Chapter 246: Chapter 246 - A Lord Rebirthed in Lightning
The soft chime of silver echoed through the air as a sleek, shimmering carriage approached under the afternoon sun. It hovered leaving behind trails of glittering energy that sparkled in its wake.
From inside the carriage, a figure with short red hair leaned out and waved brightly.
"Sera... hi! We’ve come to visit!"
Up on one of the jagged peaks, Serenith turned, her face lighting up as she waved back with delight.
"Ember! Luna! Celly! Brigid! Haaaiii—!"
Moments later, the carriage hovered closer, and one by one, the girls leapt gracefully down from it. As their feet touched solid ground, Luna and Ember’s magical girl outfits shimmered and dissolved, replaced by more casual travel wear. Their hair and clothing whipped in the wind that howled through the rocky landscape.
Kurogasa bowed deeply, his voice calm and respectful.
"Lady Luna, Lady Ember, Lady Celestia, and Lady Brigid, it is an honor to receive you here, especially in the midst of such intense training. Your visit brings welcome light to this rugged place."
"Master Kurogasa," Ember replied with a grin. "I’ve been dying to know what’s taking the Cunning Lord so long out here. What’s it been? One month now? He left his island in Edrik’s hands, flat-face Edrik! Ha!"
They all turned toward the center of the training grounds, where a swirling storm of wind, rain, lightning, and a towering tornado raged violently.
Luna stepped forward, her tone gentle. "Master Kurogasa, we only have a couple of days off. Two, maybe three. Since our islands hover near the mainland, we thought... why not pay a visit?"
Kurogasa bowed again in reply.
Ember, now standing at the front, pulled her sniper rifle from her back and peered through the scope toward the storm.
"What the hell is Atlas doing in there? Has he gone insane? Did he get tired of being a lord and decide to try self-destruction instead? What a masochist."
Luna stepped forward beside her, narrowing her eyes as she followed the arc of golden lightning flashing through the peaks. A golden trail darted and weaved across the jagged terrain, leaping into the tornado like a diver. Then swimming within it, before shooting back out to dance between crashing bolts of lightning.
"...Is that his class quest?" she murmured.
Brigid crossed her arms. "Just what kind of class did he choose... for a trial this brutal?"
They watched in silence. Until a massive bolt of lightning struck near Atlas, the blast throwing him violently from the top of a peak.
"Atlas!" Luna gasped, her voice sharp with panic.
"Atlas is dead!" Ember shouted, just as shaken, spinning toward Serenith. "Sera, Atlas!"
But even before they could react further, a figure cloaked in gentle green light darted through the air. Lyrassa, gliding with grace, caught Atlas mid-fall and swiftly carried him to a safer ledge.
"...Was Lyrassa there this whole time?" Luna asked, blinking.
Serenith let out a soft giggle. "You haven’t seen the worst of it. Lord Atlas once nearly died out here. He was unconscious for five whole days. If it weren’t for Lyrassa... he wouldn’t have made it."
"Damn," Ember muttered, shaking her head. "I guess I have to respect him for this, huh."
The group moved toward the camp setup near the jagged cliffs, where a Rank-A Ethereal Tent shimmered gently under the light. They settled into camping chairs scattered around the space, chatting as the wind howled faintly above. Most of the conversation was carried by Serenith, excitable and over-eager as always. While Kurogasa remained at the edge, silent and watchful.
From time to time, when Atlas was hurled far and high with no safe landing in sight, Serenith would suddenly leap to her feet, startling the group. Rushing so fast that her chair clattered backward, sending Ember toppling from hers.
Then, not long after, Serenith would return, floating back down with a playful laugh.
"False alarm. I panicked again. Turns out, Lord Atlas didn’t need my help," she said with a grin.
Ember groaned and dusted herself off. "Wait... so Lyrassa really just stays there the entire time? Doesn’t she ever get tired? And Atlas, does he never rest? This guy is absolutely insane."
Serenith giggled. "He sleeps just enough. Five, six hours maybe? Just long enough to eat something and recharge. Then he jumps right back in. Sometimes he even forgets to rest until he’s knocked out cold."
Ember sighed, folding her arms. "Thank goodness Lyrassa’s with him. I can’t imagine Morganna being here instead."
Luna laughed at that. "Ember, watch your mouth... Morganna is his first wife, you know."
"Yeah, yeah, Luna. But you know Morganna," Ember said with a smirk. "She’d probably laugh while saying Atlas is weak for getting tossed around like that and passing out."
"You’re too harsh, Ember," Luna replied, shaking her head. "Morganna’s not like that. She might be blunt, but she’s always been right there beside Atlas when it counts. I know there’s a softer heart beneath that armor of hers."
They continued chatting casually, letting the hours drift by until evening fell. Even under the stars, Atlas remained out there, pushing himself through his relentless, borderline-insane training. None of them could believe he still hadn’t stopped.
Eventually, they all agreed to stay a few more days, maybe two or three. Just to see how far he would take it... and how this insane trial would end.
At one point, Celestia asked to get a closer look at Atlas. With Serenith guiding her, the two floated carefully toward the storm zone to observe from a safe distance. But they returned not long after, Celestia looking frazzled and breathless.
"My outfit almost flew off!" she exclaimed. "The wind was ridiculous out there."
"That’s because you’re wearing something way too revealing, Celly," Ember said. "You’re practically flashing your thighs."
"Ember! Watch your mouth!" Celestia shot back, clearly annoyed. She grabbed Ember from behind and started tickling her mercilessly. "You wear even less than I do! And look at you, showing off those skinny little thighs. No shape at all. Who’s going to be into that?"
"I’m still a teenager!" Ember protested through giggles, trying to break free. "Give me a few years! Once I’m your age, my body will be way more gorgeous than yours. Your chest won’t stand a chance!"
Serenith, watching the chaos unfold, burst out laughing. "Maybe you two should start wearing something like mine. Fully covered!"
Both Ember and Celestia turned toward her at once.
"Sera, seriously," Celestia said, trying to catch her breath. "Have you seen your outfit? That thing is skin-tight! You’re no better than us!"
They all laughed together, their teasing echoing against the peaks.
From a quiet corner nearby, Kurogasa, still standing at attention, subtly turned his gaze away, clearly trying to remain unaffected by the conversation.
**
Morning arrived.
The group was already awake, sipping water and stretching beneath the pale sky. But Atlas was still at it.
He hadn’t stopped.
Luna and the others stood in place, wide-eyed, watching in disbelief. Serenith’s earlier words echoed in their minds, proven true with every passing hour.
But then, lightning began to fall again, heavier than before. The sky rumbled with violent roars as streaks of blinding white cracked down in rapid succession.
The storm had turned savage.
Then, a burst of blinding light surged in the distance. Lightning struck several times in the same spot, the flashes so intense they obscured everything in a burst of white and smoke.
They all cried out at once.
"Atlas! Atlas!" Ember shouted in panic. "He had to be hit! There’s no way he survived that!"
Serenith’s expression shifted, panic rising. But before she could move, Kurogasa, standing not far behind them, gave a subtle nod.
"No... Lord Atlas has completed his training."
"What?!" they all gasped in unison, stunned.
"I swear I just saw him take multiple lightning strikes!" Ember said, breathless. "I thought he was done for!"
"Should we go check on him?" Celestia asked, her voice tight with concern. "I’m seriously worried..."
But then, they saw it.
From the edge of the misty storm, something burst through the air, wrapped in golden light. A shape. A presence.
"What... is that?" Luna whispered.
The glowing figure floated toward them, slow and steady, as if gravity held no weight. Atlas hovered just above them, suspended in the sky.
Clad in armor of deep ocean blue, streaked with golden spikes of lightning. His hair now longer, cascading around his shoulders, and a short, rugged beard framed his jaw. In his arms, he carried Lyrassa.
The five girls stood there, stunned, mouths open, eyes wide.
"That’s... mesmerizing," Celestia murmured.
Atlas landed softly on the ground just a few paces from them, golden sparks still crackling faintly around his form. With slow grace, he lowered Lyrassa from his arms and let her stand.
Then, with a casual motion, he dismissed his armor.
Only his bare chest remained, glistening from rain and sweat, his breathing steady and calm. His shorts were torn, battle-worn, hanging low on his hips.
The silence among the girls was deafening.
Ember blinked, then quickly reached out and covered Luna’s eyes. Celestia, in turn, clapped her hands over Ember’s. Brigid immediately lowered her gaze, her face flushed a deep crimson.
Serenith just stood there, grinning awkwardly.