Lightning Is the Only Way

Gravis informed Stella of his new plans the same day.

Stella supported Gravis, but it was still hard for her. After all, two terrifyingly dangerous situations would hit Gravis back to back. First, the Gate of Death, and then, his fight with Arc.

However, it wasn't only Stella that got surprised today.

Gravis also got a big surprise.

"Then, I'm going to ascend," Stella said.

Gravis was taken aback. "What? Already?"

Stella nodded with a sigh. "I would love to continue being with you, but I know that you will always have regrets if you lose your opportunity to become powerful because of me."

Gravis' heart stopped. "That sounds like a breakup," he said.

"No. No!" Stella shouted, quickly waving her hands. "I'm not breaking up with you! I would never want to break up with you! Don't even joke about that!"

Gravis released a sigh of relief when he heard her.

"Then, what exactly do you mean?" he asked.

"Well, in our time together, I was the one that got all the advantages," Stella said. "Since you have comprehended the level seven Law of Emotions, you have been able to help me comprehend several level six Laws. Yet, what did you get in return? Nothing. You already know all the Laws I know, and even if I comprehended a new level six Law, I wouldn't be able to help you comprehend it since my Law of Empathy is too weak."

"Don't say stuff like that," Gravis said with an uncomfortable expression. "Being with you is the only important thing to me. I don't care if you can't help me with Laws."

"I know," Stella said as she embraced Gravis. "But I still feel like I'm taking advantage of you, and I don't want to feel like that."

"You're not-"

"I know," Stella interrupted him. "However, feelings don't always follow logic. You, of all people, should know that."

Gravis had to sigh again when he heard her words.

She was right, sadly.

Why did Emotions have to be so hard?

When it came to others, it was incredibly easy for Gravis to see through their personality.

Yet, when it came to himself and Stella, it was like Gravis was blind.

Gravis knew how to create specific emotions, but it also felt very weird.

It was like the ways to create these emotions had nothing to do with him.

"So, I'm going to ascend," Stella continued. "I've been distracting you for long enough, and I don't want to be the reason for any of your delays. Do you understand what I mean?"

"You want to ascend so that I have one additional reason to become more powerful as quickly as possible, right?" Gravis asked with a sad expression.

Stella nodded. "That's one of the reasons. Another reason is that I want to upgrade my Law of Empathy and get a head start on the level seven Laws. Like this, I can help you when you return."

Then, Stella smiled. "Additionally, it won't be that long for me due to the time dilation, right?"

Gravis nodded. "Yes. For you, it should be 10,000 to 20,000 years maximum, probably less."

"So, are you okay with this?" Stella asked, looking into Gravis' eyes.

Gravis looked back into Stella's eyes and embraced her deeply.

"How can I not be okay with this? You're willing to help me to such an extent. How couldn't I be happy when I have someone like you?"

"Thank you for understanding," Stella said softly.

"No, thank you for understanding," Gravis answered. "I think you understand me better than I understand myself."

Stella only silently embraced Gravis.

Then, for the last day, Stella and Gravis only sat together, simply talking to each other.

Stella had informed Liam, and Liam had said that he would come with her.

When compared to Gravis and Stella, Liam seemed supremely underwhelming. Yet, one had to remember that Liam was a terrifying genius in his own right.

How terrifying?

Liam had already comprehended two level six Laws.

This meant that he knew just one level six Law less than Stella. After all, Laws of Perceived Reality and Emotional Laws couldn't be transmitted with the Law of Empathy. Because of that, Gravis had only been able to give Stella the level six Laws of Time and Divine Lightning. Stella had also learned one more level six Law on her own, the Law of Blaze, the fire equivalent to Divine Lightning.

Liam could only temper himself against Sect Masters, and finding a Sect Master for a fight to the death wasn't easy.

Because of that, Stella and Liam both couldn't temper themselves in this world anymore.

It was time to ascend.

In actuality, Liam had wanted to leave even earlier but had stayed because of Stella.

Both of them counted as geniuses, even in the most powerful higher world.

They were more than ready to ascend.

The last day seemed to drag on for years, but it also seemingly passed in the blink of an eye for Gravis.

Gravis wanted this day to last forever.

Sadly, time couldn't be stopped, and eventually, the time had come.

The three of them had traveled to the place where they had initially met, one of the Resource Points for the Sect Alliance.

This was the place where Gravis had fought Stella and where their teacher had saved Stella's and Gravis' life.

They thought that this was the perfect location to part ways.

They would separate at the very place they had met.

Stella and Liam had already become Peak Immortal Emperors.

As soon as they had arrived, the memories came back to them.

"Who would have thought," Stella said as she looked at the mountain below them. "When I fought you, I had believed that you were some arrogant youngster. But then, you proved that you could fight me."

"The memory of your burning skull had haunted me for a long time back then. On top of that, my teacher had told me that you had a beast body," Stella said.

"In the beginning, I feared you very much, Gravis," Stella said, looking into Gravis' eyes. "The image of your burning skull had severely shaken my will. Your determination to kill me was so powerful that it shook my will."

Then, Stella smiled warmly as she looked at Gravis. "Yet, here we are, an old couple. I would have never believed that we would end up together, but life works in funny ways sometimes, doesn't it?"

"It sure does," Gravis answered with a chuckle. "When I heard that I was perfectly compatible with you, I was so confused and conflicted. It felt like someone else had decided that we would be together, and I felt like I was being suppressed. It was like I wasn't free."

Gravis took Stella's hands. "Yet, the more we talked over those seven years, the more I forgot these doubts. So what if it was decided by something more powerful? As long as I'm happy with it, and as long as I truly want it, I'm still free. Why run away from happiness?"

Stella leaned forward and kissed Gravis deeply.

Some seconds later, they parted.

Some tears stained Stella's face as she smiled happily at him.

"I'm so happy to have met you," Stella said with a shaking voice.

For the first time in a long while, tears also appeared in Gravis' eyes.

"I'm also so happy to have met you," he said.

The two of them only looked into each other's teary eyes as they smiled.

They didn't want this goodbye to be painful.

"See you soon, Gravis," Stella said.

Gravis took a deep breath through his nose.

"See you soon, honey," Gravis said.

Then, the two of them parted.

Light gathered around Stella and Liam as they floated upwards.

"Please don't die," Stella said silently with a shaking voice. "I can't go on without you."

Gravis' heart was torn apart by these words, and he gritted his teeth.

However, he still forced a smile on his face.

"I won't," Gravis said with determination. "No matter what happens, I will come back to you! You will see! I will be back in no time at all!"

More tears rolled down Stella's face. "Then, I'll wait for you."

"I will be there in no time at all!" Gravis shouted again.

Stella nodded as she slowly closed her eyes.

Then, Stella and Liam vanished.

And Gravis broke down.

He was alone again.

Yet, he knew that all of this was only temporary.

Soon!

He would meet Stella again very soon!

He had to!