The Martial Unity

However, I won't supply intelligence if I have reason to believe that the way you humans act upon it will be to my detriment.

"That's how intelligence exchange agreements usually go," Rui replied calmly.

Good.

Rui turned to the Elder Tree with quizzical eyes. "Do you dislike humans?"

He wouldn't be surprised if it did. Humanity's constant encroachment into and colonization of the Beast Domain was one of the largest causes for the many disruptions that the area dealt with on a daily basis.

This, in turn, was the whole reason that the Elder Tree had created the Garden of Salvation. It did so in order to preserve the species in their environments and ensure they didn't fall prey either directly to humanity or indirectly to the spiked competition within the Beast Domain.

Thus, Rui would hardly be surprised if the Elder Tree harbored hatred for humanity. If it did, it was rational enough to recognize that cooperation was still the best way to go.

The Elder Tree was clearly aware of his thoughts.

I am incapable of hatred as an emotion. I am incapable of a lot of emotions that you of the animal kingdom are able to harbor. I am aware that you humans do not share this perspective, but I see humanity as a part of nature rather than something outside of it.

Rui's eyes lit up with intrigue. "…You're right; I've never thought of humanity as a part of nature."

Why wouldn't you be? Your species is of this world and of this continent, just like all other species. As a species, humanity is a descendant of the last unifying common ancestor that we all share from billions of years ago. The human species is undoubtedly a part of the natural order, as far as I am concerned. If anything…

Rui felt a pointed gaze from the Elder Tree.

…If anything, it is you who is not a part of the natural order. You of another world.

"…Thanks." Rui huffed wryly.

You do not need to thank me. Ultimately, while I am not fond of the impact that humanity has had on the Beast Domain, I am cognizant of the fact that an overwhelming majority of species in this world would overrun every other species if they possessed the power to do so. Humanity is the only species strong enough to possibly do so.

"That is true." Rui nodded.

If any predator species gained the power to prey on the entirety of the biosphere, then they would drive all life into extinction. The only reason this didn't happen was because they were far too weak to actually accomplish this goal.

"Say…" Rui turned to the Elder Tree. "You said you've been alive for a millennium, correct?"

It is indeed accurate that I have lived approximately one thousand human years.

"Then do you know what happened prior to your current life? And can you tell me what the world was like one thousand years ago?" Rui asked, curious.

He was not a historian. However, he would be lying if he said he wasn't curious about what happened during the Empty Ages. It was far too much of a mystery. It was especially difficult to halt his curiosity when a potentially reliable source on the matter could potentially clear things up.

The Elder Tree was aware of what Rui wanted to know.

Unfortunately, I do not know the truth about the Empty Ages. I also was not sentient when I was a mere sapling. Sentience and intelligence grow differently in the plant kingdom than they do in the animal kingdom.

"Well, damn," Rui cursed. "I was hoping that would have solved the mystery."

Although I was not sentient, I can tell you that I was the first of my species. I do not know how I came to be. And while I was not sentient during my sapling days. My body did contain… impressions of what the world was like back then.

Rui's eyes lit up with interest again.

…A broken world.

Rui raised an eyebrow.

One that was healing.

Rui furrowed his eyebrows. "What?"

I don't know. But that is the only impression I can recall.

"Hmmm…" Rui narrowed his eyes. "Do you mean broken as in civilizationally, environmentally, ecologically, or literally, or in any other possible context?"

I'm afraid I am unable to clarify.

"Damn," Rui muttered. "Well, whatever."

That was the extent of his curiosity.

"How's the learning going?" He turned to the Elder Tree, narrowing his eyes. "I don't want any unnecessary delays. I am on a tight schedule."

I will soon reach a stage where I am confident that I will no longer need your aid. I would recommend that you begin preparing yourself for the inheritance of my vast knowledge. If you have any chance of coming away with your mind and sanity intact, it will only be because you have honed your mind to an absolutely optimal state and have made all the preparations you need.

"What do you think I'm doing?" Rui gestured down to the Garden of Salvation.

"Taking a walk in the garden?" Kane huffed beside him, breaking his silence.

"I am expanding my Mind Palace with the Garden of Salvation. That takes time and continuous exposure to this place," Rui retorted. "It is good that this place is as large as a country. Once I'm done with that…"

He narrowed his eyes. "I will engage in a lot of mental conditioning and exercise."

"Exercise?" Kane raised an eyebrow.

"This is hardly the first time I have been flooded with information," Rui replied calmly. "I have ways to simulate and replicate that as well. I will use that to temper my mind against large floods of information so that it doesn't snap."

"Are you sure that's going to be enough?" Kane asked, concerned.

"Well, I cannot be certain, but it is the very best I can do," Rui remarked evenly. "Ultimately, only time will tell whether it will be enough. Only time will tell whether it will have been worth it.

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