"So I can't answer that question for you either."
"Because the meaning of life isn't something others can tell you. It depends on you."
After a pause, Xia Le smiled faintly.
"What kind of person do you want to become in your limited lifespan? What do you want to do?"
"What goals and dreams of your own do you want to achieve?"
"Do you want to change the people around you, help those who need help, or change the entire world?"
"That's all up to you, isn't it?"
Orochimaru stood there, stunned.
He had never considered the span and meaning of life from such a unique perspective. He had merely felt how fragile life was after witnessing the deaths of friends and comrades in war.
"Everyone has a reason to live!"
"Everyone changes this world. A flower plucked without thought, a sincere smile—both can affect the world."
"So you could say that everyone's life has meaning."
"By the same token, you could say it has none!"
"Because most people won't change very much over the course of their entire lives!"
After a brief pause, Xia Le gazed into Orochimaru's eyes, seemingly seeing straight through him.
"Rather than asking about the meaning of life..."
"You're really asking about its length."
Orochimaru froze, his slit pupils contracting.
"Then what are your thoughts on the length of life, Xia Le?"
Their brief conversation had begun to make him enjoy the feeling of exchanging ideas with someone else. It was like a discussion of profound truths.
"Every life has its own meaning!"
"But the length of a life can be changed!"
After a moment of silence, Xia Le suddenly spoke.
"Oh?"
Orochimaru's eyes lit up.
He waited for Xia Le's answer.
"In other worlds, life might have an endpoint!"
"But here..."
"It might be