The sky was blood-orange when Rishabh opened his eyes.
He wasn't in the Lotus Void anymore.
He was lying atop a marble altar, surrounded by chanting monks, their heads bowed in reverence, golden lotuses tattooed across their faces.
Yue Lin was beside him—still unconscious, wrapped in ceremonial silks.
"Behold the return of the Lotus God," a monk proclaimed. "The prophecy was true!"
Around them stood a crowd of thousands, all kneeling.
At the base of a mountain temple glowing with divine inscriptions stood a towering statue…
Of him.
🏛️ Kingdom of Devata
"What is this place?" Rishabh asked, his voice hoarse.
A child monk approached, eyes filled with devotion. "You are in the Kingdom of Devata, my Lord. The sacred land where the Lotus God fell from heaven… and shall rise again."
"That statue… why does it look like me?"
"Because it is you. The Eternal One. You died ten thousand years ago, sealing the monster of endless hunger. The people have waited for your return."
Rishabh's System pulsed with a hidden notification.
⚠️ ALERT: Fragmented Echo of Host's Original Death Detected.
[Analysis Suggests: Bodhidharma's fatal timeline has been splintered into this world's myth.]
📜 The Divine Deception
As Yue Lin slowly awoke, Rishabh learned the truth:
The Church of the Lotus God was not a faith.
It was a containment system built by ancient cultivators to trap something far worse than demons.
A creature known only as the Hollow Root—a parasite that feeds on belief.
"But if they worship me…" Rishabh muttered, "…then the parasite is feeding on me."
The very people honoring him… were unknowingly empowering the thing that killed Bodhidharma.
💀 Twist: The Children of No System
That night, Yue Lin wandered into the lower sanctums of the temple. There, she heard soft humming… and then saw them:
Children.
Dozens of them. Silent. Shackled.
Eyes glazed. Bodies trembling.
"Systemless," an old priest said behind her. "Born without cultivation. No soul-core. No worth. But as offerings, they shine."
"Offerings…?" Yue Lin whispered, horrified.
"Yes. At the next Lotus Eclipse, they will be given to the God to strengthen his divinity."
She clenched her fists. Her voice ice-cold.
"He is not that kind of god."
⚙️ System Evolution Event: Cultivation Override Protocol
Back with Rishabh, the System 4.0 interface shimmered.
Event Detected: Faith-based Parasite Hijacking Timeline.
New Function Unlocked: Karma Engine – Truth Override Mode.
You may now rewrite myths using pure karma.
But there was a cost: To rewrite the truth, Rishabh would have to absorb the false worship—and risk becoming a true god… or a true monster.
He hesitated.
"You once died for your disciples," the system whispered. "Will you now live… for strangers?"
He looked at the children.
He looked at Yue Lin.
He looked at himself.
"System," he commanded. "Override everything."
🌸 Divine Rebellion
That night, Rishabh stepped onto the temple roof beneath the lotus moon.
His aura flared.
Golden petals bloomed from his feet, ascending into the sky like fireworks.
"People of Devata!" he thundered. "The one you worship is no god. I am no savior. I am just a man… who came to burn the lie."
Shouts of panic. Gasps of disbelief. Priests fainted. Cultists screamed.
"Your faith was stolen. Your truth was twisted. But no more!"
"I will not be your god. I will be your sword."
And then—
Lotus Art: Bloom of Ruin!
The statue shattered, revealing a cocoon of black roots beneath it—writhing, screaming in pain.
"It's alive!" Yue Lin shouted. "The parasite!"
🔥 Final Scene: War at Dawn
As the sun crested the horizon, Hollow Root broke free.
Its form was that of a great serpent made of dead beliefs, screaming with stolen prayers.
The System pinged:
💎 Quest Activated: Erase the Faith Parasite.
Time Limit: 3 Days
Reward: Unlock Fifth Layer of Bodhidharma's True Cultivation Path
Optional Reward: Awaken Devika's Echo
And in that moment, Rishabh no longer needed to pretend to be a god.
He needed to prove what kind of man he was without becoming one.