Lightning Is the Only Way

Realm-Stop? Gravis hadn't heard that word before, but he could guess what it meant.

Additionally, did the Empress just say 100 years? That was twice his age!

Gravis took a deep breath. "What is a Realm-Stop?" he asked.

The Empress leaned back in her throne. "That means you are not allowed to kill, fight, or consume another beast for the next 100 years."

Gravis' body shuddered. He couldn't fight anyone for 100 years? Just the thought of it felt harrowing to him. He always felt stressed out when he wasn't constantly fighting, fearing that everyone else would overtake him. Yet, he had to stop for 100 years now?

"Why did you decide on such a harsh sentence?" Gravis asked. He first needed to know all the details before he jumped to conclusions. Right now, he felt shocked, angry, and suppressed again. He thought that this punishment was way too severe.

"Several reasons," the Empress said calmly, "but before we go into these reasons, we have something else to decide."

"Something else?" Gravis asked with furrowed brows.

The Empress nodded. "With that sentence, you are no longer considered a traitor. The sentence has been passed down with the committed crime in mind without considering anything else."

"Now, let's get to your rewards," the Empress said.

Gravis' head moved back in surprise. "Rewards?" he asked.

"You have managed to father three offspring that have already reached the power of a Lord. This is a major accomplishment, and such an accomplishment warrants a reward," the Empress said. "Additionally, your actions in the eastern defensive line have resulted in the defensive line moving without us having to send a Striking Squad."

"Then, you have killed several traitors in our ranks in the defensive line that had all been Kings. After that, you had uncovered more traitors when the enemy wanted to take you from the southern defensive line."

"In the Law Comprehension Area for Punishment Lightning, you managed to uncover a traitor with the power of an Emperor. This is, by far, the most outstanding of your accomplishments. Lastly, you have killed the traitorous squad leader of the Elite Striking Squad and another traitor from a defensive line," the Empress said.

"All of these accomplishments warrant rewards. Gravis," the Empress said, "I hereby grant you free access to every Law Comprehension Area available to my Empire for the next 100 years. Yet, your sentence of a Realm-Stop will still have to be completed. The reward and punishment will be given to you simultaneously."

"This means that for the next 100 years, you're not allowed to fight, kill, or consume any beast, but you will have free access to any Law Comprehension Area. This is my decision on this matter," the Empress said.

was going wild. The reward and punishment

and Battle-Strength in the next hundred years, but I'm not allowed to

speak about the

more comfortable on her throne. Additionally, her oppressive aura receded until she only sat casually on the throne. The Grand

you are now,"

mean?" Gravis asked with

only King or lord able to fight three

really sure. "I would say everything,"

head. "It's your Punishment Lightning,"

Punishment Lightning?" Gravis

to comprehend the Punishment Lightning, and you obviously didn't understand it yourself. This understanding has basically been forced upon you. This means that you have basically been

to the ground in thought. It was hard for him to accept, but

the different powers of Laws," the Empress said. "We generally categorize Laws by levels. We have three

but most of the Lords never even understand a single

combination of level one Laws. Only very few Kings manage to comprehend these Laws.

Law, they have a good shot at ascension. Without knowing a level three Law, the Emperor won't

Empress pointed at Gravis. "Your Punishment Lightning is a Law on

Punishment Lightning, but the Empress continued

Lightning, you have the ability to kill beasts two levels above you. You wouldn't even need to use your Lightning Crescent. You can injure them, and if you're able to injure them, you can kill them. Now, if

By using your Lightning Crescent, you might be able to injure them a little bit, but you

fights. He thought about his fights

three levels above oneself is impossible for every other beast," the Empress explained. "It's not a matter about how much they have

reason for that is that their attacks simply won't be powerful enough to injure such an opponent. With enough Laws, they might be able to become faster, but they will never be able to injure such an opponent, and without

agree so far?"

"You're right. Without my Punishment Lightning, I wouldn't be able to even injure a beast three levels above myself, let alone actually

me tell you

Gravis listened intently.

that are not able to make use of