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.

Spirit Sense focused on the

answer would decide his

Should he lie?

wouldn't even

to lie in front

for the beast's

a good reason, this would feel

of the decision to the Lightning Emperor? After all, he

give a neutral

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

answered as he drank more

send it out of the village," Shang said. "If you can't do that, nurture it and trust that it won't betray

Lightning Emperor didn't

the village is to either collectively raise the beast to make it follow everyone's orders or kill

Lightning Emperor

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

the Lightning Emperor's interest, but he

as for what I

would let

reason?" the Lightning Emperor

existence has no impact or relevance,"

elaborate," the Lightning Emperor

be the

than the beast if I want to have any shot at reaching my

is stronger than me, it means my goal was impossible

means I might as well kill

Silence.

looked at Shang

you just tell me to kill

what I would do. I know that my own goals and priorities

"You are not me."

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

eyebrow. "That sounds a bit extreme. Is your goal really that important to

said. "I sacrificed everything

billions, trillions, quadrillions, or however many people there are, there have to be

many

people, that is still a thousand people that I have to defeat if I want to become the

from being