There were nine flower buds in total, corresponding to nine leaves. They all bloomed at the same time. The flowers were unremarkable, possessing only a faint fragrance. Everything was so ordinary.
But it was destined to be anything but ordinary. Lightning surged through the dark clouds, as if the Thunder God was roaring within. An aura of destruction gathered, seeming as though it would annihilate these fragile flowers in the very next moment.
The vine seemed to sense this and absorbed nutrients with all its might. The flowers quickly withered, transforming into grape-sized green fruits that began to swell at a rate visible to the naked eye.
BOOM—
RUMBLE—
The Thunder God let out a roar, and the heavy dark clouds unleashed nine thick, golden thunderbolts, each striking one of the fruits sheltered by the leaves.
RUSTLE!
The leaves moved without any wind, their veins emitting waves of fluorescent light. The delicate leaves became the sturdiest shields for these fruits.
