43 Growth

"HISS!!" (DIE!!)

Datura Snake lunged toward Wang Shóu at an impossible speed for an ordinary person to react and yet...

'Meteor Mash!'

Wang Shóu instantly turned around and deliver a swift, ruthless punch clad in a blue aura at Datura Snake, hitting like a meteor.

"POW!"

Struck as if hit by a speeding truck, Datura Snake was instantly blown away ten meters before crashing to the ground.

Smoke rise up from Wang Shóu's right hand, which he blew it away, like a western cowboy.

As a Pokémon, Wang Shóu naturally became sensitive to emotions directed at himself, whether positive or negative.

So, the moment Datura Snake directed its killing intent toward Wang Shóu, he instantly sensed it.

'I was kind enough to heal you, and yet you tried to kill me?!'

So, he couldn't understand why, even after he had healed Datura Snake, it still wants to kill him.

If he had known that the reason for Datura Snake's murderous intent was that it couldn't tolerate a weaker being defeating it, Wang Shóu would probably laugh angrily and said, "I have forgotten that this is a Chinese cultivation novel where characters kill for the stupidest reasons!"

Datura Snake, groaning in pain, slowly rose up from the ground. Its injuries, which were halfway healed, is now bleeding profusely, and it is estimate that unless Datura Snake was treated immediately, it wouldn't survive for long.

But Datura Snake doesn't seem to care. Madness contorted its face, completely bent on killing Wang Shóu!

Hissing, it coil itself and lunge forward, covering almost ten meters in an instant.

'It seems I have no choice!'

There is ruthlessness in Wang Shóu's eyes. It seemed he had been too kind to Datura Snake!

With the aim of ending this farce, Wang Shóu changed his Clefairy form into his strongest form... Pikachu!

"?"

Datura Snake suddenly paused in its lunge, a question mark appearing above its head. How did a pink creature instantly turn into a yellow mouse? This is unscientific!

Wang Shóu didn't care about Datura Snake's confusion. He gathered intense energy swirling in his body to unleash a new killer move he had learned at level 44!

Wang Shóu's cheek pocket crackle with intense electricity, and he is emitting sparks that is being transmit through the air.

'Thunder!'

Vast electricity surged through the air and travel up into the wide sky.

At the same time, dark clouds begin to gather ominously in the once clear sky, swirling with crackling electricity.

As the tension in the air heightened, bolts of lightning streaked across the heavens, illuminating the dense forest below.

With a deafening roar, thunder echoed through the heavens, reverberating across the forest.

Even ten thousand years old spirit beasts would find it difficult to survive in the face of Heaven's wrath!

The air crackled with anticipation as the Thunder hurtled toward its target with unstoppable force.

Witnessing the might of the thunder, Datura Snake snapped out of its madness, wanting to avoid it, but it was too fast.

Seeing this, desperation filled Datura Snake's face, and it immediately wants to beg Wang Shóu for mercy, but it was too late.

"BOOOM!"

With a resounding boom, the Thunder struck Datura Snake, engulfing it in a blinding flash of light and searing heat.

As the echoes of the thunder subsided, the once vibrant scales of Datura Snake now lay blackened and charred.

Smoke curl up from the serpent's motionless form, and the earth beneath it is scorched black.

In the face of nature's wrath, all existence was equal and helpless against their fate.

Wang Shóu slowly walk up to Datura Snake's corpse and gaze at the scorched body.

He didn't speak.

"..."

Wang Shóu wasn't happy that he had kill Datura Snake, instead he is in a low mood.

This was the second time in this world that Wang Shóu has officially taken a life.

The first time, with Datura Snake, he hadn't had time to dwell on it as his priority was safety for his life.

Now, facing Datura Snake again, Wang Shóu now fully witness the result of his actions.

However, feeling his heartbeat with his paw, he was surprise to find that his heart barely fluctuates.

But why?...This was the third life he had taken in his current life and his previous one combined.

Thinking about it, Wang Shóu understood why and realized the flaw in saying he had only killed three lives.

In reality, it was a lie to say that he hadn't killed countless lives.

As a member of the wolves family, he would hunt animals in the wild to bring back food for his family.

At that time, he hadn't truly understood what it meant to kill, nor had he been willing to think about it.

Even when he was brought back into human society and is taught about the consequences of killing, he still couldn't face the reality of his actions.

Even here in Douluo Dalu, he numb himself mentally when killing ordinary animals for food.

After all, how could a predator understand the emotions of its prey?

Relying on this, Wang Shóu had been deceiving himself, trying to avoid the consequences of taking a life and the futures he had stolen.

But now, as he confronted it, the impact was more ordinary than he had expect.

But why?...

Looking at the corpse of Datura Snake and the blood seeping into the ground, his mind seems to reach an enlightenment.

Ah...yes, he had failed to understand this simple truth for so long...

Life was a beautiful thing in all of existence, but death was also an inevitable process...

Death was never inherently bad...it is alway fair granting absolute death to all life.

And at the same time, it is also part of the natural cycle of life.

After Destruction comes Creation.

And after Creation also comes Destruction.

It was an unavoidable truth that all living things must confront.

And no life was truly innocent of not causing death. Even an ordinary human had countless deaths on their hands.

They were flies...ants...and even plants...

Humans might not think of them as life, but they were continuously born and faced death, struggling their best to live. Is that really not life?

But this didn't mean that Wang Shóu will deceive himself, lying to himself that it is fine to murder because it was part of the natural process.

Nor will he self-righteously think it was fine to kill because he was on the side of justice.

Instead he will naturally bear the consequences and guilt of stealing their futures for the rest of his life.

But he knew...that even with his actions, his heart is as clear as pure water.

Because he understood the consequences and yet still chose to bear them anyway. 

'...Datura Snake, I did indeed kill you, but I thank you for the opportunity for this enlightenment.'

Gazing at the corpse of Datura Snake with a calm look, he turned his body around.

He began to walk toward where his companions were.

Wang Shóu understood that he will face death one day.

But thinking of his companions Xiong Yong and Zhizhu, he realize his heart is at peace.

He has live a blissful life, making precious memories with his companions. He could never ask for more from the reality that has given him a valuable chance to live.

...What's more, a second chance at life too.

Perhaps this is called growth...

But he wondered... would there be a time when he will face death and succumb to it?

Or will he confront death and transcend it?

He doesn't know... but he knew that he would make up for all the regrets in his past life and live his second life the best he could.

---

A/N: I will hope that I summarize the MC's thinking and his growth well enough. But if not, feel free to ask me question and I will do my best to answer it.

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