Lightning Is the Only Way

The next day, Gravis asked for directions to Body City. This was the city where the yearly entrance exams for the Elemental Guilds were being held. Gravis didn't have to search for long since Body City was the biggest city for thousands of kilometers. Nearly everyone knew where Body City was located.

Body City was located about a thousand kilometers to the north. That was quite the distance. If he normally walked, he would take forever to get there. Luckily, he had quite a strong body and good stamina. Gravis could run for around three hours before he needed a break. If he took a one-hour break after three hours of running, he would reach the city in about 26 hours, if he didn't sleep. Luckily, Gravis still had a lot of time, so he wouldn't need to rush.

Gravis started his journey on the same day. There was nothing in Wilderness Town that kept him there. Maybe, he could also find some exciting things in the city. It was, after all, the center of cultivation for the surrounding thousands of kilometers. Gravis grew excited at the prospect of exploring such an important city.

Gravis left the city and began his journey to Body City. Yet, of course…

"Pay a toll to-"

BANG!

Gravis ran the poor bandit over, and multiple bones in the bandit broke, even though the bandit had tempered skin. If it were before Gravis had tempered his skin, the bandit wouldn't be this injured. Yet, with the added hardness of Gravis' new skin, the impact was harder.

The bandit flew for over five meters into a nearby tree and hit it, leaving a huge dent in it.

"Ahhh," Gravis could only hear a small whimper of pain from the bandit's voice.

"Dick!" Gravis heard the bandit shout. With that, he stopped and turned around. He quickly ran back to the bandit, who was lying weakly before the tree.

"You try to rob me, and you call me a dick?" Gravis asked with a sneer. Spite filled his voice. How shameless could a person be?

me the courtesy to finish my phrase." The bandit weakly rubbed the back of his neck and

it matter?" Gravis

come on, man! That's how things work. I jump out and say 'pay a toll to pass or face death', and the other side either pays the toll or not. If not, we talk to each other and exchange our ideologies. Then, we fight. If I win, I'll take a bigger toll, and if they win, they either just walk past

but that does not change the fact that

bandit groaned in pain. "You just don't get it, man. Isn't this also some kind of training? We get to fight

you said that your phrase was 'pay a toll or face death'. You are kind of saying that you would kill them

in exasperation. "Dude, that's just posturing! It's to sound cool. Everyone knows that bandits normally

eyebrow. "Actually, I've seen some bandits attacking a nearby village. They tried to kill the

you want. Those sacks

if you encounter

sneered at Gravis. "Did you live your whole life under a rock or something?

you?" Gravis

I'm a guard. I'm so safe in my own house and in my walls. I'm better than everyone

"I really don't understand. Wouldn't stealing from the traveling merchants discourage them from traveling? Why would anyone important

the textbook definition of an innocent village boy from the mountains, are ya? You've probably even never visited a city before,

bandit spat to the side. "Man, just my luck running into you." Suddenly, the bandit looked surprised as he got an idea. "Or, you running into me, HA

just looked at him

just fucking look at me with that deadpan-ass,

Gravis did not comply.

annoyed. "What? Say something!"

hand to his chin in thought and continued