Lightning Is the Only Way

The Tribe remained silent for several seconds. Had the Sea Commander died just like that?

"YEEEAAAHH!" and then, the whole Tribe cheered, including the Sea Camp. Everyone hated Shira. She was dangerous to the Land Camp and just as dangerous to the Sea Camp.

If it had been two months ago, the Sea Camp would have felt devastated. After all, back then, they had believed that the Land Camp wanted to eradicate the Sea Camp. Yet, in these two months, with Shira's absence, they had come more into contact with the Land Beasts.

Over these two months, the Sea Camp realized that they weren't the Land Camp's enemy. The real enemy of the Land Camp was Shira. With Shira's death, the Land Camp and Sea Camp would no longer be enemies.

During this time, the Sea Camp and Land Camp got to know each other better. By now, they had acknowledged the other side's power, and with power came respect. With Shira's death, the enmity between the Camps would also die.

While all of this was going on, Gravis started growing. He had absorbed Shira's full power, and, finally, he had enough to reach the Early Unity Realm. His body shook, and in just one minute, he grew to be around six meters tall.

When Gravis' breakthrough was over, he only sighed. 'The internal pressure of the Tribe has lessened with Shira's death. Also, I need to forge new weapons for my new size. Well, I have enough ore for that, at least,' Gravis thought.

Gravis had a humongous amount and variety of ores inside his Spirit Space. After all, he and the fungus had regularly searched for ores. By now, he had also developed a feeling regarding the different kinds of ores. He only needed to smelt a new ore twice to immediately know how it worked.

"So, Shira's dead," Silva commented from the side.

Gravis nodded. "I wanted to keep her alive for you, but she decided to attack me. Sorry about that," Gravis said.

"Don't mention it," Silva said with a sigh. "It just feels kind of… empty to me. She had been my goal, and suddenly, my goal is just gone."

Gravis only lightly hit Silva's side. "She was just a temporary goal anyway. Isn't becoming stronger and protecting your companions the purest goal? Just strive for that instead," Gravis said with a smirk.

Silva sighed again. "I guess I could do that, but it feels different."

"That's because there is not as much pressure anymore. You've grown used to the benefits that constant pressure gives you. Now, the survival of the Land Camp is secure, even without you. Wasn't Shira's threat the only reason why you even decided to stay inside the River Tribe?" Gravis asked.

Silva thought back to the day when he had decided to join the River Tribe. Gravis was right. Silva had only joined the River Tribe because he couldn't watch as all his companions would die to her. He had been completely against the philosophy of the River Tribe back then.

"So, you can leave if you want," Gravis said with a smirk.

"Don't play games with me," he silently said. "You know exactly that I can't return to my

loudly. "I know, I know," he said. "So, now you have to do the same thing I've been

at Gravis. "Which

right. This was exactly what I wanted her to do. With a greedy and sneaky snake constantly at your back, you can't

sighed. "Did you know that something like this would happen from the very beginning?"

was about 80% sure that she would betray me when she thought she had enough power to kill me, but there was also

I'm not sure what I should do right now. I don't even know how I can put myself under more pressure," he

only smirked and laughed a little. "Oh, you don't need to worry

looked with surprise at

with a smirk. "Our Tribe has been constantly attacking and killing other Tribes. We have probably already decimated several Tribes associated with powerful Tribes or Kingdoms. In the coming weeks, more and more powerful Lords will

intruders. You haven't realized it yet, but Shira's internal pressure has been converted into external pressure. Now, you don't need to fear

"After all, we're arriving at the territories of the level

Like this, all the pressure had

two level three Lords attack, you have to deal with them. If you can't,

would just watch as the entire River Tribe was killed?" This was utterly new to Silva. He had expected that Gravis would step in to protect the Tribe. Wasn't this one of the Leader's

never put any kind of rule on any beast that forbade them

"You know exactly that most beasts won't leave with me after seeing their own power increase like that. Aren't you doing the same thing that Shira

Tribe specifically. I just let everything take its course. Either the Tribe is powerful enough to rule the world, or it will die trying. I don't know if the Tribe has that capability unless I let it take its course. Either you follow me on this path, or you abandon it and take a new one. It's your

"Of course, I will consider you a friend either way,"

but some of his anger had vanished as he listened to Gravis' words. Gravis gave the beasts every freedom. The members of the River Tribe were powerful enough to create

their own Tribes, no one would stop them. They could become the hegemons of their own Tribe and rise to power. Yet, nearly no beast inside

"Why do you give the beasts of the Tribe so much freedom? Are you not afraid that they will just leave after hearing

freedom is the most important thing to me, and if I don't grant others that freedom, I don't deserve it myself. Suppressing others while being totally free is hypocritical in my

that freedom to convince as many beasts to leave the River Tribe. At the rate we're going,

If they decide to stay, I will let them stay. After all, they are their own beasts with

and do whatever

against Gravis with this decision,

said. Then, he

fine with this?" Orthar asked as he came closer to