Lightning Is the Only Way

"Glad to see you again, Gravis. I always knew that you would get through this," Manuel said with a smile when he saw Gravis.

"Glad to see you're doing well, Manuel," Gravis said with a smile. "So, how does it feel?"

"How does what feel?" Manuel asked.

"Being at the top of the world," Gravis answered.

Manuel looked into the distance with a complex expression. "It doesn't feel much different from normal. I think that's mainly because I haven't truly been in this state for long enough. I still feel like I need to become more powerful, and I still feel like I have to increase the power of the Heavenly Divine Sect even more."

"In the past, I always knew that there was an even higher world waiting for me. Because of that, I never truly felt like I was at the peak. But now, there is no higher world. I am in the highest world, and no new world is waiting for me."

"I'm just here, and I basically have no enemies left, at least not until more Peak Divine Gods appear in the world."

"It's weird. It's like something I have been doing for my entire life suddenly vanished."

"In a way, I feel a bit aimless," Manuel explained.

"What's your goal?" Gravis asked.

"A couple million years ago, I would have said that I wanted to become a Heaven's Magnate, but I'm not so sure if I will ever reach that."

"Why are you so certain?" Gravis asked.

Manuel only smiled bitterly. "Gravis, you know that I am a person with a great affinity for control. Logically, I would also want to learn about that one elusive Law I still needed. So, yes, I know about the Law of Freedom, even though you all told me several times that it's a bad idea to look into it."

Gravis also smiled bitterly. "You couldn't help yourself, huh?"

"No, I couldn't," Manuel said with a sigh. "I still don't get the Law of Freedom. Freedom is making your own choices, right? I have the freedom to make any choice I want. I know all the necessary information, and I can choose whatever choice I want."

"So, how is it possible that I can't comprehend freedom? In my perception, I'm about as free as I can be right now."

"Are you?" Gravis asked.

Manuel looked at Gravis with a skeptical expression. "Everyone that's more powerful than me is not interested in going against me. Therefore, I can do whatever I want."

"What about yourself?" Gravis asked.

"Myself?" Manuel asked with confusion.

"Can you do whatever you want? Are you comfortable with every decision you've ever made?" Gravis asked.

not," Manuel said with a chuckle. "In life, we often have to make decisions we don't like. Otherwise, we can't achieve our goal. If I always did what I wanted,

do whatever

"If you are adamant about splitting hairs, yes, I can't always

you're not free,"

when he heard that. "Gravis, I can't just always follow every whim of my emotions. Doing the right thing is sometimes something I don't want to do. You can be selfish and do whatever

the Sect is too powerful, I can't just go ahead and attack them just

"Why not?" Gravis asked.

would die, Gravis," Manuel

sighed when he heard

care, and he never shied away from responsibility. He always acted in a way that would benefit the

nearly all other Cultivators. He never tried to enrich himself, and he always gave everything to his people. In his mind, treating his people with sincerity would end up in

he was right. Everyone around Manuel supported him with all their heart

these things to Manuel. They just wanted to repay him for everything he had done

was the perfect

also

perfect in

that was

was too smart and

to always make the perfect decision, and his decisions were always perfectly

Freedom required

didn't have

possible to tell Manuel exactly how to comprehend the Law, there would even be a high chance

like that to comprehend the Law of Freedom, then I don't want the

be what he

was actually ironic in a

the temperaments of their Elements.

been his main

unable

In Manuel's mind, freedom meant freedom of

subtle difference that almost bordered on trying to

had achieved his goal of

the Cosmos' goal of

this moment, Gravis realized that Manuel would never comprehend the Law of

Orthar, Manuel wouldn't

world. He would soon become a level nine Divine

journey had also come to an end, just like Meadow's and

of them would stop at the Peak

this short conversation, Gravis dropped the subject, and the two