Mor began drawing on his strength as well.
Blue lightning flickered across his twin hammers, and the metallic sheen of his skin became even more pronounced, as though his entire body had turned into a living conductor. At the same time, a pale blue energy barrier formed around him. This was the legendary Thunder Bastion.
"Three."
"Two."
"One."
"Begin!"
The instant the referee's voice fell, Thor vanished.
He moved so fast that his afterimage barely registered. In the next moment, he appeared directly above Mor, Thunder Severer raised high as he brought it down with overwhelming force.
"Opening with a full-power strike? Bold," Mor remarked, a flash of approval in his silver eyes.
His response was just as swift. The twin hammers crossed above his head, perfectly intercepting the descending blade.
Boom!
The clash of metal thundered through the arena. Lightning erupted where their weapons met, forming a compact storm that crackled violently. The shockwave spread outward, stirring a raging surge of energy across the platform.
The spectators were stunned.
For many who had never witnessed lightning power on this level, words failed them entirely.
"So terrifying. Is this what cosmic-level strength looks like?"
"Both of them control lightning. This match is going to be incredible."
On the contestant platform, Hong, Luo Feng, and Rowan watched intently.
"Thor went straight for a heavy strike," Luo Feng said. "He wants to end it quickly."
Hong shook his head slightly. "No. It looks fierce, but he only used the first three layers of his domain. He is testing how Thunder Bastion reacts to standard lightning."
Rowan clenched his fists. "Mor blocked it effortlessly. He really is strong."
On the arena floor, Thor leapt back and widened the distance between them. He grinned, excitement burning in his eyes.
"Not bad. You stopped that without breaking a sweat. Looks like your reputation is well earned."
Mor replied calmly, "You are strong as well. But I can tell you are holding back."
Thor laughed loudly. "Sharp eyes. Then try this."
His Ninefold Lightning Domain erupted.
From the first pale blue layer, it expanded rapidly through the second and third, until the fourth crimson layer flared into existence. Four distinct domains wrapped around him, forming a dazzling vortex of power. At the same time, four gemstones on Thunder Severer lit up, multicolored lightning coursing along the blade.
"Fourfold Lightning Domain. Thousand Thunder Rend."
Thor sprang into the air. Thunder Severer traced a complex arc, and countless bolts of lightning erupted from the blade, blanketing the sky as they surged toward Mor.
Mor narrowed his eyes.
Thunder Bastion intensified instantly, forming a hemispherical shield around him. He crossed his twin hammers before his chest and spoke a low incantation.
"Thunder Bastion. Absorption Mode."
To everyone's shock, the incoming lightning did not explode or rebound. Instead, it was swallowed by the barrier. Thunder Bastion shone brighter and brighter, while Mor's hammers began to glow as if storing immense energy.
"As expected," Hong said quietly. "His barrier truly absorbs lightning."
Luo Feng nodded. "And he converts it into his own strength. That is dangerous for Thor."
Rowan asked anxiously, "Then what can Thor do? If normal lightning only empowers Mor, doesn't that negate his advantage?"
Hong remained calm. "Thor's Ninefold Domain is far more complex than it appears."
On the arena, Thor watched his attack vanish without concern. If anything, his grin widened.
"Interesting. You can absorb lightning. But how much can you take?"
Mor answered evenly, "Feel free to find out."
Thor's domain surged again, expanding from the fourth crimson layer to the fifth golden layer and then the sixth green layer. Six domains overlapped, forming a colossal energy field. The air itself warped under the pressure, rippling visibly.
"Sixfold Lightning Domain. Thunderfall Cataclysm."
Thor gripped Thunder Severer with both hands. Six gemstones blazed as six-colored lightning wrapped around the blade. When he struck, a massive lightning arc tore forward, splitting the air and leaving a vacuum trail behind it.
This attack far surpassed the previous ones.
Mor's expression grew serious. He pushed Thunder Bastion to its absolute limit, his twin hammers shifting into a perfect defensive stance.
"Thunder Bastion. Maximum Absorption."
The barrier expanded violently, forming a massive energy sphere that enclosed Mor completely. Complex energy patterns flowed across its surface, an advanced control technique refined through long military practice.
When Thor's strike collided with the sphere, the entire platform shook. The patterns spun rapidly, struggling to absorb the overwhelming power.
Most of the energy was drawn in successfully. But when the fifth golden lightning and sixth green lightning began to merge into the sphere, the patterns destabilized.
Crack.
A fissure appeared.
Then another.
In the next instant, the entire sphere collapsed. Unabsorbed energy exploded outward, forming a violent storm.
Mor was hurled backward hundreds of meters before stabilizing himself. His armor was fractured in several places, scorch marks etched across his metallic skin. Even so, he remained standing, his gaze unbroken.
"Impressive," Mor said, breathing heavily. "Your fifth and sixth layers exceed my absorption limit."
Thor nodded, still smiling but clearly alert. "And you absorbed my first four layers completely. That alone makes you exceptional."
Mor wiped blood from the corner of his mouth and slowly raised his hammers.
"But remember this. The energy I absorb does not disappear."
His hammers flared with blinding light as the stored power awakened. Mor's entire body glowed, radiating compressed force.
"Twin Thunder Hammers. Energy Reversal."
He slammed both hammers into the ground.
A terrifying shockwave rippled across the platform. In the next instant, countless lightning bolts erupted from the floor, forming a sea of thunder that surged toward Thor.
This was no ordinary lightning. It had been transformed by Thunder Bastion, retaining speed and penetration while gaining a corrosive property that eroded energy structures.
Thor reacted instantly.
The seventh layer of his domain unfolded.
"Sevenfold Lightning Domain. Silver Thunder Guard."
Silver lightning spun before him, forming a rotating disc like a shield. The incoming lightning struck it and immediately destabilized, its structure disrupted and weakened.
But Mor was already moving.
While Thor focused on defense, Mor had circled to his side. The twin hammers swept in with devastating force.
"Watch out!" Rowan shouted.
Thor sensed the danger but could not evade completely. He twisted his body and raised Thunder Severer to block.
Boom!
The impact was deafening.
Thor held firm, but the force sent him skidding backward dozens of steps. His right arm trembled under the strain.
Mor laughed. "How does it feel to be struck by your own power?"
Thor shook out his arm and grinned. "Strong. But did you forget something?"
Mor paused. "What?"
Thor's eyes gleamed. "You only absorbed my first four layers. My domain goes much further."
His aura surged.
The silver domain vanished as the ninth layer manifested directly.
Pure white lightning enveloped him, radiating a pressure that made the air scream.
"Ninefold Lightning Domain. White Thunder Descent."
Thor leapt skyward. All nine gemstones ignited, and Thunder Severer turned pure white, as if forged from light itself. He descended with world-shaking force.
Space itself trembled.
This lightning carried spatial properties, tearing and piercing rather than merely striking.
Mor knew he could not withstand it head-on.
"Twin Thunder Hammers. Spatial Lock."
His hammers flared as intricate patterns formed an energy matrix around him. The field stabilized the surrounding space, resisting spatial disruption.
The collision shook the arena.
A dangerous energy singularity formed where the forces met.
Hong rose to his feet. "This is dangerous."
Luo Feng's face tightened. "If this continues, space could collapse."
On the platform, both fighters reacted instantly, withdrawing their attacks. But the singularity remained, pulsing erratically.
"Damn it," Thor muttered.
He unleashed the eighth layer.
"Eightfold Lightning Domain. Black Void Devour."
Black lightning erupted, forming a vortex that began consuming the unstable singularity.
At the same time, Mor chanted again.
"Twin Thunder Hammers. Energy Extraction."
Both forces worked together, draining and dissolving the anomaly until it vanished.
Silence fell.
The two warriors faced each other once more, wary and resolute.
"I must admit," Mor said with genuine respect, "your Ninefold Domain deserves its reputation. That ninth layer has surpassed conventional lightning entirely."
Thor nodded. "And your spatial locking technique is impressive. Not many could counter that."
Mor inclined his head. "Even with it, I can only resist, not nullify."
The storm was far from over.