Chapter 379: Reaching the Shore (1/2)

After a whole month of traveling, Gravis and Orthar arrived in an environment with around quadruple the Energy density. This Energy density was about equal to the Core-Continent of Gravis' previous lower world. Along the way, they had also seen two other high-rank Spirit Beasts.

The first one had been a sizable starfish with a diameter of around 300 meters. Orthar had immediately been interested and had engaged it in combat while Gravis watched.

Their tentacles clashed against each other in a constant wrestling of superiority. Yet, due to Orthar's intelligence, he managed to turn the starfish around so that it was facing him with its back. At that point, Orthar's beak did the rest.

”I haven't felt this alive in eons!” Orthar transmitted to Gravis in excitement. ”I feel like my youth is coming back!”

Gravis only smiled and let him have his moment of joy. Orthar hadn't fought a powerful opponent in who knew how many years.

As Orthar was eating, Gravis asked him how much he would need to hunt to reach the next rank. Orthar explained to him that he hadn't hunted an equal beast to him yet but had eaten a lot of weaker Spirit Beasts. They may not be nearly as nutritious as equally ranked beasts, but quantity was also a kind of quality.

Orthar expected that he probably only needed another one of these beasts to reach the Unity Rank. At that point, he would also be able to reforge his body into a more suitable one for combat, something he had been looking forward to quite a bit.

Surprisingly, the second beast they met was also a gigantic octopus. Orthar wasn't the biggest fan of eating another octopus, while this one was just too large for Gravis. Even with his new size, it would take forever to eat all that. That's why they left it be.

The octopus probably thought something similar since it also didn't engage them. Sometimes, there was just no reason for a fight.

So, like this, they arrived at a peculiar location after a month.

”The ocean is quickly growing shallower,” Orthar said. ”Are we getting closer to the central landmass?”

”I think so,” Gravis said with furrowed brows. ”I have feared this outcome.”

”What do you mean? Isn't the landmass our goal?” Orthar asked.

”Not directly,” Gravis answered. ”Remember the map of the world I showed you? We are aiming for the ocean territories that stretch into the landmass. Like this, we don't need to leave the water, and you can fight in your usual territory.”

Now, Orthar understood why Gravis wasn't happy. ”So since the Energy density lead us right to the continent, it means that we are not on the side of the continent from where we can enter via water.”

Gravis nodded. ”Exactly,” he said. ”We might need to change our plans here.”

”What do you want to do?” Orthar asked.

”Traveling around the continent until we reach our destination might take us years. You may not mind the wait, but I do. I want to become more powerful and get my perfect body,” Gravis said. ”I think we should hunt near the shoreline until we both reach the Unity Rank.”

Orthar hummed for a bit. ”Because we can then form our bodies so that we can go on land without a combat disadvantage, right?” Orthar asked.

Gravis nodded. ”With the body I have in mind, I can fight comfortably on land and in water, though maybe a bit better on land. Starting at the Unity Rank, beasts are also able to fly. If you make your body smaller, your tentacles longer and thinner, and attach some claws to them, you should also be able to fight on land effectively.”

”I agree to the plan,” Orthar said. ”I can't always be bound by the ocean. Adaptability to the environment is important.”

Gravis nodded again. ”Alright. Then, let's get closer to the shoreline,” Gravis said.

”I have never seen the shore before. I'm interested in how it looks,” Orthar said.