Lightning Is the Only Way

Gravis was a bit surprised that the Emperor personally escorted him to the Icy Pride Empire. Yet, his reasoning was rather solid. After all, Gravis had just killed an Inquisitor, and no average level five King would be able to keep him at bay if he decided to betray the land beasts.

Gravis didn't have anything against the Emperor escorting them since he didn't decide to betray the land beasts anyway. He had already made his promise, and he would go through with it.

After everything had been dealt with, the Emperor led the squad towards the Icy Pride Empire. Due to the squad's relatively slow speed, they took just as much time to return as they took to get here. Gravis and the Emperor could have finished the journey in a single day, but due to the others, the journey took several days.

While they were traveling, the Emperor noticed Gravis' body healing. When he noticed that, the Emperor released a sigh of relief. It wasn't that he was worried about Gravis, but that it would have been too weird if Gravis' body was actually just a head. How would he even fight? Would he simply float over to someone and bite them?

While Gravis had still been a head, he tried to land several more of his jokes, but the other beasts never seemed to react. That was, until a fateful day when one member of the squad informed Gravis of something important.

They all understood his jokes, but they just didn't react to them since the jokes were so bad. Gravis was thoroughly shocked when he heard that. Yet, Gravis decided to accommodate their poor sense of humor and didn't try to land more jokes. This whole situation was like playing the flute for a herd of swine. They just couldn't appreciate the talent and beauty of his jokes!

On their travels, Gravis also snagged an ore vein that had appeared along their path. This ore vein was, of course, a vein of peak Nascent Nourishing Rank materials. By forging this ore into weapons and armor, no level five King should be able to destroy it.

Yet, when Gravis thought that, he started to become uncertain. 'By hardening this ore, it should be a whole level higher than a level five King. Only something like the all-out attack of a Divine Beast should be able to destroy it.'

'At least, that's how it's supposed to be,' Gravis thought with furrowed brows. 'The attacks of the Inquisitor had been so powerful that one of his spires would probably still destroy around two of my new shields. Just one of these spires had been as powerful as an all-out attack by a level five Divine Beast King. He really had been a terrifying foe.'

Gravis decided to reevaluate the actual strength of his equipment. Such insanely powerful beasts as the Inquisitor surely would become more prominent as Gravis became more powerful.

Yet, if that were truly the case, why would such a classification for equipment still be prevalent in the highest world? The highest world had beings many, many times more powerful than the most powerful being in this world, but the classification still held up.

the material reaches that Realm. Eh, who cares? I need to be a

they continued their journey, Gravis transformed all of the ore into more equipment for himself. Sadly, since he had become much bigger,

even need when I'm a level five King? I would be over a kilometer tall then! What when I become an Emperor?' Gravis thought but then

No Empire they passed through along the way stopped them.

always flying in a straight line, and he actually didn't know why

private territories," the

"What's that?" Gravis asked.

Emperor was a bit confused that Gravis didn't know about that. How was it possible that a level

involve themselves with the Empires and simply live in their private territories. The territories are not very large since only these

since they have the power to claim such territories while surrounded by Empires means

has the power of a level two Emperor. These private territories also exist for Kings and Lords, but obviously, they don't have the power to claim a private territory that close to the

do these Emperors become more powerful?" Gravis asked. "After all, since no one dares to invade them, they wouldn't have any other beasts

explained. "All Emperors want food very badly since it's difficult to find an enemy Emperor in battle. As soon as such an Emperor submits an application for tempering, the Emperors in the surrounding Empires get asked if they

asked, a list with the interested ones will be sent to the Emperor in the private territory. That Emperor then chooses one of the Emperors, and they fight

beasts don't

eyebrows of the Emperor lifted in surprise as

their territory is way smaller than ours. Due to the size of their territories, they have probably a lower number of powerful beasts, which requires them to use all powerful beasts more efficiently,"

the

Emperors?"

greatly with every increase in

at. "I think I get it," Gravis said. "The ocean is vast, and