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.

and his mind was going

and Battle-Strength in the next hundred years,

said. "Now, let's speak about the reasons for my

Empress said that, she made herself more comfortable on her throne. Additionally, her oppressive aura receded until she only sat casually on the throne. The Grand Elder wasn't

you are now," the Empress said

mean?" Gravis asked with furrowed

lord able to fight three levels above yourself? What's the main reason for that?" she

about this but actually wasn't really sure. "I would say

head. "It's your Punishment

Lightning?"

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 granted a

hard for him to accept, but the Empress was right. Gravis hadn't

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

two of these, but most of the

Laws that require a certain combination of level one Laws. Only very few Kings manage to comprehend these

If an Emperor manages to comprehend a third-level Law, they have a good shot at ascension. Without knowing a level three Law, the Emperor won't be able to kill a

Punishment Lightning is

Lightning, but the Empress continued

if you're able to injure them, you can kill them. Now, if you would actually win in this situation is another discussion, but, at least, you have a shot at victory. This means that just your Punishment Lightning increases your Battle-Strength by two

two levels above yourself. By using your Lightning Crescent,

the Empress and reflected on his previous fights. He thought about his fights and imagined him not having access to

for every other beast," the Empress explained. "It's not a matter about how much they have fought in their lives or how many Laws they understand. Fighting a beast

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 being able to

so

injure a beast three levels above myself, let alone actually

"Now, let me tell

Gravis listened intently.

you need to understand a Law. Heaven grants this Law at the breakthrough, but some Kings that are not able to make use of that opportunity will die. So, to become a King, you need to have understood a level