Sword God in a World of Magic

Shang wasn't sure if that was good or bad.

For now, he decided to remain silent.

"Let me explain my conundrum with a metaphor," the Lightning Emperor said.

"Imagine you are a mortal and live in a village with 50 other villagers. You don't have any sort of real societal standards and norms, and the strongest person in the village is the leader."

"Now, imagine there is a council of five leaders since they don't want to fight each other for whatever reason, and you are one of them."

"One day, you find the offspring of a very powerful beast, which is far more powerful than any member of the council."

"You nurture it, and it follows you."

"Yet, it doesn't completely follow your commands, and you know that there is a chance that it might attack you and everyone else. After all, it is still a wild beast."

"But maybe, it will also help you."

"But also only you. What if it attacks any of the others in the village?"

"Right now, the beast is still a baby."

"So, what do you do?"

"Do you nurture it?"

"Do you kill it?"

"Do you ask the others?"

The Lightning Emperor drank another mouthful of tea.

"Everything about this beast screams risk at you. No matter what happens, it will be a risk. If it isn't one for you, it definitely will be one for the village."

"But you like the village. You live in the village. You are happy with the village."

"You don't want your beast to kill other villagers."

"But it very likely will."

"So, what would you do?" the Lightning Emperor asked.

focused on

answer would decide his

Should he lie?

even attempt

had the skills to lie in front of

argue for

a good reason, this would

decision to the Lightning Emperor? After all, he was much older and much more powerful

give a

else should do, what the village should do, or what the morally correct

answered as he

village," Shang said. "If you can't

Lightning Emperor didn't

either collectively raise the beast to make it follow everyone's orders

Lightning Emperor remained

eventual payoff? The person could become the leader of the village. Maybe,

Emperor's interest, but he

for what I

would let

the Lightning

existence has no impact or

Lightning Emperor said with

be the strongest," Shang

that I must be stronger than the beast if I want to have any shot at reaching my goal.

out that the beast is stronger than me, it means my goal

I might as

Silence.

at Shang with a bit of

me to kill

answered emotionlessly. "I told you what I would do. I know that my own goals and priorities are not in line with most people's

"You are not me."

that choice in your case, it doesn't mean that you should make

Lightning Emperor raised an eyebrow. "That sounds a bit extreme. Is your goal really that important

Shang said. "I sacrificed everything else,

in this world. Geniuses might be rare, but among billions, trillions, quadrillions, or however many people there are, there have to be lots of

geniuses, how many of

thousand people left from one trillion people, that is still a thousand people that I have to defeat

stops them from