The Ultimates looked at each other for some more seconds, thinking about what they should do. Yet, in the end, nothing happened. After a while, the sea Ultimates started to go back to their territories.
"Wait," Gravis suddenly said, stopping them.
The two Sea Ultimates had seen Gravis a couple of times, but they didn't know him. It was already a surprise that Gravis had been present during all of this. Obviously, as a King, Gravis had no right to be present when the Ultimates talked to each other.
Yet, even though he had been present for something he had no right to be part of, he even dared to stop them in their actions.
"I have something that you might like," Gravis said with a smirk.
The two Ultimates sneered. What could a King possibly possess that they desired?
Whoop!
Yet, their eyes quickly widened in shock.
"Water Ultimate, Metal Ultimate," Orthar said in greeting.
"Oracle, you're still alive?" the Water Ultimate asked in surprise. "I've thought that you would have already died."
"Logical," Orthar said. "The Light Ultimate disagreed with my philosophy and wanted to kill me. Yet, her thought process was too obvious, and I managed to find refuge somewhere she couldn't find me."
The two Ultimates looked at Gravis with wonder. How had Gravis been able to summon a beast out of thin air? Had their Oracle found refuge with this mere King? How had this King been able to hide the Oracle from the Light Ultimate?
Gravis only grinned. "Surprised? Like I said, I have something that you will be interested in. I didn't disappoint, did I?" he asked.
The Metal Ultimate fell into thought while the Water Ultimate had relaxed. His rage of being stopped by a King had transformed into gratitude. "Your surprise has not disappointed us," he said. "We will not forget your deeds. If there is something you need, you may visit me."
"Will do," Gravis said with a smirk.
Orthar had been kept up to date with the ongoings of the outside world. Gravis constantly informed him about things that were talked about and what had happened. Therefore, Orthar knew about the new power dynamic of this world and saw his chance.
The Water Ultimate turned to Orthar. "We are glad to have you back in our ranks, Oracle. As things currently stand, you are our best shot at gaining more territory. Of course, your contributions will be rewarded accordingly."
"I will retake my position as Oracle now and lead the sea beasts," Orthar said, surprising Meadow and the Lightning Ultimate. This mere King was about to claim leadership over the entire sea beast faction?
"We await your success," the Water Ultimate said, surprising the two of them even more. An Ultimate had just said that they would follow a King? What was going on!?
"Oracle," the Metal Ultimate said after staying silent for a while. "In the past, I have been against your strategies regarding warfare, but with this new situation, my mind has changed. This is the best opportunity we will ever have to reign supreme over this world. Therefore, I am in support of you now."
Orthar nodded. "There is a saying I have heard from a wise beast once," Orthar said, obviously referring to Gravis without showing it. "Enemies and friends are temporary. Only benefits are permanent. I won't hold a grudge for your past actions."
Gravis had said that saying once to Orthar, but not in a positive way. In actuality, Gravis was not the biggest fan of this saying. He had told it to Orthar in the context of how the Sects in the lower world had operated and how he hadn't been a fan of that mindset.
Of course, that was from a cultivation standpoint. In terms of economics or politics, that saying probably displayed the most optimal mindset. Maybe this saying actually had its place in the world.
"Wise words, indeed," the Metal Ultimate said. "I will follow this mindset and act accordingly. I, also, await your success."
With that said, Orthar and the two sea Ultimates returned to the Grand Lake. Gravis and Orthar didn't say goodbye since there was no point in saying it. Their paths had already become connected, and Orthar would return to the highest world with Gravis. This was only temporary.
Orthar would become more powerful with the sea beasts, while Gravis would become more powerful as a neutral party.
Yes, that was right. Gravis had already decided to leave the land beast camp.
Gravis still held his loyalties to his children, Azure, and Styr, but that was it. Their companionship wouldn't change just because Gravis left their faction.
Right now, Gravis was powerful enough to kill a level two Emperor with ease. Only level three Emperors could kill him. Such power was more than enough to roam around as a neutral party.
As Orthar and the sea Ultimates left, Gravis looked over at the silent Azure. She hadn't said anything in a while as she simply watched the Ultimates decide the fate of the world.
Gravis was used to seeing a world change drastically, but this was something new to Azure.
For Azure, she had just witnessed how the fate of the world had been drastically changed. The status quo would violently shift, and war would break out with more ferocity than ever before.
The level four Emperors had rarely fought, fearing that an Ultimate would arrive and attack them. With the Ultimates no longer being allowed to interfere in the fights, these level four Emperors had nothing holding them back anymore.
The level four Emperors would soon attack the most valuable territories of the enemy, and a sea of blood would flow. Azure's insides shook as she felt like she was dreaming. All of this felt surreal to her.
There was no grand discussion or arguing. There was no fanfare. Everything had only been said quietly with some beasts present. With but a mere few words, millions and billions of beasts would die in rapid succession.
Everything had been casual and straightforward. Just because Meadow hadn't wanted to deal with the political situation, the whole world would be thrown into turmoil. Just a mere decision, made out of laziness, had changed the entire world.
Was this power? Was this what it meant to be powerful? Any action of someone powerful, be it deliberate or by accident, would change the fate of so many beings?
"Hey, Azure," Gravis said from the side.
Azure was taken out of her thoughts as she looked at Gravis. Right, wasn't it Gravis who had started everything? The carelessly spoken words of a King had resulted in the number of Ultimates going down from ten to just three. How could something like this have happened?
"Yes?" Azure asked, still lost in thought as she tried to come to terms with the profound changes.
"Do you think the Grand Elder has become a level three Emperor already?" Gravis asked.
Azure was surprised that Gravis had asked such a question. Something this grand had just taken place, but Gravis was only interested in the Grand Elder's power? Didn't he see the profound changes that would result from this talk today?
Nevertheless, Azure answered. "That was our plan. Becoming a level three Emperor is necessary to hold enough sway over the land beasts. He should have become a level three Emperor by now."
Gravis smiled. "Great! Then, I will return with you to the Icy Pride Empire and ask him for another session of will-tempering. After that, I will come back here and comprehend as many Laws as I can."
Azure was still shocked by Gravis' nonchalant reaction to this situation. The whole world had changed, but Gravis seemingly hadn't even noticed.
"Do you not know what results would come out of this year's Ultimate's Meet?" Azure asked.
"So?" Gravis asked back. "That has nothing to do with me. I'm here to become powerful, not to change the world into something I want. I guess you haven't seen something like this before?" Gravis asked.
Azure sighed. "No."
"Were you born in this world, or have you ascended from a lower world?" Gravis asked.
Azure wasn't sure what Gravis was trying to get out of this question. "I have never been in another world."
Gravis nodded. "That's what I have thought. When you see more powerful beings, you see what devastating consequences even casual decisions can have on the world. This gives you a feeling of reverence towards power."
Then, Gravis looked at the sky with a smile. "Yet, as soon as you reach this power yourself, you see how unimportant such decisions actually are. I have learned that, when you are truly powerful, every action of yours will influence the entire world."
"Every action comes with positive and negative consequences for a huge number of beings. Yet, if you want to shape the world into something you desire, you need to keep overlooking it. Otherwise, the world will return to its old situation."
"And as soon as you do that, your path to power will end," Gravis said. "You are older than I and have more experience, but I have been in this situation before while you have not. Don't try to think about what will happen to the world, but think about what you want to accomplish."
Gravis smiled. "You'll see! Sooner or later, you will also be as powerful as Meadow. Don't get hung up on the current situation and look forward. What's the point in the world changing? Your own goal, reaching supreme power, has not changed. Therefore, your world didn't change."
Azure remained silent as she listened to Gravis' words. "My world didn't change, huh?" she repeated quietly.
"Dude, you sound like an old beast," Meadow suddenly said from the side. "You becoming a hermit? You do know that you can't have sex then, right?"
Gravis only laughed.
