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The endless white expanse seemed to hold its breath as King Arion gathered his thoughts, the philosophical weight of Kaipo's words settling around them like cosmic dust. When he finally spoke, his voice carried a sharp edge of accusation that cut through the ethereal silence.
"I see. Based on the history books in the Library of Azure in the Azure Universe, you decided to seal yourself within here along with those three because of the countless innocent lives you took to gain the Pure Heart. But still, if you didn't seal yourself, essentially you could have been able to defeat The Judge and his council along with the Eclipse Sovereignty, and then sealed yourself afterwards so we wouldn't have to go through all of this. Why didn't you do that? Why make everyone suffer just because you think you should serve this 'punishment'?"
Arion's aura began to flicker with growing intensity as his words gained momentum, each question landing like a hammer blow.
"Do you have any idea how many people will have died because of your choice? How many kingdoms will have fallen? How many children will have lost their parents to the chaos that's spreading across the universes while you sit here in your self-imposed prison? You talk about trusting in the human spirit and letting others choose their destiny, but what about all those who never got the chance to choose because they were slaughtered before they could even try?"
His voice rose, passion bleeding through his typically controlled demeanor.
"What about Seraphina, who believed in me, who put her faith in the system we built, only to watch it crumble because the one person who could have prevented it all decided his guilt was more important than their lives? You're not being noble, Kaipo. You're being selfish. You chose your own conscience over the fate of countless innocents. So don't lecture me about working with the universes when you abandoned them when they needed you most."
The accusation hung in the air like a physical presence, the weight of Arion's words seeming to press against the very fabric of this otherworldly realm.
Silence stretched between them for several heartbeats before Kaipo's expression grew heavy, the weight of eons evident in his eyes. When he spoke, his voice carried the profound sadness of someone who had wrestled with these very questions for countless years.
"You think I didn't consider that every single day since I sealed myself? You think the screams of those yet to suffer don't haunt me? But Arion, you're asking me to make the exact same mistake that damned me in the first place. When I killed those thousand people, I told myself it was for the greater good. I convinced myself that taking their choice away, ending their lives for their power, was justified because I could save everyone else. And you know what? I was right. I did save everyone—I brought them all back with the Great Revival."
Kaipo's form seemed to shimmer slightly, as if the memory itself was causing him physical pain.
"But that doesn't change the fact that I became everything I was fighting against. The Pure Heart showed me something you can't understand from your Perfect Intuition: every time someone with ultimate power decides what's 'best' for everyone else, they become a tyrant. If I had used that power to eliminate the Judge, to reshape reality according to my vision of what's right, I would have been no different than him and The Second Coming of Eclipse Xero. I would have stolen the choice from every living being across all five universes and the 'Other Side'."
His voice grew more determined, more certain of his convictions.
"The Great Revival was different—it was returning what was taken, restoring what was lost. But using the Pure Heart to solve everything? That would have been me playing god permanently. And the moment you start making decisions for all of existence, you stop being human."
Kaipo's gaze met Arion's directly, unflinching despite the accusations.
"You say I abandoned them, but I gave them something more valuable than my protection—I gave them the chance to save themselves. To grow, to choose, to become more than they ever could under the shadow of my power. I established them in a time where for once all 5 Universes were in collaboration with each other with very powerful leaders. Yes, people have suffered. Yes, people have died. But they've also risen, they've fought, they've chosen to stand against darkness of their own free will. That choice, Arion—that's what makes victory meaningful. That's what makes us human."
Arion remained silent for a long moment, his form perfectly still as he processed Kaipo's words. The white expanse around them seemed to pulse with tension, as if reality itself was waiting for his response.
When he finally spoke, his voice was steady, unmoved by the cosmic weight of Kaipo's confession.
"You're right about one thing—you did become a monster to gain that power. But your mistake wasn't becoming a tyrant, Kaipo. Your mistake was stopping."
He straightened, his aura flickering with renewed determination that seemed to burn brighter against the endless white.
"You talk about choice and humanity as if they're sacred, but where's the humanity in letting entire realms burn because you're too afraid of your own power? You gave everyone a 'chance' to save themselves, but what happens when that chance isn't enough? When the systems we built start crumbling? I don't care about your philosophical crisis or your need to preserve everyone's precious free will."
Arion's voice grew harder, more resolute with each word.
"The Judge doesn't care about choice. The Eclipse Sovereignty doesn't care about growth. They see weakness and they exploit it. You want to know the difference between us? You killed a thousand people and let guilt consume you. I'm willing to do the same and live with it, because the people I swore to protect—the Kingdom of Solara, The Other Side—they need someone willing to become the monster so they don't have to."
His final words rang out with the finality of an ultimatum.
"So keep your humanity, Kaipo. Keep your noble suffering. But don't expect me to stand by and watch everything burn just so you can feel better about the choice you made. If becoming a tyrant is what it takes to save them, then that's what I'll become. At least I'll be a tyrant who actually uses his power when it matters."
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