Lightning Is the Only Way

Gravis spent several hours in silence as he just took the atmosphere in. To him, it felt abnormal that he only heard the sound of the wind. Of course, there was still the sound of some small insects moving around, but that couldn't be compared to huge beasts constantly clashing. The quiet sound of nature felt strange to him.

Many humans loved to go into nature and just stay there in silence, but it was a different thing if someone lived basically their entire life with a constant background noise of excitement and bloodshed. Even though the quiet sound of nature showed life in its most basic form, in comparison to the normal world, it felt dead.

The complexity of life had regressed and returned to its basic components here. Gravis couldn't even see any Demonic Beasts. The only things he saw were some weak, mortal animals and mortal plants.

One would think that this didn't sound logical. After all, weren't beasts drawn to areas with more Energy? So, shouldn't there be a ton of beasts here?

Yet, if one thought that, they hadn't considered the broader picture and history of this world. In areas with more Energy, more powerful beasts would live. Living besides these powerful beasts would be a sure death sentence. Just the careless movement of the Lightning Ultimate going for a stroll would create shockwaves that would tear everything apart in a huge area.

So, then why were there mortal plants and mortal animals?

The reason for that was instinct that had been created over millions of years. The most powerful beasts had always lived here since this was the place with the most Energy. These powerful Ultimates wouldn't allow other Emperors to stay in their territories. Kings and Lords also weren't allowed to stay here.

Yet, after millions of years of beasts living here and dying out of carelessness, an instinct had been created unknowingly inside them. This instinct told them that an area was dangerous if they could see no powerful Lords, Kings, or Emperors.

To Demonic Beasts, Energy Beasts, and Spirit Beasts, beasts of the three higher Realms felt like Gods. These godlike existences were more powerful than these weak beasts by far. Yet, even these godlike existences didn't dare to stay here.

Thus, the weaker beasts that were still strongly influenced by their instincts felt scared and nervous when they didn't see any kind of powerful God occasionally. This meant that something even more powerful than a God resided here. Therefore, living here was dangerous.

The weaker beasts didn't realize this fact consciously but subconsciously. It was their instinct that activated a fear response inside them and made them avoid this area.

The mortal animals didn't have this instinct. The mortal animals were so fragile that it was incredibly dangerous and challenging for them to live in any area with beasts roaming around. Therefore, the death rate of these mortal animals wasn't as high here as outside. Because of that, the reverse happened. The mortal animals here had developed an instinct that told them to avoid the outside.

Thus, a mortal paradise had formed in the core of the world, which was the best area for beasts to reside. It was quite contradictory in nature.

'Or maybe I'm just overthinking things,' Gravis thought. 'Maybe there are no beasts because the Ultimates methodically eradicate every beast in their area. Honestly, I don't know.'

'First, I should get used to this new area. As long as I forget the outside world, I can comprehend more about my Laws. Maybe being in tune with basic nature will help me in my comprehension.'

Yet, Gravis felt nervous when he had that thought.

'But if I forget the outside world, will I stay the same when I return? I know that I will always be me, no matter how much I change, but is this a change I am willing to make?' Gravis thought.

'The outside world is stressful and full of bloodshed. Beasts die, and I am in constant danger. The times when I didn't feel like I was in danger only felt like this in relation to the normal, elevated feeling of danger I feel constantly. There is always a possibility that some powerful Emperor kills me without being able to react.'

'Now, in this place, there's truly nothing. No Emperor would dare to attack me due to my relationship with Meadow. In this place, the only thing that can kill me is myself.'

'If I forget the outside world and get used to this harmonious silence without any danger, I might lose my drive. This peaceful world doesn't make me feel rage, helplessness, frustration, fear, suppression, or anything else, but aren't these the exact feelings that drive me forward?'

'If I don't feel these generally accepted negative feelings, will I still have something that drives me forward? After hundreds of years of quiet peace, will I still have the heart to risk my life for tempering?'

'I don't fear that staying here will kill me, but that staying here is too good. If I become happy here, I won't see a reason to continue cultivating. I have already stayed in this world for around 90% of my life. This world feels more like home than my actual home.'

Gravis looked towards the sky in silence.

'I don't remember father's voice.'

'It has been so incredibly long. I don't remember my father's voice. I don't remember mom's voice. I only have a weird inkling of how my father's face looks like. Same thing for mom.'

'I don't remember how Orpheus looks or sounds. I remember how humans act, but by now, their conduct also feels distant. I am so used to how beasts act that it would feel weird to be among humans again.'

'Is this what you meant, mom?' Gravis thought. 'Back then, you have seen that I have grown distant to you because of only seven years apart. Back then, I felt like the person I have met was different from the person I have left behind, even though you have not changed at all. After all, for you, only a couple of days had passed.'

'My perception and growth have changed me, making me see people I have known previously differently to before.'

Gravis looked to the ground.

'In the lower world, I could still vividly remember all your faces and voices. I still felt a connection.'

'But now, I feel nothing. I feel like I should love and long for your company, father, mom, but it just isn't there. I should be excited to return home, but I'm just not.'

'The highest world feels like an alien world. I have only seen parts of the city and the outside of the city, but I basically know nearly nothing else about my homeworld. Is the highest world truly my home?'

'I don't know anymore,' Gravis thought.

'In this world, I have my children, Azure, Ferris, Orthar, and Styr. In my homeworld, I have father, mother, and Orpheus.'

Several minutes in silence passed.

'I don't know,' Gravis thought in confusion, alienation, and pain.

Then, a long period of silence passed as the unchanging world continued existing.

Hours passed.

Nothing changed.

There was just silence.

Peace and quiet.

A world without worries, a world without danger.

Nothing.