Vile Rabbit

"If the immediate and direct purpose of our life is not suffering, then our existence is the most ill-adapted to its purpose in the world; for it is absurd to assume that the endless affliction of which the world is everywhere full, and which arises out of the need and distress pertaining essentially to life, should be purposeless and purely accidental.

Each individual misfortune, to be sure, seems an exceptional occurrence; but misfortune in general is the rule."

…

"A creature can be themselves only so long as they are alone; and if they do not love solitude, they will not love freedom; for it is only when they are alone that they are really free!"

"Nature shows that with the growth of sentience comes an increased capacity for pain, and it is only with the highest degree of sentience that suffering reaches its supreme point."

Each of his sentences wove together, painting a portrait that showcased his profound outlook on life.

"In the end, everyone stands alone, and the important thing is who it is that stands alone."

He paused for a second before continuing, and as he continued, a faint outline of a man standing atop a barren mountain manifested in his bottomless eyes.

What do you believe is the purpose of suffering in our lives?

How do you find meaning in a world that often seems cruel and unjust?

Is it possible to embrace joy while acknowledging the pain around us?

How do you respond to the suffering of others do you feel compelled to help, or do you accept it as part of life?

Can the acceptance of cruelty lead to a deeper understanding of compassion?

What lessons can we learn from the hardships we face in this world?

How does your experience of cruelty shape your view of hope and resilience?

Is there a difference between accepting the world's cruelty and becoming indifferent to it?

How do you balance the desire for justice with the acceptance of life's inherent injustices?

In what ways can we transform our pain into wisdom or strength?

How do cultural beliefs influence our acceptance of suffering and cruelty?

Can beauty and kindness flourish in a world marked by cruelty, and if so, how?

What role does forgiveness play in our acceptance of the wrongs we encounter?

How does your understanding of mortality affect your perspective on the cruelty of the universe?

In the face of a harsh reality, what gives you the courage to continue seeking meaning?

…

Each of his questions rang in the minds of the creatures around like an ancient bell…

Apexion's eyes blazed brighter as he listened to the wise one's sermon. His words were indeed profound and thought-provoking; after hearing them, one would have no choice but to think, to think about the world from many angles…

but to be honest, the wise one's teachings were useless to him, for he had already understood the true doctrine of the world, and that was absolute strength.

When one is strong above all else, their thoughts and ideologies become reality, rendering everything else meaningless.

"Aim to become stronger than all that exists!"

These were the greatest words of wisdom in his mind.

Suddenly, the wise one's gaze locked onto him, after which he spoke words that caused him to readjust his previous opinion of the wise one's philosophy.

words that opened his eyes to the truth of evolution rang out in his mind,

"DISCOVER TRUTH!"

"STUDY TRUTH!"

"UNDERSTAND TRUTH!"

"ACCEPT TRUTH!"

"CONTROL TRUTH!"

"CREATE TRUTH!"

"BECOME TRUTH!"

"I.AM.TRUTH!"

Boom!

An explosion of understanding, akin to the birth of a world, bloomed within Apexion's mind, causing his aura to pulsed uncontrollably…

At the same time, his main self, seated on his ethereal throne inside his domain, opened his eyes that shimmered brightly, and his flaming crown of authority started blazing with the Apexion law.

He began to repeat the words the wise one said over and over again.

"I. Am. Truth."

After repeating it over a million times, his eyes flashed with enlightenment,

"I see, so this is the ultimate end for beings who hunger for strength: to become truth… but what is truth exactly? Is it true meaning? Is it law? No, it has to be something far grander, for I have already achieved law, but I am not 'truth'…" His thoughts raced,

"Since truth is the end of evolution, it has to be something that transcends all levels of law, something that transcends the universe," he muttered out loud.

As he spoke, he fell into a slight trance, and his crown blazed brighter as his Apexion law increased in quality bit by it.

A second later, his eyes regained focus, and he noticed that the quality of his law had increased by 30 percent. And he frowned,

"Now I know the outline of the end; I just have to build my path to it." He paused, and his eyes started to blaze fiercer, and his voice rang out.

"Then surpass it!"

After which, his body dimmed, and he became aura-less, like an unawakened creature. Afterward, a kilometer-tall colorful, glowing tree appeared directly before him; it pulsed with fate and fragments of multiple laws.

This tree was called the Tree of Fate and Law a tree Apexion personally crafted it to satisfy his innate hunger for plants.

He broke off a piece of branch from the tree with his right hand, opened his mouth wide, and,

Crunch! Crunch!

He devoured it with delight. Words could not describe how delicious it tasted; with each bite, it felt as if his will was being massaged, bath.

As he swallowed, the fate contained within would seamlessly fuse with his law, slowly increasing its quality...

Tap! Tap! Tap!

As he ate, he calmly tapped the arm of his throne as countless ideas, schemes, and possibilities flashed through his mind.

The Hanging Tree.

The Wise One.

The War of the End.

The Ultimate War.

…

Meanwhile back at inside the forbidden echo.

The wise one's sermon continued for a few more minutes before he started speak.

After which he asked if anyone had any questions they wanted to asked.

The creatures eyes sparkled with delight as they hastily asked their questions one by one.

"Wise one, do you think one can truly live if they don't die?"

"Wise one"

"Wise one"

The wise one answered their questions one by one.

Time passed.

And After no questions were left to answer, the wise one to apexion, and asked,

"What questions do you have?"

The moment the wise one gazed at apexion, the entire forbidden echo froze and apexion felt as if two all encompassing eyes were staring at him, and his body uncomfortably shivered slightly, but his starry eyes remained calmed and he asked,

"Have you attained truth?"