Chapter 13 — Silver Lightning Against the Fallen King
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The continent trembled.
The clash between Seraphina and Varikon split the night sky apart like shattered glass. Purple gravity storms collided violently against silver lightning, creating shockwaves powerful enough to flatten entire academy sectors.
Students watching from distant shelters covered their ears in fear.
The sound alone felt monstrous.
Meanwhile, unconscious near the ruined battlefield, Reskin's body remained surrounded by faint golden aura while healers desperately tried stabilizing his damaged meridians.
"He pushed far beyond safe soul limits," one academy healer said nervously.
Golden cracks continued spreading across Reskin's arms.
"If this continues…"
The healer hesitated.
"…his soul pathways may collapse permanently."
Nearby, Dugu clenched his fists tightly.
"No way…"
For the first time since arriving at the academy, genuine fear filled his eyes.
Because Reskin wasn't just another student anymore.
He was his friend.
And right now—
That friend looked dangerously close to death.
High above the battlefield, Seraphina moved like silver lightning itself.
CLANG!!
Her spear collided against Varikon's claws again, releasing massive explosions across the sky.
Unlike before—
She no longer fought defensively.
Silver energy completely surrounded her body now while ancient markings glowed across her exposed arm.
Every movement carried overwhelming force.
Even Varikon was finally being pushed backward.
"Hahahaha!"
The monster laughed excitedly while blocking another spear strike.
"So THIS is your true power!"
Seraphina's expression remained cold.
"You talk too much."
BOOOOOM!!
She vanished instantly.
Silver lightning flashed across the battlefield.
Then—
CRASH!!
Varikon was slammed through three academy towers before crashing into the distant mountains surrounding the city.
Students stared in disbelief.
"She sent that monster flying…"
Kaizen narrowed his eyes carefully.
"She's using the sealed bloodline."
Several instructors looked uneasy hearing those words.
Because very few people inside the academy even knew Seraphina's true origins.
Far away in the shattered mountains—
Varikon slowly emerged from the rubble again.
This time his expression looked serious.
Purple blood dripped from deep wounds across his body.
But despite the injuries—
The monster smiled wider.
"Excellent."
Dark gravity spiraled violently around him.
"I was beginning to lose interest."
Suddenly—
Purple symbols appeared across Varikon's body.
Ancient.
Corrupted.
Unnatural.
The atmosphere instantly became heavier.
Even Seraphina's eyes narrowed slightly.
"He's releasing another stage…"
Inside the underground observation chamber beneath the academy, shadow-covered figures watched the battle silently through crystal projections.
One figure spoke quietly.
"Varikon's evolution speed exceeded expectations."
Another voice answered calmly.
"But the vessel is even more interesting."
The crystal projection zoomed toward unconscious Reskin.
Golden aura still flickered around him faintly.
"The GOD-HORSIKEN core truly exists."
Silence filled the chamber briefly.
Then—
"Proceed with Phase Two."
—
Inside Reskin's soul space—
Golden gravity laws floated endlessly through the cosmic world around him.
Reskin stared at the countless symbols while Bali observed silently nearby.
"So all these techniques belonged to ancient GOD-HORSIKENS?"
"Yes."
Bali's massive wings moved slowly through the stars.
"Each law represents a different application of gravity."
Some symbols manipulated movement.
Others distorted space itself.
A few radiated pressure so terrifying Reskin instinctively avoided looking directly at them.
"These stronger ones…"
Bali's expression darkened slightly.
"…are forbidden."
Reskin blinked.
"Even for GOD-HORSIKENS?"
"Yes."
The ancient beast slowly lowered its gaze.
"Because absolute gravity can destroy planets."
Silence.
Then Reskin quietly asked—
"Did you use powers like these before your world died?"
Bali remained silent for several moments.
Finally—
"Yes."
For the first time—
Regret appeared in the ancient GOD-HORSIKEN's glowing eyes.
"We were too proud of our strength."
The golden soul world trembled softly around them.
"Our race believed power made us invincible."
Bali's voice became quieter.
"And eventually… we stopped valuing life itself."
Reskin listened silently.
Because despite Bali's arrogance, wisdom, and overwhelming power—
Loneliness surrounded him deeply.
Millions of years alone.
Watching his civilization disappear.
Watching even former allies become monsters like Varikon.
"Reskin."
The ancient beast suddenly looked directly at him.
"If you continue walking this path…"
Golden gravity spiraled around them.
"…you must never become intoxicated by power."
The atmosphere became heavy.
"Because gravity can either protect the world…"
Bali's eyes darkened.
"…or crush it."
Reality suddenly trembled violently again.
BOOOOOOM!!
Purple cracks spread across the soul space faster now.
Varikon's energy continued growing outside.
Bali immediately looked upward.
"He's forcing corrupted evolution again."
Reskin frowned.
"Can Seraphina stop him?"
Bali remained silent briefly.
Then—
"…Perhaps."
Not exactly comforting.
—
Back in reality—
Purple gravity storms swallowed the mountains surrounding the academy.
Varikon floated at the center of the destruction while corrupted symbols burned across his body like molten scars.
The monster's appearance had changed again.
Its size nearly doubled.
Additional clawed limbs expanded behind his back while gravity itself bent unnaturally around him.
The nearby mountains slowly began floating upward under his influence.
Students watching from shelters looked horrified.
"That thing…"
"It's becoming worse…"
Seraphina floated opposite him surrounded by silver lightning.
But even she looked tense now.
Varikon slowly spread his monstrous wings.
"You humans sealed me for centuries…"
Purple energy exploded violently around him.
"…yet all you accomplished was delaying evolution."
BOOOOOOOM!!
The floating mountains suddenly launched toward the academy city like meteors.
"BARRIER FORMATIONS!" Kaizen shouted instantly.
Academy instructors immediately activated massive defensive arrays across the city.
Blue barriers expanded upward.
Then—
CRAAAAASH!!
The mountains collided against the shields violently.
Shockwaves spread across the continent.
Several barriers shattered instantly.
Students screamed.
Chaos erupted again.
Varikon laughed loudly.
"Protect them harder!"
The monster raised one claw.
Purple gravity compressed above the battlefield once more.
This time—
A gigantic spiral vortex formed in the sky.
Even light distorted around it.
Kaizen's expression finally turned grim.
"…Spatial collapse."
Several instructors immediately looked terrified.
"If he completes that technique…"
The surrounding region itself could disappear into distorted gravity.
Seraphina tightened her grip on her spear.
Silver lightning intensified around her body.
Then slowly—
She closed her eyes.
The atmosphere changed instantly.
Calm.
Silent.
Ancient.
Even Varikon stopped smiling briefly.
Golden-silver markings spread across Seraphina's entire body now while enormous lightning wings appeared behind her.
The pressure surrounding her became almost divine.
"What is THAT?" Dugu whispered from the shelters.
Nearby instructors looked stunned too.
Because even most academy elites had never witnessed Seraphina fighting seriously.
Varikon's red eyes gleamed excitedly.
"At last…"
Purple storms raged wildly around him.
"…show me your full strength."
Seraphina slowly opened her glowing golden eyes.
Then—
Silver lightning exploded across the heavens.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!
In a single instant—
She appeared directly before Varikon.
FASTER than gravity itself.
Her spear pierced forward.
CRAAAAASH!!
For the first time that night—
Varikon screamed.