Lightning Is the Only Way

The general struck with his spear towards the cloud of Void Lightning.

His strike would hit, and the cloud of Void Lightning would turn to nothingness.

SHING!

The attack struck.

However, the cloud of Void Lightning escaped!

The general's eyes widened in terror and shock.

What!?

How!?

Had the cloud of Void Lightning sped up!?

The general realized that the cloud of Void Lightning had sped up by quite a bit, which had made the general misjudge the distance.

"AAAAHHHH!"

Painful screams of terror rang throughout the nothingness.

It came from the army.

The general looked over, and his expression turned into horror.

What was he seeing!?

His soldiers were turning into husks!

The ball of Heavenly Lightning was shrinking while the soldiers were turning to husks.

What had happened?

As Gravis was charging over, he had fully focused on the Soul Laws.

Gravis' mind was working overtime at this critical moment of danger, and he had managed to comprehend the Major Law of Soul Infusion, a level five Law.

That in itself wasn't very useful, but it started a chain reaction.

When Gravis comprehended the Law of Soul Infusion, he automatically comprehended the Major Law of the Soul, which was a level six Law.

However, when Gravis comprehended the Major Law of the Soul, he automatically comprehended the Major Law of Life, a level seven Law.

Lastly, the Major Law of Life fused with the Major Law of Sentience, creating the Major Law of Sentient Life!

Gravis' Star was immediately upgraded as it now also included the Life Laws.

It had transformed from the Star of Sentience to the Star of Sentient Life!

With the major Law of Sentient Life, Gravis received the ability to exchange Energy for Life Energy.

Gravis used that ability to transform the Energy in the Lightning Crescent into a force of deterioration for all the Peak Immortal Emperors in the army.

Their armors couldn't protect them against such an attack.

Because of that, around 98% of the army was turned into nothing but husks.

The power of the general had fallen to the level of a level one Star God.

That was why he had slowed down.

However, the cloud of Void Lightning didn't stop, and it shot towards the army.

Arc noticed it, but he couldn't waste any more Energy.

SHING!

Arc gritted his teeth as Mortis used the Major Law of Death and the True Law of Suffering again to injure Arc.

Gravis reached the army, and he transformed from Void Lightning into Heavenly Lightning.

BZZZZ!

The sound of an electric spark echoed throughout the nothingness, and the army was turned into Heavenly Lightning.

The Heavenly Lightning grew and absorbed all the corpses.

The general knew that his end had arrived.

He was only a normal Peak Immortal Emperor now.

After absorbing all the Energy, Gravis transformed back.

He had absorbed enough Energy to not fall an entire level.

Gravis looked at the general with cold eyes.

BANG!

The general was turned into nothingness as Gravis' Spirit squished him like an ant.

Arc's eyes widened in terror.

What could he do!?

Arc barely managed to evade another one of Mortis' attacks.

SHING!

That's when Gravis unleashed his Form Law.

Arc could evade one attack, but not two.

Gravis' Form Law bisected Arc and made it impossible for him to regenerate.

SHING!

That's when Mortis destroyed Arc's head.

It was over.

It was finally over.

Silence.

Gravis and Mortis released deep sighs.

That had been way too close.

If Arc had known their abilities beforehand…

If Arc had been able to adapt to the situation with his creative personality…

If they hadn't been immune to so many of Arc's abilities…

Gravis and Mortis had had so many arguably unfair advantages over Arc, but they had only barely won.

Even more, Arc had been two levels below them.

If Arc had been on their level…

The general would have killed Gravis with his first strike.

"You managed to survive," Orthar said as he reappeared.

Gravis and Mortis didn't answer as they focused on calming down.

"Reap your rewards and evaluate your gains," Orthar said. "You will need them for the fifth and last trial."

Mortis' and Gravis' eyes widened.

Right!

This had been the fourth trial, not the fifth!

There was one more!

"The fifth trial can't be as difficult as this, right?" Gravis asked with an exhausted voice.

"Reach the ninth level of the Star God Realm before entering the fifth trial," Orthar said.

Then, he disappeared.

Gravis and Mortis looked at each other with worry.

They only remained silent for some seconds.

"One thing at a time," Gravis said.

Mortis nodded.

Over the next minute, the two of them calmed down.

BANG!

That's when their Will-Aura explosively rose.

Their Will-Aura shot through the roof, and it increased by several levels.

Eventually, it settled in the fifth level of the Ancestral God Realm.

Gravis and Mortis wanted to feel relieved, but the fifth trial hung over their head.

What had Orthar planned for them?

It couldn't be a fight, right?

Arc was already as powerful as it got.

Did he want them to jump seven levels?

No, Gravis was sure that couldn't be it.

Right now, Gravis could probably attempt to jump seven levels, but if Orthar wanted to do that to them, he wouldn't ask them to become level nine Star Gods first.

The average power of the opponents always increased with each level.

Jumping seven levels now would be reduced to maybe jumping six levels at the level nine Star God Realm.

Additionally, their Will-Auras would be too weak at that point.

"Let's just listen to him," Gravis said. "If he says we should become level nine Star Gods, we should do so. After all, he was right when he said we couldn't win if we hadn't been level four Star Gods."

Mortis nodded.

Over the next years, Gravis and Mortis strategized.

Then, they absorbed God Stones until they became level nine Star Gods.

Gravis was now at the end of the Star God Realm.

From now on, he would only fight Ancestral Gods.

Except for Arc, Gravis and Mortis were the most powerful Star Gods in existence.

Eventually, the two of them readied themselves and entered the hallway to the fifth and final trial.

When they had walked to the fourth trial, they had been full of battle-intent and conviction, but now, they were solemn.

What could the last trial be?

After some hours, the two of them arrived in front of the last gate.

The two of them looked at each other, and they nodded one last time.

Then, they pushed open the door.

The two of them saw the area for their last trial.

BOOOOOM!

Volcanoes exploded all over the world.

Everything was bathed in an impossible powerful kind of fire.

It was red like blood, and its power was apocalyptic.

The two of them immediately realized that this was the ninth-level Law equivalent of the Fire Element.

It was Heavenly Fire.

For a second, the two of them thought that their last trial was about comprehending a Law, but that thought vanished as they saw the person standing beside Orthar.

Gravis and Mortis would only fight Ancestral Gods from now on?

No.

There was one last Star God.

Their eyes widened in surprise and horror.

Besides Orthar stood a level nine Star God.

He had black hair, and he had a shaved chin.

A black saber hung on his back.

His eyes only spoke of the absence of compassion.

His eyes only showed absolute destruction, arrogance, and conviction.

Even more, his Will-Aura was… unimaginable!

He was a Star God, but his Will-Aura…

His Will-Aura…

It was on the level of a level one Divine God!

Even more, Gravis and Mortis felt the power of Suppression, Freedom, and Apathy radiating off this person.

After a long while, the two of them released a shaky breath.

This level nine Star God…

They had no idea how powerful he actually was.

They only knew that he was incredibly powerful.

He was on their level, but they had no idea if they could win, even if they fought two-on-one.

"You might be the most powerful Star Gods residing in this Cosmos, except for my firstborn."

"However, are you the most powerful Star Gods that have ever existed?"

"I might not be able to copy your father, but I can reawaken a past version of him."

"He's your opponent."

In front of Gravis and Mortis stood the genius that had dominated everyone.

Orthar had created a copy of the Opposer when he had been a level nine Star God.

He would be their opponent.