Lightning Is the Only Way

Whenever the young woman in the Lightning Tower came to the third level, she could hear a loud scream from above her. In the beginning, it only sounded painful, but as time progressed, the scream of pain slowly transformed into mad laughter.

Every time she heard it, a chill ran down her back. That man on the fourth level was definitely insane. No human could scream like this while still being rational, and she never dared to enter the fourth level again. She was afraid of that man and wanted to stay as far away as possible.

"Increase the output!" she heard suddenly from above her. She blanched. Was the man speaking to her? What did he mean with "increase the output"? What was he saying?

"Increase the output!" she heard again, and a shiver ran down her spine. She quickly ran out of the Lightning Tower and informed Gorn. Gorn quickly arrived and went to the fourth floor.

"Gravis, the seven days of allotted time will end in some hours. You can't continue," he shouted through the door.

Some time passed until "I need more power! Give me more power!" Gorn heard through the door. Gorn narrowed his eyes and opened the door. When he looked inside, he saw Gravis, fully healed. Gravis' eyes gleamed with madness and rage, and Gorn looked deeply into his eyes.

"I require more power!" Gravis shouted in rage as he looked Gorn in the eyes. Gorn saw the emotions in Gravis' eyes and watched for a while. He lowered his head in thought, and after a while, he looked at Gravis with resolution.

"Okay!" he said and left the room. Gorn walked to the core of the tower, where he could see multiple Formation Arrays and some shining stones. These were Magic- (Energy) Stones. They were named like that because they harbored the Magic (Energy) in the air. They were currency and also functioned as the power output of the Lightning Tower.

Magic-Stones didn't exist in the Outer-Continent, and the guild could only get them by trading with their parent-guild. They needed to send gold, while the parent-guild sent the Magic-Stones. Gorn pulled out several more of those stones and placed them on the Formation Array, which was responsible for the fourth level.

Gorn then changed the settings of the Formation Array and doubled its strength. The woman from the Lightning Tower followed him, and when she saw what he was doing, she grew nervous.

"Guild Master, this is way above our allowance," she said in nervousness. "A stronger output might also damage the Lightning Tower."

stones when someone doesn't need the full seven days. We have a lot of

are there in case of a crisis.

He has a goal in mind, and I trust him. I know that he won't forget this kindness. I am willing to bet everything on

could only watch. He was the Guild Master, and he decided everything. She couldn't change his mind, and

all karmic luck had left Gorn

anymore. Gravis needed to make his body harder. When he would use his own lightning

started to climb up by itself. The Destruction Energy was overwhelming the Life Energy in the Lightning

Destruction Energy, even if he wanted to stop it. The Destruction Energy had grown too domineering and wouldn't allow anything else around

he could destroy his body again. He continued madly destroying and recreating his body, and the insane increase in

weak again. "More power!" He shouted as loud as he could. "Give me more

exhaled in nervousness. "Gravis, if I increase the power further, it will be as strong as an attack from a Magic Gathering Expert. Don't overdo it!"

more power!" Gravis shouted

decided to bet everything on Gravis, and he would go through with it. He threw every last stone he still

it all! If the Lightning Tower got damaged, the foundation of the Lightning Guild

only increased. Pain signified tempering, and tempering signified strength. The more pain he felt, the stronger he would get. He started loving the pain

faster, and after an even shorter time than before,

open the door and looked at Gravis. He saw that Gravis wasn't injured and that an insatiable greed filled his eyes. Gorn walked forward

his hands. "But I can!" he said

shocked. This lightning resistance was insane! Gorn narrowed his eyes further and increased the output until he started using all

madness. Gorn looked at Gravis with a mixture of fear and madness in his eyes. He was afraid of what Gravis would become, but he also had a mad curiosity about how far Gravis' strength could increase. Gorn had decided to go All-In, and