章 18: A War Between Kingdoms (Part 1)

[Four Years Later]

Four years had passed quickly since Kai's reincarnation. Growing taller and stronger, he had decided to intensify his training, pushing the limits of his Endowment and honing his physical skills. He was preparing for a day he had both anticipated and dreaded—the beginning of the war.

The conflict had ignited sooner than Kai had accounted for in the novel, largely due to his own interventions. His decisive action against the Darkness Guild had sent ripples through the kingdoms, altering the course of events. After that incident, Biola swiftly ceased trade with Asura, a clear sign that they were gearing up for war.

Asura had taken a significant blow from the disruption of trade goods, but after a year of recovery, the kingdom had returned to its former glory. However, the air was thick with tension, and Kai could feel the impending conflict. Biola Kingdom had finally begun their invasion.

The early stages of the assault had been marked by a cunning naval maneuver. The port of Imperial had been invaded, with enemy ships equipped with cloaking runes that concealed their magical signatures. Asura's defenses had been caught off guard, unable to react until the enemy was upon them.

This time was different, though. Ever since the first signs of aggression from Biola, Asura Kingdom had been on high alert. Adventurers and Magus gathered at the ports, and even the smallest towns were fortified with students from the Institution of Magic, ready to defend their homeland. Imperial city had long been evacuated, but the impending brawl threatened to consume everything.

Clad in the same black cloak he had taken the day he stole the Endowment Wine, Kai moved through the deserted streets of Imperial city. The cloak billowed around him, a dark silhouette against the chaos brewing outside. At eleven years old, he had grown into a muscular and toned figure, his blue, glowing eyes shining with determination as he braced for the turmoil ahead.

"I promised myself that Biola wouldn't gain an advantage in this war," he muttered, his voice steady. With a subtle flick of his will, he began to levitate off the ground. "And I plan to keep that promise to the very end."

In an instant, he shot into the air, the wind exploding around him as he ascended. Below him, the port—once a bustling hub of trade—was transformed into a battlefield. The ground was littered with the dead bodies of Magus and Adventurers, their lives extinguished amidst pools of blood.

'The weaklings,' he thought, disdain dripping from his internal voice. 'They always get taken out first in a battle.'

The remaining ships that had yet to dock were manned with cannons, launching volleys of cannonballs that rained down on the port, devastating the Imperial defenders. Kai narrowed his eyes, resolve solidifying within him.

"I'll need to intervene," he murmured, his cloak fluttering in the wind. The past four years had been a stark contrast to the first seven he spent in this world. He had pushed his training to new heights, mastering his Lightning Endowment and refining his sensing abilities. He was powerful enough to take on all of these ships—he had to be.

Kai surged forward, lightning arcing around him as he closed in on the fleet. The ships were large, packed with Magus and Adventurers eager to raid the city.

"You won't get the advantage in numbers," he declared, stopping mid-air. He could see the cannons swiveling to target him, and within moments, several cannonballs hurtled through the air, intent on obliterating him. Kai, however, remained unfazed, staring at them as if they were nothing more than mere pebbles.

With a sudden burst of energy, lightning exploded around him, forming a protective barrier that redirected the cannonballs harmlessly into the sea below, where they splashed into oblivion. The sky darkened ominously as storm clouds gathered, rumbling with the promise of chaos.

He tried to tap into the immense power he had summoned the night his sister had been kidnapped. Though he couldn't fully control it yet, he still possessed an incredible reservoir of strength to unleash with his Endowment.

With a decisive movement, he brought his hand down, unleashing a clean arc of lightning that sliced through the water and ships like a knife through butter. Explosions erupted in a chain reaction, tearing through the enemy vessels and denying them the numerical advantage they had counted on.

But the violence on the ground raged on, with both sides pouring their energies into the fight. Spells crackled in the air, illuminating the darkening skies. The fate of Imperial city rested on this battle, and both factions fought with everything they had.

Kai's eyes scanned the chaos below, determination coursing through him. He shot forward once again, eager to assist the beleaguered defenders, but his progress was abruptly halted by a fireball that careened toward him. With a swift turn, he identified the source—a surviving Magus amidst the wreckage.

Expanding his mana sensing, Kai felt the presence of every Magus nearby – there were quite a few that had survived. He narrowed his focus on the attacker, the surge of energy flowing through him like an electric current. With a fluid motion, he summoned an lightning arrow.

"Just make this fun for me," Kai said, a devilish grin spreading across his face, his voice low and menacing.

With a flick of his wrist, he launched the lightning arrow toward the Magus, its trajectory swift and deadly. The arrow sliced through the air, leaving a trail of lightning in its wake. As it neared its target, he felt a rush of exhilaration.