Lightning Is the Only Way

Gravis was nervous. He had realized already that those Guild Masters were in the Energy Gathering stage. He knew that without a surprise attack, he couldn't even injure one of them. This was the biggest crisis Gravis faced ever since he arrived in the lower world.

"What an explosive temperament," said the Guild Master of Fire. "He is perfect for our Fire Guild," he announced with excitement.

"Fool! He hasn't even shown a slight inkling before he attacked. He is better suited for our Darkness Guild!" said an old, decrepit looking man in pure black robes. He looked so thin and weak that one would think he could die at any moment.

"You are both wrong!" shouted the old man in blackish-blue robes. "He was calm until he suddenly struck. This is the temperament of Lightning!" he shouted.

The Guild Masters of Earth, Light, and Wind didn't say anything. They had seen Gravis' temperament, and it did not fit their elements. They could only sigh in regret. Yet, no one cared about the slightly traumatized Guild Master of Water.

By now, Gravis had realized that he might've misjudged the situation. None of the Guild Masters made any moves on him and, instead, seemed very interested in him joining their respective Guilds. Yet, Gravis did not lower his vigilance.

"You asshole!" everyone heard the Guild Master of Water shout from the distance. She did not look calm anymore, and she now looked more like a tsunami that was about to devastate the land. "Why did you attack me?" she asked in rage and charged at Gravis. "If I don't teach you respect for your elders today, I won't call myself human anymore!"

An incredible wave of water appeared and shot at Gravis. He quickly readied himself, but he knew that he couldn't block this attack. He promptly used another Wind Splitting Chop to reduce the incoming

water as much as possible, but it actually never reached him.

A big wall of earth appeared before Gravis and blocked the wave. "Fuck off, Hammer! That brat nearly killed me, so I have to teach him a lesson!" the Guild Master of Water screeched in absolute mad fury.

"Calm down, Sine," the Guild Master of Earth bellowed. "You have tried to grab him, and if I were in his place, I would have also attacked."

"I don't care! Let me at him!" she continued screaming in rage, yet the other Guild Masters blocked her. Judging by their faces, they were used to this scene. Apparently, the temper of the Guild Master of Water wasn't as calm as everyone initially believed.

The other participants looked at this scene in shock. First of all, many of them got thrown away by a wave of killing intent, and then suddenly, a big battle had broken out, and one of the Guild Masters nearly died. They didn't know how to take this situation.

A kind old man in warm light-yellow robes walked closer to Gravis, who also had calmed down by now. "Young man, tell us, why did you decide to attack the Guild Master of Water with the intent to kill?" he asked calmly.

Gravis felt bad. Obviously, the Guild Masters did not intend him any harm, but he had attacked one with the intent to kill. Yet, Gravis still felt like he would do it again since he couldn't entrust his life to others. "I've seen the greed in your eyes, and I've felt threatened," he explained defensively.

A look of understanding appeared in the Guild Masters' eyes, and some of them laughed bitterly. "Yeah, I can see how you can interpret that the wrong way," a young woman with floating green hair and green robes said. "There are many greedy people in the world, so being careful of others is a necessity for survival." She smiled bitterly.

"But, you have attacked without completely understanding the situation, and you even used all your power to kill Sine. This does not conform with the nature of wind, so I can't accept you into my Guild."

Gravis didn't really care since he wasn't interested in the wind element in the first place. Instead, he looked around the other Guild Masters and still saw the greed in their eyes. Yet, he knew now that it wasn't greed for any of his treasures, but for him directly. For some reason, they all wanted to have him in their Guild, badly. Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

Gravis also turned to the Guild Master of Water, who had calmed down a little by now. "I'm sorry," he said.

"You think an apology is enough for nearly killing me?!" And like that, she exploded again and tried to get through the immovable wall of other Guild Masters, unsuccessfully of course. She tried everything to get to Gravis. She even summoned loads and loads of waves and water beams as attacks, but the Guild Master of Earth and the Guild Master of Fire didn't even let a drop pass.

Gravis felt a little bad for her, but he had already apologized. What else did she want? He wouldn't let himself get beaten up just so that she could alleviate her fury. He turned back to the Guild Masters. "So, why are you so interested in me, and what was that crystal for?" he asked.

"The crystal senses Heavenly Pressure. When we saw it shine, we knew that a Heavenborn was attending the entrance exams, and so we grew excited. We don't get a Heavenborn in every entrance exam, and when our Guild manages to raise one, we will be rewarded by the Heaven Sect, handsomely," the old man in blackish-blue robes, the Guild Master of Lightning, explained.

Now, Gravis was even more confused. What was a Heavenborn, and why did the crystal think that he was one? Yet, Gravis was not sure how he should proceed. Apparently, by being a so-called Heavenborn, he received some special status, yet he was convinced that he was no Heavenborn. The only thing connecting Gravis to Heaven was pure enmity.

"Let me ask you something," said the Guild Master of Fire, not turning to Gravis and still keeping the Guild Master of Water at bay. "Where did you come from?"

Gravis was not sure how he should answer that question. He couldn't possibly tell them that he came from a higher world since descending from a higher world was impossible. Only the peak world had enough understanding about the world to do such a thing, and no one in the lower world would know of the peak world.

On top of that, even if they believed him, they would either grow fearful of his background or greedy for his potential secrets. It was risky.

Yet, he could also not tell them that he came from some village or city. The Elemental Guilds had a lot of power, and they would surely check his background. If they didn't find any, they would grow suspicious. So, in the end, he could only give one answer.

"I came from the wilds," he explained cautiously.

In contrast to his expectations, the Guild Masters all smirked like they had expected this answer. "A Heavenborn, just like we thought," said the Guild Master of Lightning.

Gravis wasn't sure, but he felt like he dodged a bullet here. "What's a Heavenborn?" he asked the Guild Masters.

The kind Guild Master of Light smiled at him. "A Heavenborn is someone that was created by Heaven and Earth. They are bestowed incredible karmic luck, as well as an innate Heavenly Pressure. Heavenly Pressure is the aura you have released earlier. Heavenborns will live in the wilderness until they grow strong enough to travel the world. They are the favorite children of Heaven and Earth."