Chapter 32 Sophistry
"You're talking nonsense!" War God Derazil trembled with rage at the shameless words of the Source Light Loki. He roared, "Because of your schemes and tricks, how many innocent people have lost their lives? How many devout believers have lost their homes? How many prosperous cities have been reduced to ruins? How dare you speak so arrogantly here? You are simply an enemy of the world of gods!"
Despite the God of War's furious rebuke, Loki, the Source of Change, maintained his elegant and composed demeanor, as if everything was under his control. He gently shook his head and said in an almost lamenting tone:
"Your Excellency, God of War, how can you view the passing of life so narrowly? You should see that in this vast universe, in the long river of history, nothing lasts forever. Even the seemingly indestructible empire will eventually turn to dust; even the most radiant gods will one day fall; even this magnificent and boundless world of gods cannot escape the fate of eventual decay. The meaning of life has never been about its length, but about whether, within its limited time, one can shine brightly enough, leave a mark worthy of one's own remembrance, and carry out the path one pursues, whether it be protection, power grab, or love, in the most glorious and splendid way."
He smiled slightly, a strange light flashing in his eyes, and continued:
"I have allowed the wisdom hidden deep within people's hearts to be put to use, the love and loyalty for their country to be expressed, and the ingenious tactics and strategies to be employed. I have merely followed the trend of 'change,' this ancient and constant rule that manifests itself in the movement of all things in the world, and also in my own life. Even I myself am nothing more than a vessel for 'change,' a tool for 'change' to realize its own ideals. Why then do you impose this unfounded blame upon me?"
He sighed softly, as if lamenting the lives lost, or perhaps feeling helpless at the God of War's lack of understanding:
"Your Excellency, God of War, you only see the lives lost, but you overlook the souls born in the midst of change. You only see the cities destroyed by war, but you overlook the hope born from the ruins. You only see the believers who lost their homes, but you overlook the lost souls who found faith amidst suffering."
He slightly raised his head, his gaze sweeping over every deity present, and his voice rose in intensity:
"Those mediocre lives, their fates are firmly predetermined from birth. Their jobs are assigned by the state machine, like screws fixed in a specific position, repeating monotonous and tedious labor day after day. Their dwellings are arranged by the various imperial policies of registering people, like cages binding them to a small space, depriving them of the right to move freely. Most tragically, even their lovers are chosen by their parents. They have never experienced true love, but only unite to reproduce, sacrificing themselves to fulfill the mission of their families."
"They are like living dead, walking corpses, their lives meaningless, their souls long since withered. For them, 'living' is nothing more than 'waiting to die.' They are bound by'stability' and oppressed by 'order,' yet they have never thought about the meaning of life."
The eyes of Loki, the Source of Eternal Change, gleamed with fanaticism, as if he were the savior who would save the world:
"And I, the source of all change, brought 'change,' I shattered this stagnant pool, I let 'conspiracy' and 'treachery' intrude into their originally destined lives! I made them rediscover themselves in 'change,' and find the path they truly wanted to take under the baptism of 'treachery' and 'conspiracy'! I made them contemplate the meaning of existence in desperate situations, seek the light of faith in suffering, and experience the true meaning of life on the edge of death!"
"I made them feel the responsibility to defend their homeland in the war, and united the people of a region! I made them find their own area of expertise, instead of wasting their lives in assigned positions!"
"I have brought forth the hidden geniuses, I have released the suppressed souls, and I have freed the bound lives!"
"In this light, I did not take their lives, but rather gave them new life!"
The voice of Loki, the Source of Ever-Changing Light, echoed in the hall, each word filled with a seductive power.
Some gods whose will was not strong enough even began to waver, feeling that what Loki, the Source of Change, said seemed to make some sense.
But these words were like talking to a brick wall for the God of War, Drazel. The God of War couldn't understand what Drazel was babbling about, which was completely distorting the truth. He was just furious at Drazel's attitude of trying to whitewash himself.
He roared, unable to bear it any longer, and charged towards the ever-changing source of light, Rocky, wielding his giant axe.