Chapter 715
Struggle (2)
“I don’t understand.”
That was what Anuman said after thinking for a moment upon hearing my answer.
At first, he had a mysterious expression, but after hearing what I said, his face suddenly wrinkled into a frown.
“I heard you were a soldier, even though you didn’t experience the war of Blood and Steel.”
“Yes.”
“If you’re mocking me, you’d better stop.”
Until just now, he had been using polite speech, but he suddenly switched to informal language.
I wasn’t particularly concerned about his speech pattern, and from Anuman’s perspective, he might reasonably think I was mocking him.
Blood and Steel—in other words, after showing him all the horrors of World War II, I said I disliked peace.
Even a fool would find that contradictory. That’s why Anuman frowned.
“I’m not mocking you. The things you’re worried about are currently happening in the world I lived in.”
“Currently happening?”
“Yes. Well, it’s not entirely because of peace, but stagnant water always rots. I found that peace doesn’t solve everything.”
Half of Earth’s civilization is filled with war. Especially not wars between superpowers, but small conflicts occurring throughout the world.
Even though small wars still happen today, they’re infinitely fewer compared to the distant past.
Even wars that occurred in the same region or country during the same era would be insignificant in comparison.
“World War II and the subsequent Cold War instilled fear of war. Even nuclear bombs allow small countries to inflict damage that even superpowers would struggle to recover from.”
“I know about weapons that deter war.”
“But more than half of human history is war. Drawing swords for national interests isn’t strange at all. Yet that’s being forcibly suppressed.”
The Russia-Ukraine war that broke out just before I came here.
Ukraine once possessed nuclear weapons but dismantled them all through diplomacy. The result was war with Russia.
If nuclear weapons didn’t exist, the world would still be engulfed in the flames of war. Of course, many technologies and cultures have developed during peacetime.
The problem is that things get ruined because of absurd ideologies. Fortunately, people are getting tired of it and criticizing it from all angles.
“You said you dislike those who live comfortably without proper struggle, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Then you like people who secure their interests through proper struggle?”
“I have no reason to dislike them. They’ve proven themselves through legitimate struggle.”
I wonder how Anuman would react if he saw the current state of Earth.
Beyond disgust, wouldn’t he pray that such an era never comes? There’s no reason this world would be any different.
“The world I lived in weaponized weakness. Starting from the most basic—gender—to race, ethnicity, sexual identity, and so on. Things that were normally perceived as weak or avoided were used as weapons to oppress others.”
“Those who haven’t even struggled are just making empty noise.”
“But it works. In an infinitely peaceful era.”
Political correctness, including feminism and LGBT. Originally, it was an ideology closely related to human rights.
It gave voting rights to women who had none, restored rights to oppressed people of color, and instilled respect for sexual minorities who were avoided.
But as they say, too much of a good thing—it was used indiscriminately to the point of reverse discrimination.
When you treat the normal as abnormal and the abnormal as normal, it inevitably creates numerous problems.
“They think that’s struggle. Not raising the average, but cutting others down to their level.”
“For example?”
“Are there groups in Animerz solely dedicated to combat? Like knights—combat specialists from other races.”
“There’s the Hick Warriors, a group of warriors each worth a hundred men. I was from there too.”
“What conditions are needed to join those warriors?”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you because it involves special training methods.”
It must have been quite confidential, as Anuman firmly refused with a shake of his head. Certainly, special forces training methods must remain confidential.
The Navy Knights reveal how their entrance tests are conducted for image-making purposes.
However, according to what Dave and Nicole secretly told me, there’s hidden training as well.
The difference between knowing in advance and not knowing is quite significant, which is why it’s kept confidential.
“That’s fine. That training doesn’t differentiate by gender or ethnicity, right?”
“You’re stating the obvious. When would an enemy ever show mercy?”
“That’s where they create standards only for the weak. Because of certain aspects.”
“That’s a sign of a nation’s downfall.”
I gave a bitter smile at his perfectly appropriate answer. My chest stung a little.
There are many who acknowledge their weaknesses and work hard, but unfortunately, the noisy minority tends to stand out more.
The long peace after World War II improved the human rights of those who had been oppressed, but those human rights have turned into weapons.
“Because of that, even those who rose through legitimate struggle sometimes face criticism.”
“What a sad reality.”
“Indeed. This is exactly the kind of world you’re worried about. Oh, of course, that doesn’t mean I want war. Even stagnant, rotting peace is better than the horrors of war.”
“I’ll take that to heart. Thanks to you, I feel relieved.”
My counseling must have helped quite a bit, as Anuman smiled with relief.
Such a smile on his fierce tiger face made him look even fiercer.
Still, far from harming me, he seemed to like me, so I could also interact with him comfortably.
“Thank you. Now I think I clearly know what I need to do.”
His speech has become polite again, unlike just before. It seems he has respect for me.
Just as I was smiling gently at this, Anuman launched a surprise question.
“Then let me ask one final question. What are you currently struggling for?”
I wondered when such a question would come up. After all the talk about struggle, it was a perfectly predictable question.
I looked straight into his sharply shining eyes and answered calmly.
“Voice.”
“Voice?”
“Yes.”
To him, who was wearing a puzzled expression, I said:
“I am struggling to be a voice in place of God.”
I wasn’t lying.
*******
Isaac continued to have deep conversations with Anuman about the essence of struggle.
Since both had somewhat valid points, the conversation went on longer than expected.
Of course, there were occasional mishaps due to cultural differences. For example…
“What do you think of progressive women, Anuman? Women whose abilities, including physical strength, far exceed those of most men.”
“I would crush them and make them mine. That is struggle.”
“…”
“Why are you making that face? I understand you’ve already taken many females with your abilities?”
Like that testosterone-filled machismo. That was just his personality, so I let it slide.
Anyway, Anuman was able to gain many insights through his conversation with Isaac.
He doesn’t hate peace. He just hates the problems that arise during long, extended periods of peace.
“Then do you support democracy?”
“I would support it, but we must prepare for the future. If the world you described comes, I’ll have to step up myself.”
At that time, Isaac thought:
Ah. Anuman or his descendants will become “strong leaders.”
They’ll use their powerful charisma to win over people who are tired of political correctness.
Political capacity doesn’t matter. Tiger beastkin may be aggressive and simple, but that doesn’t mean they’re unintelligent.
Rather, they have extremely simple objectives, so they’re likely to employ any method necessary.
“Of course, to reach such an era, nuclear bombs or equivalent weapons would need to be invented. The era you’re worried about is far away, so you can live at ease.”
“Then I must strive to pass this down to my descendants. Would you like to leave words of caution as well?”
“Perhaps? I’ve clearly seen what side effects a long peace can bring.”
But there was one thing Isaac overlooked.
Different dreams—what Isaac thought and what Anuman thought were different.
It was a natural difference due to racial and cultural differences, but they didn’t recognize it because they were close to each other at the moment.
However, as time passes, that distance will gradually widen, and they will naturally run on parallel tracks.
“What we need to keep in mind is legitimacy and rationality. Like the subtle but completely different aspects between equality and fairness.”
“Of course. It makes no sense to deny the laws of nature that have been accepted for thousands of years in less than 100 years.”
“Uh… did you understand what I meant?”
“It’s natural for a female to be protected when she bears children. It’s not the duty of the strong to protect the weak, but it’s natural to sacrifice oneself for a beloved female. No matter how strong a female is, she becomes infinitely weak the moment she bears a child.”
“I’ll believe you understood.”
It’s truly a subtle gap. Isaac felt uncomfortable but generally let it pass.
Anyway, as the long conversation continued, evening approached. It was time to part.
Both Isaac and Anuman left to take care of their lodging and meals.
Did they know this meeting was their last chance to clear up their small “misunderstandings”?
They probably had no idea.
“Isaac.”
“Yes?”
“Those problems in your world that you mentioned. Is war the only way to solve them?”
“Not at all. It’s a fight where the louder voice wins. Plus, most people are tired and are being pushed back. War is an extreme measure that must be prevented.”
Such misunderstandings snowball as time passes.
“Son, I have something to tell you today.”
“Yes, Father. Please speak.”
“Zenon told me this: In the distant future, a long era of peace will come. A world where the weak who haven’t even struggled demand rights.”
It will become a massive landslide covering Animerz and the entire world.
“Our Tigri tribe will prepare for when such a world comes. We’ll remind them of the essence of struggle, and those who haven’t proven themselves will realize how foolish they are.”
“Are you talking about Chief Jinai?”
“That woman has proven herself with ability. Zenon said…”
This too is a story from the distant future by human and beastkin standards.