Chapter 1212: Adamant Thunder Annihilation Campaign (3)

“Disciple-brother.”

After looking around even the golden throne where the tower’s power source should be located.

Lennok led his companions to check the tower’s living quarters, research facilities, and the work areas containing offices and conference rooms.

The arrangement and structure of the facilities were largely consistent with conventional magic towers, but with significantly increased scale and area.

After finally checking the common areas assigned to partner businesses moving within the tower.

Lennok was walking alone with Thorben down the tower’s corridor.

“The Magic Tower you newly built. Looking around, it had many quite interesting parts.”

Thorben, who was walking behind Lennok with his hands clasped behind his back, brushed the hem of his martial arts robe.

“Thanks to that, I, at this age, got to see something amusing. You drew inspiration from various places, didn’t you?”

“……You seem quite pleased.”

Lennok, who had been staring intently at Thorben, chuckled and turned his gaze.

“Surely you’re not relieved that you won’t be the tower’s engine, are you?”

“……Well, I have stolen so many batteries from your Magic Tower over the years. I can’t say I don’t feel a pang of guilt.”

Thorben cleared his throat, changed his expression to a serious one, and asked.

“But will it be alright?”

“What are you referring to?”

“It clearly has a framework and a form, but it’s still an unfinished product.”

Thorben asked.

“Isn’t this tower too incomplete to go to war with as it is? It would be impossible to guarantee your safety in such a Magic Tower.”

“……”

“Why are you looking at Bonnoh with such an expression?”

“……No. It’s a little surprising.”

Lennok said, biting on an unlit cigarette.

“You knew I intended to use this Magic Tower for war. I thought I’d have to explain it separately.”

“No, did you think Bonnoh was so senile he couldn’t even think that far?”

Thorben scowled fiercely and snorted.

“Undoubtedly, the spatial distortion and expansion spellcraft applied to this Magic Tower are astonishing. The stability of the gates connecting the internal facilities and the Domain that governs the system is also astonishing.”

“So?”

“But that only means the foundational work was strong. It doesn’t mean this Magic Tower possesses powerful combat or defensive capabilities on its own. Do you not understand what this means?”

“……”

“You are trying to throw this enormous, splendid Magic Tower into the battlefield without any means of resistance. As it is, it will only serve as a mere shield. If that happens, ultimately—”

“The Guardian Spirit Beast protecting the tower could get seriously hurt?”

“……”

The Tower Lord, momentarily speechless, fell silent.

Lennok walked ahead, speaking nonchalantly.

“I know what you’re trying to say. It’s natural for you, who is bound to the Guardian Spirit Beast as a Shikigami, to be concerned.”

“No, Bonnoh, more than that….”

“You’re also simply worried about the Guardian Spirit Beast, but then again.”

Lennok, who calmly cut off Thorben, smiled.

“Aren’t you worried that the Guardian Spirit Beast, entrusted with the mission of protecting the tower, might become the Magic Tower’s sole means of resistance in the coming war?”

“……You know, so why bother asking?”

“Of course, compared to Thorben’s War-Mage Tower, it still lacks many things.”

Lennok chuckled, seeing Thorben grumbling, unable to be honest.

“An aerial battleship that uses the Hall of the Thunder God as its engine. It wouldn’t compare to a War-Mage Tower armed with thousands of spellcraft armaments, tactical weapons, Guardian Spirit Beasts, and lightning fire.”

“……”

“But not completing the tower’s armaments wasn’t a mistake.”

Lennok turned to the Tower Lord.

“To wield the ‘power source’ contained within the tower as it is, I had to intentionally leave some of the internal facilities empty.”

“……”

“For the coming war, this form and structure were adopted for now, that’s all.”

“Pure power… indeed. What Bonnoh is trying to say is related to that, I suppose.”

Thorben’s expression turned serious.

“Your Magic Tower does not follow the generally accepted structure of a Magic Tower. Rather, it feels much more metaphysical.”

“……”

“You didn’t set out to build a Magic Tower similar to Bonnoh’s War-Mage Tower after seeing it. Instead, from Bonnoh’s perspective…”

Akendrias, who hesitated uncharacteristically, said.

“It almost seems as if you tried to realize the concept of an ideal realm, like the Hall of the Thunder God.”

The Hall of the Thunder God.

The sanctuary that serves as the Thorben War-Mage Tower’s power source, and a hall where the knowledge and wisdom of wizards who wield the causality of lightning are gathered.

A sanctuary from another realm that does not exist in reality, a hidden realm that even Lennok can only enter using the Piercing Thunder Key.

The ideal scenery where the power of lightning, transcending the world and reaching enlightenment, resides.

Akendrias had noticed that Lennok’s Magic Tower, more than any other, was infinitely closer to the archetype of pure power.

“There would be no structure or facilities more suitable than this for containing only pure power.”

Thorben looked at Lennok with a serious expression.

“Disciple-brother. What kind of power do you intend to wield as the tower’s engine?”

“To explain that, there was something I had to do first.”

Whoosh!

In the middle of the large common area, Lennok, standing at a distance from Thorben, threw open his coat.

The moment he raised his hand and lightly scraped the air, dark blue lightning tore through the atmosphere and erupted.

Kwaaaang!!!

The dark blue currents swirling between his fingers violently twisted and burned space.

A divine feat where, by simply raising his Will-thought and grasping it in his hand, his internal mana transformed into lightning and ran wild.

“……This is.”

“You’d recognize it easily.”

“Disciple-brother.”

Thorben’s expression instantly hardened.

“The causality of lightning you hold… has reached an even more dangerous stage than before.”

“……”

“I anticipated it, but this is beyond that. Are you forcefully imposing ‘Property Transformation’ on spacetime just by existing?”

The lightning that began to run wild in Kundara reached an irreversible level after Lennok glimpsed Ban-gung’s memories in Kabahim.

Because he had understood the fact that Ban-gung’s existence was both Lennok himself and not himself, and was Lennok’s ‘cause’.

The moment he realized that there had always been a cause behind Lennok, Lennok’s lightning reached enlightenment before Lennok himself did.

The Tower Lord, just by witnessing it, realized how alien the dark blue lightning had become.

“To be able to force change just by wielding spellcraft, your lightning no longer exists based on the power and principles of the material realm.”

“……”

“I’m not even sure if it can still be called ‘lightning’… Do you really mean you’ve found a way to control this lightning?”

“It will be faster to show you than to explain.”

Lennok nodded towards Thorben.

“Let’s spar again, Tower Lord, shall we?”

“……Indeed.”

Thorben gave a wry smile, slowly uncrossed his arms, and stepped forward.

At the same time, his entire body shimmered and sparkled, scattering into pale blue lightning.

Crackle…!!!

“Was this the favor Bonnoh wanted to ask from the beginning?”

“You’re the only one who has directly faced my lightning’s rampage.”

Kugugugugu!!!!

The golden common area’s center saw black and blue lightning intertwine and collide fiercely.

Each time, space vanished with an eerie roar, and light and darkness alternately submerged.

Beautiful lightning, sparkling like stars in the lightning storm that instantly dyed everything dark.

The confrontation of two Grand Mages, whose concentrated mana temporarily turned their surroundings nearly into the Outer Sea.

“Let’s keep it short.”

Lennok, standing in the wildly oscillating center of the common area, said.

“I can’t keep it out for long anyway.”

“It certainly looks that way.”

Thorben, looking at the ominous dark blue lightning swirling around Lennok, let out a wry smile and raised his mana.

Even having once faced rampaging lightning magic that broke through output limits, he still couldn’t grasp its true depths.

Rather, the dark blue lightning’s form was even more ominous than before, losing its shape and crumbling, shimmering.

Lennok’s reason for challenging the Tower Lord to a duel was instantly clear.

In that case, Thorben had no choice but to respond with his full power, matching Lennok’s wish.

“Then this time, Bonnoh will teach you a new application of lightning!!”

With a hearty smile, Thorben made a hand seal with one hand, then raised his mana and unleashed it.

At the same time, Thorben’s body completely transformed into lightning, rapidly swelling in size.

Thorben’s figure, fiercely sparkling in place, repeatedly expanded explosively, amplifying his presence and power.

Soon, he transformed into a colossal Lightning God, filling almost half of the golden common area.

Lightning-type Unique Magic Property Transformation: Lightning Transformation (Thunder Dumbness) [Lightning God Transformation Deployed]

Kugugugugugugu!!!!!

An overwhelming spectacle, as if a thunder god from myths had been summoned to this place.

If Thorben’s form were magnified dozens of times and entirely turned into lightning, would it look like this?

As he slowly tilted his head, the entire common area seemed to tilt in response to his presence.

Thorben, looking down at Lennok from the edge of the common area with a glance, grinned.

[Here I come.]

Kwarureung!!!

The Tower Lord’s voice echoed like thunder.

As he raised a muscular arm made of lightning, space tore, and a colossal lightning spear appeared in his hand.

[Great Thunder]

Flash!!

A divine feat, like catching a lightning bolt striking from a clear sky with bare hands.

The Tower Lord, gripping the burning lightning spear in a reverse grip, drew his shoulder back fully and aimed it at Lennok.

Lennok, seeing that, lightly clenched and unclenched his hand.

Crackle! Crackle! Crackle!

The dark blue lightning compressed within Lennok’s hand and was held between his thumb and forefinger.

A simple hand seal, as if holding a small coin and about to flick it between his fingers.

The result of detaching a part of the lightning and compressing it without output control, and without a proper incantation.

[Hahahahahat!!!!]

The Lightning God, filling half of the common area, dozens of meters in radius, laughed maniacally, swinging its shoulder at supersonic speed.

At the moment Lennok, standing on the opposite side, twisted his thumb and forefinger to flick the compressed lightning mass upwards.

Thorben’s lightning spear, which tore through the tower’s common area, collided with Lennok’s dark blue lightning in mid-air.

Tzeeeeeeooooong!!!!!

An elliptical galaxy exploded, centering on the two wizards, expanding diagonally and distorting.

A bizarre reverberation, crushing and warping spacetime, distorting the entire visible field of vision.

The two spellcasters, Lennok and the Tower Lord, who had fired magic at each other, couldn’t withstand the recoil and momentarily covered their eyes.

Crack!

Thorben’s lightning was entirely dyed black and shattered into fragments, exploding and vanishing.

Immediately after, Thorben’s transformed figure, his whole body turned into lightning, was also tainted by the dark blue lightning, ‘changing,’ and began to crumble.

[OOOOOOOH!!!!]

Thorben roared like a madman, seeing his lightning-transformed left arm darken, discolor, and vanish.

The moment Thorben summoned another lightning spear, plunged it into his left shoulder, twisted it, and detonated it.

The black and blue lightning that filled the common area surged, distorting the tower’s Domain and revealing an empty cosmos.

Paaaaaaat!!!!!

“Gah…!!”

Due to the recoil, the shield protecting Lennok’s body rapidly eroded and shattered, and his protective magic and defensive spellcraft broke one after another.

The sound of glass shattering echoed in his ears. How much time passed in the storm of shockwaves incessantly pounding his body?

After a long while, the light faded, and the rotating void above the gaping common area of the Magic Tower returned to its original brilliance.

Lennok could see Thorben, lying sprawled and battered on the other side of the common area.

“……”

His entire body was terribly scorched and wounded, but outwardly, his limbs seemed intact.

He looked fine, except for being pale and unable to breathe due to the massive consumption of mana and mental power.

[Is that what you call ‘fine’]

Lennok ignored Davi’s retort and walked towards Thorben.

“Cough, cough.”

“Lightning God Transformation, huh.”

Lennok, seeing Thorben forcibly cough to breathe, said.

“A technique that explosively expands the lightning-transformed body, reducing its ‘density’ of existence.”

“……”

“It’s not just about increasing scale or power, but a spellcraft that can completely separate the damage to the Lightning God and the main body.”

Lennok took out a cigarette from his pocket, bit it, and looked down at the Tower Lord.

“It’s a very useful spellcraft, but ultimately, it can’t be used without mastering Lightning Transformation.”

“……That’s right.”

Thorben, who had difficulty coughing and stood up, replied.

“However, with your achievements, couldn’t you find a way to make use of it somehow?”

“We’ll discuss Lightning Transformation later. How about it?”

Lennok, having calmed the dark blue lightning, rubbed his forearm and asked.

“I’ve shown you how I’ll resolve the lightning’s rampage. I’d like to hear your opinion, Tower Lord.”

“……Bonnoh’s opinion, you say.”

Akendrias, having directly experienced Lennok’s rampaging lightning magic, knew its level of power.

Furthermore, he had surmised that there would be a change from before, given that Lennok was requesting a duel.

That’s why Thorben had unveiled the Lightning God Transformation spellcraft, which could mitigate damage, while directly clashing with Lennok.

Even if it was just once, the fact that he withstood Lennok’s lightning and ended up like this showed how powerful a wizard Thorben was.

This was precisely why Lennok needed Thorben’s help.

“Consumption, I see.”

The Tower Lord, who had been deep in thought, said.

“The moment our spellcrafts collided, I felt your power rapidly stabilize. That must be why the tower’s Domain didn’t collapse even though we fought.”

“……”

“I speculate that what you want is to push the output to its limit, forcing the consumption of mana and mental images…”

Thorben, who had gotten up with difficulty, asked with a serious expression.

“Instead of suppressing your lightning, do you intend to make it rampage to its very end and then release it?”

“I learned something while trying various methods to control lightning magic.”

Lennok nodded.

“The more I make my lightning collide with and ‘consume’ other mana, the more its output gradually stabilizes.”

A fact he realized while forcibly consuming mana to suppress the rampaging Incarnation Body after drinking Ethan’s blood.

Each time Lennok’s mana collided with and was consumed by other Will-thoughts or mana, its output stabilized, and he regained control.

“It seems that to control lightning magic, a process of thoroughly eroding and completely consuming it through battle is necessary. I have some idea why this is needed, but…”

Lennok lightly clenched and unclenched his hand and said.

“Once the output is fully drawn out, I think it might be possible to re-learn the sensation from scratch by inverse calculating the lightning magic’s consumption rate.”

“I understand what you mean, but… it is truly incredible.”

The Tower Lord couldn’t hide his surprise and said.

“Your lightning has already transcended your own rank and reached the threshold of Level 9. It’s natural that it’s uncontrollable, let alone adjustable. To be re-learning the sensation from scratch in that state…”

“……”

“However, simply idling spellcraft or pouring it into an empty space won’t work. That would only be futile, not controlling the rampage. A stronger opponent would be necessary.”

The Tower Lord asked worriedly.

“Won’t there be too little time to accomplish this before the Legion’s matters?”

“Tower Lord. You’re mistaken.”

“Hmm?”

“I never intended to put off the subjugation campaign to resolve the lightning magic’s rampage.”

“Then…”

“I said I needed to thoroughly consume the rampaging lightning by pitting it against a formidable enemy.”

Lennok glanced sideways and smiled.

“And isn’t a perfectly suited ‘opponent’ just arriving from across the Eastern Continent?”

“……”

For a moment, Thorben was unable to answer, his mouth agape.

Not because he didn’t understand Lennok’s answer, but because he understood it the moment he heard it.

“Disciple-brother, surely…”

The Lightning Tower Lord, who had lived for hundreds of years, asked with a rare, astonished voice.

“You foresaw the subjugation campaign this far ahead and—”

“Unless one is a god, it’s impossible to plan everything by calculating and anticipating every outcome.”

Lennok shook his head.

“But there is one thing I do best, nonetheless.”

During his journey starting as a freelancer, through Machina, Yorta, and Kundara, not once did everything go exactly as Lennok had expected.

Yet, Lennok still managed to grasp what he wanted and survive, always by planning for the worst, not the best, leaving room for opportunity.

What Lennok excels at is not putting everything under calculation and anticipation, but rather anticipating the worst-case scenario and leaving opportunities open.

Deadrise and the Ability Awakening Warband alliance approaching to besiege all of Vulcan and kill Adamant Thunder.

Amidst this, the lightning magic and Incarnation Body are running wild, transforming on their own, losing control.

Even in this situation, where Lennok’s most powerful ‘strength’ is disobedient before the war.

By simply flipping his perspective, a solution always exists.

“If there’s a need to consume the rampaging lightning by pitting it against a formidable enemy…”

Lennok looked out the tower window at the sprawling plains and gave a cold smile.

“There’s no reason for me to do that myself.”

If the rampaging lightning needs to be completely eroded and depleted in battle once.

There is one entity perfectly suited for that task, even more so than Lennok himself.

The rampaging Incarnation Body, having consumed Ethan’s blood, which has become lightning itself, reaching the threshold of Level 9.

The ‘power source’ Lennok had marked since he built his new Magic Tower.

A method he had considered since the Incarnation Body began to slip from his control.

Dealing with the rampaging lightning Incarnation Body will be the Legion’s task, not Lennok’s.

“In this subjugation campaign, I intend to use the Legion to perfectly seize the Level 9 lightning Branching Point.”