Sword God in a World of Magic

Shang had just finished his last match.

The long trial was finally over.

After 22 fights, excluding the executions, Shang had finally finished the trial.

But at this moment, Shang didn't even think about the trial.

He only thought about his Affinity.

'Entropy?' Shang thought as his last eye looked at his remaining arm.

Silence.

'What kind of Affinity is this?!'

What did Shang think about when he realized his Affinity?

The power?

The potential?

The uses?

No, Shang was thinking about something else.

Shang had tried to convince himself that all his opponents had to die for his goal.

They all had to die!

Yet, why was Shang even trying to convince himself?

If he truly thought that, he wouldn't need to convince himself.

He would just accept that everyone had to die and would do it.

Why put so much energy into convincing himself?

It was hard to acknowledge, but right now, Shang realized that he hadn't truly believed that sentence.

Otherwise, he wouldn't be feeling as he was feeling right now.

Just mere moments ago, Shang felt like he had a choice.

It had been his choice to act this cruelly towards everyone opposing him.

But now that his choice had been taken away, he felt a feeling of regret.

'How am I supposed to interact with anyone when I am the very antithesis of their existence, their goals, and dreams?'

'Fire can destroy, but it also leaves behind nutrients that plants use. Additionally, we couldn't even survive without the sun.'

'Water and Earth can destroy, but they are the very basis for life.'

'Wind brings movement into the world. Additionally, oxygen is also important for life.'

'Ice? So what if it's cold? There are enough animals that can live in a tundra.'

'All our bodies use lightning to function.'

'Metal? Who doesn't need iron and magnesium for their body?'

'Light is just life, and darkness can also protect.'

'Entropy?'

'What can Entropy do?'

is the antithesis of everything we

nothing is relevant

space

change, time has

there is no

that

'There is just nothing!'

he looked at the ground with

I become more powerful? What

start destroying

sure

was thinking about something, but he didn't

only knew that

trying to untangle this

trying to make sense of

He didn't know.

But, eventually, Shang sighed.

back as he held his

only looked at his

This arm couldn't create.

It could only destroy.

power

'I don't know.'

at his arm

Then, Shang sighed again.

overthinking all of this. I

mean, I can still help others,

that

sure. I mean, I am thinking about these things right now. If

Silence.

only looked at his

'I don't know.'

"Finally done moping around?"

a squeaky noise and barely managed to move his weak body to look

It was the jester!

one that always struck the bell with

jester was standing beside Shang, hammer still in

now, it looked

a lot of work into this puppet! Don't call it a cheap machine!" the

eye widened in

He didn't say that.

He only thought-

'Oh. It's him.'

jester said with a wide and creepy grin. "I always had a fond spot for jesters.

disagree

you

I be here?" the jester asked with a smirk. "This is my world.

silent for a

"I noticed," Shang said.

definite implication in the way he

the jester said as he walked around Shang's atrophied body,

mad that you have to entertain me? Is that it?"

Shang didn't answer.

he loudly laughed. "Then be mad! It won't

jaw tightened, but he didn't even think about disagreeing

nothing Shang

just

Paradise only existed because the Storm

Why did Shang exist?

Shang in this

was Shang's