Imperial and Ari set up camp in a forest but are soon approached by mysterious villagers warning them of danger. They travel to a nearby village plagued by a powerful monster demanding food. Upon learning the villagers' struggle, Imperial reveals his royal identity and volunteers to face the beast .
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As Imperial and the villagers cautiously approached the edge of the darkened cave, the ground beneath their feet vibrated with a low, threatening hum. From within the shadows, the monster emerged—towering, broad, with skin like hardened obsidian, pulsing faintly with runes that shimmered with residual magic. Its eyes glowed an unnatural orange, and each breath it took released a ripple of heat.
Imperial narrowed his eyes. So this is the beast draining the village dry... his magic pressure is real. No wonder even soldiers couldn't scratch him.
Suddenly, the monster's glowing eyes locked onto Imperial, interpreting him as a threat to its meal. With a guttural roar, it charged forward, the forest shaking with each thunderous step.
"IS THIS GUY CRAZY?!" the boy from the village shouted in his mind, watching from a distance. "He's not even dodging—he's just standing there!"
Just as the monster's massive claws were about to strike, Imperial vanished in a blinding flash of light—Lightning Walk.
Gasps erupted from the villagers. "Where did he go?!" Goh exclaimed, spinning his head wildly.
A spark cracked behind the monster. Imperial reappeared—calm, collected, standing with his sword lowered.
The monster roared in confusion, then rage, sensing the flicker of lightning magic in the air. It launched forward again, this time swinging its arm with brute force. But Imperial was already gone, zipping around the beast at blinding speed—each step crackling with electricity.
He skidded to a stop a few feet away and raised his hand. A sharp pulse of Lightning Pressure burst out in a wave, causing the monster to flinch momentarily. But instead of fleeing, the beast became more aggressive. Its runes flared, and it unleashed a stream of scorching flame from its mouth.
Imperial's eyes sharpened. "Let's try this."
He unsheathed his blade, its edge humming with charged energy, and slashed through the fire breath in a single, sweeping arc. The flames split around him harmlessly—cut by raw lightning magic.
Cheers and disbelief rippled from the villagers. But the fight was far from over.
The monster suddenly pounded its fists into the earth, releasing a violent shockwave that shattered nearby rocks and ripped through the ground. Massive Earthquake created and approaching towards Imperial .
"Everyone! Get back!" Imperial barked, turning briefly to shield the villagers. Then he slammed his sword into the ground.
"Lightning Art: Volt Quake!"
From the point of impact, a radiant pulse of electric energy surged outward in a circular wave, countering the earth shockwave in a thunderous explosion. Trees swayed, birds fled in panic, and a golden-white storm of lightning danced across the shattered earth.
The villagers stared, wide-eyed. They were witnessing something they never saw.
The monster growled low and charged again.
Imperial smiled faintly. "Let's end this warm-up."
He dashed forward in a blur and shouted:
"Lightning Magic: Sword Dance!"
He moved with impossible speed, flickering from one side of the monster to another, slashing in a precise sequence—right leg, left shoulder, side ribs, spine, arms—his blade striking at every weak point he could sense. Sparks flew with each clash. The air itself screamed with each movement.
To the villagers, it looked like a whirlwind of lightning tearing through the battlefield.
Then—silence.
Imperial landed several meters behind the monster, standing tall, slowly sliding his blade back into its sheath with a soft click.
The monster remained standing.
"No way… it didn't even get scratched?" one of the villagers whispered in shock.
But a second later, the ground quaked beneath the monster's feet. Its legs gave out. The creature let out a low groan and crashed to the earth with a thunderous boom, the shockwave spreading dust and debris in all directions.
Everyone froze.
The monster was still breathing—alive, but unable to move.
Just then, the boy who had been silently watching the entire battle stepped forward. His eyes shimmered with a strange glow as he approached the downed monster.
"What's he doing?" Imperial muttered, hand on his hilt.
The boy raised his hand and whispered something in an ancient language. A soft blue light formed a sigil in the air, and in an instant, the monster vanished—disappearing into thin air as if swallowed by space itself.
"What... did I just see?" Imperial whispered, eyes narrowing.
The villagers stood in stunned silence, but in Imperial's heart, questions began to swirl. Who is this boy… and what kind of magic was that?
Something far deeper than a monster attack was unfolding—and Imperial could feel it in his bones.