Chapter 1030: Milestone (17)
High above the outskirts of the mega-city Vulcan.
The cityscape, once lined with skyscrapers and high-rise buildings, was now half-destroyed, a chaotic mess of collapsed structures.
Sharp flashes of lightning crackled between the broken buildings, scattering debris at incredible speeds.
It was a spellcraft battle between two wizards, both having mastered lightning magic to its extreme, capable of the highest instantaneous output among all spellcraft.
“Everyone knows the mad old man from Thorben got struck by lightning in the head and lost his mind…”
Olivera, who had been silently looking down at the ground, spoke, arms crossed.
“But I never thought he’d be so obsessed with a wizard of the same lineage.”
“…”
“It’s long since crossed the line of being mere ceremonial entertainment. How long do you plan to just watch?”
It wasn’t the undertaker, who was poring over a holy book, who answered Olivera’s chilling question.
“It’s a matter of protocol hierarchy, Olivera.”
“…Heiberk.”
“Akendrias is the noble with the highest protocol hierarchy among us.”
A woman with messy hair and thick glasses waved her hand with a languid expression.
Dressed in a loose cardigan, she sat on a chapel chair, tapping the air.
Each tap sent ripples through the invisible air.
“He’s an unreliable person, to be frank, but in an official setting, his opinion takes precedence. There’s nothing we can do.”
“Are you saying that even with you, a former member of the Central Council, present, they still adhere to such an outdated custom?”
“I didn’t come for fun; I came to perform Anathema’s funeral rites.”
The woman yawned slightly and said.
“There’s no avoiding the protocol hierarchy being set within the undertaker’s domain. My role is merely to record.”
“You’re making excuses by talking about your ‘role’ – nothing has changed, then or now.”
Olivera let out a cold sneer.
“You’re not unaware that priorities have become meaningless since the Central Front’s collapse. Are you trying to tell me such clumsy lies?”
“Oh, would I ever?”
The woman chuckled, retorting.
“I can’t very well pretend in front of the one responsible for the destruction of our golden age, can I?”
“…”
“You don’t need to fret so much. Even without that… Adamant Thunder’s capabilities seem quite exceptional.”
The woman, averting her gaze from the cold mystic eye, looked down at the ground.
Above her thick spectacle lenses, the radiance of the lightning unfolding on the ground was etched.
The overwhelming torrent of lightning was so sharp and terrifying that even her protective eyewear, designed for her naturally poor eyesight, struggled to endure prolonged observation.
The woman, propping her chin and watching the fierce battle with interest, remarked.
“It’s been a very long time since I’ve seen a wizard Akendrias takes such an interest in. Considering the time he’s lived, it’s undoubtedly a talent that will go down in continental history.”
“…”
“I’d heard rumors, but seeing it in person makes me wonder if he’s not one of our own bloodline. If I were still doing scribe work, I would definitely have inscribed his name on the Council’s registry.”
As the woman murmured leisurely and the undertaker remained silent, the battle on the ground grew even fiercer.
Thorben’s mad laughter, directly receiving Lennok’s lightning, and the increasingly powerful lightning sanctuary.
And at its climax, Thorben’s figure extending his will-thought first to deploy his Domain.
Leaving the silent Olivera, the woman tapped the air again.
“The conversation with the Elder Council is over. We will handle the damages from this incident. All that’s left is to explain to Adamant Thunder and pay him his due… “
As if caressing an invisible screen, she drew her hand down through the air and then spoke, as if suddenly remembering something.
“By the way, the search device I left in this city decades ago isn’t picking anything up. Do you know anything about it?”
“Celestial Lightning Body…?”
The name of the constitution mentioned by Thorben’s Tower Lord, Akendrias El Thorben.
Before Lennok could react to the words, which implied forcibly expanding his vessel.
The Tower Lord’s Domain unfurled before Lennok’s eyes.
Domain Deployment Principle Hierarchy Mental Image Actualization
[Thunder God’s Flowering Court]
Whiiirrrrrrrrrr!!!!!
Simultaneously with the Domain’s deployment, a powerful whirring sound resonated from behind the Tower Lord.
A deafening noise, like a heavy engine or turbine spinning, enough to burst eardrums just by listening.
CRACKLE! CRACKLE! CRACKLE!
Along with the violent atmospheric resonance, the shape of a massive brain floated in the air.
A colossal Electrobrain, formed by compressing lightning, pulsed and resonated madly.
But even with the lightning filling his vision, Lennok felt something unnatural and raised his gaze.
‘The Domain…’
Despite the Domain being deployed, the scenery around Lennok and the Tower Lord hadn’t changed.
Above the half-destroyed cityscape, the blue Electrobrain merely floated, brightly illuminating the surroundings.
Was the Domain deployment a bluff, creating a new object using lightning’s material shaping?
No, Lennok realized it wasn’t after thinking that far.
It wasn’t that the Domain hadn’t been deployed. The existence of that colossal Electrobrain was the Domain itself.
Could it be that Akendrias El Thorben’s Domain was—
“A Domain that doesn’t overwrite reality?”
A Domain is the power to overwrite reality with one’s Root Mindscape. That process is not something the caster can choose.
The moment a Domain is deployed, the caster must, in some way, reveal their Root Mindscape to the opponent.
But the Domain Thorben used was not like that.
It completed the Domain merely by the manifestation of that colossal Electrobrain, without altering the real-world scenery.
It wasn’t a partial deployment of the Domain, or a form that borrowed a part of the Root Mindscape.
Could it exist as a complete Domain, yet without altering reality?
But if so, it couldn’t provide any of the usual advantages of a Domain, such as environmental and compatibility superiority, or magical augmentation.
“The more you know, the more complicated your thoughts become. But my Domain is not like that.”
Thorben slowly formed hand seals, watching Lennok’s hardened face.
“It only refrains from altering reality immediately after deployment because altering reality is the effect of the Domain itself.”
“Altering reality is the effect of the Domain itself?”
“The Thunder God’s Flowering Court is the power symbolizing an endlessly gushing wellspring of lightning.”
Thorben, with his hands pressed together in a seal, slowly raised his gaze.
“That ability is… to forcibly transform all matter within the Domain into lightning.”
“…What?”
CRACK!
At that moment, dozens of brilliant blue lightning bolts erupted from the Electrobrain floating behind the Tower Lord.
The lightning, intricately tangled like nerves connected to a brain, struck the collapsed building debris and the ground.
With a sharp resonance, all matter in the surrounding area began to convert into lightning.
TZZZZZZZZT!!!
Structures that had lost their foundations crumbled, transforming into electricity in their broken forms.
The electricity, created by the lightning transformation of matter, flowed into the Electrobrain, becoming a new power source.
The Domain, growing in size on the spot, began to turn everything into a handful of lightning.
BOOOOOM!!!
“…!!!”
Even the ground was instantly transformed into lightning and collapsed. If he didn’t retreat, he would simply be caught in the storm of lightning transformation.
While Lennok himself wouldn’t be lightning-transformed, he couldn’t ignore the damage from being swept up in its aftermath.
“A power that forcibly causes a lightning property transformation in all matter within the Domain!”
FWOOSH!
Lennok, using Flicker to retreat dozens of meters, murmured.
“Unbelievable. With only the Domain’s intrinsic effect, it can do this much…!”
It wasn’t deploying a Domain to change the environment, but the effect of changing the environment was the Domain’s ability itself.
Because it needed material to lightning-transform, the Thunder God’s Flowering Court didn’t alter the surrounding environment immediately after deployment.
It merely completed the Domain and then, with its own power, directly began to change the surrounding environment.
It lightning-transformed matter to use as power, and that generated power then served as the driving force to maintain the Domain.
Since the Domain’s effect was its power source, there was no mana consumption after the initial deployment.
Upon completion, it became self-sustaining, scattering its Domain effect everywhere, endlessly expanding its range and targets, and merely lightning-transforming everything.
In that process, all power, except what was needed to maintain the Domain, was supplied directly to the caster.
“Hoo…”
CRACKLE, CRACKLE, CRACKLE…!!!!!
Thousands of lightning bolts struck Thorben’s entire body, supplying him with an endless, infinite amount of power.
With just that, his body repeatedly materialized and lightning-transformed, blurring the boundary between matter and lightning.
He began to radiate light and transform, like an incarnation of the Thunder God.
CRACKLE! CRACKLE! CRACKLE…!!!!!
Thorben, his entire body filled with bluish lightning, raised his gaze, his eyes flashing.
[I told you I would make you a Celestial Lightning Body and expand your vessel, didn’t I?]
The Sixfold Resonance, which normally required a massive amount of mana to resonate, flowed from his lips as if he were merely breathing.
But at that point, Lennok realized what ‘method’ the Tower Lord intended to use and his face hardened.
“Surely not…”
[From now on, I will transform your body into lightning, then reshape it at a cellular level and materialize it.]
The Tower Lord, rising from the surging storm of lightning, looked down at Lennok and smiled benevolently.
[I will adjust your blood vessels and circuits, and repeatedly expand and solidify the size of your vessel.]
“…”
[In that process, your physical body will have to be torn apart and reassembled, but a wizard of your caliber would surely—Where are you going?]
“It was my mistake to listen seriously for even a moment.”
Lennok turned his back without hesitation and began to flee at an incredible speed.
Lennok frantically used Flicker, rapidly putting distance between himself and Thorben’s Domain.
Thorben, who had been looking at his retreating figure with a look of dismay, soon let out a hearty, good-natured laugh.
[Indeed, this isn’t a very good place to perform such an important procedure.]
The Tower Lord, raising a hand towards Lennok, slowly tilted his head back and whispered.
[If you wish to move, this old man will follow your lead.]
WHOOOOOOSH…!!!
With just a slight inclination of his will, all surrounding matter forcibly transformed into lightning and vanished.
As Lennok retreated, the speed of the lightning transformation intensified, turning everything in the Vulcan outskirts into sparkling lightning.
[Heavenly Thunder Transformation]
BOOOOOM! BOOOOOM! BOOOOOM! BOOOOOM!
The Electrobrain floating behind Thorben endlessly absorbed and emitted lightning from its surroundings, growing in size.
It turned even the ground beneath its feet into a handful of power, rising within a bluish sphere of lightning and advancing towards Lennok.
It was, quite literally, a colossal wellspring of lightning, majestically and bizarrely producing and drawing up power endlessly.
As a living engine and turbine, it crushed and ground through the outskirts as it advanced.
CRUMBLE! CRUMBLE! CRUMBLE!
Since the Domain didn’t specify a fixed space upon deployment, the Domain moved along with the caster and the Electrobrain, chasing Lennok.
A Domain that forcibly lightning-transformed matter, reaching the pinnacle of Property Transformation.
Through this, the Domain became self-sustaining upon deployment, receiving semi-permanent power.
Despite not being a Domain specialized for combat, its intrinsic effect alone possessed immense destructive power, and it granted the caster an explosive augmentation of power.
Among all types of Domains Lennok had seen until now, this was practically the first with such potent special effects.
Was this the power of an 8th-level lightning grand wizard’s Domain, deployed at full power by the Thorben Magic Tower’s Grand Master?
The Tower Lord’s gaze, following Lennok’s retreat, suddenly sharpened as he spotted the towering Magic Tower in the distance.
[Ah, so that is the jurisdiction you have established in this city.]
WHOOOOOSH!!!
The Tower Lord, extending one hand towards the tower, slowly clenched his fist and said.
[If it is a jurisdiction that projects the ideals of a responder such as yourself, this old man must certainly witness its power.]
“…You’re still mistaken about something.”
WHOOSH!!
Lennok, who had stopped inside the jurisdiction unfolding around his Magic Tower, turned with a cold expression and retorted.
“I didn’t lead the battlefield all the way here just to show you my jurisdiction.”
Thorben’s absurd idea of forcibly lightning-transforming Lennok’s body and reconstituting it as a Celestial Lightning Body.
Naturally, Lennok had no intention of accepting the Tower Lord’s ‘benevolence’.
Setting aside Thorben’s favorable impression of Lennok, there was no guarantee that his body would return to normal after being lightning-transformed.
No, considering Targeted Resistance, it wasn’t even certain that Lennok’s body could be perfectly lightning-transformed by another’s will.
Moreover, to solve this problem, Lennok would have to reveal the penalty etched into his body to the Tower Lord and seek a solution.
Could he trust the Tower Lord to that extent? And would resolving the penalty in this manner even cause further issues?
Even if he could change his body into a Celestial Lightning Body, he couldn’t comply without understanding the process.
But Lennok had no intention of explaining any of that to the Tower Lord.
“It’s a waste of time to try to persuade someone with whom constructive discussion or explanation is impossible.”
Lennok sighed, forming hand seals.
“I’ll stop you first, then we can talk.”
[You don’t trust this old man’s skill. Well, I suppose it cannot be helped.]
Thorben nodded and stepped forward, beginning to roll the Thunder God’s Flowering Court Domain forward.
[Sometimes, a single action is more impactful than a hundred explanations.]
CRUMBLE! CRUMBLE! CRUMBLE! CRUMBLE!
The colossal wellspring of lightning, centered on the Electrobrain, approached, transforming everything in the sky and on the ground into lightning.
[I shall personally show you that this old man’s judgment is not mistaken.]
The storm of the Domain seemed poised to directly collide with and entirely swallow the Magic Tower’s jurisdiction.
His startled comrades from the Magic Tower began to rush out, but Lennok ignored them and concentrated.
Lennok had deliberately lured Thorben near his Magic Tower’s jurisdiction because there was an alternative he could only test here.
Lennok’s jurisdiction was an ideal jurisdiction built upon the Ouroboros magic system.
Therefore, within his jurisdiction, he could use the power of Ouroboros to briefly draw upon possibilities.
What Lennok intended to unleash before this lightning-transforming Domain was the black magic he had directly received from Myeong—
CLICK!
As he caressed the air with his bare hands, he felt the cold sensation of chains at his invisible fingertips.
Lennok, gripping the unseen black chains, pulled his hand down and opened his mouth.
“Come out.”
CLINK! CLINK! CLINK!!!
At that moment, black magic surged like a fountain, as if dragged out by the chains Lennok gripped.
Grotesquely twisted fingers pushed through a crack, revealing an arm bound by black chains.
A colossal Giant of Black Calamity, bound by thick black chains, tore through space and appeared, floating behind Lennok.
WHOOOOOOOSH!!!
Once Myeong’s summon, now in Lennok’s possession, a demon specialized in the use and manifestation of black magic.
And a summon with the ability to manifest the unbeatable contract, according to Hell’s Bargain.
As Lennok formed hand seals, the Giant of Black Calamity began to imitate them.
KIIIIIIING…!!!!
The moment the Giant of Black Calamity completed its hand seals, a black, distorted black magic circle emerged, slowly rotating.
“Black Rhapsody Unique Magic.”
CHHHHHH….!!
Black tears began to fall in drops from the vast black magic circle.
A sticky, dark radiance, like overflowing darkness, stained the surrounding space.
[HAHAHAHAHA…!!!]
Had he perceived what kind of magic Lennok had unleashed from beyond his jurisdiction?
Thorben’s booming laughter echoed, and simultaneously, the Thunder God’s Flowering Court Domain in the distance rotated violently.
WHOOOOOOSH!!!
A violent resonance, grinding spacetime. Thorben’s Domain and Lennok’s jurisdiction met and overlapped.
The moment the Giant of Black Calamity, with black chains wrapped around both hands, rotated the colossal black magic circle.
Lennok and Thorben’s expressions changed almost simultaneously.
[Hmm?]
“…Wait.”
CRASH!
A pale, indistinct figure burst from the tower’s ground and began to sprint across the landscape at incredible speed.
[ROOOOAR!!]
A familiar cry. A figure charging forward, jiggling belly and all.
Lennok, realizing the identity of the creature that had burst forth in his stead, turned his gaze with a bewildered expression.
A pure white baby dragon fearlessly plunged its head into the approaching Thunder God’s Flowering Court Domain.
[SLURRRRP!!]
CHOMP! CHOMP! CHOMP! CHOMP!
It gulped down the surging lightning from all directions through its nose and mouth as if drinking water.
It grabbed thick bolts of lightning with its powerful forepaws and crunched them down.
The baby dragon absorbed Thorben’s world-incinerating lightning magic without any harm, as if it were perfectly accustomed to it.
[…Huh?]
Even the Tower Lord’s expression turned to shock at the baby dragon’s sudden intrusion, as it devoured his lightning Domain.
The baby dragon, spreading its forepaws and hindpaws, instantly broke through the Domain and latched onto the Electrobrain.
[Ah—]
The baby dragon drooled, licking its lips, and opened its mouth wide.
The Electrobrain was impossibly small compared to the baby dragon’s maw. The moment a golden magic circle furiously rotated within its mouth.
The massive, flashing Electrobrain began to be sucked directly into the baby dragon’s mouth.
OHHHHHHH!!!!
[N-no, you little rascal!!]
Ignoring the uncharacteristically flustered Tower Lord, the beast opened its mouth wide and swallowed the Electrobrain whole.
GULP!
The baby dragon then rubbed its belly with its thick forepaws and slumped onto the ground.
[HIC.]
Simultaneously, the Domain that had been raging, lightning-transforming everything in the vicinity, began to vanish.
The fierce momentum that was about to collide with the jurisdiction faded, and the Domain disappeared as if nothing had happened.
WHOOOOSH…!!!
Only the long scars left by the grinding transformation remained on the outskirts, altering the terrain.
The ceaseless flashing thunder slowly subsided, and soon, a quiet stillness settled around the Magic Tower.
“…Hah.”
Thorben’s aged face, looking at the baby dragon with an expression of disbelief.
Thorben let out a hollow laugh, and his body slowly toppled backward on the spot.
His ancient dignity meant nothing as he collapsed, unconscious.
THUD!
His shoulder twitched lightly, then he slumped motionless.
An unbelievably anticlimactic collapse, far too sudden to be merely a recoil from the Domain being cancelled.
It felt as though he was finally receiving all the damage and backlash from the battle now.
“…?”
The Giant of Black Calamity flexed and unflexed its hands, looking bewildered, having suddenly lost its opponent.
Lennok stared blankly at it, and the guardian spirit beast sat, dozing.
The conclusion was so preposterous it made every moment since their battle with the Tower Lord began seem meaningless.
[Snore…]
“Van…?”
Tatiana, her face tense, approached Lennok, who was speechless.
She was equipped with her staff, grimoire, and other artifacts, ready for battle.
Tatiana, looking at the fallen old man with a hardened expression, asked in disbelief.
“Surely… that’s Thorben?”
“…”
Tatiana, having worked in the Central Front, wouldn’t be unfamiliar with the old man’s face.
Tatiana quickly composed herself, looking at the unconscious Thorben, and asked.
“Were we… supposed to kill him here?”
“No, I don’t think… there’s any need to kill him.”
Lennok pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and sighed.
The transmission of Apex Thunder magic. The secrets of Blunt Thunder and Lightning Transformation. The awakening of the Celestial Lightning Body.
But what Lennok gained was not such spellcraft or fortuitous encounters, but a lightning-obsessed old wizard who tried to force them upon him.
The sudden intrusion of the guardian spirit beast. Its surreal ability to devour a Domain.
Even the reason why Thorben, who had displayed transcendental power even after his heart was pierced, had so easily collapsed.
There were many things to verify, but Lennok exhaled smoke and looked up at the sky.
“Just lock him in the Magic Tower’s underground cavern for now. I’ll take care of the remaining matters and come back.”
The nobles of the Central Council, who must be watching this chaos from high above Vulcan.
He intended to hold them firmly accountable for the current situation.