Chapter 40
At this moment, countless bolts of thunder erupted!
Lightning crackled in every direction, transforming the ground beneath them into a shimmering, golden surface. The once-ordinary stone pillars grew taller, adorned with glowing, intricate runes.
Above, the dome burst to life with vivid depictions of thunder and lightning, as arcs of purple electricity coiled and surged like serpentine dragons, occasionally exploding in brilliant flashes.
Russell rose from the throne.
Lightning leaped and converged around him, weaving together into segments of radiant silver armor. The pieces fused and solidified, forming a majestic, godlike suit. As he took a step forward, the lightning extended behind him, creating a crackling, flowing cloak that hissed and roared with power.
"This is impossible!" Cassandra's composure finally shattered. Her voice trembled with disbelief as she yelled, "How can there be a god of thunder in the void?!"
"You're deceiving me!"
Her cries were answered by a deafening boom of thunder.
BOOM!
The entire spiritual world trembled, and a voice rang out, carrying the weight of divine authority:
"I am Thor—Russell!"
"I will annihilate the forces of evil!"
His words were not mere declarations—they heralded immediate action. A massive bolt of purple lightning, thick as a tree trunk, shot down from the dome and struck Cassandra with violent force.
CRACK!
The golden ground beneath her shattered, leaving a molten crater. But before the lightning could completely consume her, Cassandra's figure reappeared a dozen meters away, her expression grim and furious.
The spiritual world was no illusion. The power manifested here was real. And now, it was clear—Russell truly wielded the power of Thor.
If she hadn't dodged in time, that attack would have done more than injure her—it could have obliterated her entirely.
The Trap Tightens
Realizing the danger, Cassandra made a split-second decision: she would flee the spiritual world. Fighting a godlike being here was suicidal.
But as she tried to escape, she was violently repelled. Thunder erupted from every surface—the walls, the dome, and even the ground—forcing her back into the center of the temple.
She groaned, staggering as she tried again, only to fail once more.
"No… this can't be!" Cassandra's face twisted in disbelief.
Russell sneered. "Did you think you could come and go as you pleased? You fell for my trap, Cassandra. I've waited too long for this moment to let you leave now."
The power of the [Soul Hall] entry activated at full intensity, amplifying Russell's spiritual energy while suppressing Cassandra's.
Cassandra felt herself weakening, her spiritual power diminishing rapidly. Desperation flashed in her eyes as she lunged at Russell, her telekinetic power erupting in an attempt to crush his spiritual core.
BOOM!
An explosion of thunder erupted from Russell's armor, repelling the attack effortlessly. Not even a scratch marred the divine armor of Thor.
Russell's voice was cold, sharp as a blade: "If this had been yesterday, you might have had a chance. But now? It's too late."
Thunder cascaded from the dome like a relentless storm.
Cassandra raised her hands, summoning a translucent barrier around herself. The spiritual shield held, but each strike of lightning drained her energy, leaving her paler and weaker. Cracks began forming on her body, spreading like spiderwebs.
Her spiritual form, already damaged before entering, was breaking apart under the assault.
Finally, a deafening scream tore from her lips as the barrier shattered.
The storm consumed Cassandra, her fragmented spiritual body disintegrating under the onslaught of divine power.
A New Threat
Russell exhaled deeply, lowering his hand as the thunderstorm subsided.
To think the once-formidable Cassandra, who had nearly broken him before, could now be defeated so decisively. A flicker of disbelief passed through him.
"It almost feels… unreal," he muttered.
And then—
A cold, chilling voice whispered behind him: "Indeed… doesn't it?"
Russell's pupils constricted, and his body tensed. Without hesitation, he unleashed a wave of lightning behind him.
CRACK!
The shockwave blasted him forward, slamming him into a massive stone pillar. He groaned, shaking his head as he stood, unharmed but disoriented.
When he turned, his eyes widened.
Perched mockingly on his throne was a grotesque creature: a baby-like figure with pinkish-purple skin, a bulbous head, and an unnervingly small body.
Charred marks from the lightning were visible on its twisted form, but it didn't seem bothered.
The creature tilted its head, a malicious grin spreading across its face.
"I truly despise pain," it crooned. "It brings back… memories. Memories of my time in the womb, when my cruel twin strangled me without hesitation."
The creature let out a bone-chilling wail, shaking the entire spiritual realm.
Russell's heart sank. He could feel the power of the Soul Hall weakening, its grip on the spiritual world loosening.
He gritted his teeth. If he didn't act fast, this twisted entity would completely unravel his advantage.
The Final Gambit
"Thunder!"
Russell summoned a massive bolt of lightning. It tore through the air, but the creature vanished before it could connect.
Reappearing five meters away, the baby shrieked, "You want to kill me too! You ALL want to kill me!"
With a roar, it unleashed a telekinetic wave, repelling the flames Russell had conjured.
Before it could retaliate further, another bolt of thunder struck, this time landing squarely on the creature.
A horrible screech echoed as its body broke apart—splintering into two, then four, then dozens, then hundreds.
From the shards emerged countless grotesque replicas, all resembling the baby but twisted in horrifying ways.
They swarmed forward like a tide of nightmares.
Russell's breath caught in his throat. "What in hell… is this power?"
For the first time, he cursed aloud, then bellowed: "ENOUGH!"
A shockwave of pure sound erupted from him, freezing the abominations mid-charge.
His eyes flared with power as the flames in his pupils turned to roaring thunder. The dome above split open, revealing a vortex of churning black clouds, alive with lightning.
This was his trump card—his final weapon to end Cassandra's threat.
"NOW!"
BOOM!!!
A colossal lightning column, wider than the temple itself, crashed down from the vortex, obliterating everything in its path.
When the light faded, the spiritual world was silent.
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Added 'All the Powers Russell has Till Ch 45' Auxiliary chapter do check it out.