Chapter 99

At the same time, more than half of the northern province had been captured by Esdeath's million-strong army.

The personnel of the 'Law Enforcement Tribunal' controlled the order of the city as quickly as possible, spreading from the city to the surrounding villages and towns. All the sinners were judged amidst the cheers of the people, and open spaces in every city turned into blood-soaked grounds.

Esdeath, who was running non-stop as if she didn't know fatigue, was leading the army to attack the remaining cities in the northern province. It was very easy to attack the cities, and there was no need for her to do it herself.

When the people in the city heard the arrival of the believers of the 'God of Justice', they all turned into allies. It can be said that all the powerful landlords in the city were surrounded by these supporters, and even half of the soldiers guarding the city turned in favor of them. They secretly opened the city gates and allowed the troops to rush directly into the city.

Just as Esdeath's army was crushing the defenders in the city, dark clouds suddenly rolled up in the sky.

Rumble, rumble, rumble...

Thunder and lightning flashed in the dark clouds, like the wrath of the God of Thunder. Although the sudden phenomenon was very frightening, the dark clouds only covered a dozen kilometers of the city, while the rest of the place still had blue skies and white clouds.

Lightning bolts fell from the sky and struck various places throughout the city. Esdeath's soldiers screamed as the lightning struck; some were reduced to charcoal, while others were torn apart.

"Ahhhhh..."

Esdeath walked out of the tent outside the city, her ice-blue eyes observing the strange celestial phenomena in the sky and the lightning striking the city. She grinned.

"Oh~ This thunder is from the man who is called the strongest person alongside me."

Rumble, rumble—

A thick bolt of lightning fell straight towards her from the sky. Esdeath instantly reached out her hand, her smile filled with madness, intending to catch the lightning directly.

"Hehehe, at this level, for me now, it doesn't even require my divine power!"

Rumble, rumble!

The lightning bolt instantly collided with Esdeath's hand. The lightning seemed to encounter a non-conductive material and was split into two halves, falling to both sides. The land on either side was instantly gouged into long ravines as if dug by an excavator.

Although her current body had not yet become fully divine, it already exhibited some of the effects of a divine body. Natural energy that lacked divine authority was insufficient to harm her body.

"General!"

The soldiers watched Esdeath catch the lightning with her bare hands, and they became enthusiastic.

A figure hovered in mid-air, surrounded by and ejecting lightning. Coupled with the dark clouds above his head, he appeared as if the God of Thunder had come to life.

Budo watched Esdeath catch his casual lightning strike with her bare hand and snorted: "Why did Esdeath betray the empire? Do you know the consequences of betraying the empire?"

Esdeath laughed casually: "I don't need a reason for anything I do. The eternal law of this world is that the strong devour the weak. The strong conquer the weak, and take life and death from the weak. Now that you're here, there's no need to waste words. Anyway, as a weakling, you will die in the next moment."

She slowly pulled out the sword from her waist. The moment she drew it, she swung the blade towards Budo, who was suspended in mid-air. In the blink of an eye, the half-moon-shaped blade made of ice slashed towards Budo.

Clang—

Budo quickly brought his arms together to defend himself, and a shield composed of lightning unfolded instantly. However, the half-moon made of ice broke through the thunder shield, and the immense force knocked him down from the sky.

Budo's eyes widened: "What?" Just a casual swing of her blade broke through his proud defense?

Esdeath stomped her foot and grinned happily: "Go to hell, haha."

Crack!

A sharp ice spike shot up from the ground below Budo, rushing straight towards him. If it struck him, it would impale him like a skewer.

As an experienced general in combat, Budo instantly adjusted his posture and turned the Teigu on his arm to counter the ice spike. The Teigu made of O'Hara steel—the hardest material in the world—was the best shield.

The Teigu defended against the ice spike but lifted him high into the air. As if playing with a toy, Esdeath kept launching ice spikes at Budo in mid-air, thoroughly enjoying herself. It was as if she wasn't in any rush to kill Budo.

"Hahahaha, interesting, really interesting. Is this the Teigu user who is known as the strongest person alongside me? He's actually so vulnerable."

Budo was irritated by her mockery. Boom! The powerful thunder and lightning forced him to float mid-air, and purple lightning radiated in all directions, turning a large space into a power grid. Esdeath's ice spikes that were playing with him were also shattered.

Rumble, rumble, rumble...

"Esdeath, I admit you are very strong, but no one can withstand the unique move of my Teigu 'Admiral'!"

Budo clenched his fists in anger, hammering them together. The lightning was instantly absorbed back into the Teigu on his arms, and he raised them high.

"Suffer death, Esdeath!"

"Thunder Condensation—"

Rumble, rumble!

Thick bolts of lightning shot towards the sky, shrouded in dark clouds. Accompanied by deafening thunder, lightning continued to strike Budo. He raised his hands high, and the lightning gathered on the Teigu of both arms, turning into a massive thunderball at an incredibly fast speed.

As lightning continued to rain down, the thunderball grew larger at a speed visible to the naked eye. In just one breath, the thunderball expanded to five meters in diameter.

Crackle...

It was like the real God of Thunder had descended upon the world. Esdeath watched the thunderball condense without interrupting it. In her opinion, something that would have required her to dodge in the past could now be dealt with using one hand.

Budo roared, launching the thunderball towards Esdeath: "It's over!"

Esdeath grinned, stomped her foot, and an ice spike formed from the ground, carrying her towards the thunderball.

Budo was stunned: "What?"

Esdeath caught Budo's unique move with her bare hands. In his shocked eyes, she smashed it back towards him, her cruel smile reflecting in his pupils.

"It is indeed over, weakling."

"Ahhhhhhhhh—"

Budo was hit by his own attack, screaming within the thunderball. The dazzling light seemed like a second sun rising.

The soldiers witnessing the divine battle on the ground only saw a black figure screaming within the thunderball's dazzling light.

After a few breaths, the blinding lightning disappeared, and a dark figure fell from the sky. Upon hitting the ground, the earth was torn apart, leaving only the arm guard—Fury of the Thunder God Adrammelech—on the ground.

Esdeath looked at the Teigu, raised her foot, kicked it aside casually, and licked the corner of her mouth with her tongue.

"Hehehe, we will soon reach the Imperial Capital, and then I can return to Sky Island to be with my master soon."