Chapter 1267: Post-War Processing (20)
“Uh, it’s a bit late to say this, but… is this really going to be okay?”
Evelyn, holding her black greatbow, asked again with a reluctant expression, gazing down at the chasm.
“This time, I might not be able to intervene like before, you know?”
Rumble, rumble, rumble!!!!
In the vast, empty plaza of the research complex.
Lennok and Akendrias El Thorben stood facing each other in the center of the chasm where the glass case rested.
Before even beginning, Akendrias El Thorben’s form shifted, his upper body transforming into lightning, scattering blue light.
Facing the old wizard, who scattered lightning, Lennok quietly clenched and unclenched his hand.
But both their gazes were fixed, as if by promise, on the light held in Lennok’s hand.
Crackling……!!
A tiny spark of lightning, which had been rotating in the embrace of the Guardian Spirit Beast just moments before.
A fragment of lightning, too small to be a thunderbolt, too quiet to be thunder.
But both Akendrias El Thorben and Lennok understood the true meaning of this power.
“Beautiful.”
Akendrias, who had been quietly watching the light rotate in Lennok’s hand, spoke.
“Simply by existing, it feels like a concept more real than anything else in this world.”
“……”
“Yet, for that very reason… there’s no need to babble on and on when such a miracle stands before us.”
Akendrias El Thorben, walking slowly with his hands spread open, asked.
“In what manner shall we fight?”
“Unexpected.”
Lennok, glancing aside, smiled.
“Haven’t we never set such rules in our sparring matches until now?”
“You truly see Bonnoh as an old man so crazed by lightning that he can’t distinguish right from wrong.”
Akendrias El Thorben gave a wry smile.
“If we were to proceed with a conventional spellcraft duel, this match wouldn’t properly constitute an exchange of blows for even a moment. Isn’t Ultimate Lightning Magic fundamentally not such a concept?”
“……”
“If there is something you wish to convey to Bonnoh through this sparring, there should be at least a minimal set of rules to maintain the form of a duel.”
It exists at the moment before a fight can even begin, ignoring and overriding all spellcraft and elemental affinities.
If Lennok were to deliberately use Ultimate Lightning and engage in combat, a normal duel itself couldn’t be established.
Akendrias El Thorben was aware of this fact and was waiting to accommodate Lennok’s desired method.
But—
“It doesn’t matter.”
“…What?”
“Do as you wish. Whatever spellcraft you use, I will adapt.”
Saying so, Lennok slowly settled his mana.
An incomprehensible sight: rather than raising his will-thought before a fight, he was suppressing it.
A strange stance, as if trying to suppress and kill his power even before the actual clash began.
Lennok, who had slowly suppressed and calmed his mana, replied.
“As you said, conveying it once will be enough.”
“…I see. So, giving your all once is enough.”
Thinking back, Lennok’s answer hadn’t been different before.
Even when he met Lennok privately, worrying about the future before the Subjugation Operation began.
Even after winning the war against The Legion and gaining transcendence by killing Kaiser.
That incomprehensibly transcendent consistency might indeed be that wizard’s greatest talent.
“Disciple. The meaning of the miracle you’ve obtained…”
Crackling, crackling……!!!!
As Akendrias El Thorben took a step, a vibrant blue lightning scar was etched into every spot he trod.
The moment the lightning, etched beneath the dark laboratory, shimmered like constellations in the night sky, forming a magic circle.
Akendrias El Thorben, standing with his hands behind his back in the center of the lightning magic circle, burst into maniacal laughter and unleashed his mana.
“Now, engrave it clearly into the very depths of Bonnoh’s soul!!!!”
CRASH!!!!
The moment shimmering light converged from all directions towards Akendrias El Thorben, the Tower Lord’s form vanished from that spot.
Swiftness that left sound behind. Vibrant blue lightning flashed, ricocheting from all sides of the chasm, accelerating.
“Hah…!!”
Evelyn, watching from afar, also began running to the side, gripping her greatbow.
Her expression, too, held an undisguisable tension, far greater than before.
“Seriously, this time, even if someone dies, I can’t help!!!”
Last time, she had intervened in Lennok and Akendrias El Thorben’s sparring with a sniper shot, but this time the situation was different.
Neither was she far enough for her sniper shot to exert sufficient power, nor were her greatbow arrows ready.
More importantly, the power of the two wizards facing each other was on an entirely different level than before.
Not only Akendrias El Thorben, but also the lightning Lennok had gained was a power Evelyn herself couldn’t comprehend.
[Hahahahahaha!!!!!]
CRACKLE!!!
Crackling, crackling……!!
FIZZZZZ!!!!
The sound of lightning exploding, light splitting, space tearing.
Rupturing sounds echoed as three or more states and properties overlapped in the material realm, tearing spacetime in a circle.
The moment Lennok realized Akendrias El Thorben’s presence existed simultaneously at different points, he raised his gaze.
Akendrias El Thorben, transcending the world’s perception, appeared beside Lennok and swung his arm with full force.
SWISH-!!!
Scattering vibrant blue light from his eyes, so intense his pupils were obscured, he freely wielded magic alone within accelerated time.
Simultaneously accelerating his subjective time to the extreme by transforming his entire nervous system into lightning, and focusing the lightning’s mental image to a single point.
He unleashed Akendrias El Thorben’s very existence as a thunderbolt at point-blank range to Lennok.
Its form was, ironically, utterly familiar to Lennok—
[Biased Thunder]
CRAAAAAAASH!!!!!!
The research complex’s ceiling exploded diagonally, and a vibrant blue light surged upwards.
Lightning bolts, torn into pieces, exploded and split in all directions, rupturing and crushing space.
A terrifying power that instantly half-destroyed and collapsed the entire research complex located in District 50.
But Akendrias El Thorben spun his gaze away, not even looking at the brilliance of the lightning he had unleashed.
“That you had nothing to teach me about Lightning Magic was an uncharacteristic modesty.”
“…Disciple.”
The Biased Thunder, launched with full power by Akendrias El Thorben using his mental image.
Because Lennok, swept away by that lightning, stood perfectly unharmed in his spot, looking back at Akendrias El Thorben.
“A technique that splits one’s mental image and spiritual presence to exist simultaneously in different spacetimes. It’s astonishing that such a level of transfer spellcraft can be achieved solely through the application of Lightning Magic.”
“No way…”
Akendrias El Thorben burst out laughing as he realized a part of Lennok’s face had transformed into lightning and was scattering.
“Hahahaha!!!! I see. So you’ve already brought Lightning Transformation to that level…!!”
The Lightning Transformation technique, which directly applies lightning’s Property Transformation to the body, changing the entire physical form into a non-material state.
A skill Lennok had learned the knack of by stealing from Akendrias El Thorben, but couldn’t use due to his unique constitution, now unfolded without restraint around him.
A dazzling spectacle: through Lennok’s form, transformed into scattering lightning, the light of Akendrias El Thorben’s Biased Thunder drifted aimlessly.
Akendrias, pulling his hand back as if to snatch something, flashed a brilliant light from his eyes.
“Did you also acquire the knack for Lightning Transformation upon gaining Ultimate Lightning Magic?”
“It’s closer to a minor realization gained in the process of glimpsing transcendence.”
Lightning Transformation is a technique that involves changing one’s body into lightning and manipulating it.
It wasn’t a byproduct of Ultimate Lightning Magic, but rather a sensation learned by observing his Incarnation Body fighting, so it wasn’t a lie.
But Akendrias El Thorben shook his head, seemingly not agreeing with Lennok’s answer.
“To deflect Bonnoh’s lightning from the front is by no means trivial. If Lightning Transformation has reached that level, most attacks could be ignored without even lifting a finger, yet you feel no sentiment?”
“Of course, I feel sentiment. In a way, I’ve bypassed and overcome the limits of my physical body. However…”
The reason Lennok hadn’t been able to use Lightning Transformation until now was that the penalties etched into his body, including Mana Addiction, were too dangerous.
Being able to use Lightning Transformation was certainly an encouraging achievement, but it was closer to a workaround gained through trial and error with his Incarnation Body, rather than overcoming the penalties.
That was why the Lightning Transformation technique, while a great power, could not be a great meaning.
However, instead of explaining each of those circumstances, Lennok simply gazed at Akendrias El Thorben.
“Rather, my attention is drawn to your magic. When did you raise your proficiency in Biased Thunder to that level?”
“Observing the Biased Thunder you use, it seemed there were more useful aspects in combat than I initially thought.”
Akendrias El Thorben chuckled and raised his mana, and sharp fragments of lightning spun and coalesced in his hand.
CRACKLE!!
The eerie form, ground and sculpted from lightning, was by no means inferior when compared to the Biased Thunder Lennok used.
It was proof that Akendrias understood the meaning and true value of Biased Thunder perfectly and was using it with incantation.
“It was none other than the magic you favor, so I paid close attention, and from that, I felt I understood the knack and sensation.”
“……”
He hadn’t researched the magic separately, but merely reached that level of proficiency by observing it over his shoulder?
It must be because he possessed such monstrous talent that Akendrias maintained his lineage as the Thorben Tower Lord.
Lennok, having also learned several of Akendrias El Thorben’s spells by stealing them, had no right to comment, but a sense of absurdity was undeniable.
“Its output is only at close range, and it specializes in penetration rather than firepower, but it can be used in various combat situations depending on the caster’s senses.”
Akendrias El Thorben casually spoke, skillfully twirling the Biased Thunder in one hand.
“Firing it as point-blank saturation, or compressing it and wielding it like a weapon, are useful, but what Bonnoh found most interesting was…”
Crackling, crackling……!!!
The Tower Lord slowly raised the shimmering lightning streak of Biased Thunder and grinned.
“It was the fact that Biased Thunder itself could also function as a medium for even greater magic.”
“……”
RUMBLE!!!
Thunder descended through the half-destroyed ceiling of the research complex, damaged by the first exchange.
Lightning surged and roared fiercely above the dimly visible sky of District 50.
[KUOOOOHHHHHH!!!!!]
A blue Lightning Dragon, dozens of meters in size, observed the ground from within the dark clouds.
Its gaze, unfocused and flickering with vibrant blue light, was directed precisely at the Biased Thunder in Akendrias El Thorben’s hand.
Using Biased Thunder as a lightning rod, descending towards the ground from the impossibly distant sky beyond—
Immortal Lightning Magic
Transcendent Manifestation
“Incantation, begin.”
CRASH!!!
Amidst the overflowing sea of lightning, Lennok and Akendrias El Thorben simultaneously swung their hands.
Lightning Magic, echoing from their fingertips, took form, clashed, exploded, and scattered.
A storm of heat raged, following the two wizards who unleashed bombardments nearly dozens of times per second.
The bulkheads and containment fields, constructed for spellcraft performance testing, crumbled and melted like water.
CRACKLECRACKLECRACKLE!!!!
“Kuh…!!”
Evelyn, holding her greatbow, watched the situation from the half-destroyed rooftop of the research complex and covered her face.
They repeated Lightning Transformation, flickering at invisible speeds, and leaped through space to change the battlefield.
A tsunami of Lightning Dragons surged on the ground. The forms of the two wizards clashed, projecting magic at tremendous speed from beyond.
Each time, vibrant blue lightning pillars surged one after another, incinerating the entire waste disposal site of District 50.
Amidst the echoing roars of the Lightning Dragon above the hills of piled garbage, Evelyn shouted with a grim expression.
“They’re insane. To actually go this far…!!!!”
“Hahahahaha!!! Watch closely, Disciple!!!”
RUMBLE!!!!
Akendrias El Thorben, maniacally laughing, raised his mana, pointing the Biased Thunder in his hand at Lennok like a conductor’s baton.
“This is the pinnacle of Immortal Lightning Magic that Bonnoh dedicated his entire life to attaining!!!!”
Will-Thought Alteration
Tremor Scenery
Akendrias El Thorben, who had not even used his full power in the Subjugation Operation, unleashed the will-thought of Immortal Lightning Magic, bursting forth with his mental image.
In this moment, the lightning used by the immortals of the First World took the form of a dragon, piercing through all directions and painting a scene of demise.
The diagonally falling light of Immortal Lightning swept through the entire laboratory and experimental complex, coloring everything pure white.
CRAAAAAAAAAASH!!!!!
But Lennok did not move, even amidst the waves of Immortal Lightning sweeping and echoing across the ground.
He had given up on even formally reacting to Akendrias El Thorben’s magic, simply closing his eyes.
“…Why aren’t you using it?”
Akendrias El Thorben, watching Lennok being pushed by the sea of lightning, momentarily stiffened his expression.
“Wait, no way…!!!”
CRACKLECRACKLECRACKLECRACKLE!!!!
Lennok’s form, standing in the ruins, swayed as it was swept away by the falling Tremor Scenery lightning.
A fragment of transcendence that sought to burn and extinguish body and mind, soul and mental image, without leaving anything behind.
It was proof that Akendrias El Thorben, too, had dreamed of something similar to Lennok, in his own way.
The pinnacle he had attained through a lifetime of effort wasn’t the answer he sought, which was why he had merely stood before the Ascension Gate.
It was a burning desire he could never reach, a yearning that had ultimately faded, and because of that, he knew he had wished for it even more desperately.
Because he empathized with that yearning, the possibility he could obtain was here.
If so—
CRACKLE!!
Piercing through the struggling waves of Immortal Lightning, a dark blue lightning blossomed like a flower.
Ignoring the Tremor Scenery lightning unleashed by Akendrias El Thorben as if it were nothing, it manifested in reality.
Ultimate Lightning Magic
Transcendent Manifestation
Crackling, CRACKLECRACKLECRACKLE-
[OOOOHHHHHHH!!!!!]
The Lightning Dragon, wreathed in Immortal Lightning, roared madly, but all its resistance crumbled helplessly before the dark blue lightning.
A miracle that, by merely existing, shone with a light that surpassed all timelines and spatial coordinates of the world.
KIIIIIIING-!!!!
The moment Lennok, holding the dark blue lightning, passed through Akendrias El Thorben’s thunder and lightning and landed before him.
With a sharp Thunderclap Star, the world’s time accelerated to its extreme, and the time of the two men stopped.
In the instant when everything momentarily froze in place amidst the supersonic storm of raging lightning bolts.
‘-!!!’
Akendrias El Thorben, in his extremely slowed consciousness, laughed wildly and spread his arms wide.
Will-thought and emotions exploded like watercolors, unable to form words, yet it was understandable.
If this was the end, he could accept it. He had come this far for it.
Breathing in the unspoken yearning to the depths of his soul, he reached out without hesitation—
And precisely pierced Akendrias El Thorben’s heart.
“…Ah.”
CRASHHHHH!!!!
With a powerful shockwave, all of Akendrias El Thorben’s mana and will-thought were pushed outwards, ricocheting in all directions.
The descending Immortal Lightning was pushed back and scattered, mixing with dark clouds and surging upwards, revealing a clear sky.
Beneath the vibrant blue sky of District 50, Akendrias El Thorben stood frozen, his chest pierced by the lightning held by Lennok.
“From the beginning, no incantation or casting was necessary, it seems.”
Akendrias El Thorben spoke quietly, looking down at the beautiful light of the Ultimate Lightning that had pierced his heart.
“The moment it was held in your hand, it already existed as a complete meaning.”
“……”
“Hmph… a regrettable outcome.”
Akendrias El Thorben closed his eyes.
“If I had died by such lightning, it would surely have been a peaceful death.”
“I regret to say I have no intention of holding your funeral in my Magic Tower.”
Crackling, crackling……!!
The dark blue lightning cleanly pierced the very center of Akendrias El Thorben’s chest.
Yet, his body remained perfectly intact and breathing, without any damage or harm.
A miraculous sight that astonished even Akendrias El Thorben, who had been ready to accept death in his final moments.
“Only by being able to override everything can one truly make a choice.”
Lennok, holding the Ultimate Lightning, said.
“Because I chose something that takes precedence over your death, I could end this fight in this manner.”
“……”
SWISH!!
He withdrew the Ultimate Lightning from the Tower Lord’s unharmed heart.
The moment he released it, the swirling light of Ultimate Lightning flashed, appearing far away inside the glass case where the Guardian Spirit Beast slept.
The Guardian Spirit Beast, extending its forepaws towards the Ultimate Lightning rotating within the glass case, embraced it and nuzzled it as if sleep-talking.
“This was the result I wanted to show you through this sparring.”
Lennok, who had been watching the scene with the Tower Lord, spoke quietly.
“Ultimate Lightning is a transcendent concept, but to use it properly, one must satisfy demanding criteria. It’s not about overwhelming with brute force, but requires calibration to maximize its ability to override all elemental affinities.”
“Calibration, you say…”
The method Lennok chose in his final showdown with Kaiser. The attitude Lennok displayed in his sparring with Akendrias El Thorben.
If the commonalities found between them, and the calibration Lennok spoke of, were to lead to a single conclusion.
“It must be a matter of criteria.”
Akendrias El Thorben looked down at Lennok with a profound gaze.
“To take precedence over any causality, one must ‘perceive’ that causality first?”
“Without establishing criteria, the concept of overriding something cannot exist.”
Lennok raised his gaze to the sky.
“That’s why the fight with Kaiser also took that form.”
“……”
Ultimate Lightning Magic is a power that exists by overriding all causality and elemental affinities.
Therefore, to properly use Ultimate Lightning, the caster himself must first perceive the causality and elemental affinities that serve as the criteria.
That was why Lennok, in the decisive battle against Kaiser, accompanied him in his Regression, looking back together at the timeline Kaiser had rewound.
Only after perceiving the timeline Kaiser had passed through could he forge an outcome that took precedence over it.
That was the only choice to ensure Kaiser’s demise in that war.
“I see. So, you watched Bonnoh until the very end of the sparring match… because you needed criteria?”
The sparring match with Akendrias El Thorben, which had just concluded, was also the same.
Lennok observed the magic Akendrias El Thorben used until the very end before using Ultimate Lightning to conclude the match.
Because it possessed transcendence that overrides everything, the caster himself must directly perceive the criteria to be overridden.
The transcendent power that had reached the pinnacle of Post-emptive Preemption.
As Akendrias El Thorben quietly pondered its meaning, Lennok rubbed his wrist and spoke.
“To properly use Ultimate Lightning, one doesn’t need to perceive all causality. Ultimately, what’s needed in a fight is to perceive the opponent’s abilities or spellcraft and override them.”
“……”
“If Ultimate Lightning is used without meeting those criteria, it will only amount to an ability that randomly applies Property Transformation, like when Lightning Magic ran wild. That might be useful in its own way, but…”
“It would deviate significantly from the inherent power of Ultimate Lightning that you pursue.”
“Because I didn’t reach this pinnacle merely to wield powerful, rampaging lightning.”
Lennok slowly turned his gaze and spoke calmly.
“Ultimately, this must be because I am not a complete Ascendant. It wouldn’t be strange if a few more conditions were necessary to fully wield transcendent power in a mortal body.”
“Disciple…”
“But even so, I intend to fully wield this power without reaching ascension. Tower Lord, can you cooperate in the research of Ultimate Lightning?”
“…I understand what you mean.”
Akendrias El Thorben, only then understanding what Lennok wished to say, let out a thoughtful murmur.
“What’s truly needed to properly handle Ultimate Lightning is a transcendent cognitive ability, one that can directly interpret causality. Indeed, such authority is a concept that can only be freely wielded once one becomes an Ascendant.”
“……”
“As far as Bonnoh knows, among mortals, only the Imperial Three Grand Dukes and the Grand Chancellor possessed such abilities… So, a candidate might be found among those with the bloodline inheriting the Reverent Void Bloodline.”
“Neither option is realistic.”
The Imperial Three Grand Dukes, you say. That would surely refer to the most noble purebloods among the Central Nobles.
Neither the existence of the Grand Chancellor nor the Reverent Void Bloodline, as members of the oldest family, can be a meaningful approach at this point.
Ultimately, for now, should he be content with merely raising his proficiency in Ultimate Lightning with Akendrias El Thorben, the Tower Lord?
As Lennok thought this, quietly gazing at the deeply sleeping Guardian Spirit Beast, Akendrias El Thorben hesitated and spoke.
“It’s not that there’s no way, Disciple. Bonnoh knows where such authority exists, but…”
“What is it?”
“……”
The Tower Lord fell silent, unable to speak.
A hesitation uncharacteristic of him, who always handled matters with the speed of lightning burning through everything.
The moment Lennok, sensing something unusual in that reaction, turned his gaze, the Tower Lord spoke in a low voice.
“The corrupted and ruined Demonic Realms within the Central Front… the quasi-authority for Ascendants stored there…”
“……”
“Disciple, the ability to read causality that you desire would be a common characteristic of such quasi-authority.”
A story eerily similar to what he had heard directly from Ezekiel previously.
The moment Lennok halted his steps upon hearing those words, Akendrias El Thorben, after much thought, spoke.
“Because it was a power designed by the oldest families and the Imperial Three Grand Dukes to kill Ascendants.”
Vrooom—
Lennok opened his eyes amidst a gentle, swaying vibration.
The streetscape swiftly passing by outside the window. A faint vibration felt beneath his feet.
Only after blankly looking around did Lennok recall where he was.
“You’re awake?”
Jenny, who was in the passenger seat, glanced over.
She said, tapping on her laptop keyboard, which rested on her knees.
“There’s still time until we arrive, so you can sleep. You looked very tired.”
“…No.”
Lennok rubbed his brow with one hand and turned his head.
“I need to prepare from now to be on time. We’ve already arrived nearby.”
In the past few days, when he had seriously begun researching Ultimate Lightning Magic with Akendrias El Thorben, the Tower Lord.
Lennok had been concurrently training in Lightning Magic and searching for information about The Empire’s Imperial Palace.
Secrets that once seemed impenetrable and left him utterly helpless now, in some way, began to fall into place.
Only after reaching this point did Lennok feel a faint glimpse of how to revisit and unravel all the things he had wondered about.
“I apologize for asking you to handle these troublesome preparations. I’ve been busy preparing various things simultaneously, making it difficult to allocate time for this.”
“It wasn’t that difficult. I’d consulted Madam before, and this time there was no need to adhere to etiquette or procedures.”
Jenny snorted, tapping on her keyboard.
“More importantly, this time, they are bending to us. From your perspective, it might even be helpful not to show that you prepared? However, if there’s one problem…”
Jenny closed her laptop, turned her gaze, hesitated for a moment, then asked.
“Are you really okay going alone?”
“……”
“The war just ended, didn’t it? I can’t go with you, but you should at least take a guard, just in case…”
“It’s fine.”
Lennok smiled.
“I had always intended to do this at some point. I shouldn’t put off this kind of thing any longer.”
“……”
“So don’t worry too much. I’ve done something similar at a hearing before, and besides…”
Saying so, Lennok turned his gaze.
“As you said, I didn’t come here to fight today.”
Screech!!
The vehicle arrived in the middle of the central district and came to a stop.
Even before he grabbed the handle and opened the door, an undeniable heat and vibration could be felt through the thick window.
Hesitating briefly under Jenny’s worried gaze, Lennok simply opened the door and stepped out of the car.
WHOOSH!!!!
Innumerable confetti and fireworks scattered across the blue sky.
The magnificent sounds of strings and trumpets echoed in his ears.
Grand ensigns and flags fluttered, covering the streets everywhere his gaze fell.
Following the neatly floating airships, a procession of uniformed military police, observing proper protocol, advanced.
BOOM—
The vast road extending on both sides of the main building of the Vulcan City Government’s Central Council.
Tens of thousands of people gathered along the carpet stretching from one end of the street to the other, all looking at Lennok.
Some held flags emblazoned with the emblem of the Vulcan City Council, others held signs with names or slogans written on them.
In this moment, some held up their phones, pointing cameras at the vehicle, their gazes fixed.
FLASHFLASHFLASH!!!!
With a deluge of shutter clicks, flashes exploded incessantly, brightly illuminating Lennok’s surroundings.
All the press and media across Vulcan struggled to capture his uncontainable image, directing their efforts towards Lennok.
Reporters broke through the military police controlling the road, somehow approaching Lennok and thrusting microphones towards him.
“Tower Lord! Please give us a brief comment on the outcome of this war, ahead of the Victory Ceremony!!!”
“Regarding rumors that the Victory Ceremony was being postponed until the Tower Lord promised his attendance—!!!”
“Please!! If you would just grant us a brief interview for our news agency…!!!”
“Professor Evan Vylun has confirmed his participation in the Victory Ceremony, do you have any comments regarding this—?”
WOOOOAAAAAAH!!!!!!
All questions and requests pouring in from every direction were swept away and lost in the boundless, colossal roar.
The sight of people from all over Vulcan gathering, shouting madly and cheering for Lennok.
Gazing at the beautiful structure of the Central Council’s main building visible in the distance, Lennok raised his eyes.
His first official public appearance as Adamant Thunder after the Subjugation Operation ended.
Lennok had arrived at the Victory Ceremony, attended by tens of thousands of citizens, in response to the Central Council’s invitation.