The lightning struck.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
For several seconds, Thunder Mountain disappeared beneath a massive storm of blue light.
The force of the impact shook the summit.
Rocks broke loose from the cliffs.
Ancient pillars cracked.
Dust and debris flew through the air.
At the center of it all stood Ryuzen.
His body was surrounded by blue thunder.
He could barely see.
His hair whipped wildly in the storm.
His clothes were being torn by the pressure.
Every muscle in his body screamed.
Ryuzen gritted his teeth.
“What… is this?”
The answer came from somewhere deep inside the mountain.
“PROVE YOUR SOUL.”
Ryuzen’s eyes widened.
Then everything went silent.
The thunder disappeared.
The wind disappeared.
The mountain disappeared.
Ryuzen found himself standing in complete darkness.
He looked around.
“Again?”
No answer.
He took a step.
The ground appeared beneath his feet.
Then a light appeared ahead.
Ryuzen walked toward it.
The light became brighter.
And suddenly—
He was standing inside the palace of Kryptoria.
Again.
Ryuzen stopped.
“Not this again.”
This time, however, the palace was not empty.
Hundreds of people stood inside the throne room.
Soldiers.
Nobles.
Citizens.
His brothers.
His mother.
His father.
All of them were looking at him.
Ryuzen’s expression hardened.
His father stepped forward.
“You came back.”
Ryuzen said nothing.
“You finally became strong.”
Kaizen stepped forward next.
His eyes were cold.
“So this is what you became after leaving.”
Ryuzen looked at him.
Kaizen smiled.
“But you’re still the same.”
Ryuzen’s fists tightened.
“Am I?”
Kaizen raised his hand.
The throne room transformed.
Suddenly Ryuzen saw himself standing above everyone.
His blue thunder had become enormous.
His family was kneeling before him.
His father looked terrified.
Kaizen’s head was lowered.
The people who once mocked him were begging for forgiveness.
A sword appeared in Ryuzen’s hand.
A voice whispered:
“You have the power now.”
Ryuzen stared at the scene.
“You can make them regret everything.”
His fingers tightened around the illusionary sword.
“You can make them suffer.”
Ryuzen’s breathing became heavier.
The voice continued.
“They took everything from you.”
Ryuzen remembered being disowned.
He remembered being thrown out of the palace.
He remembered the looks on people’s faces.
He remembered being called a disgrace.
His thunder began crackling around him.
For a moment, anger filled his heart.
Then he closed his eyes.
“No.”
The illusion froze.
Ryuzen opened his eyes.
“I don’t want this.”
The voice became louder.
“WHY?” This chapter is updated first at g.com.
“Because becoming like them won’t change what happened.”
The illusion trembled.
Ryuzen dropped the sword.
“I don’t need them to kneel.”
His blue thunder faded.
“I don’t need my father to apologize.”
The palace began cracking.
“I don’t need my brothers to respect me.”
The people around him began disappearing.
Ryuzen looked toward the throne.
“I only need to become strong enough to protect people who can’t protect themselves.”
The entire illusion shattered.
Ryuzen opened his eyes.
He was back in darkness.
But this time, something was different.
A faint golden light appeared ahead.
Ryuzen walked toward it.
A voice spoke.
“THEN ANSWER ONE FINAL QUESTION.”
Ryuzen stopped.
“What?”
“IF PROTECTING OTHERS REQUIRES YOUR LIFE…”
The darkness became completely silent.
“WILL YOU GIVE IT?”
Ryuzen stared ahead.
He thought about the villagers he had protected.
He thought about the people who had been afraid.
He thought about the monster in the forest.
He thought about the people who had once called him weak.
Then he remembered something Eldran had told him.
Strength wasn’t about destroying everything in front of you.
It was about having the power to protect what mattered.
Ryuzen smiled faintly.
“If that’s the price…”
He stepped forward.
“…then yes.”
The darkness vanished.
Ryuzen suddenly found himself standing before the ancient sword.
It floated in the center of a massive chamber.
The blade was black and silver.
Ancient golden markings covered its surface.
A strange circular symbol rested near the guard.
Lightning moved through the markings.
Ryuzen stared at it.
“So you’re the Life Contract.”
The sword remained completely still.
Ryuzen slowly approached.
He reached out.
His fingers touched the handle.
Nothing happened.
Ryuzen frowned.
He tightened his grip.
Still nothing.
“Come on.”
He pulled.
The sword didn’t move.
Ryuzen pulled harder.
Nothing.
His muscles tightened.
Thunder appeared around his arm.
Still nothing.
Ryuzen gritted his teeth.
“You’re kidding me.”
The sword remained motionless.
Then the chamber filled with a voice.
“A LIFE CONTRACT CANNOT BE TAKEN.”
Ryuzen froze.
“IT MUST BE ACCEPTED.”
The ancient symbols on the walls began glowing.
Ryuzen looked around.
“What does that mean?”
“POWER DOES NOT BELONG TO THE ONE WHO DESIRES IT.”
The sword began glowing brighter.
“IT BELONGS TO THE ONE WHO UNDERSTANDS ITS PURPOSE.”
Ryuzen looked at the blade.
He understood.
He had spent years wanting strength.
At first, he wanted to prove everyone wrong.
He wanted to show his family that they had made a mistake.
But somewhere along the way…
That had changed.
He had fought monsters.
Protected villagers.
Saved people who didn’t even know his name.
He had learned that strength wasn’t about proving himself. This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
It was about what he could do with that strength.
Ryuzen placed both hands around the sword.
“I understand.”
The blade remained still.
Ryuzen closed his eyes.
“I don’t want you so I can rule.”
Nothing.
“I don’t want you so I can take revenge.”
Nothing.
“I don’t want you so people will fear me.”
The sword began vibrating.
Ryuzen opened his eyes.
“I want you because there are people who need someone strong enough to stand between them and darkness.”
The entire chamber shook.
Ryuzen’s voice became stronger.
“And if I ever forget that…”
He looked directly at the blade.
“…then I don’t deserve to wield you.”
Silence.
Then—
CRACK!
A golden line appeared across the sword.
Ryuzen’s eyes widened.
The ancient symbols erupted with light.
The sword moved.
Slowly…
It lowered itself toward him.
Ryuzen didn’t move.
The handle touched his palm.
A burst of energy exploded through his body.
BOOOOOOM!
Ryuzen’s eyes widened.
Thunder raced through his veins.
He fell to one knee.
“AAAGH!”
The energy was overwhelming.
His Electric Eel roared inside his soul.
Blue thunder exploded from his body.
The chamber shook violently.
But Ryuzen refused to let go.
The sword was testing him.
His body screamed.
His soul shook.
But his grip remained firm.
“I…”
His teeth clenched.
“…won’t…”
The thunder intensified.
“…let go!”
The sword suddenly became weightless.
A golden symbol appeared between Ryuzen’s hand and the handle.
Then it spread across his arm.
Ryuzen gasped.
A strange warmth entered his soul.
For the first time, he could feel the sword’s presence.
Not as a weapon.
As a bond.
A connection.
A promise.
The ancient voice echoed one final time.
“LIFE CONTRACT ACCEPTED.”
The chamber exploded with light.
Ryuzen’s blue thunder surged upward.
The sword floated beside him.
The ancient markings on its blade glowed brilliantly.
Ryuzen slowly stood.
He looked at the weapon.
A smile appeared on his face.
“I did it.”
But before he could take another breath—
The entire mountain began shaking.
Ryuzen’s smile disappeared.
“What now?”
Above Thunder Mountain, the clouds began gathering again.
This time, the lightning wasn’t blue.
It was pure, violent energy.
Hundreds of bolts began converging toward the summit.
The sword beside Ryuzen began vibrating.
Ryuzen looked upward.
His instincts screamed.
Something enormous was coming.
He tightened his grip on the sword.
Then a bolt of lightning descended from the heavens.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
Ryuzen disappeared beneath the thunder.
And this time…
The lightning did not strike the mountain.
It struck him.