Chapter XX: Thunder God Doll
The battlefield had fallen eerily silent.
Countless black vines coiled around Thunder Lord's body like enormous serpents, binding her arms, legs, waist, and even her spear. The more she struggled, the tighter they became.
Darkness continuously seeped from Ralph's body, feeding the vines.
Their numbers increased without end.
Every vine pulsed with an ominous black glow.
Above the battlefield, Ralph slowly descended until he hovered only a few dozen meters before her.
His breathing was heavy.
Blood still dripped from the corner of his lips.
Yet his eyes burned with excitement.
He had finally gained the upper hand.
"So..."
He looked down at the imprisoned woman.
"This is the famous Thunder Lord."
"The woman everyone claims is invincible."
He slowly shook his head.
"I have to admit..."
"I'm disappointed."
The disciples of Thousand Sky Palace burst into laughter.
"So much for the strongest Lord!"
"She can't even escape Master Ralph's vines!"
"Hahaha! Is this really the ruler of Thunder Lord Shelter?"
On the opposite side, nobody laughed.
The disciples of Thunder Lord Shelter clenched their fists.
Some lowered their heads.
Others stared at Ralph with undisguised hatred.
"Thunder Lord..."
One young disciple took a step forward.
An elder immediately grabbed his shoulder.
"No."
"But—"
"This is a Lord's duel."
"If we interfere..."
"It becomes a war."
The young disciple bit his lip until it bled.
Ralph watched the scene with satisfaction.
"So these people..."
He gestured toward the disciples behind Thunder Lord.
"They're willing to die for you."
He smiled coldly.
"Then perhaps you should think about them."
"Concede."
"I'll spare your life."
The battlefield became silent once more.
Every eye turned toward Thunder Lord.
Would she surrender?
Would she save herself?
Thunder Lord slowly lifted her head.
Her calm blue eyes met Ralph's gaze.
"..."
She said nothing.
Not a single word.
Ralph's smile faded.
"You still refuse?"
Again...
Silence.
The only response was the crackling of blue lightning dancing faintly across her body.
Ralph's expression darkened.
"So be it."
His fingers slowly closed into a fist.
The vines immediately tightened.
CRACK!
A sickening sound echoed across the battlefield.
Thunder Lord's robes split open as fresh blood stained the black vines.
Gasps erupted throughout the crowd.
"Thunder Lord!"
Several disciples instinctively rushed forward.
Their elders immediately restrained them.
"Stop!"
"Don't interfere!"
"Have you all gone mad?"
"But she's—"
"Trust her!"
Although they shouted those words...
Even they no longer sounded convinced.
The vines continued tightening.
Blood slowly trickled down Thunder Lord's arms.
Her hands trembled slightly beneath the pressure.
Yet...
She neither cried out nor begged.
Ralph frowned.
"You really are stubborn."
His eyes flashed with killing intent.
"If pain isn't enough..."
"...then perhaps this is."
Dark energy surged through every vine.
The smooth black surface suddenly became covered in countless razor-sharp thorns.
They slowly sank into Thunder Lord's flesh.
Fresh blood flowed.
Still...
She remained expressionless.
The disciples of Thousand Sky Palace laughed louder.
"She's finished!"
"Master Ralph has won!"
"No one can survive that!"
Even many neutral spectators had begun shaking their heads.
They had witnessed countless Lord battles.
None ended well for whoever became trapped by Ralph's Underworld Vines.
The vines continued cutting deeper.
Again.
And again.
Until they reached the bone.
The horrifying sound of tearing flesh echoed throughout the battlefield.
Some weaker spectators turned away.
Others covered their mouths.
Even Ralph was beginning to lose patience.
"What?"
He narrowed his eyes.
"No screaming?"
"No pleading?"
"No fear?"
His voice became colder.
"I'll see how long you can maintain that expression."
BOOM!
Darkness exploded from his body once again.
Every vine tightened simultaneously.
CRACK!
CRACK!!
CRACK!!!
The battlefield trembled violently.
Thunder Lord's body was completely engulfed.
The black vines twisted together like a giant cocoon.
Then—
They exploded apart.
A rain of crimson blood fell from the sky.
Pieces of torn blue cloth drifted slowly through the air.
Nothing remained.
The battlefield froze.
Not a sound could be heard.
Even the wind seemed to stop.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Everyone stared blankly at the empty sky.
Gone.
Thunder Lord...
Was gone.
A disciple from Thunder Lord Shelter dropped his weapon.
"No..."
Someone else fell to their knees.
"This..."
"This can't be..."
Then—
"Hahaha!"
The disciples of Thousand Sky Palace erupted into deafening cheers.
"We won!"
"Master Ralph defeated Thunder Lord!"
"Our Thousand Sky Palace is victorious!"
Some even raised their weapons high into the air.
Others shouted Ralph's name repeatedly.
On the opposite side...
Killing intent erupted.
Several disciples of Thunder Lord Shelter unsheathed their weapons.
Their eyes were completely bloodshot.
"You bastards..."
"You killed our Lord!"
One man raised his spear.
"Charge!"
"Kill every last one of them!"
Immediately, the Thousand Sky Palace disciples drew their own weapons.
"So you want war?"
"Come!"
Neither side showed the slightest intention of backing down.
The atmosphere became suffocating.
One careless movement...
Would ignite a massacre.
Even Ralph ignored them.
Something felt...
Wrong.
He slowly looked upward.
The blood was still falling.
Yet his instincts refused to calm down.
His grip tightened around his swords.
"...Too easy."
Then—
A voice echoed across the battlefield.
"...Not bad."
It wasn't loud.
It wasn't angry.
Yet every single person heard it as clearly as if it had been spoken directly beside them.
The cheers stopped.
Weapons lowered.
The entire battlefield froze.
Ralph's pupils contracted.
His eyes darted across the battlefield.
"Who's there?"
No answer.
Only silence.
Then the voice spoke again.
"You actually managed..."
A faint chuckle followed.
"...to destroy my Thunder God Doll."
BOOOOOOM!!
The heavens exploded.
A colossal pillar of blue lightning descended from the clouds.
The sky itself seemed to split apart.
Every spectator instinctively shielded their eyes.
Lightning danced wildly across the battlefield.
The blood scattered throughout the sky suddenly transformed into countless tiny bolts of electricity.
They surged toward the pillar.
Then...
A figure slowly stepped out.
Blue robes.
Snow-white skin.
Long flowing hair.
A spear forged from heavenly lightning rested casually upon one shoulder.
Thunder Lord.
Completely unharmed.
She calmly surveyed the battlefield.
Not even a scratch could be found on her body.
The blood that had covered the battlefield moments ago vanished into sparks of lightning before disappearing completely.
Silence.
Absolute silence.
One elder suddenly widened his eyes.
"A Thunder God Doll..."
"So that's what we were looking at..."
Another laughed so loudly tears formed in his eyes.
"Hahaha!"
"I knew it!"
"Our Lord was never in danger!"
The disciples of Thunder Lord Shelter stared at their leader in complete disbelief before erupting into thunderous cheers.
"Thunder Lord!"
"Thunder Lord!"
"Thunder Lord!"
On the opposite side...
The smiles of Thousand Sky Palace's disciples disappeared.
Their faces turned deathly pale.
Ralph slowly lowered his swords.
For the first time since the battle began...
A bead of cold sweat rolled down his forehead.
His voice was unusually quiet.
"...I've been fighting..."
"...a doll?"