Female Novel
Chapter 125
The hall remained silent as everyone was waiting for the answer of the Guild Master. The Guild Master moved the steel balls inhis hand around a bit, no longer trying to crush them. While he looked at Gravis, he seemed to be in deep thought.
“If you regret what you have done, why have you not come in for punishment? Why have you continued slaughtering mydisciples?" the Guild Master said with a severe tone.
Gravis didn't falter. "| know that killing me would be just and fair. | have killed Gorn so | can only bring justice with my death, butis that the best? | trust in my strength, and | know that I can repay the whole Lightning Sect for every death when | reachsufficient strength. If | were to die now, how could | repay what | owe? Gorn's death would be not only tragic, but also useless. If |manage to repay the Lightning Guild, his death has, at least, meaning.”
The elders and the Guild Master listened to Gravis and fell into thought. Was killing Gravis just? Yes, he obviously deserved tobe punished for killing his Guild Master. It would be fair for everyone if Gravis were executed for his sins. Yet, what Gravis saidwould also be true. The guild would have acted just, but both deaths would be meaningless.
"You act like a gambler," said the Guild Master after some seconds. "You have already lost so much money, and yet you continuebetting to hope to make up for all your losses. Do you not see that your path leads to nothing but destruction and pain?" heasked.
Gravis sighed but remained stalwart. "| realize that | am acting like a gambler, but there is a clear difference between a gamblertrying to get his money back and me," said Gravis with shining eyes.
“And what is that?” asked the Guild Master, leaning back on his throne.
"A gambler has minimal control over the outcome of their bet while | have full control over my strength and what | do with it,” saidGravis with shining eyes. "I have many reasons to become strong, and all of them drive me forward. It's impossible for me to failon my way to strength because that would betray Gorn's expectations and the expectations of even more people. | can't fail!"
The Guild Master released an unamused laugh. "How very grand and arrogant of you,” he said. "I could crush you with only onefinger, and there are many more powerful people than me in this world. How can you speak of having control over your destinywhen so many people can just destroy you?"
Gravis didn't falter. "| trust in my strength, and | don't need to win against everyone to become strong," Gravis explained. "I don'tneed to think about winning against my enemies. | only need to survive, and as long as | survive, | will become strong.”novelbin
The elders in the hall were discussing silently with each other. They had never been in this situation before. They did have verytalented disciples in the past who committed a grave crime, yet those disciples either accepted their punishment or becameenemies of the Lightning Guild. Gravis didn't accept his punishment, but he also wasn't the enemy of the Lightning Guild, at leastfrom his point of view.
"So," started the Guild Master again. "If we continue sending disciples after you, you will continue on your way, even if it meanskilling them?" he asked Gravis.
Gravis continued unabated and looked deep into the Guild Master's eyes. "| have no choice. | need to become powerful to repaymy debt and to not betray Gorn's expectation. He wanted me to become strong, and if | don't, then what meaning does hissacrifice have?"
The Guild Master sighed a little. "So, no matter what happens, you will continue killing our disciples in the future, even if youdon't want to, all to reach the strength necessary to repay the Lightning Sect. There is truly no good way out of this situation. Thewhole fight brings only pain to both sides."
"It is necessary to continue on my way to not make Gorn's death senseless," Gravis said.
The Guild Master laughed bitterly. "Gorn's intentions may not be as pure as you believe, Gravis," he said with a mix ofamusement and helplessness.
Gravis' eyes wavered. The Guild Master had called Gravis by name, which meant that he was no longer looking at Gravis like hewas an evil slaughterer. Gravis also hadn't considered Gorn's intentions. "What do you mean?" he asked with a deeper voice.
The Guild Master leaned back in his throne. "As you surely know, it needs a powerful will to compress the Magic inside of you toreach the next level in Magic Gathering,” the Guild Master started explaining. "Disciples whose wills were too weak to compresstheir Energy have two decisions. They either go out to temper their will or decide to stop their path to power."
"Gorn was part of the second category of disciples," the Guild Master said. "We sent him to be the Guild Master of a Proxy-Lightning Guild so he could help the guild, even with his weak strength. Of course, the Guild Masters for our Proxy-LightningGuilds need to know a lot about lightning and how it works."
"So," the Guild Master leaned forward in his throne. "Do you honestly believe that Gorn didn't know about the lightning'sinfluence on your temperament when he allowed you to increase your strength further? Did you think he didn't notice yoursusceptibility to the lightning's influence?" the Guild Master asked with a serious face.
Now, Gravis started faltering and looked down at himself. His hands on his knees balled into fists as his thoughts fell into chaos.Gravis thought for nearly half a minute until he looked back at the Guild Master. "Please enlighten me," he said. He wanted toknow more about Gorn, even if it might not be positive.
The Guild Master nodded. "When you decide to stop becoming stronger, your will slowly weakens over time. You feel how yourstrength decreases every day, and you start regretting your decision. As soon as you give up your dream, you become a husk ofaman. Your life loses meaning, and everything that drove you forward in the past vanishes until you get used to your ownstagnation."
The Guild Master laughed bitterly. "| know because the reason why | am the Guild Master of this Lightning Guild is the same asthe reason why Gorn was your Guild Master," the Guild Master commented dryly. "| have given up my way forward, and now |am here," he pointed to the hall, "wasting away."
Instead of being shocked or angry, the elders could empathize with the Guild Master. Were they not here for the same reason?Gravis furrowed his brows. "What does this have to do with Gorn?" Gravis asked.
The Guild Master laughed slightly. "You still don’t get it? Imagine losing your ability to become stronger, wasting away, andknowing that you have not changed anything in the world and that no one will remember you. You get complacent in being weak,and you accept that changing the world is impossible."
The Guild Master stood up andstarted walking around whileexplaining. "After years of remainingthis weak, you find a0 (nrrecibly"'tqlentedistipis: You see somethingin that disciple, and you feel like theycould reach the peak. Suddenly, yourbroken dream gets reignited. Youwant to make something lasting,something that changes the world!Something that you created!" Thecontent is on NovelDrama.Org! Readthe latest chapter there!
As the Guild Master continuedexplaining, Gravis' mind shook, yetthe Guild Master didn't stop. "Itdoesn't matter ae Ne) disaiple\\
es with nisstfen _It only
atters that they remember youwhen the disciple becomes strong. Itdoesn't matter to you if you create amessiah or a demon king. You onlywant to be remembered and see thatyou have brought change to theworld." The content is onNovelDrama.Org! Read the latestchapter there!
"So," the Guild Master turned toGravis. "It doesn't matter how youfeel. It doesn't matter if you arehappy, sad, furious, ue) with hatred,or Ne kindrle’s: ou only needtd-bbbome stronger and rememberhim. Gorn knew that so muchlightning would make you go crazy,yet he didn't care. If he actually caredabout you, he wouldn't have allowedyou to cultivate with this madness.Some weeks of rest wouldn't haveimpacted your increase in power."The content is on NovelDrama.Org!Read the latest chapter there!
Gravis looked at the ground, crestfallen. His breathing grew heavier, and his thoughts were in a mess. It was not easy to shakeGravis’ will, and it didn't matter what people said to him. He would always remain stalwart. Yet, what the Guild Master explainedmade sense to him, which shook his being.
"Does his death matter?" asked the Guild Master. "He probably doesn't care that much about it. Yes, he surely wouldn't be a fanof dying, but if it meant realizing his long-dead dream, he would probably accept it. With his death, he would always remain inyour memories, even after you have lived for a long time and have already ascended to a higher world.”
The Guild Master walked closer to Gravis, who, by now, felt all kinds of emotions. "Do you still believe Gorn only wanted yourbest? Do you still think Gorn was a good person?" he asked.