"Hmm? So he aspires to be the originator of a new faction?"
The bearded man found himself surprised by the masked man's ambitious declaration, a statement unheard of among demigods, at least as per his current knowledge.
"I can't discern his ultimate goal here," mused the bearded man. Tugging at his right earlobe and scratching under his ear, he let his thoughts wander off.
"He has basically dismissed the idea of converting people into his followers. Granted, there's a substantial portion of practitioners in both factions dissatisfied with the predetermined rules of the game stacked against them. These followers are weary of abiding by rules that favor the Immortals or the ones who are in charge of their faith-generating machines.
However, this masked demigod is likely to convert only a handful of them into followers. That number won't be sufficient to elevate him to the status of a true god anytime soon.
He tells his potential followers to believe in themselves. By saying this, he has implied that they shouldn't believe in him. This concept is completely against Labh Salem's culture.
Who would follow a demigod lacking faith in the power of belief? Who would rally behind someone starting with such a radical approach, poised to clash with almost every Immortal by undermining their follower count?
He won't gain much from debuting this way; he's destined to remain a demigod indefinitely. Unless... he offers something in return to his potential followers," concluded the bearded man, entertaining various thoughts simultaneously.
The masked man resumed speaking as if addressing all the inquiries the bearded man harbored in one comprehensive statement.
"Followers of the Elder Ichor faction will never be required to bow before any Immortal," declared the masked man, infusing his voice with conviction and assurance.
"They will receive their due benefits based on merit and contributions to the cause, with no favoritism towards any particular individual or group. All you need to do is believe in yourself and trust in me as a representative of the shared Creation within us.
Currently, the faction lacks numbers. So I will wait for us to reach a sizable headcount before putting some do's and don'ts.
The Elder Ichor faction will not discard the concept of faith but will not prioritize it at the core of our beliefs. The choice to believe in me and my faction will always be voluntary. I won't label someone a blasphemer for having greater faith in themselves than in me.
I pledge to prioritize cultivating strong, self-reliant individuals among my followers, capable of carrying their own weight with or without external sources of power," concluded the masked man as he adjusted his mask over his face.
'Here comes the carrot,' thought the bearded man as he understood what the masked man was about to say to his audience.
"The Elder Ichor faction will offer something unique to its followers. Something that you can't get by aligning yourselves with divine or demonic factions," the masked man's voice started getting laced with a tinge bit of excitement as he continued.
"What if I told you that you could tap into infernal energy without summoning demons? What if you could become a demon yourself instead of getting possessed by one?
What if I told you that you could wield Sin Series powers without having to sign a Faustian Contract with demons?" the masked man asked his audience, his voice radiating with a sense of temptation.
The bearded man raised his eyebrows when he heard how the masked man was trying to tempt his potential followers into joining a new faction. He could only guess that this demi-god was only trying to bluff everyone.
After all, he hadn't heard of someone getting Sin Series Marks or wielding the demonic magic without there being a Faustian Contract added to the equation.
"The Immortals function as mere intermediaries for the Origin Force," elucidated the masked man, clarifying his earlier statements to the global audience of Labh Salem.
"The gods and demons you revere accumulate your faith, offering to enhance your intent-based magic in return. Naturally, they lay claim to a portion of the Origin Force for acting as intermediaries.
This Origin Force is generated by you, utilizing your soul as a generator. And yet, you are the ones who end up paying for something that helped generate.
By accepting Sin Series Marks or Virtue Series Marks, you permit these Immortals to amass faith energy through you. In return, claim Origin Force directly from Creation itself.
This contractual arrangement between you and the Immortals is symbolized by Faustian Contracts and Divine Contracts. As such, these contracts are nothing but trade agreements between you and these Immortals, which will always be in the Immortals' favor.
But what if you could eliminate the intermediaries? What if you could access infernal or divine magic directly through your own soul? That too with the same amount of efficiency? The Elder Ichor faction is here to facilitate just that.
The shared fragment of Creation within each of us empowers us to wield any form of magic without intermediaries. Followers of my faction will utilize demonic Skills they've unlocked more effectively with the aid of the right tools.
A dedicated section in Menaka's Market is designated for followers of the Elder Ichor faction to acquire these tools, liberating them from constraints. These tools are safe to use and don't even have me as your intermediary. It means that the faith energy you generate towards me will always be voluntary. It will always depend on your willingness to follow me.
However, be forewarned: once you employ these tools, there's no turning back. Committing to the Elder Ichor faction means you can never revert or align with the other two factions."
Cautioned the masked man, offering potential followers a stern admonition against attempting to exploit him for benefits and then deserting the faction later on.
"I want to make it clear that these Tools of Liberation won't be offered freely. I firmly believe that things obtained without a price tag are seldom appreciated in the long run. The true value lies in understanding the beauty of what we possess when we've invested something meaningful," conveyed the masked man, a subtle smile gracing his lips.
"Someone once imparted this wisdom to me, and now I share it with my potential followers," the masked man continued, taking a deep breath before leaving his audience with these parting words:
"I am being kind to you by not being kind to you."
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