The Martial Unity

Chapter 3749: The Nature of Responsibility

Rui stared at the Elder Tree, waiting for an answer. To him, he couldn’t imagine responsibility being anything other than a liability and a limitation. To divert his energy to focus on matters that simply weren’t related to his Martial Art or Project Water. To spread his attention and energy wide and thin, reducing the amount of time he spent on Martial Art.

How could this lead to anything other than stagnation, rot, and weakness?

He couldn’t imagine it.

His entire life, and even his first life as John Falken, he had eschewed responsibility in pursuit of his ultimate goal, and it had allowed him to accomplish more than anybody else could even fathom doing so, let alone actually coming even close to matching.

He believed that his progress was due to his abandoning everything else in his life and dedicating almost everything to achieving progress to fulfill Project Water.

His perspective on responsibility was an otherwise ironclad and rock-solid set of beliefs that nobody could have ever changed his mind on in other circumstances. The only reason that this perspective had become a little shaky was due to the recent tragedies that had jolted him out of his inertia and forced him to accept responsibility.

But the core of the issue was that he did it reluctantly, and he did it believing that responsibility was weakness and a prison.

People’s perspective on responsibility is shaped by their experience with it, the Elder Tree mused. You, on the other hand, have very little experience with it, because even when you do take responsibility over certain matters temporarily, you quickly wash your hands of it shortly after and want nothing to do with it ever again. You say responsibility is an impediment, but that is because you are unable to harness it to elevate you to greater heights.

Rui raised an eyebrow. ”Elevate me to greater heights?

Indeed. I can share with you my experiences on the matter that have led me to understanding this simple but elusive truth, the Elder Tree continued. All my life, I have existed for myself. Every decision I’ve made. Every action I’ve taken has been ultimately for my sake and my survival. After all, as an organism of my size, my nutrient demands are extraordinarily high. It was why I even created the Garden of Salvation. Even this garden, which might strike the unassuming person as an act of philanthropy, is ultimately a self-serving act. This has been how it has always been until you thrust upon me your responsibility of managing the Beast Domain.

A wry smile cracked at the edge of Rui’s mouth. ”Sorry about that.”

Do not apologize, the Elder Tree reassured Rui. It has allowed me to gain the insights that I now pass on to you. The truth is that I have grown more as a lifeform in the past year than I have in the past one thousand years before that.

Rui’s pitch-black ethereal eyes lit up at those words. ”...what?”

It is true, taking on additional burdens and new responsibilities as the manager of the Beast Domain with your authority has forced me to evolve as a lifeform. I have grown stronger, more able, more powerful than I used to be. And the reason for it is very simple. I was forced to grow in order to keep up with my great responsibilities. My space-time manipulation has improved in order to expand its scope to the entirety of the Beast Domain. My ability to tap into the flora network has improved in order to manage the Beast Domain better. My ability to resolve disputes in the Beast Domain has improved by learning how to project my great power over longer distances better. My responsibilities have pushed me to what I thought were my limits, and they forced me to find a way around them or overcome them, one way or another.

Rui’s expression grew intrigued by the Elder Tree’s anecdotes. ”Responsibility made you stronger?”

It did. It increased my drive to improve. It forced me to make the most of my potential and did not allow me to remain satisfied and stagnate with my capabilities. And, in fact, responsibility is one of the greatest sources of strength of your own species and civilization. Mothers and fathers are able to push themselves to their very limits and beyond because of the responsibilities they face in life. They are more driven, they are more motivated, and they are able to bring about more from within themselves to cope with their responsibilities. In turn, they gain purpose and meaning from their responsibilities, fulfilling them as individuals.

Rui remained silent, absorbing the Elder Tree’s words as it continued.

Where you see the torrential waters of a mighty river impeding your path forward, others see powerful waters that propel the canoes of their life forward with greater force than they could muster with their own power. Rather than resisting the water and fighting against it, you can turn the water into a powerful force that will propel you forward into greater and greater distances.

Rui’s eyes widened with shock. ”Responsibility is like water...”

Indeed, it can take any form or shape, just like water, the Elder Tree mused knowingly. Some people take responsibility by enduring tribulations and suffering in place of others. Others take responsibility through personal intervention in whatever matter they have taken responsibility for. There are those who take responsibility by doing the opposite, by giving up power and intervention. There are also those who take responsibility by growing stronger, using that responsibility as a fearsome drive to attain the power necessary to fulfill their responsibility. No two people share the exact same responsibilities or fulfill them in the exact same manner. Responsibility is fluid. It is formless.

The realization dawned on Rui like a thunderbolt. ”Responsibility... is water.”

There may be no metaphor more suited to describing it, the Elder Tree continued, not understanding the significance of his own words to Rui. In your mind, you probably have a very rigid, hard, and unyielding image of responsibility, which is the source of your reluctance. Am I wrong?