Lightning Is the Only Way

When Gravis heard Aris speak, he felt like he was meeting someone completely new.

Aris had always had inner conflicts. Some parts of human psychology and beast psychology battled in his mind. One side told him that he should get into contact with others more and join a group, while another part of himself told him that he didn't need all that. He only needed power.

Gravis knew of all these inner conflicts, but when he saw Aris again, he felt that the conflicts had been resolved.

The Opposer had told Aris that he should go into a world where the tempering was organization-based, not species-based. In that world, humans and beasts joined the same powers, and they lived in relative harmony with each other. The enemies were not the ones that didn't look like them, but the ones belonging to other powers.

Apparently, living in such a world for such a long time had done a lot to shape Aris' personality.

Well, that and time. After all, Aris had spent nearly 200,000 years in that world.

"Aris," Gravis said with a smile on his face as he came closer. Then, Gravis looked Aris up and down. "Honestly, when I just saw you, I thought that I saw another version of myself. You really resemble me."

Aris smiled slightly.

Pack!

Gravis' eyes widened as Aris pulled him into a hug.

"I missed you, father," Aris said.

Gravis was taken aback as he heard Aris' words.

Without noticing it, Gravis' feelings were going wild.

Gravis had always told himself that his children were beasts and that it was normal for them to not want to spend any time with him. He knew that, and that was why he always gave them their free space.

However, this didn't mean that Gravis didn't wish for a deep connection with his son.

After all, Aris was his son!

Even if they hadn't met for a long time, Aris was still one of the most important beings in his life.

hug and

that Aris had hugged him of

for being such a burden back then,"

answered as he gently pushed Aris away. "As your father, it was my duty to help you on your

Aris looked into each other's

Sect, I saw how hard it was for human parents to let go of their children. I also

their children left for a fight, and whenever I saw that, I was reminded of you. Was this how you felt when we

fight off other beasts. It was hard to see you guys leave for the Tribes to temper yourselves, but the hardest part was watching you guys leave

return alive, and we wouldn't see each other for

arms on Aris' shoulders. "But

and I now realize how much of

say that," Gravis repeated. "You've never

not just saying that," Aris said with a more serious voice.

he saw that

world, I have been saved by sheer luck a couple of times," Aris said. "For Heaven, I count as a beast, and I shouldn't have any Karmic Luck. Yet, if I didn't

am still alive is precisely because I am your son. Even when you were not there, you

stay important to Heaven so that

and an awkward smile appeared on

said awkwardly. "I didn't really

thousands of years he had spent with Stella,

Working hard?

Eeehhhh.

smile as he put his hand on Gravis' shoulder. "You're human, just like half of all beings. You can't work yourself to the bone at all times, and you need your breaks. I understand that. But I don't want you to undervalue yourself. Without you, most of

worlds, only one beast arrives for every two humans. Humans don't have worlds where only humans

force that tips the scales when an outcome is uncertain. When two parties have the same power, it's all down to luck, and the party with

several times while not even being there. In a sense, it hurts my pride, but I also know that luck shouldn't be a

and time again, forcing you to prove your power to us. You could have just abandoned us for our unthankful

about humans, and the fact that you were willing to help us so much is

You would get the chance to reach the Nascent Nourishing Realm, and we would get the gift of life. Our mother abandoned us, and there was nothing

mindsets completely unlike human mindsets. We didn't feel any love for you, and we only saw you as a more powerful beast of our race. We didn't think about

things, but you still never stopped loving us. You helped us time and time again,

contact. After all, you also have to think