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.

Sense focused on the

answer

Should he lie?

wouldn't even attempt

the skills to lie in front of a

he argue for the beast's

a good reason, this would feel

the responsibility of the decision to the Lightning Emperor?

give

what the village should do, or what the morally correct

them," the Lightning Emperor answered as he drank more

be to send it out of the village," Shang said. "If you

Lightning Emperor didn't show any

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

Emperor

to nurture it for the eventual payoff? The person

piqued the Lightning Emperor's interest, but he let Shang

for what I would

let

your reason?" the

has no impact or relevance," Shang

elaborate," the Lightning Emperor

is to be the strongest," Shang

I want to have any shot at reaching my goal. Even more, the beast's growth might even give me the incentive to

that the beast is stronger than me, it

as well kill myself right

Silence.

Lightning Emperor looked at Shang

you just tell me to kill myself?" he

I know that my own

"You are not me."

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

bit extreme. Is your goal

left," Shang said. "I sacrificed everything else, and

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

those geniuses, how many of them

that is still a thousand people that I

them from being the