Lord Shadow



As Azief spoke, his voice carried a magnetic quality, exuding a persuasive power that had not been present in his youth. 

In his younger days, he had never been considered a particularly skilled orator, although he would often speak animatedly when conversing with his friends. 

However, just as he had grown stronger by overcoming his weaknesses, Azief journey of self-improvement had transformed some of his vulnerabilities into his greatest strengths.

One of his earlier weaknesses had been a fear of challenges.

  Yet, through numerous near-death experiences, he discovered a profound sense of triumph in overcoming adversity and surviving against all odds.

  Having stared death in the face multiple times, Azief began to view walking the tightrope between life and death as something less daunting and even exhilarating. 

With each brush with mortality, he gained a new perspective on fear and the boundaries of his own capabilities.

Now, after years of growth and resilience, Azief had honed his skills of persuasion.

  The challenges he had faced and the lessons he had learned had imbued him with the ability to captivate and sway others with his words. 

It was a transformation that had taken time and effort, a testament to his relentless pursuit of personal growth.

"Or maybe, it is because I sit at the highest seat and so my words have that persuasive power to it" he thought to himself. 

After all, a poor person wanting to become rich would not listen to the advice of another poor person. 

They want to hear the advice of a rich person. But sometimes, the only one who could see you objectively is also the person that shares the same fate as you. 

This thought flashes in his mind for a second 

He said to Hikigaya. 

"I am no smarter than you. Or anyone else. I think the same thing….' He paused for a second before he added "Probably" 

A second pause and then he continue 

"My thought at that time might seem unique, and there were a time when I feel my thought is special and no one else think the same way. There is this desire to be special. That we alone thought of it and no one else and this desire to be special could sometimes overwhelmed you"

"However, I like the idea that I was special. Because then it is the world that is wrong and not me" he chuckles at this thought

"Childish, don't you think?" he mutters. Hikigaya did not say anything. Azief then continue saying

"But after a while, after knowing more people, talking to them I discover that what I thought of is not that uncommon. What I thought was special, is not that special"

He paused for a second and then he said

"I just see more"

He pauses another second and then added

"And then when you see more, your mind is open. And because I have seen more things, I could understand more. The people in the world, is like a frog that watches the sky from the bottom of a well. How could it see the green grass, the creatures of the world? It only sees the blue sky and yearned for it"

"The frog does not have wing" Hikigaya said. 

Azief smiles and answered.

"Before, the frog does not have wings"

"And now?"

  Azief smiles

"But today, if the frog want wings, they just have to jump and jump hard and wings will be there"

Hikigaya hearing these words chuckles. 

And he nodded.

Azief added 

"Before, one could only yearn. And that yearning could never be fulfilled. But now, the yearning could be fulfilled. So, why not jump? And why not jump hard? Take the wings and soar to the sky"

Azief likes to talk in metaphor and Hikigaya is the same kind of person.

The frog is the common people of the world. And the wings is the energy of Heaven and Earth. 

The All Source, The World Orb whatever you want to call the Source of Energy that is present between Heaven and Earth

In the past, both Azief and Hikigaya are also that frog in the bottom of the well. 

At that time, both of them did not even look at the blue sky but like any other normal people, look at the ground. 

Hikigaya, during his high school years, had adopted a cynical, nihilistic, and stoic persona. 

He was a loner who took pride in his ability to handle things on his own, never relying on anyone except his younger sister. 

He adamantly refused to accept pity, sympathy, or charity, recognizing that his path was not one of self-improvement. 

However, this mindset often led him to hurt both himself and those around him, causing his own descent.

Everything changed for Hikigaya with the arrival of the Fall. 

He transformed into a warrior, a warlord, and continued to evolve into something greater. 

Now, he sits atop the world, possessing the power to influence global affairs with his words and actions. 

This newfound position of authority contrasts starkly with his previous desire for a simple, uneventful life.

On the other hand, Azief, in his younger years, aspired to become a government official. 

He recognized the corruption within the government but sought stability through a government job. 

This shows that even in those times, there is a sense of justice within him. Of course, the years had polished that heart of justice. 

And he become colder and more practical. But if one studied Azief past, one would understand why he hated the Crime Alliance. 

He longed to be a productive member of society, striving for a path he thought would provide him with security. 

However, life proved to be far more complex than he had anticipated.

Azief matured over time and learned that choices had consequences, some of which he regretfully made in the past. 

He stumbled, fell, and at times, struggled to regain his footing. 

When he did rise again, he often found himself disoriented, feeling lost and uncertain as he groped his way forward through the uncertainties of life.

Both Hikigaya and Azief journeys highlight the complexities of growth and the challenges faced along the way. 

Their paths have taken them from their initial ideals to a place of greater power and influence, but not without sacrifices and missteps.

At that time both him and Hikigaya is a frog. 

A frog that did not look up and see the vast open blue sky

But they look down and see the darkness of the well. 

They stare at it and all they could see was the darkness of that well

If there is one similarity between them…..then this is that similarity. They were both normal people before. 

With normal dreams, normal desires and broken dreams and unfulfilled desires. 

Just like the seven billion people of the world. 

All trying to live in a  world that has become colder, crueller and harsh.

And no one could have expected that one day all of their life could change. 

The Fall happens, meteors raining down from the Heavens and the world is filled with energy that brings power and unlimited possibilities. 

Infinite possibilities, infinite dreams. 

And then the frogs began to look up and looking up they began to see the sky. 

And then seeing the vast sky, they yearned for it. And so, they jumped and when they jumped, they rose.

And they jump even more and before they know it, they have wings. And with wings, they soar to the sky freely.

Both Azief and Hikigaya walk their own path. But, this did not mean that they could not appreciate each other thought

There is silence. And Hikigaya is deep in thoughts. 

Azief notices something. 

There is an aura around him that is slowly rising up and affected the room. The space and time around Hikigaya is distorting.

Azief spread his Divine Sense and then he found out what happened. The space and time itself is not affected. It was an illusion. 

Azief did not intend to stop it. Hikigaya is on the verge of something. Whatever he realized, his realization is increasing his mastery of his own Grand Path. 

Azief did not stop him even when he could. 

This is a kindness. 

And so, the moment he did this, Azief could feel the invisible cause and effect that now bonds itself with Hikigaya. 

The cause and effect between Hikigaya and him was already there and now it is strengthened. 

But who owes who and who help who? 

Cause and effect….which is the cause and which is the effect? 

Not falling, not ignoring:

Odd and even are on one die.

Not ignoring, not falling:

Hundreds and thousands of regrets!

He is reminded of the story of the wild fox koan

Every time Baizhang, Zen Master Dahui, gave a dharma talk, a certain old man would come to listen. 

He usually left after the talk, but one day he remained. 

Baizhang asked, "Who is there?"

The man said, "I am not actually a human being. I lived and taught on this mountain at the time of Kashyapa Buddha. 

One day a student asked me, 'Does a person who practices with great devotion still fall into cause and effect?' 

I said to him, 'No, such a person doesn't.' 

Because I said this I was reborn as a wild fox for five hundred lifetimes. Reverend master, please say a turning word for me and free me from this wild fox body." 

Then he asked Baizhang, "Does a person who practices with great devotion still fall into cause and effect?"

Baizhang said, "Don't ignore cause and effect."

Immediately the man had great realization. 

Bowing, he said, "I am now liberated from the body of a wild fox. I will stay in the mountain behind the monastery. Master, could you perform the usual services for a deceased monk for me?"

Baizhang asked the head of the monks' hall to inform the assembly that funeral services for a monk would be held after the midday meal.

  The monks asked one another, "What's going on? Everyone is well; there is no one sick in the Nirvana Hall." 

After their meal, Baizhang led the assembly to a large rock behind the monastery and showed them a dead fox at the rock's base. 

Following the customary procedure, they cremated the body.

That evening during his lecture in the dharma hall Baizhang talked about what had happened that day. 

Huangbo asked him, "A teacher of old gave a wrong answer and became a wild fox for five hundred lifetimes. What if he hadn't given a wrong answer?"

Baizhang said, 

"Come closer and I will tell you." 

Huangbo went closer and slapped Baizhang's face.

  Laughing, Baizhang clapped his hands and said, "I thought it was only barbarians who had unusual beards. But you too have an unusual beard!

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