Sang-je’s ultimate aspiration rested upon bing one with nature, seamlessly woven into the fabric of this world. Eugene had unwaveringly held onto the belief that every action Sang-je took was a step towards this profoundmunion. Yet, in a sudden twist of contemtion, a statement by Alber resurfaced in Eugene’s mind.


    <em>“I can’t fully trust his words. He ims he desires death, but who’s to say he doesn’t have ulterior motives?”</em>


    Among the myriad pieces of information that Alber had imparted to Eugene, the one that resonated most profoundly concerned Anika’s Ramita bringing peace to Sang-je. For Sang-je, Anika’s demise was imperative.


    “In that case,” Eugene spected, “Alber must have been deceived by him right from the outset.” Alber had aligned herself with the enigmatic creature, not solely driven by the yearning for her tribe to break free from their constraints but also because the creature’s desires weren’t unreasonable. The longing to reconnect with their origins and return to the world of their birth was fundamentally human.


    However, as time psed, Alber’s trust began to erode. Yet, due to Sang-je’s stranglehold on all information, she likely couldn’t uncover any concrete evidence to substantiate her suspicions.


    Eugene halted her deduction and adopted a patient stance, aware that Mara might have deliberately sown seeds of misinformation to sow confusion.


    “How can you be so certain whether or not Sang-je desires death?” Eugene inquired.


    Mara retorted, “Because it defies reason for an awakenedrk to yearn for death.”


    “Do Hwansus have no inclination towards survival?” Eugene probed further, her thoughts briefly drifting to the turtle Hwansu she had encountered at the desert sanctuary and the reactions of Abu and the small one as they scampered away. If Mara’s assertions held true, the pieces of the puzzle began to align.Kasser, who had been an attentive listener, interjected, “Are you suggesting thatrks and Hwansus are fundamentally distinct entities?”


    “Regardless of their nature,” Mara countered, “is it logical to equate creatures like us, sentient beings, with parasites locked in a perpetual cycle of consumption, reproduction, and awakening?”


    Eugene and Kasser exchanged a knowing nce. Thoughcking a concrete rebuttal, they both harbored an unspoken hesitation to endorse Mara’s self-praise with their acknowledgment.


    Nevertheless, as Eugene contemted the two Hwansus nestled quietly at her feet, she found herself leaning toward supporting Mara’s assertion thatrks and Hwansus were indeed disparate entities. The endearing Hwansus bore no resemnce whatsoever to the gargantuan ratrk she had encountered previously.


    Nheless, she resolutely confronted the reality as she gazed at the rat.


    “Your origins trace back to ark,” she asserted.


    Mara let out an exasperated click of his tongue. “Ah, humans, why do you dwell on such matters? What truly matters is not the past but the present.”


    Eugene found herself taken aback. She hadn’t anticipated receiving a dose of philosophy from ark.


    “…Are you genuinely refuting the notion that somerks be Hwansus?” she inquired.


    “That’s indeed a fact,” replied Mara. “But I don’t remember anything before awakening. So, the form I had before my awakening is not me.”


    Eugene’s confusion deepened. Initially, it had appeared as though the mystery was unraveling, but now more questions arose.


    “If your assertion holds, thenrks and Hwansus must be distinct entities. Larks seek death, while Hwansus… don’t. But I’m perplexed. Isn’t bing a tree and experiencing death a form of respite for you? I’ve encountered Hwansus who canmunicate their intentions. In their case, the elders referred to death as ‘extinction,’ and extinction signifies vanishing, not integration into the cycle of this world, doesn’t it?”


    “Of course, death is preferable to extinction. Yet, living is far more enjoyable.”


    Taken aback by this unexpected response, Eugene sought rification. “What do you mean?”


    “I suspect you’re seeking an exnation because you buy into that absurd notion of wanting to be a tree. What I’m about to share is information of the highest quality, something even the elders haven’t told,” Mara mumbled to himself before addressing Eugene directly.


    “There are grades to ark’s death. The worst fate is to be obliterated by the King,” he exined, briefly casting a nce at Kasser with his crimson eyes. “That’s literal extinction. So, it’s a superior fatepared to falling prey to anotherrk. Figuratively, it’s like rebuilding a sandcastle after it crumbles. And even better than that is meeting one’s end at the hands of a human.”


    “So, you’re saying it’s better for ark to die at the hands of humans than to be eaten by anotherrk?” Eugene asked.


    Mara borated, “Whenrks meet their demise by human or through consuming humans, they establish a unique connection with this world—a sort of ‘fateful bond,’ one might say. This, in turn, heightens the likelihood of awakening.”


    Kasser let out a soft sigh ofprehension. He now grasped whyrks would assail humans, who were not even their typical prey.


    “The most desirable form of death is the transformation into a tree through Anika’s Ramita. However, even this death doesn’t represent the ultimate choice. What ark genuinely craves is the state of awakening. Yet, the odds of awakening are exceedingly slim. Instead of pinning hope on a minuscule probability and risking annihtion at the hands of the King, it’s preferable to meet one’s end at Anika’s hands. This allows them to break free from the ceaseless cycle of dry and active phases.”


    “Is bing a Hwansu… the ultimate aspiration for ark?” Eugene inquired.


    This revtion diverged from the information she had received from Alber. If Mara’s words held true, it meant that Sang-je had duped Alber with the data she had been provided.


    <em>Sang-je, is everything you utter a falsehood? Is there any truth in your words at all?</em> Anger surged within her once more, yet, paradoxically, she also felt a strange sense of relief. There had been something irritatingly elusive, like a tiny thorn lodged in her thoughts, that had been bothering her until this moment.


    Could Sang-je truly be med for simply yearning for death? Perhaps therks, forcibly transnted into this world, were indeed the true victims in this tale. And if transforming Sang-je into a tree was not a punishment but rather the fulfillment of the monster’s desires, then perhaps his tranquil end was not as far-fetched as it seemed. The need for conflict might no longer exist.