Chapter 1028: Milestone (15)

A pale blue lightning radiance tinged the evening sky of Vulcan.

A thunderbolt tore through the cold air, rotating intensely and casting light upon the ground.

KWOOOO!!!

A pale blue Lightning Dragon roared, twisting its body and flashing through the clouds.

The lingering afterglow of a thunderbolt that anyone living in the mega-city of Vulcan would have encountered at least once.

But at this moment, the master of the thunderbolt tearing through Vulcan’s sky was not Adamant Thunder.

KWAAAAGH!!!

The cityscape, adorned with skyscrapers, brightened as if it were day, followed by an ear-splitting thunderous roar.

“Hahaha… !”

A resounding, powerful voice echoed amidst the thunder pounding the atmosphere.

The old man with a rugged face, his entire body wreathed in lightning, pressed down on Lennok at an incredible speed.

KWAANG!!!

Two streaks of lightning, flashing in the darkness, collided diagonally and scraped against each other simultaneously.

Ignoring the shock of thousands of sharp lightning fragments exploding, the old man inclined his head towards Lennok.

“Indeed, it’s flawless. It must be at least this much.”

“…!!!”

The moment the old man’s hand, blurred by lightning, flashed and directly collided with Lennok’s hand in mid-air.

[Blunt Thunder]

CHEEEOOONG!!!

A powerful ripple of lightning erupted, simultaneously pushing Lennok’s body away at immense speed.

Instead of absorbing the impact, Lennok’s form was propelled straight back, piercing through high-rise buildings and rebounding.

TUR-TUR-TUR-TUNG!!!

Lennok, having crashed through an escalator in the high-rise lobby of a department store nearing completion in a nearby bustling area, bowed his head and exhaled deeply.

“Phew…!!”

“The lightning that strikes from a clear sky shines the brightest, and the thunder that erupts from a cloudless firmament is the loudest.”

CHEEEOOONG!!!

Amidst the raging thunder, the old man, standing on the rooftop of the high-rise building he had just broken, chuckled heartily.

“Our Thorben’s lightning must always shine brilliantly, no matter where, and roar louder than any other.”

“…”

“In that sense, your lightning makes a truly pleasant sound. That alone greatly pleases me.”

The old man, seeing Lennok raise his head with a tired expression, spoke softly, his hands clasped behind his back.

“Perhaps the long detours you’ve taken in preparation weren’t entirely meaningless.”

Archaic speech and a deep bass voice. An overflowing, intense vitality, matched by an explosive magical power.

Sharp and keen, yet imbued with an unfathomable weight of lightning magic.

All of it felt terrifyingly profound and heavy.

Above all, the paradox: wielding fast and intense lightning, yet possessing a will-thought heavier and more ponderous than anyone else’s.

Is this the true face of the Grand Master who leads the Thorben Magic Tower?

“…I didn’t expect the Thorben’s Tower Lord to be from an Ars Nova noble family.”

Lennok, sweeping back his disheveled hair, stood up and asked.

“Akendrias El Thorben, huh. Did you name the Magic Tower after your own family name?”

He knew that nobles from the Central City had visited Vulcan for Anathema’s funeral.

But he had never imagined that the Thorben’s Tower Lord would be among them.

One of the continent’s oldest Magic Towers, symbolizing lightning-attribute unique magic.

A sanctuary for war mages, known by the epithet ‘War Merchant,’ who plunged into every conceivable conflict.

Could it be that the Grand Master of lightning magic, who had hitherto shown no interest in Lennok, had sought him out under the pretext of this funeral ritual?

“On the contrary. Upon inheriting the position of Tower Lord, one engraves the Tower’s lineage within one’s own name. The moment you inherit this lightning, all worldly ties become meaningless.”

Thorben, the Tower Lord, smiled and clenched and unclenched his hand.

Each time, intense lightning flashed within the Tower Lord’s hand, repeatedly extending and contracting.

PAZZZ-JIJIJIK!!!

“The moment we infuse the causality of lightning into our lives, this Lightning Radiance always stands at the forefront of our existence. You, too, must be so, yes?”

“…”

Thorben’s words were filled with baseless conviction, but Lennok knew he couldn’t deny them and remained silent.

From the moment he first awakened his unique magic to the present, lightning magic had always been Lennok’s first choice.

Even now, having reached Level 7 and awakened his Domain, transcended the hierarchy to Level 8, and standing on the precipice of Ascension.

The power that stood at the very forefront among all the possibilities and turning points Lennok had acquired.

Therefore, he had always thought that the more he refined his lightning magic, the more he might one day clash with Thorben, but…

“I’m not unwilling to take responsibility for having learned Thorben’s magic. I’m even willing to pay the price, if you wish.”

The moment Lennok clenched his fist, the lightning that surged up his arm swelled thickly.

Its output and luminosity easily surpassed the lightning the Tower Lord toyed with.

PAZ-JJI-JIK!!!

Lennok, grasping the twisted lightning in one hand, stepped forward and asked,

“But if you intend to establish a hierarchy like this just because we share the same magic, I, too, will find it difficult to endure for long.”

“Hm? I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

The Tower Lord tilted his head, looking puzzled.

“This old one is not accusing you of having learned the Tower’s magic. Such things are, in fact, utterly unimportant.”

“What did you say?”

“By order of entry into the Tower, I would be something like your senior fellow disciple, but what meaning does that hold? Thorben’s lightning is not a power whose superiority is determined by such teachings or distribution.”

The Tower Lord’s form, stepping lightly forward, transformed into a streak of lightning and landed before Lennok.

The speed was so swift that it was imperceptible to the naked eye, sending a chill down even Lennok’s spine for a moment.

But the Tower Lord merely smiled leisurely, unconcerned by Lennok’s reaction.

“Innate talent from birth. Karma accumulated through life and death. Intuition that transcends instinct and reason… Only such indescribable specialness makes our lightning more intense.”

“…”

“That is the proof that Thorben’s lightning is more special and superior than any other spellcraft. It is a power granted only to wizards blessed by the heavens.”

The old man, extending one hand, spoke in a profound voice.

“Since you have proven that your specialness stands on par with this old one’s, you are already effectively a member of Thorben. What reason is there now to quibble over affiliation and distribution?”

“You’re out of your mind.”

Regardless of the process, if he had inherited lightning magic, was Lennok already considered a member of Thorben? And the justification was that only the chosen could wield this magic freely.

It surpassed mere pride in lightning magic, nearing a level of self-love that bordered on insanity.

Lennok let the Tower Lord’s words pass through one ear and swiftly checked his condition.

‘Leaving aside the speed, the sense of weight is simply absurd.’

As the opponent was also an 8-level grand lightning wizard, it was natural that their instantaneous output peak and incantation speed were at the highest level.

But separate from that, the pressure he felt the moment their magic collided was truly surreal.

‘Mana manipulation. Both maximum mana capacity and incantation efficiency are vastly superior to his rank. Has he reached a realm that cannot be classified by levels?’

Putting aside his arrogance in proclaiming himself blessed, the Tower Lord’s words themselves were not incorrect.

A completeness without a single flaw in any aspect of his perceptible spellcraft capabilities.

Even in areas reliant on innate talent or aptitude, his level far surpassed all expectation or prediction.

Rather than one talent standing out, it was a bizarre, overwhelming aura where all his stats had broken through their limits.

This was not someone he could afford to hold back against. A formidable foe who might demand his life right here and now.

Crucially, the Lightning Dragon that had been fired at Lennok at the start had not descended from the sky since that first attack.

This wasn’t just a fight; he wanted something.

Lennok’s face, having instantly made his judgment, turned expressionless, and he slowly began to draw upon his mana.

“To understand all my words yet kill your emotions in response… you are a surprisingly rational fellow for one who wields lightning.”

The Tower Lord leisurely shook his head, observing Lennok’s reaction.

“Sometimes, there are realizations that must be embraced, even at the cost of one’s life. As a fellow wizard treading the same path, has the heart of this senior not been conveyed to you?”

“I don’t call someone who shoves lightning in my face upon meeting them a ‘fellow disciple.’”

PAZ-JIJIK…!!

Lennok, wreathed in sharp Lightning Radiance, lowered his stance and said.

“The moment you chose a show of force over conversation, there’s only one answer I can give.”

Lennok, his head tilted back, his blue eyes flashing, stared intently at the Tower Lord.

“Let’s think about it after I’ve beaten you half to death.”

“Hahahaha! Not a bad answer, indeed.”

The old man chuckled heartily and took a step forward, his entire robust body infused with brilliant lightning.

“That much spirit is required to claim to wield this Lightning Radiance.”

Lightning-attribute Unique Magic

Property Transformation: Emanating Manifestation

[Eternal Thunder]

Lightning-attribute Unique Magic

Property Transformation: Lightning Convergence

[Flying Azure]

Lennok, wielding and firing a colossal sphere of lightning, and the Tower Lord, his entire body transformed into lightning, collided amidst the escalators.

Simultaneously, two streaks of pale blue lightning diagonally split and exploded on both sides of the semi-destroyed upper floors of the high-rise building.

The Tower Lord’s form, surging out, trailing tingling lightning, instantly propelled Lennok into the evening sky.

KWAAAANG!!!

“This is strange. Why are you not using Lightning Transformation?”

The Tower Lord tilted his head, observing Lennok, who grasped the fractured Lightning Radiance of Eternal Thunder.

His body, half of which had transformed into sharp lightning, intensely flashed and spread through the air.

“A wizard of your caliber surely wouldn’t be ignorant of the sensation of transforming your body into lightning.”

“…!!”

JEOK-JEOK!!

PWO-BWO-BWO-BWUNG!!

The two figures tangled in mid-air and plummeted, exchanging dozens of lightning bolts simultaneously.

The thunder, erupting without hand seals or incantations, shook heaven and earth, striking countless lightning streaks into the sky and ground.

[Electric Enclosure Resonance]

[Magnetic Electricity]

PAZ-JIJIJIK…!!

Lennok, grasping the lightning streaks falling from all directions with one hand, twisted his body towards the Tower Lord, who was wildly unleashing lightning.

As he fell through the air, he drew upon his will-thought to change the direction of the lightning, and at the moment he grasped and swung dozens of lightning streaks simultaneously.

[Thunderous Mountain Split]

[Clap Thunder]

The curved streak of lightning struck the chest of the Tower Lord, whose body had transformed into lightning, as if pounding him.

CHEEEOOONG!!!

Blue light flashed, and a wave of lightning exploded, dozens of meters in size.

In its wake, ground structures and the street evaporated entirely, causing fire hydrants and water jets to erupt alternately.

But the Tower Lord’s expression, as he stepped back, was filled not with pain, but with contemplation.

“I see. Could it be that your body is in too poor a condition to use Lightning Transformation?”

PA-SEU-SEU-SEU!!

He transformed his body into lightning just before impact, scattering it to minimize damage.

A dangerous technique where, if the timing was even slightly off, his upper body could have entirely exploded.

Proof that Thorben’s Tower Lord’s own combat ability and practical experience were vast enough to contend with Lennok.

But Lennok, aware that his incantation had been read, did not stop.

“Changing your body into lightning means that the same lightning can, conversely, interfere with you.”

“Hm?”

KWAA-JIK!!

He bent the exploding lightning streak, lifting the Tower Lord as if grasping him by the collar.

The lightning streaks, still connected to Lennok’s hand, converged, seizing the Tower Lord’s form, which had transformed into lightning.

“There are too many onlookers here.”

Lennok smiled coldly and tilted his head.

“Shall we move to another location and continue our conversation?”

[Thunderous Radiance Manifestation]

FLASH!!!

A giant’s hand, formed of lightning, surged up Lennok’s arm, seized the Tower Lord, and swung him.

An intense rotational speed that made his shoulder seem to vanish for a moment.

Before the Tower Lord could react, his form was sent hurtling, smashing through dozens of buildings at immense speed.

SHWAAAEK!!!

“Hrmmm?!!!”

Since his body had transformed into lightning, he had little weight and no air resistance.

Thrown by centrifugal force in that state, it was not difficult to effortlessly traverse hundreds of meters.

Lennok, having flung the Tower Lord’s form into an uninhabited area, followed after him.

“Davi.”

[I’m ready!!]

PWAAANG!!!

Borrowing Davi’s computational abilities, he extended the travel distance of Flicker and minimized mana consumption.

He stacked and chanted spatial leap spellcraft, which required immense mana and will-thought consumption.

The moment Lennok, wreathed in flashing Lightning Radiance, leaned his body, he unleashed Flicker repeatedly through the crumbling building, instantly catching up to the Thorben’s Tower Lord, who had been flung far away.

SHWAAAEK!!!

The Tower Lord burst into hearty laughter, watching Lennok traverse the evening sky of Vulcan at supersonic speed, without air resistance.

“To suggest changing locations, how utterly astounding. Where we stand is already a hall of magic, a sacred place.”

The Tower Lord, instantly materializing his body, stopped in the middle of a deserted night street and extended a hand.

“But very well. If a fellow wizard desires it, it is a senior’s duty to accommodate.”

CRACK!

The Lightning Dragon, floating in the sky, opened its mouth wide and spewed a pale blue sphere of lightning.

The moment the highly compressed lightning aggregate, like a dragon spitting its wish-granting orb, landed on the Tower Lord’s hand.

Lennok, accelerating, and the Tower Lord’s forms crossed paths in the middle of the lightning-strewn street.

Lightning-attribute Unique Magic

Property Transformation: Principle Reversal

[Dancing Tremor]

KWAA-WOOOOONG…!!!

With a resounding thunderclap, the Tower Lord, extending his hand, flashed with bright blue eyes.

The lightning aggregate on the Tower Lord’s hand distorted, rotating violently, and exploded, ascending from the ground to the sky.

A storm of lightning, dancing upwards into the sky, began to change the weather and rain down lightning everywhere.

Random lightning discharges that were more than enough to annihilate everything in all directions except the space he stood upon.

KIIIIING…!!

Amidst the chaotic dance of lightning, a lightning bolt, even bluer than the surrounding flashes, rotated and plunged downwards.

Lennok’s form, grasping a single bolt of lightning compressed to its extreme in reverse, crossed space and landed before the Tower Lord at an incredible speed.

Before he could react, he pierced the Tower Lord’s heart precisely.

[Swift Thunder Narrow Flight]

CHEEEOOONG!!!

The lightning, rotating counter-clockwise, exploded behind the Tower Lord, scattering dozens of times over.

A distorted, deep blue halo of light scattered behind the Tower Lord.

“Cough…!!”

The Tower Lord coughed with difficulty, his figure swaying.

But Lennok’s expression, as he looked back at him, was rigidly frozen.

“…You’re completely insane.”

In the final moment of their magic colliding, Thorben’s Tower Lord had completely released all the magic he was chanting.

He had only used the Lightning Transformation incantation, taking Lennok’s Swift Thunder Narrow Flight head-on with his bare body.

No matter how strong his lightning resistance, taking Lennok’s lightning directly would inevitably result in a fatal wound.

Thorben’s Tower Lord knew this, yet deliberately acted to take Lennok’s lightning directly.

“What in the world are you doing?”

“To inherit Thorben’s lightning, this is precisely its meaning.”

The Tower Lord, tilting his head back, caught the flowing blood with one hand and said.

Despite having his heart pierced, he was still alive and conversing with Lennok.

Whether the integrity of his vital organs simply didn’t affect his survival, or if something even greater was holding onto his life, Lennok didn’t know.

Before he could realize it, the Tower Lord averted his gaze and spoke.

“Our lightning is a flash of enlightenment that gleams for a fleeting moment and then vanishes. Try to grasp it with your hand, and it’s too late; try to remember it with your mind, and it’s gone.”

“…”

“Beyond a certain realm, our lightning is not a concept that can be recorded, organized, or passed down.”

The Tower Lord’s voice had, by now, settled into an eerily calm tone.

“Only inspiration and intuition, seized at the risk of one’s life, are everything. Here lies the proof of inheriting great lightning at the cost of one’s life.”

Inspiration that flashed and vanished in an instant. A power of the moment, grasped purely through intuition, not understanding or logic.

Did Thorben’s Tower Lord deliberately release his magic just to convey this fact to Lennok?

A culmination of mad enlightenment, indescribable by the simple word ‘insane’.

“If you cannot use Lightning Transformation, then this old one will have to accommodate your circumstances.”

The Tower Lord, gathering both hands, one above the other, said.

“From this moment on, I shall begin the transmission of Apex Thunder Magic to you.”