Chapter 9 - Part 7: A God's Doubt

The arena was still as Buddha, though battered and wounded, looked into Poseidon's piercing gaze. Blood dripped steadily from his wounds, each drop echoing in the silence. His eyes held a quiet determination as he drew in a steadying breath, ready to respond to Poseidon's calculated critique of humanity, no to everything he stands for.From her position, Brunhilde's eyes narrowed, her hands clenched tight enough to draw blood. Four human champions had already fallen—Lu Bu, torn apart by Thor's might; Adam, burning out his eyes and body against Zeus; and Raiden, whose valiant struggle against Shiva had ended in ash, and Sasaki, who died even before he knew. Not a single victory for humanity."Humanity may be flawed, but their imperfections are what makes them so special," Buddha began, his voice calm but resolute. The staff in his hand pulsed with a gentle light, responding to his conviction. "Humans endure suffering and still manage to find beauty in life, in each other, in their struggle to become better. They push forward, even when the odds are impossible."In the human section, the remaining fighters watched in tense silence. They carried the weight of their fallen brothers—the memory of Lu Bu's defiant last stand, Adam's sacrifice, Sasaki's Determination and Raiden's burning spirit. Each death had been a hammer blow to humanity's hope.Poseidon's eyebrow arched, his expression faintly condescending, yet Buddha continued, undeterred."Humans possess something no god can truly understand—hope. Even in their darkest moments, they find a reason to keep going. They have no guarantee of victory, yet they fight as though they can change their fate." Buddha's gaze held a quiet defiance. "I chose to stand with them not because they are weak, but because they rise above their weakness."Thor stood impassive among the gods, Lu Bu's broken body still fresh in his memory. Zeus smiled from his throne, his knuckles still bearing the marks from his battle with Adam. Shiva remained silent, perhaps still feeling the echo of Raiden's final, desperate attack. Three battles, three victories for the gods—each more devastating than the last.The human audience murmured, but their voices carried more desperation than pride now. Göll clutched her hands together, trying to hold onto hope even as the evidence of divine superiority mounted. The gods watched with open amusement, some snickering as they anticipated Poseidon's inevitable retort."Strength?" Poseidon's voice was calm, cutting through Buddha's speech like a blade through silk. "What you see as strength is desperation, a survival instinct born of their limitations. Look around you, Buddha. Where has their courage led them? Lu Bu, broken and defeated. Adam, dying in futile defiance, Sasaki who died because of his own ignorance and Raiden, reduced to ash."Each name fell like a thunderbolt in the arena. Brunhilde's face tightened, each loss a personal failure in her grand strategy."Humans cling to hope because they have nothing else," Poseidon continued, gesturing to the empty spaces in the human section where champions once stood. "Hope is their delusion, a flimsy excuse for failing to rise above their limitations. But hope does not make them strong. It makes them blind to reality—blind to their inevitable extinction."In the viewing area, Hermes tilted his head with curiosity. "How fascinating. He's not just fighting Buddha—he's demoralising humanity's last pillar of support."Buddha clenched his fists, fighting back against Poseidon's words. "They—"" Are blind to reality," Poseidon cut him off. "Tell me, Buddha, what has their hope achieved? Four of their strongest warriors have fallen. Each fought with everything they had, each believed they could change their fate. And each died, their hope meaningless against divine power."Buddha's expression wavered, the weight of those losses finally seeming to reach him. Poseidon pressed his advantage, his voice carrying the inexorable force of a tsunami."Consider this, Buddha: Even if by some miracle humanity survives this tournament, how long before they forget? How long before they twist the sacrifices of Lu Bu, Adam, Sasaki and Raiden into cautionary tales about defying the gods? They will do the same to you."Buddha's eyes widened, the first flicker of doubt breaking through his calm as Poseidon's words took root. In the stands, Zeus's smile widened, while Shiva looked away, perhaps remembering the respect he'd gained for Raiden in their battle."They will twist your sacrifice," Poseidon pressed, circling Buddha like a shark sensing blood. "Until you are nothing but a memory used to justify their own failures. Just as they already begin to question why their champions fell, they will question your choice to stand with them. They will blame you for even letting the god Council decide their fate. They will blame, blame and blame...."Heimdall's grip on his horn tightened as he watched the psychological battle unfold. The human section had grown deathly quiet, the empty spaces where their champions once stood speaking louder than any words.Buddha's hands trembled slightly, his faith wavering under Poseidon's piercing logic. The divine weapon in his hands flickered, responding to its wielder's uncertainty. He searched for a response, but the weight of three consecutive losses seemed to crush any counter-argument he might have made."You're beginning to see it, aren't you?" Poseidon asked softly, his voice carrying the weight of justified divine judgment. "Humans are fleeting, temporary, ungrateful. And you are wasting yourself on them, just as their champions wasted their lives in futile resistance."A silence fell over the arena as Buddha looked down, visibly shaken. In the Valkyrie section, Brunhilde's face was a mask of stone, but her eyes betrayed her fear. Not just for this battle, but for humanity's dwindling chances of survival.For the first time since taking his stand for humanity, Buddha questioned his place, his purpose, and the ideals he had held so dear. His weapon dimmed, reflecting the uncertainty in his heart. And as he struggled to reconcile his beliefs with Poseidon's harsh logic—and the undeniable evidence of humanity's repeated defeats—the arena held its collective breath, waiting to see if Buddha would falter beneath the weight of his doubt.Zeus watched from above, his ancient eyes gleaming with satisfaction. Each human loss had been another nail in hope's coffin, and now, as Buddha's certainty cracked, Poseidon's victory seemed not just likely, but inevitable—another divine triumph over mortal presumption.