Li Shuwen - Old
Perseverance Will Prevail
Narration:
It is inherently difficult for humans to prevail against evil. The notion that they could defeat a god is similarly dubious.
Narration:
But when a human is summoned as a Servant, such lamentations should no longer be given voice.
Narration:
In China, there are two expressions that convey this idea well: “Shéng jù mù duàn,” and “Shuǐ dī shí chuān.”
Narration:
Roughly translated, they mean “Little strokes fell great oaks” and “Dripping water penetrates stone.”
Narration:
Therein lies the essence of human progress.
Inshun:
Interesting. So that is how the older and wiser Lord Shuwen sees things.
Inshun:
You are quite a change of pace from your Lancer counterpart.
Li Shuwen:
Did he do something to upset you? ...Aha, I see.
You challenged my younger self to a duel.
Inshun:
I did try to control myself, but I am afraid my excitement got the better of me while I was training.
Inshun:
It seems I still have a long way to go.
Li Shuwen:
I suppose it would be uncouth of me to apologize for instigating it then.
Li Shuwen:
That said, Houzouin...
Li Shuwen:
Surely a man with your spirit and virtue could have resisted the temptation.
Li Shuwen:
Is that not what being a Servant entails?
Inshun:
I am afraid it is not as easy as you might think.
Inshun:
Although I lived to the age of sixty, and still retain memories–or rather, records of that time, I do not have any of the more temperate sensibilities I gained with age.
Inshun:
I have no fondness for fighting to the death,
but I do get a bit hotheaded from time to time.
Fujimaru 1:
I'll say! You guys came dangerously close to killing each other, you know!
Inshun:
Haha, I am sorry about that, Master. I knew I should stop, but I simply couldn't help myself.
Fujimaru 2:
I'm just glad I stopped you guys in time. It wasn't easy...
Li Shuwen:
Knowing what I was like in my youth, I'm sure this younger me must have caused a lot of trouble for you.
Inshun:
Come to think of it,
Lord Shuwen, have you not met your younger self yet?
Li Shuwen:
No, I haven't. If I did, there's no doubt in my mind that we would end up killing each other.
Li Shuwen:
I'm sure my younger self knows that as well as I do. That's why we've made it a point to never be in the same place.
Inshun:
Why would you end up killing each other?
Inshun:
Is it because he would not want to see what he is like when he is older?
Li Shuwen:
Hardly. If anything, it's the other way around.
Li Shuwen:
I've devoted my life to perfecting my martial arts. If I'd come across an older version of me when I was young, I'd want to fight him too.
Li Shuwen:
I'm sure he sees me as either the culmination or the conclusion of everything he's worked towards.
Li Shuwen:
And as a young man, he would have no reason not to see how he measures up to that as he is now.
Inshun:
Indeed. I could not agree more.
Inshun:
After all, it would be impossible for anyone besides a Servant to truly fight against oneself.
Inshun:
And if that other self is a more mature version...
Inshun:
...the urge to resist seeing whether your current self is stronger than your future self would be irresistible.
Li Shuwen:
Yes, precisely.
Fujimaru 1:
But you're not going to fight each other?
Li Shuwen:
I will if you ask us to,
Master...but I know you never would.
Inshun:
Very true. It would be one thing if you were on opposing sides, but in any other circumstance...
Inshun:
Nonetheless, I would also be very interested to learn which of you is stronger!
Li Shuwen:
Hm?
Li Shuwen:
Isn't it obvious? It would be my Lancer self.
Fujimaru 2:
So, which of you IS stronger?
Li Shuwen:
My younger, Lancer self would say he is.
Li Shuwen:
And I would agree with him.
Li Shuwen:
...That said...
Li Shuwen:
...I would still win.
Li Shuwen:
And as long as I know that for certain, I personally have no desire to fight my younger self.
Li Shuwen:
...But, if you'd still like us to fight even knowing that, Master, I'd be happy to oblige.
Inshun:
...Oho. Now I see.
Fujimaru 1:
Huh? I don't understand.
Li Shuwen:
I mean that strength alone is not the sole factor in deciding the victor.
Li Shuwen:
For me, it is not the pinnacle of strength that I seek.
Li Shuwen:
...It may sound like I'm just an old wolf that's lost his fangs, but this is a domain the Lancer can never reach. Kaka!
Li Shuwen:
Though of course, if he has,
that's all well and good too.
Li Shuwen:
It would just mean my victory is even more assured.
Fujimaru 1:
???
Fujimaru 2:
I'm still totally lost...
Li Shuwen:
Heh...
Li Shuwen:
Don't you worry about it, [♂ son /♀️ sport}.
As a Master, you have your own path to focus on.
Li Shuwen:
Hmm. But if that alone doesn't convince you, there's an old story I know that might change your mind.
Narration:
...A long, long time ago...
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...there was a man with fearsome good looks and two viciously powerful fists.
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The man desired strength above all else,
and fought anyone who would accept his challenge.
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The man won each and every fight, as if that were the only natural outcome.
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Whether it was through innate talent, or countless hours of diligent training...
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...the man kept winning so much that he came to be regarded as an invincible legend...
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...even as he left a trail of corpses in his wake.
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Not even stray dogs liked him. And why would they?
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The intense bloodlust he gave off frightened all living creatures who encountered him.
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Although the man had a teacher,
and peers he once studied alongside...
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...he always preferred solitude.
Man:
The way I'm going, I'll surely end up dead in a gutter.
Narration:
The man figured this is what fate had in store for him, and accepted it.
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The life of violence he led could only ever result in his own destruction.
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One day, he would fall.
But that day would not be today...
--BATTLE--:
Narration:
...Another day, another pile of corpses.
Man:
Tch...
Narration:
That said, the man did not always finish his battles unharmed.
Narration:
Bruised, bloodied, a ferocious crimson tiger... Even the moon seemed to try to avoid shining its light upon him.
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Naturally, there was no one around who would ever try to talk to hi–
Child:
Hey, what're you doing?
Man:
Hm?
--ARROW--:
Child:
Hey, what're you doing?
Man:
Hm?
Child:
Yikes, so many dead bodies.
Did you kill them, mister?
Man:
I would be lying if I said I didn't.
Man:
I've resolved to kill no more than one person per day in duels, but this was nothing so honorable as that.
Child:
Gotcha. Are you gonna kill me too?
Man:
Of course not.
You're hardly worth raising my fists over.
Child:
Aww, you're no fun.
Narration:
The man frowned.
He had no intention of preaching about morality...
Narration:
...but he still felt that was not something a child should say.
Man:
Go away. This is no sight for children.
Child:
What's the big deal? Besides, they killed my brother.
Man:
...I see. So they were bandits.
Child:
Uh-huh.
Man:
Then you should be satisfied now. Go home.
Child:
But, there's still more of them.
Man:
Oh?
Narration:
According to the child...
Narration:
...these bandits had built a hideout nearby,
and struck out from there, raiding nearby villages.
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And since this area was too remote for the authorities to help, there was nothing the villagers could do.
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He also told the man how his brother was killed for daring to fight back...
Narration:
...keeping his voice calm and measured all the while.
Man:
I see.
Narration:
The man had no interest in fighting injustice.
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But he knew that if he did nothing, the child would soon end up following in his brother's footsteps.
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He could see the determination in the child's eyes, could see that he was willing to fight the bandits no matter what.
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The man had no obligation to help the child,
and no quarrel with the bandits.
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...Still...
Man:
...Do you mean to go kill them yourself?
Narration:
The man then noticed the child was holding a small dagger close to his chest.
Child:
Yeah, that's right. I've gotta avenge my brother.
Man:
You won't survive.
Child:
Fine by me.
Man:
...You're too young to decide the manner of your death.
Child:
But if I don't do it, who will!?
Child:
Somebody's gotta make them pay!
Man:
Somebody, hm. So you don't care who that someone may be.
Man:
If a perfect stranger can go in your place–if it is not necessary that they be desirous of revenge–then there is no reason that someone cannot be me.
Man:
Give me that dagger.
I'll bury it in their hearts myself.
Child:
...!
Narration:
The man continued, falteringly.
Man:
The truth is that I have no reason to seek vengeance myself. That's why I go around searching for opportunities.
Man:
It makes no difference to me if these bandits end up rich, or if a kid ends up throwing his life away.
Man:
But, as luck would have it,
our fates have intertwined today.
Man:
I will honor that entangling and serve as a weapon in your stead. I'll be your spear, your fists.
Man:
If you can swear to yourself that your anger and hatred are justified...
Man:
...then I will use these fists of mine to crush those bandits.
Child:
...You mean it?
Narration:
Crouching down, the man looked the child straight in the eye.
Narration:
The child then handed the man his dagger,
tears spilling down his face.
Child:
Please...avenge my brother.
Man:
Very well. Your life is now in my hands.
Narration:
As the man walked towards the bandits' hideout,
he let his fighting spirit grow hotter and hotter.
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Not even a starving tiger would dare attack him now.
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His bloodlust and delight in battle surged to their boiling points, and he made no effort to hide either.
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Even the sleeping birds were startled awake by his murderous aura.
C：Bandit:
Hah? Why're the birds makin' so much noise this late at night?
Man:
Hmm. Which of you will be the first to die?
It makes no difference to me.
D：Bandit:
Huh? Who the hell do you think you–
C：Bandit:
A-aaaaaah!
Man:
There is nothing to discuss. No need for words.
Bring all your comrades here. Quickly.
C：Bandit:
S-somebody help! Hurry!
E：Bandit:
What's goin' on? The village hire some martial artist or something?
C：Bandit:
What're you so afraid of? He's just one man!
Man:
Now, now, go easy on him.
He did well, at least for a bandit.
Man:
I'm glad you're all here now. It would be much more trouble to track you all down myself.
Man:
I've counted all of you. If the number of corpses fails to match that count when this is over, I'll know how many of you turned tail and ran.
Narration:
The man's words stoked the bandits' murderous rage further.
Narration:
But it was too late. The man knew that if they truly meant to kill him...
Narration:
...they should have attacked before surrounding him.
Man:
None of you will leave here alive. Now fight me.
Narration:
The man smiled like a wolf baring its fangs.
--BATTLE--:
G：Bandit:
He's...a monster...!
Narration:
The bandits' lifeless bodies were strewn across the ground, just as the man's own body was now bruised and battered.
Narration:
But that made little difference to either his feet or his fists.
Bandit Leader:
A-aaaaaah! Please! Spare me!
Bandit Leader:
I promise I'll do anything you want!
I'll never kill again as long as I live!
Man:
Too bad you didn't have your change of heart sooner. This is payback for all the villagers you and your men killed.
Narration:
Blood stained the blade a vivid red. The man continued on his spree, mercilessly felling bandits left and right.
Man:
...Guess I should go give the dagger back.
Man:
But I'd better wash the blood off somewhere first...
Narration:
The man made his way down the gloomy mountain,
back to the boy's village.
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But...
Man:
What the...
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There was no one there to be found. Not even a sign that anyone had lived there recently.
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It was clear to see that the area had been abandoned for years.
Man:
...I see. I knew retribution should be carried out swiftly...
Man:
...but I never considered that I'd missed the chance entirely. I truly am useless.
Narration:
Taking the dagger out from his shirt pocket,
he found it had already half-crumbled to dust.
Man:
...I wonder whose vengeance I carried out.
Man:
Whoever you are, I bet you would have liked to do it yourself.
Narration:
...And so, the man left the deserted village behind, with only the wind howling in his wake.
Li Shuwen:
...Strong as I was back then,
I still couldn't make a difference.
Li Shuwen:
It doesn't matter how strong you are,
you still can't change the past.
Inshun:
Hmm. Still, it sounds like there was nothing you could have done about that. Sometimes, people just die for no reason.
Inshun:
In fact, neither life nor death carries any special meaning.
Inshun:
Those villagers do deserve to be mourned,
but to try to save all of them...
Li Shuwen:
Kaka. I am well aware.
Li Shuwen:
I am far from the Buddha. I've never thought to even try to save all lives in this world.
Li Shuwen:
That said...
Li Shuwen:
There are things I can teach, and lessons I can convey.
Li Shuwen:
What I lacked back then was the composure to realize that.
Li Shuwen:
I am neither a hero, nor a villain.
Li Shuwen:
So I thought, at the very least, I should leave what I've learned behind for others to study.
Li Shuwen:
Even I have something I want to protect. These fists can be quite useful at getting to the crux of certain matters.
Inshun:
...Still, Lord Shuwen, what you describe is nothing less than a break with your past self.
Inshun:
Is there nothing about that you regret?
Li Shuwen:
Regret? Of course.
Li Shuwen:
Seeing myself grow weaker by the day...
Seeing my fists grow dull and ineffective...
Li Shuwen:
It would be stranger if I had no regrets at all.
Li Shuwen:
But, all those regrets are gone, now that I'm here.
Inshun:
...Aha, I see. You make an excellent point!
Inshun:
Late though it may be for me, perhaps that is what I should strive for too.
Li Shuwen:
All right, I think that's enough idle talk for now.
Shall we get going, Master?
Fujimaru 1:
Sounds good!
Li Shuwen:
Very well.
Inshun:
Indeed! I'm glad we had this talk.
Inshun:
Now I am more eager to wield my spear than ever!
Fujimaru 2:
So you're all set then?
Li Shuwen:
Of course. These fists are yours to command as you see fit.
Narration:
...His body grows weaker by the day,
and with it, his fists grow duller.
Narration:
One can easily imagine his younger self mocking him,
saying something like...
Narration:
“What were you doing with your life up till now, old man?”
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But the old man would just laugh it off.
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He knows now that his fists are no longer a weapon he wields solely for his own sake...
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...but one that cuts a path forward for those who follow behind...