Lightning Is the Only Way

The group looked with questioning gazes at Gravis. What was he talking about? Someone with Life Lightning wouldn't be able to use their element offensively. This gave them a severe disadvantage over their opponents. Someone like that could be the strongest fighter? How would that even work?

Joyce waved her hands defensively. "No, no, no!" she said quickly. "How would I be able to win against the others? Their elements suppress me, and I would be on the defensive the whole time!"

Gravis smirked while rubbing his chin. "Let me explain," he said. "First of all, why didn't you upgrade your body to the Seed Stage already?"

The group got even more confused as they furrowed their brows. What's it with this stupid, obvious question?

Joyce also furrowed her brows. "Because my own body would hinder my element, and if I wanted to release it, I would probably spend over double the cost. My element would be weakened significantly like this."

Gravis nodded. "Yes, but that is only a disadvantage if you wanted to release it to fight, right?"

"That also counts if I want to heal someone else. If I don't use my Life Lightning to heal others, what would be the point of having it in the first place?" Joyce asked with skepticism.

Gravis wasn't deterred by her question and only chuckled a little. "But can't you still heal yourself?"

Joyce scratched her neck. "I mean, sure. The healing of my own body wouldn't be hindered. I would only need to use more Life Lightning to heal it since a stronger body requires more Life Energy."

Gravis continued smirking. "Right. Now, let's think logically about this. You can probably heal yourself to your peak condition from a near-death state about 20 times, right?"

Joyce nodded.

"With a body at the Seed Stage, you would still be able to heal yourself around ten times, right?"

Joyce nodded again.

"Alright. So, if you fight as you are now, you can probably take down one enemy one Stage above yourself thanks to your Will-Aura, right?" Gravis asked.

Joyce nodded.

"Then, how many enemies at the Seed Stage would you be able to take down with a body at the Seed Stage?" Gravis asked with a smirk.

eyes

current Stage because of their element's

guess not," she said after a while.

at the Sapling Stage. Your Will-Aura would be able to bridge the gap of two Stages. Both of your Will-Auras would get canceled out, leaving you both with your base strengths. Everything besides your body would be two Stages lower. Yet, with only your body, you would still be able to, at least, injure that

thought. "Yes, but I would only be able

not dying. You would be able to stab the enemy's body once, but the counterattack would be swift. Yet, thanks to your Life Lightning, you only need to protect your head and dantian.

Gravis

you can heal yourself ten times, you can stab your enemy ten times, right? Wouldn't that

like a dream

Joyce thought about it, the more logical it

between her mind and her dantian since it would bisect

now, he needed to actually plan on how to win. The revelation of this possibility completely changed his perception of Joyce. She would transform from a weak enemy into a dangerous one if

you two were to fight, she would need to keep herself as low to the ground as possible. Like this, a horizontal slash would be more

around a meter to the side. But in Joyce's case, she only

just used your most powerful attack, but your enemy wasn't even injured. You would have wasted your most powerful attack for basically nothing. Like this, without her even doing anything, she would have

second!" Joyce interjected. "Don't talk like I'm not here! Yes, that way of fighting sounds very impressive, but one mistake and I would lose my life! I

"Isn't that already the case? One hit to your dantian or head, and you

refute that, but she

closer and put a hand on her shoulder. "If you want to reach the top, you need to unearth all your potential. You need to get comfortable with injuring yourself to slay the enemy. If you can't even do that, then your dream of reaching the top

floor. Gravis' words hurt her, but she realized that he was

shoulder gently. She looked into Gravis' eyes as he looked back. "You have the perfect element to become incredibly powerful, but in order to truly use that potential, you need to completely

with unsure eyes into Gravis' eyes. "But, my temperament is defined by my element. I

not your temperament itself," Gravis said. "Life Lightning is compassionate, but against an enemy, it isn't compassionate. With a more powerful body, you will still be

problem. You will still use your Life Lightning to heal, but instead of focusing on healing others, you are focusing on healing

future. Her worries about the future seemed so distant now. Even though she hadn't talked about it, she had been anxious about the time

she just be wild prey? All her security from this world would vanish,

get through their lives

closed her eyes for a short moment and then reopened them. Yet, instead of uncertainty, they shone with battle-intent. "You're right!" she shouted. "I need to depend on

Having companions was great, but it was not a necessity.