with a trivial escort mission. So you can remain here until I’m done with my journey, or you can join us.”

The Blood Goddess didn’t want to remain in this place for even a single minute longer than necessary.

“I will join you,” the Blood Goddess eagerly replied. “And…”

She got up from the cot in their quarters and walked up to him. “I am deeply sorry for what I tried to do to you. Please forgive me,” her tone was sincere. “Thank you for setting me free. I am eternally indebted to you.”

The air grew serious.

“I told you, I only did it because of Amare,” Rui replied apathetically. “As for your apology…”

He shrugged.

“I dunno. I’ll think about it. I think it’s easy to apologize after your attempt was foiled, but I don’t think you would have apologized had you actually succeeded.”

“Rui!” Amare chastised him.

He snorted at her reaction. “Don’t be naive, Amare. The only reason she’s like this is because you defeated her. She would have killed you painfully in cold blood if you hadn’t defeated her.”

Amare remained silent at his words with a sorrowful expression.

“He’s right.” the Blood Goddess’s eyes grew melancholic. “I would not have apologized for killing you or bearing your child against your will.”

Rui raised an eyebrow. He didn’t expect her to admit it.

“Talk is cheap,” Rui remarked. “Actions speak louder than words. I will decide based on the former. Besides…”

He turned around, heading out. “It’s not like you need my forgiveness either. The deal will go through regardless.”

“Even then,” the Blood Goddess insisted. “I would rather not be unforgiven by the person that I am indebted to.”

Rui shrugged. “For now, let’s get the hell out of here, you two. We have Sage-level powerhouses to visit.”

Amare’s expression lit up again. “Which one are we visiting next?”

Before Rui could even reply, a fourth person cleared his throat.

The three of them turned to find the Blood Lord staring at Rui with a pointed gaze.

“I believe you have yet to fulfill your end of the deal.”

Rui’s expression grew wry. “Oh right, amid all this drama, I completely forgot why I even came here in the first place.”

He had completely forgotten about the Hellbringer embedding and breakthroughs.

He heaved a sigh. “Alright, round em all up, let’s get this over with as soon as possible.”

“I already have rounded all Martial Artists except those who are participating in the defense line against the beast tides,” the Blood Lord remarked. “I will have you stay behind to get the remaining after their shift is over.”

Rui heaved an even more exasperated sigh. “Fine. Fine.”

Later on, in a large field with Martial Artists of both the Lower and Upper Realms, Rui began conducting his breakthroughs. While Amare had already seen it countless times to be moved by the sight of it anymore, those that were witnessing it for the first time.

“T-This…!” the Blood Goddess’ eyes widened with shock as Martial Artists began breaking through like popcorn. “How is such a miracle possible?!”

Not a single person in the crowd could maintain their composure as a surge of Martial Artists broke through amid them.

In just a blink of an eye, the Martial power, besides the Sages, had increased significantly as Martial Artists of all Realms, barring the Squire Realm, grew more numerous. The probability of the Blood Cult surviving without their Sages had just grown to a much greater degree than before.

“And now…” Rui began embedding the Hellbringer model into their minds. And thus, within a day, he had imparted priceless gifts to the Martial Artists of the Blood Cult, finally completing his objective in the Blood Cult.

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