Book 2: Chapter 529
As Lukas’ expression immediately hardened, Yang In-hyun’s sleeves fluttered faintly.
Rustle.
The prison bars were cut apart like candles on the verge of melting.
Striding into the cell, Yang In-hyun slowly looked around. Was he looking for clues? Lukas began his own search outside, but there were no clues to be found with the naked eye.
It was strange.
‘…was it not the Lightning God’s doing?’
This idea, which suddenly occurred to him, was pretty credible. After all, there were too few traces.
If the Lightning God had escaped while fully controlling Lee Jong-hak’s body, there would have been a much larger commotion. It was somewhat strange for him to just disappear like this without leaving .
[…! …!]
Suddenly, it felt like someone was shouting at him.
‘…Lightning God?’
Was he the one shouting at him?
As Lukas listened to his inner voice, Yang In-hyun left the cell and headed to the entrance, where the manager of the prison was staying.
He opened his mouth to the man standing there.
“Yong So-ha.”
“Yes.”
The manager of the prison, Yong So-han, prostrated himself.
Seeing his reaction, Yang In-hyun felt that this man had no idea what was going on.
“Go take a look at the cell where Lee Jong-hak is staying and come back.”
“Lee Jong-hak… understood.”
Shuk.
Yong So-han immediately disappeared from his place. And returned in the blink of an eye.
Unlike before he left, his face was a bit pale.
“Do you have anything to say?”
“…I’m sorry, Sect Leader. I will gladly accept whatever punishment you impose.”
Srrng.
Yong So-han drew his sword, held it up with the blade pointed towards his chest, and turned the hilt towards Yang In-hyun.
If Yang In-hyun were to press on it even slightly, it would pierce his heart.
But Yang In-hyun shook his head.
“I didn’t call you to hold you accountable.”
Naturally, he had no intention of punishing him.
If everything Lukas told him was true, then the person who was locked in the prison was the puppet of a Ruler. It would not be difficult for such a being to escape the prison, and it wasn’t surprising that Yong So-han hadn’t noticed.
“Did you feel anything strange?”
“I’m sorry.”
“I see.”
He gained no clues from Yong So-han.
Nodding once, Yang In-hyun returned to Lukas once more.
“The manager of the prison said he didn’t notice anything. In this case, that fact might be a clue in itself.”
“Right. It means that he was moved in a secretive manner in order to avoid the attention of someone on that level of skill.”
“Hmm. It’s a bit strange…”
Even Yang In-hyun, who knew nothing about Rulers when compared to Lukas, muttered such words.
To make it clear, this was not the style of the Thunderous Lightning God.
Moving secretively to avoid being caught by someone? A Ruler nonetheless?
‘No.’
It wasn’t possible.
Suppressing his nervousness, he began to wonder if he’d missed anything.
“…hmm.”
Suddenly, Pale made a sound. With her arms folded, she looked around before tilting her head to the side.
“I have a strange feeling.”
Lukas also had a similar feeling, but it seemed that Pale was feeling it more intuitively, almost like an instinct.
Just as Lukas was about to discuss it.
[…-ce! ……-s!]
Once again, a voice rang out in his head.
This time, he was certain.
It was the voice of the Lightning God.
‘What is it? I can’t hear you clearly, speak up.’
[…-se… omni-…!]
At that, the mangled voice became a bit more distinct.
[Use… omniscience…! Lukas…!]
“…!”
The next moment, without any hesitation, Lukas roused the remaining Thunder in his body.
With the authority of omniscience, his consciousness world quickly expanded. The ‘world he could see’ became different.
-Finally, his view unfolded,
“…!”
Throughout this space, a power was spread as thinly and extensively as a spiderweb.
It was a power that was unfolding so secretively that Lukas, Yang In-hyun, and even Pale, could only have a faint strange feeling.
‘Thunder…!’
Not the residue left within Lukas, but the original Thunder!
In other words, it meant that it was a power being used directly by the Lightning God!
He came to his senses.
Then, a step later, he grasped the current situation.
The reason why there were no traces in the prison cell,
The reason why it was so calm for an escape staged by a Ruler!
‘The escape, was in progress…!’
Crackle─
Sparks scattered from the electric current.
That was the signal.
Like a lit fuse, the spiderweb-like current began to crackle violently.
[Hahaha─! Kuhahaha─!]
A roaring laugh rang out.
Then, blue lightning covered everything.
* * *
Just before the lightning hit his body.
Lukas performed a spatial movement with Yang In-hyun, Pale, and Yong So-han. Thanks to the instantaneous entry into the minimal timezone, it was possible for them to narrowly escape just before the prison collapsed.
Crackle!
However, that did not mean the Lightning God’s attack was undone.
The collapse of the prison was only the beginning of the destruction. The lightning tore through the Flower Mountain with tremendous force. A fissure spread from the base of the mountain until it split it in its entirety. Kurrr, wreckage from the destruction began to fall from the top.
Yang In-hyun’s expression hardened.
It wasn’t just the mountain that was falling apart.
Not only the members of the Flower Mountain Sect, but maybe even the territory itself would perish without a trace.
“You go handle the situation. Evacuate the disciples as well.”
When Lukas said this briefly, Yang In-hyun’s gaze turned back to him for a moment.
“And you?”
“Did you forget the conversation we had earlier?”
“You seem pretty confident.”
“First of all, I’m not alone.”
Glancing at Pale, Yang In-hyun nodded.
“Then please do it.”
Instead of the leaving Yang In-hyun, Lukas focused his attention on the flow of the electric current.
After completely eroding the mountain, the blue electric current merged back into the sky, gradually dying the sky black. Before they knew it, the gathered dark clouds roared like dragons before intermittently releasing bolts of lightning.
“What are you going to do?”
“First, I’m going to try to talk.”
“…heh. Talk. Something like that…”
Pale, who took a moment to find something to say, continued with a smile.
“That is something I would want to prevent if it meant taking a big hit. If only it wasn’t Lukas that said it.”
Firstly, she was willing to overlook it.
“Go ahead. Just know that I’ll intervene if things get twisted.”
“Right.”
“Be careful~”
Pale waved her hand.
Lukas let out a loose laugh. Right. Pale was one of his reasons for accepting the Lightning God’s offer. With her support, he would be able to avoid the worst outcome.
Slowly, Lukas’ body rose up and headed towards the clouds.
Among the clouds, the figure of a being wrapped in electric current could be seen.
[…Lukas.]
As he looked at the Thunderous Lightning God, the ‘Lightning God’ spoke.
[Please.]
“…”
Then Lukas handed his body over.
* * *
The Lightning God looked.
Looked at the Thunderous Lightning God.
…It didn’t feel like looking into a mirror. The Lightning God became bitter at that fact first.
[Hmm.]
The Thunderous Lightning God murmured.
[As expected, how interesting.]
“…”
[So, what kind of being are you supposed to be?]
“I… am the Lightning God.”
The Thunderous Lightning God laughed at the Lightning God’s words.
[That’s not a complete load of crap. Because I can definitely feel ‘Thunder’ from you. The only reason I performed this skit is because I felt your presence.]
He had noticed the existence of the ‘Lightning God’ in Lukas, and prepared to turn his body into an electric current to bring down the Flower Mountain.
In other words, the serious of actions that had just taken place were a surprise show prepared by the Thunderous Lightning God.
[I’m curious. What happened to you to cause you to parasitize Lukas Trowman like that?]
“I am a consciousness that fell from you.”
[Hoh. Explain in detail.]
Then, the Lightning God began to explain what happened to him. He couldn’t help but mention Lukas’ regression. This was something that couldn’t be helped, and if the Lightning God didn’t tell him about it, he wouldn’t be able to understand the current situation.
[Hmm…]
When the story ended, the Thunderous Lightning God seemed to be lost in thought.
[I see. So you want to return back to this Lightning God?]
“And I want you to leave Lee Jong-haks’ body as well.”
[Kuku. Lee Jong-hak is a puppet that I worked hard to get. What benefit do I get for dumping this guy?]
“Aren’t you interested in what I experienced in ‘a different future’?”
Naturally, the Lightning God didn’t explain everything he’d experienced before regressing. Instead, apart from Lukas’ regression in itself, he kept most of the facts hidden.
‘Memories of what he saw here and in ‘a different future’, was the only bargaining chip the Lightning God, who had lost everything, had.
[A little, interested.]
“If so, then…”
[Hmm]
Once more, there was a long silence.
Then, the Lightning God, who was waiting anxiously, heard a voice.
[Fine. I’ll absorb you back.]
“Seriously?”
[If you agree to one condition, I’ll take you back right now.]
“…condition?”
The Thunderous Lightning God smiled.
[You’re in control of Lukas Trowman’s body right now, aren’t you?]
“…you can see that.”
He said it as if it wasn’t a big deal.
[Then it’s simple. Use that body to kill Lee Jong-hak, who I’m currently using as a puppet.]
“What did you say?”
The Lightning God unconsciously asked.
Then, looking at the person opposite him, he gritted his teeth.
“Did you not fully understand what I just said?”
The Lightning God had told Lukas. He would persuade him and get Lee Jong-hak’s body back from the Thunderous Lightning God.
Therefore, if he was to accept that ridiculous offer, the Lightning God would be going back on his word.
[I said it because I fully understand.]
“What good would an act like that do you?”
[Uhahaha… despite being ‘me’, do you not know? Why I said that?]
“…”
[If that’s the case then it’s not worth explaining. Understand? All I need is an answer. If you’re my remnant thought, then it must be painful to exist independently. Don’t you want to end every cursed moment as quickly as possible?]
…That was right.
As expected of the ‘Thunderous Lightning God’.
He knew what kind of situation the Lightning God was in at that moment, what he was thinking that made him shudder so.
However…
“…”
The Lightning God recalled his last conversation with Lukas.
And,
Nodded.
“…understood.”
Ttuk.
For a moment, time seemed to freeze.
[Kuk, kukuku…]
The Lightning God’s expression hardened at that low laugh.
[Kukuku, kuhahaha─! Uhahaha─!]
A sonorous laugh echoed across the black sky.
“Why are you laughing?”
[Are you asking that because you really don’t know?]
No. In fact, he did know.
Because it was ‘him’, it was none other than ‘his own’ laughter.
Even if he didn’t like it, he couldn’t help but know what it meant when such a laugh burst out.
[I just wanted to give this body a test. After all, how miserable could ‘I’ really become? Ahh- Indeed, it seems I shouldn’t get too deeply involved with humans. The mere fact that I have a possibility of becoming like you gives me goosebumps.]
A brightly smiling tone,
A thorough sneer.
[You don’t still think of yourself as the Lightning God, do you? You’ve already regressed… no, you’re less than that.]
“…I’m not.”
[Are you denying it? Is that really the case? You should know, right? Even in that state, if you wanted to be like a Ruler, if you still thought of yourself in that way, you would never break a promise you made.]
“You’re the one who suggested it to me. And in my current state…”
[It must be awful. I can understand why you would want to escape. However, I still can’t accept it. ─Right. Literally, we never break our word, even in the face of our end. That is who we are.]
“That’s not it. I…”
[Deny it all you want. The more you do that, the further from ‘me’ you become.]
“…”
[Since you’re an idiot who mistakes yourself as the ‘Thunderous Lightning God’, this body will tell you for certain.]
Then the Lightning God spoke.
[You are no longer a Ruler. Just dregs. Know your place.]
As if announcing it.