章節 8: The god of lightning who smiles with happiness.

Narrator POV:

At the training ground in the forest next to the castle, storm clouds covered the sky today, it looked like it would rain very, very soon.

Rumble! Boom! The sound of thunder could be heard in the distance! Adam didn't care about that; he was focused on something else.

Things hadn't gone as planned for him. Something unexpected for him happened in that first sparring match.

Originally, the plan was that he would use that ability, [Eyes of the Lord], to copy his son. Then, having shown him the power of it, he would teach him how to use his own.

That was completely feasible. Although his son's ability, [Mirror eyes], was less "powerful" than his, it did have more raw potential. He could copy more "higher".

But somehow everything went wrong. No...

'I thought I took him seriously. It turns out I still underestimated him quite a bit.' Adam thought, automatically dodging thanks to his eyes designed in the image of God.

'He's...'

Adam's eyes flashed with light, in less than a second, he copied the technique his son had just used. He could already use it at the same level as him without even training for it at all.

'Evolving!'

They had the same strength. The same speed. Same durability. Same as everything physically.

The world king matched their physical strengths to exactly the same level. Logically, he should have the advantage, he could copy what he did without any effort. Adam knew 'that'.

He didn't train much during his life. He was already a born fighter. A prodigy full of talent. He could effortlessly copy any achievement of others with just a glance of his own.

Therefore, he knew how enviable such talent was from the point of view of others. Today, he experienced feeling exactly such a thing.

'...'

The air tensed for a moment as their gazes collided. Mikhael's expression bordered on indifference. He seemed calm. But his eyes betrayed how much he really enjoyed finally fighting someone on the same level as him.

They burned with an almost childlike passion of wanting to win. He wasn't likely to. It wasn't the goal of the training. But, he wanted to win and thus defeat this very powerful man!

Advancing towards the father of humanity, Mikhael took advantage of the complete control he had over his body thanks to the [Demon King].

Adam saw how the muscles in his foot contracted. Stepping onto the ground, Mikhael shot forward at blinding speed.

Boom! Cracks were created all over the ground.

Just like a cannonball. No. Like a bolt of lightning. One that heads right towards Adam with less than a few seconds until it hits him.

'That technique again or...?'

Adam hesitated. He thought rapidly. He had already copied that technique. A footwork technique that focuses on its user becoming "one with everything" to "become like lightning itself" at superhuman speed.

'Or will it be something new once again...?'

His suspicions were confirmed when his eyes caught how all of the young man's muscles went through various states.

The muscles became tense like a steel cable. Relaxed like "water." And like "lightning" itself once again. All while running towards him.

'But I already copied that technique, didn't I? Well, never mind. I'll redirect the force and return it.' Adam prepared to use another technique he just copied. It consisted of manipulating all the force behind the enemy's attack against him.

Mikhael would strike and Adam would turn into 'water', redirecting that force through that 'water' and returning it along with his own.

At least, that's what he assumed would happen.

Stopping suddenly at a distance less than 20 centimeters from Adam, Mikhael ignored the pain in his feet, his fist stopped less than millimeters from Adam's chest.

The young man's body was already leaning forward. Crouched brake. Those states from before replayed his body. Very, very tense or relaxed. Until only his arm tensed with all the rotational energy in it!

Then...

Boom! Before Adam's body could make any move, that fist suddenly exploded with all its accumulated power and struck him directly.

"Dragon Shot"

Eve looked on in absolute surprise. The attack hit. The upper limit of the redirection technique was surpassed, and Adam flew back a few meters before stopping.

The path of his feet was marked on the ground. He was moved. On his chest was the mark of the punch from the almost zero distance.

That was Fa Jin! The one-inch punch!

Well, at least, this fist was a variant of this Chinese martial art. More accurately it was one that he copied from a fictional work.

That was how exaggerated his talent was, thanks to that total control of his body, he could replicate techniques like that one.

As for how the young man could use all of that now with that strength of a normal human: that was because both Adam and he did not use the strength of a normal human at all in the first training!

Adam's strength is directly relative to Mikhael's. If it's 1, his will be 1. If it's 10, his will be 10. So, no more, no less. Equal.

That's how exaggerated the dragon's control and freedom were in her world! In that main universe, where "that" restriction was eased!

As for the source of Mikhael's strength:

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

The sound could be heard meters away from him...

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

Alive! Strong! Fast! Powerful! Sonorous!

His heart beats so hard! Like a raging drum! As if his heart wanted to escape from his chest and run free! That cardiovascular expenditure rapidly increased his metabolic rate!

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

Every blood vessel in the young man's body is noticeably visible on his skin. His skin is already a very dark demonic red!

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

The sclera of both eyes had turned black. His entire body was filled with a power that no normal human could reach. Added to that was the release of the limits his brain placed on his entire body's strength.

Now even his brain itself worked faster!

'This body is so fucking amazing!'

Mikhael clenched his fists feeling the power.

'Even if I use [Divine Demon], the terrifying vitality of this body can hold out for at least ten more minutes!'

[Divine Demon]. It was originally [Advance] and [Fallen Demon] combined; these grant power and great reaction speed at the price of putting a giant pressure on his whole body.

To that, he added [Removal], also using as a reference the principle of a "fictional" technique (No longer really fictional), which consisted of releasing the limits his brain placed on him for his own good.

Before, he could only use it for less than 5 minutes before starting to experience horrible side effects! Now that time was extended to at least 20 full minutes!

'I want to fight more with him! Much more!'

Mikhael got back into his fighting stance and looked at the man who managed to stop.

"Dragon shot, huh?" Adam smiled slightly at him. The pain in his chest did not lie. If he had not used excellent control of his body's strength, he would fly backward.

This was exactly the reason why everything went differently than planned in his mind.

It didn't matter that he copied everything from his son. He would just use another technique. Another copy? He would go and combine two, three, or even four techniques at once in different orders to confuse him.

If that was all, he wouldn't feel some pride swelling in his chest at seeing such a brilliant young man like him in his bloodline!

This brat was actually using him as a practice dummy! He became a perfect mirror in which he could observe in great detail any error or room for improvement in his fighting style!

He was evolving! There was no other way to call this outrageous speed of improvement! He refined his techniques, fused them, and took them to another level in just a few minutes!

The speed of his copy actually did not give him much of an advantage over the speed of his evolution! Just relying on the control over his entire body, martial skill, and his great talent!

Genius! Prodigy! Born fighter! Faced with this potential that surpassed him, he felt excitement. What kind of monster would be born in that year?

But that was not all he faced there.

Swooosh!

Adam's fist ripped out some of Mikhael's hair. The fist that was practically undodgeable was dodged. He almost seemed to be able to see the future, but that was just [pride] working.

The young man's supernatural intuition made it so that his experience barely managed to take the initiative in combat! He dodged many of his attacks with the grace of a dancer!

"As expected, just the same level won't do. Let's try pushing you to your limits." Kurma (Avatar) said, seeing the whole "training".

Suddenly, the power behind all of Adam's blows increased by a large margin. The speed became faster. Even his reaction speed improved.

If Mikhael was a 5, the current Adam was a 25!

Boom!

Eve watched with some concern as the young man's body flew back dozens of meters. Bouncing until he regained his balance and stopped his movement.

"World King, why is it that you...!?"

Kurma (Avatar) ignored the mother's worried eyes. "The goal today in this training is to let the human know Mikhael's limits, not to play like this."

"Also, human, no, since he's trying to accept you all as a family just now...Eve, you're still underestimating my dear king too much."

"Huh?!" Eve made a sound of surprise at that title. Her new son was ALREADY dating her? And, what exactly did she mean by that...?

"Mikhael, actually..." Kurma watched the young man get up from the ground, spitting out some of his blood. "He hasn't even used half of his full power. In fact, if he uses [that thing] he doesn't want to use, he might even win the fight."

Eve asked questions out of curiosity but was only ignored. She decided to concentrate on watching the fight to understand what that king meant.

"I think I broke...something. Is it a rib perhaps? Yup...a rib." Mikhael felt the state of his body. That was a hard attack just now.

"My expectations have been raised and I will not be gentle because you are my son." Adam stepped closer. "I hope you can continue..."

"Continue, you say?" Mikhael only laughed.

"That" would not be used unless it was a last resort, but "this other", was the great power he became famous for in his world.

"Do not underestimate me! Oh, great father of mine!"

A certain red lightning seemed to flash in the depths of his dark eyes. He raised a hand as if summoning something. The target of the hand was the sky above them.

"Today is a perfect day to enjoy this battle against you!" Mikhael said and looked at the sky. "You, the destroyer in the sky, my great weapon!"

Adam looked in bewilderment. He didn't know the young man's story yet. Then, he didn't know the title that belonged to his son either.

"Oh, my faithful companion, howl wildly!"

He didn't know the title feared in the world of the awakened. One of the many of his.

Rumble! The thunderous sound of thunder shook the skies filled with black clouds!!!

Wicked warrior. Magsarion. The one who strikes before the sound. Mercurius. The god of Kage. All these titles only paled before "that" one!

"And answer my call, my thorn, [wrath]!!"

Boom! "That" fell. "That" answered his call. Just like a faithful servant, "that" came now!

Booooooooooooooooooooooooooooom!

The world itself seemed to turn white!

The deafening sound made the air tremble And a gigantic red lightning bolt, the size of at least dozens of "normal" lightning bolts, arrived!

The title was not very impressive, or unique.

Many gods in mythology held it. But in the world of the awakened, only one being could be synonymous with such words!

Rumble! Boom! Rumble! Boooooooooooom!

The lightning covered the entire silhouette of the young man. The pure energy in it shook the surrounding trees. Those lightning sang like a thousand birds as if they were greeting him joyfully.

They were greeting their "god"; [The god of Lightning]!

"Oh! So that is that thunder, the one that at its maximum power already rivals that of Zeus!" Kurma said looking at that red pillar managing to connect the sky and the earth.

"One of those [Seven deadly sins]; [Wrath]."

If she had not allowed the manifestation, [Wrath] would not have been able to use those clouds there. But this was part of her goal; Getting Mikhael to use all of his power, just except for "that thing"

"That thing" wasn't necessary if he didn't want to use it.

Adam looked at that figure surrounded by currents of electricity that released sparks around. Between his fingers, that lightning bolt danced faithfully.

"Do you still want to continue, father?" He said to him.

Adam smiled once more. "Don't be so proud, brat." His body was already filling with power, at least three times stronger than a moment before that. "I can still continue for a long time!"

"Exactly what I wanted!" Mikhael stopped feeling the nostalgic addictive power and stomped hard on the ground. Boom! He shot towards the father of humanity and attacked him.

Eve only saw lights flashing back and forth. She couldn't see them clearly. But it was already obvious how fast they were moving. As a deafening noise sounded repeatedly.

Boom! The sound barrier was broken!

Mikhael and Adam were locked in combat where they gave everything they had according to their current strength. Shadows of fists danced as dozens of techniques clashed.

At least, that's what Eve could see!

A red aura surrounded Mikhael's body. He narrowly dodged an attack before counterattacking and preparing for the next attack that was already coming. Again, and again, and again!

His muscles tensed to the limit and his eyes began to hurt. A certain dizziness invaded his consciousness. All the side effects began.

At one point, blood began to blur his vision. But he couldn't stop himself. He was having so much fun!

Boom!

Mikhael punched Adam directly, who spat out blood as well and punched back.

Boom!

"Hahahahaha!" Mikhael put on a big, bloody, rather creepy smile. This was the first time in his entire life. The first time he could give it his all without worrying about anything.

Very, very few people could rival him in his home world!

And when "that" part of "him" comes out, it is no longer a question of strength or weakness...

That's why he felt a huge sense of liberation!

Fist after fist. Kick after kick. Punch after punch. It was truly beautiful! Adam was even getting stronger than him, overwhelming him in combat!

There was someone stronger than him!! Much stronger!! He, Mikhael, was no longer the strongest!!

The countdown was coming to an end, but he couldn't resign himself to parting with that feeling.

"It looks like you're about to fall, my son!" Adam looked at the young man clearly staggering in his blows. He followed his example because he felt it.

He wasn't an empath nor did he have the skills for it, but it wasn't necessary. He could feel that right behind each fist. The enormous burden that the young man had carried in him until now.

And the happiness, relief, comfort, and joy, something childish in his blows. He seemed to rejoice from the bottom of his heart for finding someone like him, for... not being different from him.

If the father of humanity was so strong, it meant that he could also be that strong as a human, right? At least, that's what the young man felt on the verge of fainting in front of Adam, his father.

"Was it fun?" Adam asked, smiling.

Mikhael looked up at the sky which was already clearing. The state of his entire body didn't matter to him at this great moment. He simply felt... comfortable in his own skin.

"Yes, it was. I really...had fun...thank you."

The young man's unconscious body fell forward. Adam ignored the pain in his body and was going to hold this great son of his.

But the opportunity was taken away from him by the dragon.

"I didn't understand why he was worried about that." Kurma said, holding him and healing him. "Does it matter if it's human or not? But, looking at him like this, it seems like it truly is... important."

A happy smile spread across a certain face.

***

(Extra scene)

"Our son is dating the world king! He actually won over that tough and cold woman! Can I look forward to seeing my grandchildren this year?!"

Adam walked through the woods back to their cabin. Eve was jumping for joy next to him as she remembered Kurma placing her son's head on her thighs and caressing him.

"Eve, did you just realize that? The king is unconsciously looking at Mikhael just like you are looking at me." Adam said, as he walked without any visible wounds anymore.

"Hmmmm? Now that I think about it, it's true. She looks at us like an iceberg and she looks at him with warmth like our chimney." Eve turned her head, looking at a special area of the forest near her cabin. "By the way, my love, what do you think is into that place?"

There was no sound there. Not the slightest disturbance. There was no life there. Not the slightest warmth. It was something terrifying, almost unnatural.

"A dragon." Adam said. "I asked the king if I should avoid the area. The silence there was somewhat eerie. Apparently that dragon loves her 'silence' and that area was made just for her."

"Oh, I see," Eva said, quickly losing interest. "Okay, back home!"

They both arrived at the two-person cabin they were living in. Soon, laughter could be heard from inside from shadows next to the fire in the chimmey. They are really a lovely couple, aren't they?