Chapter 380: Lightning Didn’t Fall From the Sky (1)

Mornings in Claudia arrived with the mist.

As the Cloud Waterfall descended, it gathered in Claudia’s reservoirs, but some of the vapor did not settle—rather, it spread outward in all directions.

These dispersed water droplets condensed into dew during the cold night, resting on the earth in slumber until the morning sunlight woke them up the next day.

As dawn broke, they rose once more, thickly veiling the land as clouds.

Nitpicky humans may insist that it’s mist rather than clouds, but from the perspective of the water droplets, why does it matter what they are called?

What’s more important is that they drifted together.

– Rumble, rumble, rumble.

Three consecutive thunderclaps echoed through the city.

Claudia’s bell chime was powered by stored thunder, signaling that two hours had passed since sunrise.

Instinctively flinching at the sound, I grumbled while peering out the window.

“Damn it. Who else but the City of Clouds would use thunder to tell the time? No way anyone’s sleeping through that.”

“Woof, woof! So loud! Woof!”

Both Azzy and I, already awake thanks to the thunderous alarm, complained in unison.

The mist was so thick, that even the sun was barely visible in the sky.

By noon, the fog would clear up a bit, making it somewhat brighter, but right now, it still felt like dawn.

The glow of lanterns made from sealed lightning in glass spheres was more luminous than actual sunlight.

Because of this, the people of Claudia typically stayed indoors in the misty mornings, only beginning their proper daily routines in the afternoon.

“Similar climates breed similar lifestyles. This reminds me of the Duchy of Mist.”

Tyr gazed out at the thick mist, momentarily lost in nostalgia.

“The Duchy is forever blanketed in mist. Even at midday, the mist is so dense that one can barely even make out shapes, shielding us from the wretched sunlight.”

“Well, that makes sense. Claudia may be adjacent to the Cloud Waterfall, but the Duchy of Mist is located within it, past the ever-present mist and deep inside its embrace.”

If anything, the Duchy should be even more shrouded than Claudia.

It wasn’t called the Duchy of Mist for nothing.

The city existed in perpetual shade under the cascading clouds, allowing vampires to roam freely even in broad daylight.

“Seeing this makes me realize how close we have gotten to the Duchy… Since we have come this far, why don’t we pay it a visit?”

“If things in Claudia wrap up smoothly, I suppose we could.”

The Land of Vampires… I’ve had some curiosity about it as well.

Tyrkanzyaka had once been a seed of the Divine, but after perishing under the Sanctum’s blade, she was twisted into something else, unable to bear fruit.

Denied of Divinity, she had instead become a ghost, drifting in the afterlife.

Her power did not extend to all of humanity.

Instead, it transformed, allowing her to create an entirely new species—vampires—by sharing her blood.

They were undoubtedly human, yet biologically distinct from both ordinary people and animals.

It makes me wonder—did the Sanctum ever regret creating the vampire race, or were they simply relieved that the Divine never manifested?

Probably the latter.

“Hu.”

“…Yes?”

Tyr wore a faint smile as she looked at me intently, placing a hand over her chest before softly asking,

“Will you find what you seek in my land?”

｢The thing the King of Humans seeks so desperately, that he would overturn the world…｣

She didn’t voice it, but I could hear the certainty in her thoughts.

Tsk.

Lately, everyone seems to know my identity.

Azzy likely knows from the start, so she doesn’t count.

But Hilde, Tyr… Even if I tried to deny it now, it won’t work.

There is no helping it.

My ties to the Sanctum have made it impossible to keep my identity hidden forever.

Maybe I should count myself lucky that the Regressor still hadn’t figured it out.

Because if she did, then in the next timeline…

Ah, whatever.

No point in worrying about things beyond my control.

Whether I was the King of Humans or not, it didn’t really matter.

I was just normal.

That was why I never flaunted my identity—I simply had no reason to.

“I don’t know if I’ll find anything there. I’m not particularly fond of vampires.”

“…Is that so?”

｢Ordinary humans fear vampires. If you are the King of Humans, then you represent all of humanity…｣

Not a bad assumption, but that wasn’t the real reason.

Vampires are still humans, after all.

But—

“I feel much more comfortable around you than other vampires, Tyr.”

“M-Me?”

Tyr looked genuinely surprised.

She had reigned as the Progenitor of Vampires, been the sworn enemy of the Sanctum, and lived as the embodiment of fear.

Words like “comfortable” and “familiar” were the last things anyone had ever associated with her.

Even if she hadn’t enjoyed it, death and carnage had been a constant presence in her life.

But that made her even more human.

At least, compared to other vampires.

“Other vampires have their own masters. Whether you call them kings or lords, it doesn’t matter. They have higher-ranked vampires who rule over them. As long as that hierarchy exists, I can’t do anything about it.”

The control that superior vampires exerted over their lesser kin was absolute.

Just as humans are bound by gravity, vampires are drawn to their masters with an overwhelming force that is neither simple loyalty nor respect.

It is submission– no, dependency.

That was why vampires’ thoughts could change so easily.

No matter how much groundwork I laid, no matter how much I influenced them, if a superior vampire spoke, their entire mindset would shift in an instant.

Even beliefs they had held firm for centuries could be overturned in a moment.

And since there was only one thing I could offer vampires—

“But you, Tyr, are the Progenitor, yet you are still fully human. You have your own will. That makes you far easier to be around.”

Because, in that sense, the Progenitor of Vampires was still normal.

Even after a thousand years, her will remained her own.

｢…He called me human. If it were anyone else, I would dismiss it as mere flattery… but to hear it from the King of Humans, it feels… different. Perhaps this is why humanity seeks him.｣

Tyr’s gaze wavered slightly as she cleared her throat.

“Ahem. So is that why you were so insolent toward me from the beginning?”

“Insolent? You make me sound like an uncivilized brute. Would you call it ‘being acquainted’ instead?”

“…Very well. You were far too ‘acquainted’ from the start, but thanks to that, we were able to talk more openly so I suppose I should be grateful for your lack of manners.”

“Also, if you think about it, Mr. Shei deserves most of the credit. If you had stayed sealed in that underground armory, we would’ve never had a conversation in the first place.”

“That is also true. Ultimately, it was all because of Shei’s meddling… I’m not sure whether to be thankful for that.”

Tyr chuckled softly before looking out the window.

The massive Thundermill loomed in the distance, its colossal silhouette visible even through the fog.

Artificial lightning flashed across its slowly turning surface.

It seemed preparations to kill the Thunder God were nearly complete.

“But Hu, the Thunder God is a servant of the Sky God. It is a rare sight to see one be defeated by humanity. Are you truly not going to watch?”

｢The Hu I know would never pass up such a spectacle.｣

If that were true, I’d have grabbed some popcorn and front-row seats.

Even Tyr, who stood in defiance of the Sky God, knew it was worth seeing.

But something about it just doesn’t sit right with me.

I waved a hand dismissively.

“I’ll sit this one out.”

“I see. Then, rest well.”

｢So, he is up to something again. Whatever it is, I would help if he just asked, but… if he chooses not to tell me, I will not pry.｣

…She already noticed?

Have I been getting too predictable?

Then again, it wasn’t surprising.

Tyr had always kept a close eye on me.

｢…After all, I, too, have my own secrets.｣

Tyr cast a brief glance toward the Cloud Waterfall, a small smile widening on her lips.

– People of Claudia, stop what you are doing and listen. There is something you must know.

Before the morning mist had fully lifted, the Thunderarch’s powerful voice rang throughout Claudia.

The citizens, recognizing the voice of their great ruler, halted their tasks and listened intently.

The Thunderarch waited until she was sure they were fully focused before continuing.

– The Golden Lord’s relentless march has come to an end.

A wave of murmurs spread through the crowd.

As the meaning behind those words began to sink in, shock rippled through the citizens.

Why was Claudia considered the greatest city in the Fallen Dominion?

Of course, its prosperity was partly owed to the power of thunder.

But more than anything, it was because Claudia was the only city in the Fallen Dominion.

While the Golden Lord roamed the land, Claudia remained the only place untouched by his footsteps, allowing alchemic refinement to accumulate in its soil without interruption.

But if the Golden Lord had truly been stopped, Claudia would no longer be the only settled city.

– Some brave Primarchs and an honored guest from another land have put an end to his march. Thanks to them, the Fallen Dominion is now free of his rule.

She carefully avoided saying that the Golden Lord had vanished.

If she did, the shock would be too great.

After all, the entire Fallen Dominion had survived on his power.

– Now, great change will come to our land. Claudia, once restrained beneath the weight of the Golden Lord from below and the Thunder God from above, will finally break its chains and move forward.

It was hard to believe for the citizens of Claudia, yet the Thunderarch did not lie.

She was the strongest and most revered among the Primarchs of the Fallen Dominion.

A being of such stature had no need for deception.

– With the power of those who stopped the Golden Lord, I will sever our ties to the Thunder God. For the future of Claudia!

Finally, the people understood her grand intention and erupted in cheers.

As she concluded her speech, the Thunderarch turned to walk away, followed by the Thunder Guardians.

Though none were as powerful as her, they could all wield the force of lightning.

The majority of them had been deployed to minimize casualties in the upcoming battle against the Thunder God.

｢This is bigger than I expected. In the previous iteration, the Thunder God was dealt with quietly in secret. What’s changed?｣

The Regressor furrowed her brows, sensing that things were veering off from her past experiences.

“…Uhm… Isn’t this a bit excessive? We could just quietly take down the Thunder God.”

The Thunderarch shook her head firmly.

“That may have been possible before, but the situation has changed. The shock of the Golden Lord’s absence will hit eventually. Ordinary people struggle to accept abrupt change, so by revealing some of it now, we can minimize the confusion later.”

“…Ah, because of the Golden Lord.”

｢No wonder this iteration feels so different. The Golden Lord’s absence has changed everything… Then again, we did take care of the Divine.｣

As she reflected on her own actions, the Regressor allowed herself a brief moment of pride.

There was still much to do, but seeing tangible progress gave her a sense of satisfaction.

“You should prepare as well, Goldenarch. With your abilities, you must stand beside me and lead. This battle will be your first step.”

“…Understood.”

Peru, who had been trailing slightly behind, clenched her fists and stepped forward to stand beside them.

The Thunderarch eyed her weary movements with a hint of disapproval.

“You don’t look well. Someone who leads cannot afford to be physically weak.”

“Don’t worry. This happened because of the Golden Lord’s defeat. I can find a way to recover.”

“If that’s the case, then I’m relieved, but for now, let’s focus on what lies ahead.”

With that, the two Primarchs and the Regressor headed toward the Lightning Tower.

The very symbol of fear toward the Thunder God, yet also the key to overcoming it.

There, they would finally sever their ties with the Thunder God.

…It’s time.

Once they were gone, I leisurely made my way toward the Lightning Tower.

The tower—a massive structure towering over 50 meters high—was not merely a lightning rod. Within it were various facilities powered by the captured lightning.

The Thunderarch had given me a tour of the farmlands, but that was only a fraction of what was contained there.

There were mills for processing harvested crops, forges that infused steel with lightning, and workshops that used those materials to craft tools.

The resources generated in the Lightning Tower were distributed throughout the city. As long as there were enough workers, Claudia could function just fine.

Compared to wandering the wastelands of the Fallen Dominion, living here offered far more stability.

That was why many of the powerless Dholes sought refuge in Claudia.

However, the Thunderarch only accepted those who had children.

As a result, Claudia was filled with new couples and mothers with children.

Even they were only allowed to stay until their children grew up—then, they had to leave.

The city thrived, yet most of its inhabitants were only temporary residents.

Among them, the only ones who remained were…

A guard noticed me and immediately raised his spear.

The weapon’s tip split open and crackled with tiny, threatening bolts of lightning.

“Who goes there? Identify yourself!”

“I’m a guest of the Thunderarch. You’ve seen me before, right? I came here with her yesterday.”

Ignoring the threat of lightning before me, I casually walked forward, revealing my face to him.

Fortunately, coming here with the Thunderarch the previous day paid off—the guard recognized me and lowered his weapon.

“My apologies. What is your business here?”

“What do you mean? Didn’t you just hear? We’re ending our ties with the Thunder God.”

I spoke as if he should already understand, turning the question back on him.

Flustered by the unexpected situation, the guard stammered.

“W-Well, yes, of course, but the Thunderarch already left using the lift to reach the top of the tower.”

“Oh, really? Guess I misunderstood. I thought we were supposed to take the stairs up.”

As a first-time visitor to Claudia, it was natural for me to get lost.

I should have taken the lift with the Thunderarch, but I had mistakenly assumed we were using the stairs.

An outsider unfamiliar with elevators making a simple mistake—that was the image I planted in the guard’s mind.

“My bad, I’m still not used to this place. Could you tell me where the stairs are?”

“If you wait, the lift will come back down.”

“The stairs are fine. I’m already late, so I need to hurry. The difference won’t be that big, right?”

Of course, that was a lie.

Stairs were one of humanity’s cruelest inventions.

Climbing them was nothing short of torture.

If I were going up, the lift would be the obvious choice.

But I wasn’t going up.

“If you’re skilled in Qi Arts, stairs shouldn’t be an issue. The entrance is over there.”

“Much appreciated.”

Without hesitation, the guard pointed me toward the stairway. I nodded in thanks and—making sure he was watching—walked toward it.

As I stepped inside, the guard saluted me from behind, raising his voice.

“Please take care of us! For Claudia’s long-cherished wish!”

“Don’t worry. It’ll be over by today.”

I gave a slight wave before disappearing into the stairwell.

And the moment I was out of sight…

I bolted down the stairs.