Chapter 387: The Lightning Did Not Fall From the Sky - 6
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 387: The Lightning Did Not Fall From the Sky - 6
Without Qi Art or Unique Magic, it was a pure physical fight. Of course, I'd already lost in terms of raw strength, but not yet in technique.
Whatever the Thunderarch's body was, it still had a human structure. No matter how exceptional a person is, without Qi, they can't structurally attack an enemy behind them. Joints can't bend backward on their own, and a pinky finger can't overpower an arm. That's the simple logic of human anatomy.
And if she could beat my arm with her pinky? Well, then I'd just have to accept defeat. What kind of game is it when a junk card beats your ace? Sometimes you just have to fold a bad hand.
“This...!”
“Now that I've got you, it's over. You can't win without the power of thunder.”
It was useless for her to try and draw out the power of thunder. I was entangled with her. Every time she tried to summon her power, the flowing lightning was absorbed by my Mother Earth Card. I applied more pressure to the arm I had twisted and spoke.
“If I keep twisting, you'll never be able to use this arm again.”
“Try... me...!”
“You think I won't? If I have to, I can snap your neck without a second thought....”
As I said that and applied even more force, I felt a stiff resistance.
Huh.
It's not bending? What is this? Seriously? I'm using all the strength in my arms and legs, even applying the principle of leverage, and I still can't bend her arm? How is that fair?
“...For all your boasting, your strength is pathetic.”
'Now that the power of thunder is gone, I can feel my own innate strength. I suppose I should thank you for this... I'm now confident I can use my power properly.'
So that's what it was. She's sensing her Qi!
The Thunderarch slowly applied her strength. As if recalling a forgotten memory, it wasn't the power of thunder... but pure Qi that filled the void. Instead of the easier power to wield, she was using the inherent power of life itself—harder to control, but impossible to steal.
Dammit! Don't have a growth spurt in the middle of a fight! It's messing up my mind-reading and my whole strategy! Well, it was strange that she couldn't use Qi while using the power of thunder, anyway. Just the Qi I can sense from her is far greater than mine. She's going to break free soon. What do I do? Should I call Tyr...?
Just then.
With a deep rumble, the Lightning Tower shook violently. The impact was immense, as if lightning had struck—no, as if a bolt of lightning had gained physical mass and crashed into it.
The ceiling tilted visibly, and the walls and ceiling, which should have been solid, swayed. The shock must have reached the basement, as bits of bedrock crumbled and fell. The Thunderarch shouted urgently.
“You! What in the world did you do?!”
“This wasn't me!”
“If not you, then who?!”
“How could I bend a lightning tower when I can't even bend your elbow?”
What on earth was happening? I only turned a few walls into cards; that wouldn't make the tower collapse. Did the Thunder God kick the Lightning Tower or something?
In any case, the building was on the verge of collapse. There was no reason to continue this useless joint lock. The problem was, it was still dangerous even if I let go now....
“Th-Thunderarch!”
Just then, the sound of small footsteps approached. It was the girl who had been looking after the child in the basement. Sensing the danger as the tower shook, she had run to find the Thunderarch.
“Thunderarch, it's an earthquake! The tower is tilting... huh?”
The girl who had been so desperately searching for the Thunderarch found her tangled on the floor with me, our arms and legs intertwined. Struck speechless by the unexpected sight, the girl wore a bewildered expression. The Thunderarch, caught in what looked like a compromising position, also looked flustered.
“J-Jerry. Right now is not...”
This was it. This was my only chance to escape!
“It's a misunderstanding! The Thunderarch and I were just... engaged in some simple, physical wrestling! There's nothing going on between us!”
“Shut up!”
As the Thunderarch shrieked, our grips momentarily loosened. I seized the opportunity, let go of her arm, and rolled away. Then I ran toward the wall I had turned into cards.
Since I had used an entire wall as material for my cards, the wall was gone, revealing the earth behind it. Damp soil was spilling through the collapsed section. Holding the Mother Earth Card, I pushed hard against the pile of dirt, using my Earth Art.
Thump. The immense weight of the earth gave way easily to my gesture. In an instant, a tunnel leading to the surface was formed. I placed my foot in the opening and shouted back.
“Sorry, everyone. It seems peeling back the curtain and peeking at the secret didn't give me the answer I wanted. I'll be taking my leave now!”
“Stop right there...!”
The Thunderarch was about to chase after me, but... seeing the desperate look on the girl's face, she swallowed her words.
Even if she knew something and had deliberately ignored it, the fact remained that the Thunderarch had protected this city. The girl was counting on her now, hoping she would continue to be the person she had always been, even in this moment.
That split second of hesitation, born from a sudden conflict—it was all I needed. Before any more trouble could arise, I used my Earth Art to escape the basement.
The outside world, which I hadn't seen in a while, was pure chaos. Cheers and screams mingled as the people who had been watching the Thunder God's demise now looked around in confusion. Erupting from the ground amidst the turmoil, I was nearly trampled by the crowd.
“What the? Someone just came out of the ground!”
“I'm a spy! Get out of the way if you don't want to get hurt!”
My declaration of being a spy startled the onlooker above me into backing away, and in that gap, I pushed my way out of the earth and stood up.
Once outside, I saw that the situation had taken a strange turn.
The Thunder God was already gone. His shadow was nowhere to be seen in the Cloud Waterfall, and by reading the thoughts of others, I learned that he had been absorbed by the Regressor. He had been annihilated so easily it was almost pitiful, so what on earth was going on...?
...I found out when I looked up at the Lightning Tower.
Darkness was spreading. Lightning flashed within it. The Progenitor Tyrkanzyaka's power over darkness was clashing with the power of the Regressor's twin swords. The fight was so intense that its aftershocks were spreading beyond the Lightning Tower.
The people here could only guess wildly at what was happening, but knowing the abilities of those two, I understood the situation more clearly. And I sighed.
“Hilde, you finally went and did it, didn't you.”
It seemed Hilde had brought a script that had only existed in her imagination into reality.
It was natural for Hilde to be suspicious. The Regressor had monopolized at least ten fortunes by a rough estimate, enough to be considered a Crusader or even a Saintess. As a former Crusader herself, Hilde was especially quick to doubt. She had probably just been holding back, thinking the Regressor could become an ally.
Or was that wrong? Maybe she was just waiting for the perfect moment.
Still, for Tyr and the Regressor, who were so friendly just yesterday, to suddenly start fighting? I thought they'd part on bad terms at worst... Well, neither of them is exactly normal. It wouldn't be strange for any kind of catastrophe to occur.
Still, what a shame. If those two are fighting now, who's going to help me?
Just as I was sighing to myself.
“Found him! That's the one!”
“You there! Cooperate with us!”
The Guardians of Thunder, who were trying to get the situation under control, spotted me. They were Claudia's elite troops, who had been waiting on the surface under the Thunderarch's orders. Wielding the power of thunder, they recognized me as someone clearly connected to this incident and approached.
Hmm. I didn't sense any particular hostility from them, but... I did just get into a brawl with the Thunderarch moments ago. It would be a problem if I got caught and had to face her again. I needed to hide and slip away....
Just then, someone grabbed my arm and shouted.
“This person is a spy! He came out of the ground!”
“You believe that nonsense?!”
Dammit. What a naive person. As if a real spy would openly declare they're a spy! With no time to explain, I pushed him away and bolted.
“Wait! Stop right there!”
The Guardians of Thunder pushed through the crowd to chase me, but with so many people, they couldn't easily get close. Compared to me, who could use mind-reading to find openings and shove unsuspecting people out of the way, the Guardians of Thunder, unable to use their strength so freely, were painfully slow.
Just as I decided to make a break for the outskirts, someone other than a Guardian of Thunder spotted me from the other side and gave chase.
“...Wait....”
A panting voice stopped me in my tracks. I was about to shake them off, but I recognized who it was and changed my tune.
“Ah, Peru! I found you!”
“...What have you done? The Lightning Tower....”
So she wasn't up in the tower. It seems her poor health meant she was on standby on the ground like the other Guardians of Thunder.
More importantly, why was she blaming me for the tower tilting? I didn't have the strength to shake it, let alone tilt it! In this situation, I was the most innocent person here!
“I'm so frustrated I could die from everyone suspecting me, but anyway, now is when we need your power, Peru. Let's fix the Lightning Tower with that thing before it collapses completely!”
“...I am.”
Peru took a deep breath and pulled out the bell. Picturing the once-majestic Lightning Tower in her mind, she rang the Golden Lord's bell.
The Golden Lord's power answered Peru's call. The chime, though quiet, spread with certainty. The steel reacted as if it could hear the sound; cracks filled in and bent sections straightened out. The Golden Lord's power was truly incredible, re-erecting the Lightning Tower by reversing the alchemy from the strained base upwards.
“That power is a real cheat! Great job! Oh, and while you're at it, can you hide me?”
“...From who?”
There was no need to explain. The Guardians of Thunder, having pushed through the crowd, were running straight for me.
“Stop right there!”
Tch. I'm not good against multiple opponents. I wonder if I can talk my way out of this.
Just then, a clap of thunder echoed from the top of the Lightning Tower. As people screamed and ducked, a mass of darkness was flung from the tower's peak.
It was Tyrkanzyaka, cloaked in darkness, and the Regressor, who was parrying her. The two were in freefall from dozens of meters in the air, yet they exchanged a flurry of attacks as if it were no problem at all.
Tyr swung an arm cloaked in darkness. From this distance, I couldn't see clearly, but I could feel the power contained within it. A world-splitting force was indiscriminately unleashing its fury.
The Regressor swung Jizan to block it. The arm caught by Jizan bent at a bizarre angle and was thrown back. Her body couldn't withstand the immense force and broke.
But Tyr was the Progenitor of vampires. A shattered body was a trivial matter. She returned to normal as if nothing had happened. The broken bones, the spilled blood—it all reverted.
In contrast, the Regressor, who had completely blocked the attack, was thrown back by the wind pressure and surging darkness. Even though she had blocked with the recoilless Jizan, the aftershock alone was enough to send a person flying.
After the momentary clash, their bodies were flung in opposite directions. The Regressor's body flew far into the distance. I heard the sickening crunch of something breaking. A moment later, Tyr, with nothing to stand on, fell headfirst to the ground.
Gasps and screams erupted from the crowd, but they soon turned to astonishment. Tyr stood up without a single scratch and even spoke.
“Come out. Surely you wouldn't die from something like that?”
“Hoo... You're right. I forgot. I didn't need to... hold back for fear of killing you.”
Just after the voice was heard, debris flew up from where the Regressor had landed. Having cleared the wreckage with Jizan, the Regressor gritted her teeth and stepped forward to face Tyr.
Only then did the onlookers realize that this entire disaster was because of a fight between just two people.