The battlefield was quiet now. The scorched plains stretched endlessly, a testament to the fury of Wave 5. I dropped to one knee, letting the violet sparks trailing along my arms fade into the air. My chest heaved, muscles trembling, cuts and burns still raw—but there was a satisfaction deeper than pain.
The system chimed softly. Its voice, jagged and flickering as always, reverberated inside my mind:
[Wave 5 Completed – Rewards Distributed]
Level Up: 38 → 42
I exhaled slowly, standing and flexing my aching muscles. My body felt heavier, stronger, and the lightning coursing through me seemed more alive than ever.
I summoned the status screen, letting it hover before my eyes. The interface now glowed with a unique violet hue, a sign of the Storm God Authority granted to me.
[Status: Defined]
Name: Ashura Bellet
Class: Storm Warden
Level: 42
Health: 7,800 → 11,200
Mana: 5,200 → 7,900
Strength: 65
Speed: 68
Endurance: 70
Intelligence: 60
Willpower: 72
Charisma: 55
Evolution Progress: 42% → 60% toward next threshold
Abilities Unlocked / Enhanced:
Storm Veins: Fully mastered; body channels massive lightning; temporarily enhances speed, power, and reflexes beyond mortal limits. Aether Conduction: Can absorb elemental attacks; efficiency increased to 95% absorption. Judgment Spark: Enhanced; can now pierce reinforced defenses and elemental barriers. Abyssstorm: Large-scale battlefield control; energy consumption significantly optimized. Regeneration (New Passive): Slowly recovers minor wounds and fatigue; enhanced under storm/lightning conditions.
System Reward:
Storm God Contract Completed: Authority Granted: Storm's Heir Title Granted: Lightning Warden Recipe Completed: Elixir of Youth (Storm Variant)
I smirked faintly, running a hand through my sweat-matted hair. The system automatically produced the Elixir of Youth, a vial shimmering with liquid amethyst light.
Mother's medicine, I murmured. No more suffering.
I picked up the vial and inspected it. The faint glow radiated warmth and energy. My hand tingled as the system added it directly to my inventory.
Next, I scrolled through the system interface, examining every detail—the daily tasks, quests, and points accumulated. My interface had changed. Now, in addition to the jagged violet glow, new options had appeared:
Store: Buy potions, elixirs, recovery items, position points, and equipment. Authority Functions: Unlock new abilities or enhance skills linked to the Storm God's power. Quest Records: Track completed contracts and rewards.
I clicked on the Store first. My points, earned from Wave 5 and prior battles, were enough to buy position points—restorative units that could recover strength, stamina, and mana almost instantly.
Not bad, I thought, adding points to my stats. I selected full recovery. My wounds ached less, my muscles relaxed, and energy returned to my limbs like the first spark of a storm at dawn.
I then examined the new passive the system had granted: Regeneration. Minor cuts closed within seconds. Bruises faded. Fatigue decreased. It wasn't immortality—but with it, I could endure far more, and push myself to heights even the catastrophic dungeons couldn't limit.
Violet sparks flickered along my skin as I tapped the system's interface, letting it calculate my enhanced capabilities. My sword hovered next to me, lightning arcs dancing around the blade as if alive, acknowledging its master's growth.
I allowed myself a brief moment of satisfaction, looking at the amethyst Elixir. One sip, and my mother would feel young and strong again. One step closer to reclaiming what had been lost to illness and time.
Then, with a deep exhale, I closed the system interface. The plains were silent, but my mind raced with possibilities. Wave 6 would come. Stronger enemies, deadlier threats. But for now… victory was mine.
I smirked faintly, wiping sweat and blood from my face. "Alright… time to head home. Mother's waiting. Family waiting. And I'm not about to disappoint them."
Shadow, Rift, and Obsidian hovered near, their forms flickering lightly. I gave a nod, feeling the connection deepen between us. Together, we had survived the storm—and now, with renewed power, the world had no chance of breaking us.
I turned toward the horizon, violet sparks flickering along my blade. A single thought echoed in my mind:
"Let the storms come. Let the world try. I'm ready."