The battlefield was a ruin of shattered earth and scorched trees. The air was thick with the scent of burnt ozone, the remnants of the Thunder General's devastating lightning still crackling in the atmosphere. Asura stood unmoving, his sword lowered at his side, the faint glow of his aura pulsating in rhythm with his slow, controlled breathing. Across from him, the Thunder General struggled to his feet, his armor cracked, his once-unshakable confidence replaced with barely contained fury.
"This... is not over," the Thunder General spat, wiping the blood from his lip. His body trembled, not from fear, but from the sheer force of Asura's previous attack. "You might be strong, but you have yet to face true despair."
Asura tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable. "Despair? You're mistaken. You should be worried about yourself."
The Thunder General roared, his body crackling with unrestrained energy. The sky above darkened, forming a vortex of swirling black clouds. Lightning arced violently, illuminating the battlefield in erratic bursts of blinding light. It was then that Asura felt it—a presence, vast and suffocating, pressing down on everything like a tidal wave of destruction.
A bolt of lightning struck the ground between them, splitting the earth apart. From within the crack, a towering figure emerged, his entire being radiating an overwhelming pressure that dwarfed even the Thunder General's. Clad in regal golden armor, his body pulsed with an aura of divine authority.
"The Thunder King..." Lira whispered, her fists clenched as she took a step back.
Even Shao, who had stood unfazed against countless warriors, narrowed his eyes. "So the Thunder Kingdom decided to send their ruler himself. This is troublesome."
The Thunder King's gaze locked onto Asura, his deep voice reverberating like a storm. "You are the one who has humiliated my warriors. The one who dares to challenge the might of the Thunder Kingdom."
Asura met his gaze, unfazed. "You must be the one pulling the strings. Took you long enough to show yourself."
The Thunder General, emboldened by his king's presence, straightened. "Your Majesty, this is the one responsible for our disgrace. Allow me to—"
The Thunder King silenced him with a mere glance. "You have failed. Step aside."
The Thunder General's face twisted in shame, but he obeyed, retreating without another word. The air grew denser as the Thunder King raised his hand, summoning an immense golden spear formed entirely of concentrated lightning. The moment it materialized, the ground beneath him cracked under its sheer power.
"I will not waste words," the Thunder King declared. "If you truly believe yourself capable of standing against me, then come forth, warrior."
Asura exhaled slowly. His grip on his sword tightened as his aura surged to new heights. The Sword Clan disciples who watched from a distance felt their knees weaken under the sheer intensity of the two titanic forces about to clash.
Lira took a deep breath. "This... will shake the entire continent."
Shao smirked. "Good. I've been waiting to see Asura fight seriously."
The Thunder King thrust his spear forward, and a colossal bolt of lightning shot toward Asura, splitting the very air apart with its speed. But in the blink of an eye, Asura was gone—vanishing from sight, appearing mid-air above the Thunder King, his sword descending with divine precision.
The battle had begun.
End of Chapter 78.