"AHHHHHH!"
Damien's scream was contained within the pillar of lightning striking down on his body, unable to escape.
Yet, the agony he felt was very real.
Getting hit by a pillar of Heavenly Lightning naturally had the effects one would expect it to have.
The only thing in Damien's heart and mind was pain, and no matter what he tried, he could do nothing but endure.
The Imperious Flame Eagle's essence formed a film around him and protected him from a large portion of the lightning's effects, which was why he wasn't burned to a crisp already.
But it didn't seem like his torture would end any time soon.
And the worst part…
'What a petty Universal Law!'
Despite being entrenched in its fluctuations, Damien couldn't feel an ounce of the Universal Law.
This attack had the potential to be a massive blessing that made his pain worth it, but the Severed World wasn't so kind.
It hid the truths of its law behind barriers upon barriers of lightning and formless protection.
Damien's perception was trapped within a certain region and unable to trace those hidden truths, and he was in far too much pain to consciously summon the Void to assist him!
The current form his body held was still powerful, but his physical defense was far too weak to handle an attack of this scale.
His regeneration was also stalled and [Heal] was unavailable, so enduring silently and internalizing the pain was impossible.
'When…will…this…end?!'
To keep his mind stable, Damien counted every second he spent in torment. More than a minute passed already, yet the Heavenly Lightning showed no signs of dispersing.
Absolute anguish spread through his nervous system.
The lightning was laced with the world's intent. It didn't merely strike his physical body and attempt to end him, no, it made sure he knew he was being punished!
The only defenses he currently had were the Imperious Flame Eagle's essence and his own flimsy 2nd class mana.
These two layers dispersed and diverted the power of the heavens, and with the last shred of consciousness remaining in his mind, he manipulated his mana to use Vector Control as much as he possibly could.
'Pain is power. Pain is power. Pain is—'
"KHHHH…!"
Damien gritted his teeth and repeated his motto over and over again in his mind.
All he had to do was stay alive.
The world was angry, but it was also unbiased.
Damien's subordinates who illegally entered the realm were targeted with lethal power, but Damien himself still had a way out.
Because not only did he enter and accept the realm's restrictions, but he didn't break the rules with his actions.
After all, the power he was able to utilize in here was power he gained here. The previous shattering of the Void's prison was done without abusing loopholes, so the actions he took using his newly gained abilities were also not restricted.
Still, he assisted others in breaking the rules, so he needed to be put in his place.
If he died, it was his fault for being too arrogant!
He knew this in his heart and held on with every ounce of power he could utilize.
With the passing of time, as he got more acclimated to the pain, he was able to use his lucidity to increase his defense, which thereby reduced the pain he felt.
5 minutes.
It took an entire 5 minutes before the Heavenly Lightning Pillar started to reduce in size until it completely vanished.
The storm above also disappeared in a flash, as if it never existed.
Thud!
Damien's body fell to the ground limply, his skin charred in many places and his eyes unfocused.
"Haa…haa…haa…"
He took in the fresh air around him and gradually brought his mind back to reality.
However…
'Fuck, I can't move.'
There were still strands of lightning coursing through his nerves. He was unable to control his body or even summon his mana.
'Transcendent Regeneration is doing this job, but I guess I'll be stuck here for the next…two or so minutes?'
"Heh…"
He smirked, or at least he tried to, with an expression of pride shining in his eyes.
'I survived a direct attack from the Heavenly Law. How many people can say that?'
It wasn't his first time doing it, but every time was an unprecedented achievement.
It wasn't wrong for him to feel proud.
Only, the current situation was not the ideal place to drop one's guard.
Whoosh!
A light wind brushed against Damien's face, and a large shadow shaded him from the sunlight cascading down from above.
Damien's strange smirk-like expression lost its joy in an instant.
'Ah…fuck.'
Standing over him was none other than the Thunder Demon Crow with a strange glint in its eyes.
"Khh…hey, if you want to fight, wait a bit. I'm a little incapacitated right now…"
Damien used mana to transmit his voice, putting just a slight bit of faith in the challenge system this mountain held.
But of course, it was false hope at best.
"Now that you have killed Haka, you are a new King. There is no rule that restricts fighting between Kings."
Damien smiled wryly.
'Worst case scenario, I get hit by more Heavenly Lightning…that's a worst case scenario I really don't want to experience…'
Was there no other choice?
He knew the girls were probably somewhere nearby, but he didn't want them to get involved with this.
After all, the foe was a 4th class being!
Damien looked into the raven's eyes as it raised its claw into the air.
'I guess I'm going to experience what it feels like to be eaten ali—'
Damien's eyes widened.
A figure appeared in the skies above without revealing an ounce of its presence.
"Crow, do not."
The being said only three words.
But three words were enough to freeze the crow in its tracks.
Its head turned hesitantly, and it lowered its posture submissively the second he confirmed the newcomer's identity.
"Pegasus, this is my prey. Haven't we agreed to not interfere with each other's affairs?" The crow spat through gritted beak.
The Pegasus was powerful, but the crow was a king as well! He was unresigned to simply following this being's will, and he was humiliated by himself for instinctively lowering himself in front of it.
"Our agreement holds no weight in this instance. I am not acting on my will, but my master's." The Pegasus responded indifferently.
The Thunder Demon Crow's eyes narrowed in frustration, but there was nothing it could do.
He could still muster up his courage to confront the Pegasus, but the Cloud Emperor could not be disobeyed.
The emperor of this entire world; if he offended such an entity, death would be the least of his worries!
Tap!
The Pegasus gently landed on the ground and walked past the Thunder Demon Crow, not paying any mind to his presence.
He approached Damien and looked down at him with a frown on his face.
"Foolish human, come with me. My master wishes to see you."
Damien returned the creature's gaze blankly.
"What is it, fool?"
"Um…I'm a little paralyzed right now, so I could really use some help."
"…"
The Pegasus sighed and used mana to lift Damien's body onto his back.
No matter how he looked at it, he just couldn't understand what his master saw in this foolish outsider!
