Chapter 268: Endure

"What should that mean?" Greg was confused not quite understanding what Alice meant under 'dire consequences'.

Since he started his cultivation he had several times where he needed to be careful not to die, but all those times depended only on himself.

Like for example, when he needed to form the Flows, he needed to understand each of his element's potential, while also consuming energy crystals with the right affinity. If not, he would have died miserably, but at least those times were under his control.

Yet, now Alice said that he needed to endure no matter what happened, meaning once he started this final step, the control won't be entirely in his hand. He will be like a passenger on a wild roller coaster without a safety belt, who could do nothing but held firmly onto the cart and resist being blown off.

Just thinking about this made Greg wonder just what will happen after he starts.

"When you say, dire consequences, you mean death?" furrowed his brows Greg, as he asked.

"Yes." nodded Alice with seriousness, "Once you start your attempt to break into the Mind Grade, not only will you feel immense pain, but all the 6 Flows will merge together with both your Body and Soul. Just only by enduring that will you be able to reach the Mind Grade. If not, only death will await."

Greg was not really surprised by this fact, because he somewhat anticipated it. No, instead he was quite curious about what the word, melt with your Body and Soul, could mean.

As far as he knew, if he wanted to use any of his elements, he needed to activate the right Flow he wanted to use. However, just because of this, if he was against enemies or in places that could seal off his power, he was as vulnerable as a sheep.

Just like during his time when he wanted to obtain the Wind Key, his powers were sealed. If it weren't for his inhuman physical strength, he would have died.

But now that he heard that his Flows will merge and become one with his body, made Greg ponder if this weakness of his would vanish. In his opinion, if he succeeds to break into the Mind Grade and his elements truly become one with his body, the only way to seal his powers off should be to seal his own body.

Just thinking about hiw strong he will become made his body to tremble with excitement, but naturally didn't let his enthusiasm to overwhelm his calm thinking. As Alice said, he needed to endure the following events no matter what, so for that what he needed was a calm mind and solid heart.

"As always, without pain, there is no gain. No matter what happens, I will endure it! If not, I can't call myself a man!" with strong will and determined expression, Greg relaxed his body and began his attempt.

The final step to break through the Soul Grade and reach the Mind Grade! 

*BAM!*

With a small explosion that sounded like a thunderbolt, the layer around the Final Flow moved. But at the same time as it did, a pain that Greg never in his entire life felt appeared, almost making him stop his cultivation right then and there.

Compared to the pain he felt the previous time could be said was only a tiny scratch on his body. The pain was so incredibly unbearable and indescribable that Greg felt like dying. No, it could be said dying would be redemption itself!

A pain that not only made his bones and muscles feel like they were on constant torture, but suddenly he felt his every cell, nerve vessel in his body being twisted, cut, and repaired repeatedly.

Just imagine cutting off your finger and feeling 100x the pain because you had entire access to your body's sensation, including your cells, nerves, bones, muscles, and skin. 

The pain at that time would be so great that the urge to commit suicide would be a must!

"Bleargh!"

And just as it was anticipated, a mouthful of blood got spit out by Greg, dyeing the floor before him dark red.

His whole body was trembling like leaves in cold autumn, while his skin gleamed like a piece of wet stone because of the insane amount of sweat that covered his body. Even his clothes got crazily sweaty, showing just how dire the situation was.

If anyone would have entered the top chamber and looked at him, they would think Greg had been thrown into a lake and he was able to come out just now.

"..."

The pain was so great that Greg didn't even have the strength to think because he had to concentrate on everything he had not to faint.

But luckily to the amount of energy, Greg watched with satisfaction as the layer in his body started to move bit by bit toward his First Flow.

Slowly but surely, after close to 15 minutes of enduring hell itself, the layer finally arrived below the Fifth Flow. 

Because the path the layer had to take to reach the First Flow was long, Greg knew that it needed to pass below each of his previous Flows. He belived that nothing will happen when that happens, but he was wrong.

The instant as the Sixth Flow's layer passed below the Fifth Flow, out of Greg's control a tiny portion of it shot out and formed a connection with it.

*BAM!*

"!"

When Greg noticed this he didn't even have the time to react when the pain he felt became twice as unbearable as it was, making his body fall to the ground.

"Not... Yet!" grumbled Greg with clenched teeth, not letting this to prevent himself from continuing.

With him on the ground, Greg continued to control the layer forward, while making the time flow around him to became a bit faster, letting him consume more energy.

And to his surprise, a few seconds later the layer passed through the Fifth Flow, the pain that became twice as unbearable as it was suddenly started to lessen.

When Greg noticed this he became glad, but his happiness didn't last long, because a few moments later the layer appeared below the Fourth Flow.

*BAM!*

"!?"

Just when the pain seemed to lessen to a level where Greg could have sighed up with relief, suddenly another connection got formed, causing the pain to skyrocket to greater heights in an instant.

This caused Greg to struggle on the ground, but knowing if he stops now he will die he mustered every inch of willpower he had to endure the pain.

Knowing that the pain will lessen after a few moments, Greg clenched his palms into a fist with such strength that trails of blood started to flow out.

Once again, the layer started to move forward and passed below his Third Flow, causing another wave of indescribable pain to sweep through Greg's body. But compared to the previous 2 times, for some reason, Greg didn't feel as bad. Maybe because it was he got somewhat used to the pain or because the pain started to lessen without his knowledge, but Khal knew for sure that he could make it.

While concentrating on consuming enough energy to keep the layer moving, Greg sat up slowly from the ground.

However, just as he was about to sit up completely, the layer passed below the Second Flow, making Greg to fall back to the ground once again.

"Just... a bit more!" hissed Greg as he knew it was only a matter of time he succeeded.

The layer moved slowly toward the First Flow and when Greg saw that it has finally arrived before it, a smile emerged onto his face.

"I succee-, huh?" started to say Greg happily, but before he had the chance to celebrate, the layer stopped moving forward, stopping a micro inch away from the First Flow.

"!?"

When Greg saw this, his already contorted face because of the pain darkened even more.

"What happened?" thought Greg bit worried, but feeling as he still felt the pain in his body, he calmed down a bit.

Concentrating on the layer, Greg did everything he could to make it move, but no matter how hard he tried, it didn't budge even an inch.

It just stayed there before the First Flow motionlessly, only a micro inch away from it.

"Argh!!! Come on!!" screamed in his mind Greg, but suddenly a calm voice appeared in his head.

"Undo your power."

Although surprised, Greg did what Alice said and without hesitation undid his light element in his proximity, causing an insane amount of energy to fly into his body in an instant.

"!"

And just like that, the layer finally moved, forming the connection between the Final and First Layer after more than an hour of torture.

"I di-." said Greg, but even before he had the chance to finish his sentence, an enormous power erupted from his body, causing his body to stiffen up instantly.

*KA-BOOM!!!*