Lightning Is the Only Way

Everyone looked at Gravis as he opened the door and walked in. All the chatter that was just going on instantly stopped. The young people in the room never expected someone like him to come here. This place was not a location where nobles would frequent. This was a classroom. Specifically, a classroom for the preparation for a job that only 'low born' people normally took. Was the prince actually intending to become a research assistant?

A research assistant was an occupation that allowed people with a poor background to make it big if they survived. Family's with an, at least, average standing would not need to send their children to this death camp, where only a tiny portion of attendees survived. There was no reason for the prince to become a research assistant. A single fart of the Opposer could make anyone become a God.

Gravis felt a little embarrassed when everyone looked at him like that. Keeping his head low, he dodged the shocked youngsters and quickly found an empty chair and sat down. He kept his head low, not wanting to meet the eyes of the others.

"Damn, everyone looks at you like you just killed a guy. What did you do?" Gravis heard a voice from his right. He looked at the youngster that just talked to him. He was an about 15-year-old boy with brown hair and brown eyes. Even though he looked clean, one could see his family's financial situation by the cheap clothing he wore. His hands were rugged and filled with calluses.

"Hey, you deaf? I'm talking to you." The boy continued with an annoyed tone, seeing that Gravis had not reacted yet after a couple of seconds.

Gravis quickly perked up. "Oh, sorry, sorry! I was just not used to people speaking to me like that." Gravis rubbed his neck in embarrassment.

"You mean speaking like a normal guy? You're a weird one." The boy said while boringly looking at Gravis. "Well, if you want to keep secrets, go ahead."

Gravis wasn't used to talking like this. "No, it's nothing like that. It's just, where I'm from, people always talk indirectly and very formal. So..." Gravis nervously twiddled his thumbs. "I'm not sure how to talk with... normal people." Gravis dodged his eyes.

"Man, what's up with you? Are you a stale soup without any backbone? A man needs to be like a good soup. He needs to have a backbone, lots of meat and has to be refined to perfection. Speak up, will ya?" The boy shouted.

The other people in the classroom looked at the guy with pale faces, while Gravis was just confused by his strange metaphor. "A man... needs to be like soup?" He asked.

Strong, flavorful, hot, well prepared! That's what makes a man." The boy looked at Gravis with intense

but he also felt as if he kind of understood the guy. Gravis tried to sound more confident. "Yes. You're right!"

should be." He then extended his hand to Gravis. "Hey, I'm Ballor. I like to

hand into Ballor's and gave him a

great. Hey, could you maybe let my hand go? I think

Gravis quickly let go of Ballor's hand. Ballor pulled it back

did you eat? Your grip is

"Oh, I'm so-"

immediately went to their desks, and obediently sat down, still glancing at Gravis

the next year, so that you will be well prepared and, hopefully, survive." Forneus looked around the room. "Now, let me just give you a

will be sent to the lowest worlds, where the energy and its inhabitants are the weakest. The goal behind this seemingly mindless task is to research the cultivation techniques of these worlds. Even though the people might be weak, their techniques might not be. Every world is different, and every world has its own

have not cultivated at all or have only tempered their organs and blood. If you

for a while. Then, he continued. "For those of you who have no idea about cultivation, let me just briefly summarize the first four cultivation realms and what they're all

even heard the name of any realms. His father made sure of that. Finally, he got to know

is called Body Tempering. Just like the name says, you need to temper your whole body, one piece at a time. It has five stages: Organ tempering, blood tempering, bone tempering, skin tempering, and muscle tempering. It is important to note that you can theoretically temper your body in any order you

first, what would happen?" Forneus looked around the

Forneus nodded. "You will explode when you use all your power because your skin and bones are not strong enough

only allow the tempering of the muscles to go

Forneus stopped speaking when he saw a boy in the front, Ballor, in

need a strong skin to survive and strong muscles to win.