A voice sliced through the tension like a dagger.

"Do we even need to ask?" Azula sneered, her tone soaked with venom. "He's being purged by the world itself. That alone is enough reason for us to kill him."

Her voice grew sharper, her killing intent spreading like frost.

"The world wants him gone. So what does it matter if it's lightning or our blades that finish him off? If we help complete the world's judgment, who knows… maybe we'll be blessed for it."

She smiled. It was cold. Cruel.

The idea hung in the air like a lure.

And one by one, the other leaders began to glance at each other.

They held no grudges against Max.

Many had admired his talent, respected his meteoric rise. He was, undeniably, the most gifted genius the continent had seen in decades.

But temptation was a dangerous thing.

What if Azula was right?

What if helping end Max's life—finishing what even the Wrath of the World had begun—earned them favor from the very laws of creation?

Wouldn't that be worth the price?

They said nothing.

But their silence was louder than any answer.

And the clouds above rumbled again.

RUMBLE!

The sky roared once more as a blinding bolt of blue lightning tore down from the swirling clouds above. It slammed into the chest of the colossal Manifestation with devastating force, unleashing a massive shockwave that rippled outward in every direction.

Across the Mourning Depths, the very earth groaned.

Rocks cracked. Trees trembled. Caverns deep below shuddered in response.

And then—

RUMBLE!

Another bolt descended.

This time it was green, crackling with wild, vibrant energy as it struck the statue's shoulder. The impact sent a second shockwave tearing through the air like a sonic boom, shaking the foundations of the land yet again.

Two bolts. Back-to-back.

The sky remained thick with tension.

The black clouds swirled ominously above the colossal figure, and though they fell silent for now, streaks of multi-colored lightning still slithered across their surface, restless and waiting—coiling, preparing for the next strike.

The world itself felt like it was holding its breath.

That's when Envoy Lucas broke the silence.

"Magnar," he said casually, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth, "watching this is getting a little boring. I think I'll go hunt down a few infernal beasts. Who knows—maybe I'll snag a twelve-layered Infernal Demon Tattoo while I'm at it."

His voice was light, even playful.

But King Magnar turned to him sharply, his expression unreadable.

How could Lucas be bored at a time like this?

They were witnessing something legendary, something that had only ever existed in myth and rumor—a Manifestation enduring the Wrath of the World. This wasn't just history; it was cosmic law unraveling in real time.

And yet Lucas acted like it was just another afternoon.

Suspicion flickered in Magnar's eyes, but he said nothing more.

"Fine," he replied coolly. "Return quickly… or we'll proceed without you."

Lucas gave a relaxed nod, his smile never fading. Then, without another word, his form blurred and vanished into the pale, eerie fog that clung to the ground like breath from a dying beast.

He was gone.

But not before Kate caught the strange glint in his eyes.

She watched the direction he'd disappeared in, her stomach tightening. A knot of unease began to form, coiling deeper the longer she stared into the mist.

Something's not right.

She didn't know what Lucas was planning.

But a bad feeling—sharp, cold, and certain—had taken root in her heart.

---

Max stood beneath the swirling storm, eyes fixed on the skies above, silently counting the bolts as they struck.

Four so far.

Three remained.

"So… after the Seven Lightnings of Judgment, the Wrath of the World disappears, right?" he asked, turning toward Blob with cautious optimism.

Blob nodded slowly, though his expression wasn't exactly reassuring. "That's usually what happens. But in your case…" he trailed off, his tone turning uncertain. "I'm not entirely sure."

Max felt a bead of sweat slide down his temple.

'Great.'

So even the talking blob who seemed to know everything didn't know what would happen next.

He exhaled, running a hand through his white hair as the realization sank in. He'd followed the system's instructions to unlock his new physique—three nearly impossible conditions—and yet the result was attracting divine punishment from the world itself.

"Feels like I've been scammed…" he muttered.

---

RUMBLE!

A piercing bolt of yellow lightning tore through the sky and came crashing down onto the towering Manifestation.

BOOM!

The air exploded with force as the shockwave rippled outward. Max's white hair fluttered wildly, whipped by the wind. Debris scattered across the cracked ground.

He watched the scene silently, but a new thought gnawed at the back of his mind.

"What would happen," he asked slowly, eyes narrowing, "if my Manifestation crumbled under the Seven Lightnings of Judgment?"

Blob's smile vanished. His tone turned grim.

"Then your fate would shatter. Your destiny would unravel. Your luck would be consumed, piece by piece—until there's nothing left. And in the end… you would be destroyed."

He floated closer, his voice now low and serious. "Not just killed, Max. Erased. You would cease to exist—no soul, no memory, no trace. As if you were never born."

Max's expression darkened. "I see…"

He hesitated, then asked, "What if my Manifestation survives but… gets injured? Like losing an arm or something?"

Blob blinked, then gave a rueful little smile.

"Then whatever part of it is destroyed—be it an arm, a leg, even a finger—that portion of your fate, destiny, and luck will be lost. Permanently."

"Gone?" Max asked, eyebrows raised.

"Forever," Blob said. "Vanished into nihility. Never to return."

Max fell quiet.

He had always thought of fate, destiny, and luck as abstract concepts. Background forces. Invisible strings that sometimes pulled gently, sometimes not at all. But now… they were real. Tangible. And knowing that even a fraction of them could be erased?

That was terrifying.

He understood now why this was called Judgment.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay