Chapter 285 - : 285 Lord of Thunder.[1]

"It's time to push him to his limits…" Vern Kael spoke softly.

His voice was calm, yet it carried a quiet weight.

The world around him did not respond. The wind did not change. The mountain remained silent, as if even nature chose to stay still while he spoke.

His thoughts slowly settled into place.

"I can't let the past repeat itself…" he muttered under his breath.

There was no hesitation in his tone this time.

He took a slow step forward, his foot pressing lightly against the cold ground.

Small stones shifted beneath him, rolling a short distance before going still again.

His gaze remained steady.

"…however, it's still a wonder," he continued, his voice lowering slightly, "how that woman has followed him time after time."

A faint expression appeared on his face.

"It still amazes me… that despite being a mere soul, her life is connected to his like glue."

The wind brushed past him again, moving his long hair slightly across his face before drifting away.

"And this chance…" he added quietly, "…was also brought to me by her."

He paused.

For a moment, he simply stood there, taking in the calm view of the world around him.

The air felt fresh, light, almost peaceful.

It gently moved around him, brushing against his clothes, swaying them slightly as if trying to pull him into that calm.

"I thought this cycle would end in vain," Vern Kael said slowly, his voice thoughtful now.

His eyes lowered just a little.

"His growth was too slow… and he hadn't even realized what emotions were. Not even a little."

A small breath escaped him.

"But because of her… this new cycle appeared."

His gaze lifted again toward the sky.

"And this one…" he said, a faint smile forming on his lips, "…has the best chance of succeeding."

He tilted his head slightly, as if listening for something.

"Wouldn't you agree…?" he asked softly, his voice directed into the empty air.

There was no immediate response.

The mountain remained silent.

The wind continued its slow movement, and the trees rustled gently in the distance.

Vern Kael's smile deepened just a little.

"After all… she is your daughter," he continued, his tone calm and certain.

"The one who has been accompanying him through many reincarnations…"

His eyes sharpened slightly.

"The God of Wrath… Indra."

The name faded into the night.

Again, there was no reply.

"Wasn't she your daughter in the very first cycle?" Vern Kael asked, his voice steady.

He waited.

Seconds passed.

The silence stretched.

Nothing answered him.

The surroundings stayed quiet, unchanged, as if his words had been swallowed by the night itself.

Vern Kael let out a faint breath.

"You are as cautious as ever… huh," he muttered.

He took another step forward, his posture relaxed, his movements unhurried.

His lips curved into a small smile as he looked up at the sky.

"I know you were waiting for your time," he said calmly. "However… it is no use."

His eyes grew sharper.

"I can'tt kill you… and you can't kill me either."

The wind picked up slightly, brushing harder against his clothes.

"There is no use," he continued, his voice steady and firm. "After all… only he can kill me."

His gaze did not waver.

"No other being can erase my existence."

A faint pause followed.

"…someone who has escaped fate," he added quietly, "cannot be erased by normal beings."

The air around him seemed to grow heavier for a brief moment.

Then he relaxed again.

"Anyways," he said, his tone lightening slightly, "I know you are alive and well."

"And I also know… you are waiting for your chance."

He raised his hand slowly.

A small shimmer appeared in the air, and a liquor bottle formed within his grasp.

The glass caught the faint moonlight, reflecting it softly.

Vern Kael looked at it for a moment, then back toward the sky.

"However," he continued, "I don't have any intention of stopping you… nor him."

A faint smile returned to his face.

"After all… my end goal has always been him."

He lifted the bottle slightly.

"So how about this…" he said, his voice calm and almost casual.

"You and I have a drink now?"

The wind suddenly shifted.

For a brief second, everything felt still.

Then…

"It's as you say!"

A deep voice echoed across the sky.

The moment it appeared, the calm night broke.

The clear sky darkened as thick clouds gathered rapidly, covering the moon. The light faded, replaced by a heavy, looming darkness.

The air grew violent.

Strong winds rushed across the mountain, pushing against the trees, making them sway hard as their leaves rustled loudly.

The clouds above roared.

Lightning flashed through them, bright and sharp, tearing across the sky for a split second before disappearing.

Thunder followed, loud and heavy, shaking the silence apart.

It felt as if the sky itself was reacting to that voice.

A sharp whooshing sound cut through the air.

The clouds twisted.

Then, with another crash of thunder…

A figure appeared.

He stood in the air above the mountain, unmoving, his presence overwhelming the space around him.

The storm seemed to gather around him, as if it belonged to him.

The man could only be described as majestic.

Even that word felt too small.

He was tall, standing close to seven feet, his body built like a giant ancient tree that had stood for thousands of years.

His shoulders were broad and heavy, his arms thick and powerful, like they had been carved from solid stone.

His chest was wide, carrying a sense of age and strength, as if he had existed as long as the world itself.

His skin was golden-brown, glowing faintly under the flashes of lightning.

His eyes were bright and sharp.

They shone with power, filled with a fierce light that felt like a storm contained within them.

They were watchful.

His hair was brilliant gold, long and slightly wild, moving with the storm around him.

A golden beard framed his face, adding to his imposing presence.

He wore a golden robe that flowed in the wind, moving along with the raging air as if it was part of him.

Lightning flashed again, lighting his figure completely.

Below him, Vern Kael looked up.

His eyes reflected the light of the storm, calm and steady.

A faint smile rested on his lips.

"…It's been a while," Vern Kael said slowly.

His voice remained relaxed, as if he was greeting an old acquaintance.

"…King of Celestials."

Another flash of lightning crossed the sky.

"…God of Wrath."

The wind howled louder.

Vern Kael's gaze did not move.

"…Indra."

The moment Vern Kael finished speaking, the liquor bottle in his hand began to change.

The glass surface darkened, losing its shine as a faint black mist spread across it.

The shape slowly twisted, stretching and thinning, as if something inside it was breaking free.

In the next second, it was no longer a bottle.

A sword rested in his hand.

It was long and completely black, its surface dull and cold, as if it swallowed the light around it.

There was something eerie about it, something that did not belong to the natural world.

Then….

Vern Kael vanished.

He disappeared without a sound, without a trace left behind.

And in the very next instant, he appeared right in front of the man in the sky.

There was no warning.

No pause.

He raised the sword high above his head and brought it down with force.

The blade cut through the air, aiming straight for the man.

"Hmph!"

The man let out an arrogant snort.

His expression did not change.

As the sword came down, a weapon formed in his hand.

It looked strange.

A short, heavy club made of shining iron, glowing with the same golden color as his skin.

Its surface was covered in sharp points and edges, like countless spikes pressed together into one solid form.

It looked brutal.

Raw.

Made only for destruction.

Without any hesitation, he raised it and struck upward.

The two weapons collided.

A loud crack exploded in the air.

Lightning burst out from the point of impact, spreading in all directions.

The sky lit up as bolts of thunder flashed wildly, covering the entire area.

The mountain shook beneath them.

Wind rushed outward, pushing everything away from the center of the clash.

"Is that how you greet me?!"

He roared.

His voice carried through the storm, loud and filled with anger.

The clouds above thickened, turning darker as they gathered around him.

Thunder cracked again and again, striking down across the mountain.

But this was not normal lightning.

It was golden.

Each bolt shone like rays of the sun, burning bright as they struck the ground.

The rocks beneath melted and split, unable to withstand the heat and power.

"All the thunder of the world… listen to my command!"

He raised his weapon high as he roared.

The sky responded.

From every direction, lightning gathered toward him.

Different colors appeared within the storm, blue, red, white, even deep violet. Each bolt twisted and bent, moving not by nature, but by his will.

They circled around him, forming a violent storm that answered only to him.

The air trembled.

The mountain groaned under the pressure.

Then…

With a fierce roar, he brought his weapon down.

The gathered thunder followed.

All of it.

Every bolt crashed toward Vern Kael at once.

The impact came instantly.

Vern Kael's figure was swallowed by the storm and slammed down toward the ground.

"BOOM!"

The mountain exploded on impact.

Rocks shattered and flew outward as the ground broke apart, forming a deep crater where he landed. Dust and smoke rose into the air, covering everything for a moment.

The storm above slowly settled, though faint lightning still flickered within the clouds.

For a brief second…

There was silence.

Then, from within the crater, something moved.

Vern Kael stood up.

Slowly.

As if nothing had happened.

Dust slid off his clothes as he straightened his body. The ground beneath his feet cracked slightly as he stepped forward.

A grin spread across his face.

It was not calm anymore.

It was excited.

"This is more than exciting…" he said, his voice low but full of energy.

"…compared to a greeting."

He looked up at the man in the sky.

His eyes shone brightly now, filled with a strange intensity.

The sword in his hand remained steady.

"Let us have a proper fight…"

He took a step forward, the air around him growing heavier again.

"…Lord of Thunder."