"I believe I said no-one lives forever?", Raijin says and stands up. "In a century, nearly everyone you could've killed will be dead anyway - and the same is true of nearly everyone you could've saved. In a thousand years, the same will be true of nations."

He looks 22 and 23 in their eyes. "There exists an interpretation of the tale of the crow which can't be made of the version in your book: namely, that the mother crow only had strength to carry one chick to safety."

"My father once told me a dozen people die every second. He also said he could help any one of them - but only one. And he asked me: how many people had died, people he could've saved, in the time it took him to tell me that."

"Losses will always happen. If you can't accept them, your life will be bleak - the bleaker the more power you have. Please consider that."