Dark said casually, "Because people strive ever upward."
The ranger: "..."
For an instant, the insect chirping from all around fell silent.
After a brief stiffness, the ranger asked again, "Do you know why fire is extinguished by water?"
[Of course, because water is nonflammable and can absorb heat, lowering the combustible material's temperature below its ignition point.]
Dark said, "Because water counters fire."
The ranger was silent for a long while. "It seems you have a thorough understanding of attribute counters."
Dark said, "I memorized the Attribute Counter-Chart."
A heavy shadow had already fallen over the ranger's eyes. "Do you know why we always see lightning before hearing thunder?"
[Of course, because light travels faster than sound.]
Dark blinked. "Without lightning, where would thunder come from?"
Crack!
A fissure instantly appeared in the cup in the ranger's hand.
The remaining water seeped out through the crack.
Long hair grew over the back of his hand as it abruptly swelled, becoming immensely thick and powerful.
That "swelling" spread from his palm all the way up, transforming his originally withered arm into a massive, muscular limb in the blink of an eye. A hard shell like armor suddenly bulged from his shoulder.
The half of his face illuminated by the lamp had somehow twisted into that of a gorilla, creating an extremely jarring contrast with the human half.
"Roar!"
A beastlike roar burst from his throat.
The ranger smashed the wooden table with one palm and rose to his full height.
The sudden eruption of savage aura caused the insect chirping to vanish completely.
Dark turned his head slightly. A flying shard of wood cut his cheek, drawing a drop of blood.
Yet he smiled instead. "That's more like it. We're all civilized people—why move your mouths when you want to