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?

sat up, leaning on the tree. "You didn't even give me the courtesy to finish my phrase." The bandit weakly rubbed

does it matter?" Gravis asked

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

brows. "That sounds nice, but that does not change

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

you said that your phrase was 'pay a toll or face death'.

exasperation. "Dude, that's just posturing! It's to sound cool. Everyone knows that bandits normally don't kill.

I've seen some bandits attacking a nearby village. They tried to kill the people and ****

are the reason why the life of a bandit grows harder these days. They're not bandits. They're murderers, or raiders if you want. Those sacks of shit don't understand how the

surprised. "So, if you encounter

Gravis. "Did you live your whole life under a rock

Gravis

me. I'm a guard. I'm so safe in my own house and

stealing from the traveling

innocent village boy from the mountains, are ya? You've probably even never visited a city before, right?" The bandit looked at Gravis,

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

just looked at him

a fucking joke, asshole! Don't just fucking look at me with that deadpan-ass, corpse-ass stare of

Gravis did not comply.

bandit grew increasingly annoyed.

to his chin in thought and continued watching. Gravis had a particular feeling