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He forcibly suppressed his racing heart, making his expression appear calm with just the right touch of deep thought.
Instead of answering directly, he threw the question back.
"Then you... what do you think you are?"
Answering a question with a question is always the best way to stall for time and figure out the opponent's hidden cards.
Mewtwo fell silent.
It seemingly hadn't expected this weak human to dare to question it back.
After a long while, the voice in his mind rang out once more:
"I don't know."
"Giovanni told me I was born for battle, that I am the strongest being above all life, and that my destiny is to conquer everything."
"But..."
Mewtwo's gaze turned toward the distance, where the Southern Isolated Island was being protected by Latias and Latios.
"Just like that tsunami earlier; if it had fallen, all life here would have vanished. And those two Pokémon—their creations are vulnerable before me, and they themselves are even more fragile, yet for the sake of so-called protection, they are willing to give their own lives to struggle."
For the first time, a trace of genuine confusion seeped into its voice.
"If my strength only brings destruction, then where is its meaning?"
Ariel's heart was practically blooming with joy.
Good question! You hit the nail on the head!
He only feared it would be a reckless brute who only knew how to kill; as long as it started thinking about "meaning," there was plenty of room to maneuver!
However, only a faint, almost mocking smile appeared on his face:
"Not everything needs to have a meaning."
"What do you mean?"
Mewtwo's purple eyes instantly used Lock-On on him.
Facing Mewtwo's Lock-On gaze, Ariel no longer felt the trepidation he had at the start, because now, this fellow's rhythm was following his own!
"Humans always like to assign a 'meaning' to what they do and what they see. But in essence, this is nothing more than human wishful thinking."
Ariel's voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear.
"The world won't change one bit just because you've assigned it a meaning. When the sun rises, does it need the meaning of bringing light? Even without that meaning, it rises just the same. When the ocean tides turn, do they need the meaning of nurturing life? Even without that meaning, they ebb and flow just the same."
He paused, raised his hand, and pointed straight at Mewtwo.
This was a grand gesture and extremely risky, but Ariel was betting that Mewtwo was currently in a whirlpool of thought and wouldn't care about such details.
"Just like you!"
Mewtwo's body shook slightly, its telepathic message carrying obvious shock and doubt: "Like me?"
This human's answer was diametrically different from any version it had heard from Giovanni or those researchers.
"Exactly, like you."
Ariel met its gaze without retreating a single step.
"The way you were born is indeed special, but in essence, you are no different from a rock, a tree, a Magikarp, or even me. We are all products of this world, parts that constitute the world's operation. Your existence itself is an established fact; it doesn't need anyone's approval, nor does it need any meaning for decoration."
He emphasized his tone, saying each word deliberately:
"You are an indispensable existence in this world; this point will not be changed by any human will!"
"Indispensable... me?"
These words were like a glimmer of light shining into Mewtwo's chaotic inner world.
It had been created, defined, and used, but no one had ever told it that it was indispensable.
"Exactly!"
Ariel's voice suddenly rose, carrying an inflammatory quality.
"Searching for meaning is essentially an endless cycle of self-questioning! But, that's not a bad thing!"
"Not a bad thing?"
Mewtwo's logic was completely scrambled.
One second this man was saying that assigning meaning was an illusion, and the next he was saying it wasn't a bad thing?
Seeing the confusion deepening in Mewtwo's purple pupils, Ariel knew the most critical step had arrived.
He took two steps forward, closing the distance between them.
"Because in the eyes of different people, the meaning of the same thing is completely different."
"You kill a Pidgey."
Ariel gave a casual example.
"This act itself has no meaning. But in the eyes of a Trainer, the meaning is the growth of battle techniques; in the eyes of a brat who had his head pecked by a Pidgey, the meaning is that something annoying has vanished; and in the eyes of a pure lunatic, the meaning might simply be the pleasure of watching life fade away."
"So, meaning is something forcibly assigned by people based on their own positions and needs! It is hollow and fickle! But..."
Ariel changed his tone, his voice becoming powerful and resonant.
"It is not worthless!"
Mewtwo's eyes suddenly lit up!
"Right!"
Ariel struck while the iron was hot.
"People assign meaning to things, and this created meaning can, in turn, become one's spiritual pillar, bringing the strength to continue acting! Therefore, it still has value!"
After this series of verbal punches, Ariel felt his throat was dry, but looking at Mewtwo's reaction, he knew he had bet correctly.
Mewtwo felt as if a gap had been Slash through the mist in its mind, but immediately after, new questions surged up.
It felt like it had circled back to the starting point.
"Then... what exactly should I do now?"
This time, its voice was less cold and held more of a searching quality.
Its massive body slowly floated up, silently moving much closer to Ariel; those deep purple eyes seemed to want to Detect the soul of this tiny human.
An immense sense of pressure washed over him; Ariel could even smell the faint, special scent on Mewtwo, similar to advanced nutrient solution.
But he did not back down.
He knew this was the other party testing him, and also expressing a kind of... closeness?
Or rather, interest.
"You possess near-infinite life and unparalleled power. This means you can try almost anything!"
Ariel's voice slowed down, carrying a seductive magic.
"You can become a Trainer and experience the bonds of fighting alongside Pokémon; you can become a guardian deity and enjoy the reverence of all things; you can even transform into an ordinary person and go to the cities or the countryside to experience the most mundane joys and sorrows."
"When you have tried enough things and seen enough people and scenery, the meaning of your existence here will naturally be answered by you. It won't be told to you by me, or by Giovanni."
These words were like a morning bell, striking heavily against Mewtwo's heart.
A sudden realization!
It was the first time it had heard such a perspective.
Not being defined, not being arranged, but... choosing.
Mewtwo fell silent for a long time; the only sound on the entire isolated island was the waves crashing against the shore.
Finally, it spoke again, asking the question that nearly made Ariel's heart stop.
"Then what do you think... I am suitable to be now?"
Boom!
It was as if a Flash bomb had exploded in Ariel's head.
His heart felt as if it were gripped by an invisible giant hand, then it hammered wildly, blood rushing to his head and making his eardrums buzz.
It's here!
The fish has taken the bait!
And it swallowed the whole rod!
He forcibly suppressed the smile that almost split his face and took a deep breath, letting his burning lungs cool slightly.
The opportunity is right before my eyes!