Lightning Is the Only Way

Gravis was looking at a massive bug with imposing horns. It was around five meters high and double as long, and its horns were just as long as the bug itself. This was the first high-grade demonic beast that Gravis had ever seen. While Gravis was watching it, it was munching on the crop of a village. It had already eaten so much of it that the village had nearly no food left.

"Let's see how my strength compares to a high-grade demonic beast," he muttered to himself as he shot to the bug.

SHINK!

The bug couldn't even react before Gravis cut off one of its legs. Gravis was just too fast. The bug immediately grew panicked and opened its shell so its wings could unfold.

SHINK!

Gravis' saber cut off all the wings on one side, and when the bug tried to jump to get airborne, it only received lift from one side. It quickly toppled over and fell onto its side.

Gravis was no longer attacking and just looked at the bug. 'This is such a disappointment. No wonder Heaven had no issue with me hunting high-grade demonic beasts,' he thought as he saw the bug getting up. It turned towards Gravis in fear, panic, and rage. With all its strength, it stabbed its horns at him.

Gravis easily sidestepped the horns. He was faster than the beast, and together with his battle experience, he could dodge all of its attacks for hours on end. The beast rammed him again with its horn.

BANG!

Gravis wanted to test his strength and blocked the next strike. Gravis got pushed back for some meters, but that wasn't due to its strength, but due to the weak ground. Gravis' arms shook a little, but that was about it.

'This should be its strongest attack, yet I blocked it without an issue. My body strength is probably equal to the bug's. Yet, due to my weight, I am actually way faster. It takes a lot of power to move such a massive body, after all,' he thought.

The bug stabbed with its horns again, Gravis sidestepped, and then he used his full power to attack the horns.

CRRRRRRK!

Gravis' saber went through about 75% of the horn before it stopped. With another strong push, Gravis split the upper horn in two. This was probably one of the hardest parts that a high-grade demonic beast could have. If Gravis managed to sever that, he would manage to pierce anything in the Body Tempering Realm.

Demonic beasts were the beasts equivalent to the Body Tempering Realm. Under normal circumstances, a high-grade demonic beast would have a stronger body than anyone in the Body Tempering Realm. That was what made them so powerful. Humans only had their wits and intelligence to fight against the beasts if they fought on the same level.

Yet, Gravis easily destroyed that preconceived notion, and his muscles weren't even fully tempered. If Gravis tempered his muscles fully, he probably wouldn't even need a weapon to kill a high-grade demonic beast.

"I can't even fight Energy Beasts, because they all left for richer lands in the middle-continent. The only enemies in the outer continent that can properly fight me are those Guild Masters of the Proxy-Elemental Guilds. No other Energy Gathering Realm expert would walk around in this destitute land," Gravis narrated to himself while constantly sidestepping the bug's attacks.

When Gravis avoided another attack, he quickly stepped forward and stabbed the bug through its eye, right into its brain. The bug froze and then collapsed. Gravis realized that he had grown too strong for the outer continent and looked towards the north. That was where the middle continent was located. "Soon," he said.

Gravis knew that he had to build upon his preexisting advantages. He had an impossibly powerful body for someone in the Body Tempering Realm. Theoretically, he could break through into the Energy Gathering Realm right now because his body was strong enough to withstand the Energy's natural pressure.

Yet, that would destroy his foundation. If he did that, he would not have reached his maximum potential before advancing. Later down the line, this might be a problem. He first needed to get his Lightning Seed to 50% Destruction Energy and then fully forge his muscles. Breaking into the Energy Gathering Realm would be incredibly easy, after that.

Gravis grabbed the dismembered horn and the bug corpse, and he started sprinting back to the guild. That bug would bring him a lot of money.

Back at the Lightning Guild, Gravis shoved the corpse of the bug into the Exchange Hall, and the clerk behind the counter went nuts. "This is the most well preserved high-grade demonic beast corpse I've ever seen!" He walked around the corpse and exclaimed again. "You even severed its upper horn. Getting those off the corpse takes a lot of work. If you sever the other one as well, I'll increase the bounty!"

Gravis simply severed the second horn, and the clerk shouted in glee and shock. He quickly inspected it and also asked Gravis to retrieve the Core. Gravis helped and, in the end, got a hefty 1,500 gold for the corpse alone.

Apparently, those bugs were a rare commodity. They were rather cowardly and sturdy, so it was hard to break their defense, and when you finally broke it, they would often just fly away. That was why the corpse was worth so much money.

Gravis got his gold for the corpse and also the gold for the mission. Gravis had over 2,500 gold now. "Well, that was fast," he mumbled to himself. Just like that, he had enough money to get his Lightning Seed up to 40% purity of Destruction Energy.

Gravis didn't waste any time and bought 25 hours on the third level of the Lightning Tower. He went to his room and started increasing the purity of his Lightning Seed. The pain of the lightning was definitely noticeable now. The pain was about as intense as the Fire-Torture Pill. Luckily, due to his immense will, he only needed to concentrate on dealing with the pain. He didn't need an external release for his pain.

After roughly 20 hours, he had upgraded his Lightning Seed to 40% Destruction Energy. After that, he used the remaining five hours to temper his body. The tempering was definitely faster than on the second level, but only by around half. Two hours on the third level equaled to three hours on the second level. Using the third level to temper his muscles, was a luxury and a waste of money.

After his time was up, Gravis came out and went back to his house. He checked if his saber was still there and nodded when he saw it. After that, he sat down on his cushion and started thinking.

"I only need to wait for the tournament in about 80 days. After I win that, I won't have any problem getting my Lightning Seed to 50% since I get a full seven days on the fourth level. I'll also finish tempering my body when that time comes. I will then break into the Energy Gathering Realm immediately, and then I'll set off to the parent guild on the middle-continent." Gravis muttered to himself.

"I should probably make some money in the remaining days. Everything in the future needs money, and now is a good time to earn some," Gravis sighed. "I have nothing else to do either way."

Gravis also pondered about lightning and how he could include it into his fighting style, in the future. He could add it to his attacks to strengthen them and even use it from a distance. His opponents would also fight differently.

Like this, Gravis spent his days in the Lightning Guild, either hunting or thinking about lightning.

Until…