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

that his answer would

Should he lie?

wouldn't even

to lie in front of a Mage

argue for the beast's

reason, this

the responsibility of the decision to the Lightning Emperor? After all, he was much

he give a neutral

want to know what I would do, what someone else should do, what the village should do, or what the morally correct

Emperor answered

the village," Shang said. "If

Lightning Emperor didn't show

collectively raise the beast to

Emperor remained

normal person would do, it would depend on their ambition. Is it worth the risk to nurture it for the eventual payoff? The person could become the leader of the village. Maybe, they could even leave the village and

the Lightning Emperor's interest,

what I

would let

reason?" the Lightning Emperor

existence has no impact

Lightning Emperor said

is to be the strongest," Shang

at reaching my goal. Even more,

me, it means my

means I might as well

Silence.

looked at Shang

tell me

would do. I know that my own goals and priorities are not in line with most

"You are not me."

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

eyebrow. "That sounds a bit extreme. Is

"I

among billions, trillions, quadrillions, or however many people

how many

there are only a thousand people left from one trillion people, that is still a thousand people that I have to defeat if I want to become

from being