Gravis and Frank walked into the "arena" and looked at each other. Gravis looked neutrally, like nothing that happened here had anything to do with him, while Frank looked arrogant and cocky.
Frank took out his sword and pointed it at Gravis in a provocation. "Finally, I get to take revenge on you for taking my house!" he proudly proclaimed in a voice that seemed to look down on everything. "You’ve been hiding in my house for the last three months, and I never got the chance to fight you!"
The audience whispered to each other. Those two contestants also seemed to have a history. Yet, the audience wasn’t stupid. They had seen Gravis’ strength, and they wouldn’t be so stupid to think that he could lose to Frank.
They all earned their own money and resources themselves and were smart enough to judge the strength of others. They all looked with mocking smirks at Frank. Had his own arrogance blinded him?
Gravis looked at Jaimy and saw Jaimy being a mess right now. He was incredibly embarrassed by his younger brother, and he was violently gripping his hair in frustration as if he was continually shouting, ’Shut up! You’re so stupid!’ After that, he put his hands together in pleading and was mouthing the words "please," to Gravis.
Why had Jaimy asked Gravis to lose? Jaimy was not stupid and had an impressive will and battle experience. He had everything that a supreme genius needed to ascend, and he, obviously, was also able to judge Gravis’ strength accurately. When Jaimy stood before Gravis, Jaimy felt like Gravis could even be a threat to him, even though he was already in the Energy Gathering Realm.
Did he believe that his younger brother could win? Absolutely not! He wasn’t even sure if he, himself, could win in a head-on battle with Gravis. Yet, his idiotic younger brother was provoking Gravis, maybe destroying all of Jaimy’s begging. Jaimy was wrestling with himself. Frank was his brother, and he loved him, but he was also so incredibly stupid and arrogant.
Gravis could infer most of Jaimy’s thoughts, and he could empathize with him. Jaimy was a good person who was being weighed down by his brother. Without his brother, Jaimy would shoot through the ranks of cultivation and probably even ascend to a higher world.
Yet, was power without a family worth it? Gravis wasn’t sure. Gravis still had his family, yet if Frank died, Jaimy would have nothing left. Would Gravis persist in cultivation if he didn’t have a family? Gravis wasn’t sure and threw away the thought. He turned back to Frank.
Frank waited for a while, still pointing his sword at Gravis, but Gravis didn’t seem to react. Frank got infuriated by Gravis’ disregard. "Today, I’ll destroy all your dignity in front of the whole Lightning Guild!" With that, he shot forward and chopped at Gravis.
BANG!
Gravis easily sidestepped Frank’s attack and appeared right behind him. He hit the back of Frank’s head, and Frank collapsed, unconscious. There was no sense in humiliating Frank or injuring him. He was only a child that threw a temper tantrum. If Gravis took him seriously, Gravis might grow complacent in his power, and his will would reduce. He had to look at the situation as neutrally as possible.
Gravis turned to Jaimy, and for the first time in public, showed an actual expression. Gravis sighed and looked with compassion at Jaimy. The audience wasn’t sure if they could believe their eyes. Gravis had never shown anything but a neutral expression. They had even started believing that he didn’t have any emotions at all.
Of course, Gravis wasn’t emotionally dead. He was still happy, sad, excited, afraid, and other things. He just couldn’t show it to others. If he showed his emotions, others might look at him as a human and would start getting close to him. When that happened, Gravis would need to push them away again. This was the best way to keep others away from him.
Jaimy looked at his unconscious brother with shock. What now?
Gravis sighed again. "You can’t pull someone to strength," he said, and Jaimy looked at him. "By giving him what he wants, you are keeping his will weak. With a weak will, he will never be able to temper his Spirit. If his will does not increase, he will never reach the Spirit Forming Realm," Gravis explained. That was the most he had ever talked in public in the Lightning Guild.
The onlookers with a stronger will nodded and believed Gravis, while the weaker ones sneered at him. Too many people couldn’t accept that they lacked in some aspect. That was what stopped them from growing.
Jaimy looked at Gravis, and then at his unconscious brother. Then he looked at Gravis again and sighed. "I understand." With that said, he picked up his brother and left the plaza. Gravis really hoped that Jaimy understood. That would help him in growing stronger.
Gorn was grinning from ear to ear. That Frank guy had won multiple tournaments in the past because everyone else had conceded. Gorn felt like the tournament lost its purpose because of him. Frank had also always failed in upgrading his Lightning Seed to 50% Destruction Energy. Gorn felt like giving him the seven days on the fourth level was a waste of resources.
Gorn walked over to Gravis and patted his shoulder. "Well done! I’ll prepare the fourth level for you, and I should be done in about eight hours. By the way, you don’t have to go immediately. You can use the seven days anytime in the next two months. I’ll be looking forward to your strength after that!" he said as he patted Gravis’ shoulder again.
Gravis looked at Gorn and smiled. "Thank you," he said, and Gorn nodded. They then went their separate ways. Many disciples wanted to talk with Gravis, but he ignored them. He couldn’t grow closer to others. Even talking with Gorn was already a risk. Seeing that Gravis didn’t deign to talk to them, they judged Gravis to be an arrogant jerk. Who did he think he was?
About eight hours later, night had already arrived, and Gravis was looking at his new saber with a grin. "When I’m back, you’ll be my new weapon," he said while feeling the Formation Array lines on its surface. Finally, he could use his new saber. It was an actual Energy Weapon and would be able to supplement his fighting style.
Real weapons could do more than just be a hard, sharp stick. They could absorb the Energy or element of the user and transform it into an attack. They could also absorb other forms of Energy, but that depended on the weapon and its quality. Gravis’ saber was a high-grade Energy Weapon, and that was really good for someone who was about to break through into the Energy Gathering Realm. No wonder, Heaven didn’t want to give it to him.
He put the saber back and left the house with his Void-Stone saber. Gravis couldn’t wait for another second, and walked directly to the Lightning Tower, even in the dead of night. He was about to break into the Energy Gathering Realm, and he felt excited. He had been waiting for such a long time!
PUCHI!
Gravis heard something and looked down.
A saber came out of his left chest, and it had completely destroyed his heart.
"What?"