Chapter 390: Domain: Sky Palace
Fulgur slowly raised one of the black Raikiri rods toward the heavens. For a brief moment, nothing happened. Then the dark clouds above Lebanon twisted violently as though an invisible giant had plunged its hand into them.
BOOOOOOM!
A pillar of azure lightning descended from the heavens and struck the raised staff with earth-shaking force. The mountain quaked beneath the impact while countless sparks erupted outward, illuminating the surrounding peaks in blinding flashes of blue. The black rod absorbed the torrent greedily until every vein carved into its surface shone like molten sapphire.
The lightning refused to remain contained. Instead, it erupted outward from the staff in every direction.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Countless streams of lightning spread across the sky, weaving together into enormous pillars before connecting overhead and beneath the mountain. Within seconds, an immense cage of living lightning enclosed the entire battlefield. Every bolt crackled with enough destructive power to reduce mountains to ash while the air itself became heavy with the smell of ozone.
ROOOOOAAAAAAAAARRRRRR!
A deafening draconic roar tore across the heavens and the storm clouds split apart.
Hidden within the endless darkness, a colossal pair of azure eyes slowly opened. They were so enormous they resembled twin moons suspended inside the storm itself. Their gaze descended upon Damian with overwhelming pressure, causing the surrounding lightning to rage even more violently.
Fulgur’s calm voice echoed throughout the cage.
"Unfortunately, I have been ordered to fight you without restraint."
His expression remained composed.
"I would have preferred taking my time to peel you open."
Damian’s expression never changed.
Instead of looking toward the dragon overhead, his gaze quietly shifted toward the floating throne beyond the lightning cage. The barrier had deliberately expanded outward, leaving Racheal, Rin and the throne safely outside its boundaries. After confirming she remained unharmed, he slowly turned back toward Fulgur.
"You are creating your domain?"
His question sounded more curious than cautious. Fulgur met his gaze.
"And you are making no attempt to avoid it."
Damian slowly shook his head. His breathing remained perfectly steady and heartbeat never accelerated once despite the situation.
"You claimed your kind was superior. It is only natural I destroy that belief."
His violet eyes calmly met the dragon’s.
For the first time since the battle began, the corner of Fulgur’s mouth lifted ever so slightly.
The reports circulating throughout the Underworld constantly compared Damian to Sol. Many believed he was simply another arrogant human carrying divine power, differing only in the fact that he lacked Sol’s obsessive hatred for demons.
When Fulgur first arrived, he believed those rumors had been exaggerated. The man before him had treated his wives with gentleness. He spoke patiently and listened before acting.
In many ways, he reminded Fulgur of Lin Qui.
But now he was standing calmly before a dragon’s domain without the slightest intention of retreating. That resemblance slowly disappeared.
’No... He is neither Sol... nor Lin Qui. He is both perfectly balanced.’
Fulgur quietly reached his conclusion. The more he observed Damian, the more fascinating the young prince became. No wonder every conversation throughout the Underworld eventually found its way back to this human.
For the first time in centuries, Fulgur genuinely regretted being ordered to kill someone.
"I see. In that case... I shall honor your wish."
His fingers tightened around Raikiri.
"I will not hold back."
Without hesitation, he lowered the second black rod.
Bang!
The weapon struck empty air beneath his feet. Yet instead of passing through, the sky rippled like the surface of a vast ocean. Circular waves spread endlessly across the heavens.
Boom...
Boom...
Boom...
The sound of distant war drums suddenly echoed throughout the lightning cage.
Each beat shook the wind itself and each vibration caused the surrounding storm to thicken. The atmosphere steadily became heavier until even breathing felt strangely difficult.
Damian quietly watched. His attention never left Fulgur. As the dragon’s body began changing. His muscles expanded beneath his robes until the fabric stretched tightly across his frame. His skin darkened while patches of snow-white scales gradually emerged across his shoulders and forearms. Long strands of white hair spread over his body as thick claws slowly replaced his fingernails. His canine teeth lengthened into gleaming fangs while faint streams of blue lightning danced endlessly between every scale.
The dignified scholar Damian had been speaking with gradually disappeared. Standing before him now was a predator, an ancient dragon wearing the shape of a man.
Meanwhile, the cage of lightning surrounding the mountain continued expanding outward. The blue light steadily intensified until Damian instinctively narrowed his eyes.
When the brightness finally faded, the mountain had disappeared. Damian quietly found himself standing alone within an endless sky. Above him stretched a limitless ocean of black storm clouds and below was another identical sea of storm clouds mirrored the heavens perfectly.
Both skies extended endlessly toward the horizon until neither beginning nor end could be perceived.
Between them, violent rivers of lightning surged constantly through empty space. Some bolts leapt between the upper and lower heavens, creating colossal pillars of electricity that illuminated the darkness every few seconds before vanishing once again.
The winds howled endlessly and thunder never ceased. Every direction looked identical.
Damian slowly turned his head. There was no trace of Fulgur anywhere and just before he could call out Fulgur’s voice resounded from every direction simultaneously.
"Welcome to my Domain. Sky Palace."
The thunder answered him.
Damian remained standing exactly where he was.
His hair danced wildly beneath the storm winds while the sleeves of his robes whipped violently around him.
Even so...
His arms remained calmly folded across his chest.
He slowly observed the endless heavens before speaking.
"An impressive domain. But It is rather weak compared to what I expected."
His calm voice echoed throughout the storm. He meant every word.
After witnessing the horrifying complexity of Racheal’s false territory, he had expected something even more incomprehensible from the dragon who defeated her.
This appeared surprisingly straightforward.
Fulgur chuckled softly. The sound rolled through every cloud around Damian.
"Do not worry, my prince."
Lightning suddenly surged violently through the heavens. Every cloud began rotating around Damian like an endless celestial vortex.
"My domain will not disappoint you."
The dragon’s voice became infinitely heavier.
Storm Authority: Heaven Plundering Prison!