Lightning Is the Only Way

Gravis and Mortis concentrated on all of their insights.

Back in the higher world, it had been an impossibility to comprehend the Law of the True World.

Why?

Because comprehending it required some knowledge about the deeper workings of Energy.

Now, as Peak Divine Gods with all the True Laws, Gravis and Mortis easily had this little bit of insight. It wasn't an entire Law all on its own, but just a very advanced principle of Energy.

If one didn't know enough True Laws, one wouldn't be able to extrapolate that principle since one was missing too many points of reference.

But, of course, knowing all the True Laws was more than enough.

Cultivators that didn't know that principle would find an issue in combining everything.

For example, Gravis went from the Law of Perceived Reality to the Law of Sentience to the Law of Sentient Life. Yet, when he tried to combine it with the sheer volume of Energy a dead world can provide, it somehow seemed to crumble apart.

It was like trying to shove an ocean of water through many tiny, complex, and fragile tubes. If not done correctly, the sheer pressure would destroy the tubes.

The same thing was true if one went from the Law of the Dead World to the Law of the Living World to the Law of the Complex Living World. Up to that point, everything would be fine, but if one wanted to expand the tubes with a more complex pattern, the tubes would break apart again.

But that didn't concern Gravis anymore.

All the insights flowed together, and they created one entire image.

The level one Laws flowed into the level two Laws, which flowed into the level three Laws, and so on.

The number of the Laws underwent three repetitions, all with very similar patterns.

That was until one reached the peak.

Like the trunk of a tree, the long, wide, and stable line narrowed into a single point.

It was like a spear.

Hundreds of Laws all combined into one single Law.

All the matter was included, no matter how weak or how powerful.

All primordial forces were combined.

All the Elements were combined.

All the complex principles were combined.

WHOOOOM!

Mortis' body suddenly absorbed a ton of Energy, but before he could absorb enough to reach the Heaven's Magnate Realm, he interrupted the absorption.

The Law of the True World had been created.

With renewed insights, Gravis opened his eyes.

'I can make my own separate space. I can make my own separate time,' Gravis thought.

'I can make my own world!'

As Gravis thought about all the insights he had gained, he realized that he could easily create another higher world if he wanted.

He knew everything.

He knew how to set up a flow of time, a force of gravity, or a network of space.

He could combine all the different Elements to create all the different forms of matter.

Then, Gravis could transform Energy into the most complex forms of life.

Gravis could go to the void between worlds right now and create his own higher world. With enough Energy, he could even create a smaller version of the highest world.

Everything made sense.

Every Cultivator would think that this was the extent to which one's power could grow.

However, due to Gravis' widened horizon, he knew exactly what he couldn't do.

There were two restrictions Gravis couldn't overcome right now.

'First, I can't create a world in the Primordial Chaos. I have control over Energy, but as soon as I would try to gather the Energy to create something, the Primordial Chaos in the surroundings would be thrown out of equilibrium.'

'The Primordial Chaos would be pulled along with the Energy, and it would consume all of it. I wouldn't be able to create anything in there since I can't even defend myself against the other forces.'

'I can only create a world in a place without Primordial Chaos.'

'Second, I can't create anything outside Orthar's system. All my knowledge and abilities lie within Orthar's Cosmos. I can't create new Elements, and I can't create new kinds of space and time. I can slightly alter Orthar's principles, but they will still be Orthar's principles.'

'The Law of the True World represents everything inside Orthar's Cosmos.'

'However, it doesn't include the interaction between the Primordial Chaos and Orthar's Cosmos.'

'Essentially, I can build a castle, but I need ground on which I can build it. Without ground, I can't build it.'

'If I want a castle of my own, I need to learn how to create my own island in the endless ocean of chaos, and that's not something that the Law of the True World can provide.'

"You've come far," Mortis said from the side with an even expression.

"We've come far," Gravis corrected.

"Was it truly us?" Mortis asked.

"Wasn't it?" Gravis asked back.

"I don't think it was," Mortis answered. "I have always been an extra. I followed all your orders, and I did as you said. That we managed to reach this point is all thanks to you."

"You do realize that I would be dead without you, right?" Gravis asked.

"Just because you need an arm to survive doesn't mean that the arm controls the situation," Mortis said.

"You are honestly looking at all of this with way too much cynicism," Gravis said with a snort. "You were the one that supported me when I was afflicted with the Sin Aura. You were the one that controlled the battles when I emulated the mindset of the Avatar of Death."

"You have had plenty of control over both of us. Sure, I might have had more control, but the 99% still need 1% to reach 100%."

"You have a choice in everything," Gravis said. "You believe that your impact is negligible, but for people at our level, these tiny impacts make all the difference. Everyone at our level has come infinitely close to perfection, but no one has reached it."

"Remember, Mortis," Gravis said. "You have a choice in everything. If you believe that a road might lead to an end, you can decide not to walk the road."

When Gravis said these words, the atmosphere between Gravis and Mortis transformed. It was like a hazy air that no one had noticed until now had been broken, creating one infinitely clear picture of the present.

Mortis knew what Gravis meant.

After a bit, Mortis looked away into the distance, a complex expression on his face.

Then, Mortis' expression turned into a hurt one filled with remembrance.

Gravis knew exactly what Mortis was thinking about.

By pulling the veil away from reality, Gravis had left the game.

For just an instant, Gravis and Mortis had looked at each other as their real selves.

Gravis had advised Mortis outside the game.

For a long time, Mortis only looked with a complex expression at the horizon.

Then, his gaze turned to the ground.

"You do not wish to wake up?" Mortis asked.

"Of course I don't," Gravis said with a sigh. "However, do I have a choice?"

Then, Mortis looked at Gravis.

"Then, do I have one?"

Gravis only looked away with discomfort.

A long period of silence passed.

"It's time for us to split apart," Mortis said.

Gravis slowly nodded.

"It is."