Chapter 320: Talk (1/2)
Manuel fought against the three enemies in quite an impressive manner. Sure enough, he was the most powerful one in the group. He was not only using his attacks as attacks but also as distractions and feints.
His fighting style was different from Gravis' but nearly as effective. Maybe his fighting style was even better for him. After all, he had a different element with different strengths and weaknesses. Nero had also shown a different fighting style that had worked very well.
When Gravis saw that, he rubbed his chin in thought. 'My fighting style might be the best one for Destruction Lightning, but maybe not the best one for other elements,' he realized. The others learned from him, but he also learned from the others.
”Hey, how can I find you in the higher world?” Joyce suddenly asked Gravis while Manuel was still fighting.
Gravis turned to Joyce and sighed. He had already realized that she was romantically interested in him. Sadly, he couldn't accept that. He had already told her the possibility of Heaven using his loved ones to force him to stop cultivating. She should know that Gravis couldn't risk entering a romantic relationship due to that.
”I won't enter your higher world,” Gravis said, surprising Joyce.
”You won't? You can choose which world you go to?” she asked.
Gravis nodded. ”Others might not, but I have the ability to choose my world. I have already learned enough about the elements, and my core-path is set. Remaining in elemental worlds would not allow me to see a wider horizon.”
Joyce looked with complicated sadness at Gravis. She was very interested in Gravis, but she also knew that Gravis would never accept a confession from her side. Just like Gravis knew that she was interested in him, she knew that Gravis wouldn't accept her.
It wasn't that Gravis didn't feel anything for Joyce. Actually, the complete opposite was true. If he didn't have any feelings for her, he wouldn't be so careful with her. If he had no interest in her, it would go down similarly as with the twins. Gravis would just say no, and everything would be done.
Yet, Gravis was a bit afraid about the eventual time when Joyce would directly confess her love. He really didn't want to enter this situation.
”You know,” Joyce said after a minute. ”I know that you will leave us very soon. I also know that there is basically no chance of us ever meeting again. I know all that, yet I still talk and try to get close to you. Do you know why?” she asked.
Gravis didn't answer.
”It's because we only have a limited time together,” Joyce said. ”I want to make the best of our limited time before you leave. Yes, the parting will be painful, but I think I would regret it more if I didn't spend these couple of years with you.”
Gravis' insides shook a little, but he didn't show anything outside. ”What of your path forward? Are you not afraid of stopping because of these feelings?” he asked.
Joyce shook her head with a gentle smile. ”Something like this won't stop my path. Yes, I will cry for a long time, but after that, the world looks different. That's what we call grieving. You feel incredible pain for a couple of days, but then you accept the situation. My path won't be stopped that easily. What about you? Is your path stopped that easily?”
Gravis remained silent, but deep inside, some kind of pain appeared. Grieving? The last time that happened had been with Gorn. Ever since then, no matter who died, Gravis never grieved. He just swallowed all the emotions and told himself that he was cold and didn't feel for anyone else. Yet, was that true?
Gravis quickly shook his head. Now was not the time to come clean with his emotions. He was still inside the Heaven's Trial, and the fifth trial would probably be another really dangerous one for him. He would have all the time to come clean with his emotions when he returned to his homeworld.