If the Bright Eyes of the Void could be said to win through "reason"—each strike imbued with a purifying power that revealed one’s true nature and dispelled corruption, applying powerful debuffs that snowballed to build a foundation for victory...

...then the Ten Thousand Tribulations Thunder Body was its polar opposite: the ultimate expression of unbridled ferocity and dominance.

To destroy everything in a storm of fury!

Shi Ming felt the energy flooding his body.

[Ten Thousand Tribulations Thunder Body]

[Control the power of the sky and lightning. For fifty minutes, your body will possess a portion of the power of the "Great Thunderbolt." You will interfere with nearby energy and magnetic fields, creating a Ten Thousand Tribulations Thunder Prison in a one-thousand-meter radius that lasts for one hour. During this time, ten thousand bolts of lightning will descend. Lightning that strikes an enemy will inflict damage and a temporary paralyzing effect. Lightning that strikes you will restore your health, enhance your physical attributes, and increase your aggression.] 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Shi Ming took a deep breath.

The Great Thunderbolt. A legendary weapon of the gods.

In Ancient Greek mythology, after Zeus defeated the Twelve Titans, the "Great Thunderbolt" became his most powerful weapon.

’Even a fraction of its power is terrifying enough.’

Shi Ming took another deep breath. CRACKLE, CRACKLE. Astonishing bolts of lightning coalesced around his right hand.

As the Titan Power descended and Shi Ming’s physical form changed, the Ten Thousand Tribulations Thunder Prison had already begun to take shape. Dark clouds gathered within a thousand-meter radius, and a horrifying amount of energy built up in the sky.

A flash of brilliant light cut through the gloom. With a great RUMBLE, a bolt of lightning struck the surface of the sea not far away.

It was the first thunderclap,

the prelude to the "Thunderous Overture."

Light and shadow warred across the sea, transforming it into an arena at the heart of a thunderstorm. Shi Ming and the three assassins were now its gladiators...

...and only death would grant them leave to exit.

...

The change had been terrifyingly fast.

The three Awakened, on a recovery mission, knew nothing about the S-rank skill Descent of the Titan. They couldn’t yet grasp its true terror, but seeing the changes in Shi Ming’s body and the darkening sky, they had a nagging feeling that something was very, very wrong.

’What is this presence?’

’It feels like... the three of us, and our two boats, are being surrounded by him alone?’

They were a team of highly-trained assassins with seamless coordination, having completed countless missions together. Even in the face of such a bizarre scene, and despite their unease, they showed no fear. If anything, their movements became even more precise.

"Let’s end this quickly!"

Working together, they weren’t afraid of anyone, not even an S-rank Awakened.

It took Shi Ming three seconds to activate the skill and a few more to acclimate to the changes in his body. In a battle between experts, a dozen exchanges can happen in the blink of an eye. Through a balanced mix of offense and defense, Shi Ming quickly grew accustomed to the power of his Ten Thousand Tribulations Thunder Body.

’Had fun with your three-on-one?’

’Now it’s my turn to strike back!’

CRACK!

The three assassins were coordinating perfectly, about to unleash a killing blow, when a bolt of lightning descended from the heavens and struck the one in the middle! It blasted him so hard that flecks of charred matter flew off his body, and a wisp of black smoke curled up from the corner of his mouth.

The lightning from the Ten Thousand Tribulations Thunder Prison was merely natural lightning. The assassin’s own Defense Power was considerable, and he managed to withstand the damage through sheer physical resilience. However, he was left briefly paralyzed and unable to move.

In battle, every second counts.

In the blink of an eye, Shi Ming flashed forward. His right arm, accompanied by a sonic boom more terrifying than the thunder itself, slammed squarely into the assassin’s abdomen.

BAM!

Lightning exploded outward.

The protective suit he wore was blasted to shreds. The corners of his mouth twitched uncontrollably from the shock, making him look like a convulsing leech.

"Bastard!"

Their killing blow forcefully aborted, the other two assassins closed in from the flanks. Shi Ming kicked the heavily injured assassin away and effortlessly dodged their pincer attack.

The feeling of perfectly controlling his body’s power, the sheer force of the punch he’d just thrown, sent a jolt of excitement through Shi Ming. An attack this destructive could severely injure an ordinary A-rank Awakened in a single blow!

"Together, we’ll kill—"

Before he could finish his sentence, another bolt of lightning crashed down.

The assassin on the right used one of his Awakened skills to dodge at incredible speed. Though he managed to avoid the lightning, their coordinated effort was broken once again. Their rhythm completely shattered, they could only rely on their speed as Awakened to engage Shi Ming in hit-and-run attacks across the vast deck, trying to stall for time and find an opening.

Meanwhile, inside this magnificent arena, Shi Ming...

...unleashed a spectacular display of lightning-fast boxing.

Amidst the RUMBLE, the lightning of the Ten Thousand Tribulations thundered, as if a lighting director and sound engineer had amped up the audio to an unparalleled level. The sea’s surface, roiled by the violent thunderstorm, shimmered with a glittering, electric sheen.

"I refuse to believe this lightning only strikes us! It has to hit him too!"

"Focus on defense and find an opening! Wait for the right moment! One shot, one kill!"

CRACK!

Finally, a bolt of lightning struck Shi Ming.

"Now’s our chance!"

One of the Awakened lunged forward, momentarily abandoning all defense to maximize his Attack Power.

Based on his experience, a lightning strike should induce a one-second stun. That one second was all he needed to take his opponent’s life.

Little did he know...

...not everyone gets the same treatment.

For Shi Ming, being struck by lightning was like being injected with a powerful stimulant that had no side effects. In an instant, the electrical energy enveloping him threatened to overflow. He resembled a combat android charged to maximum capacity or, from a distance, a humanoid Titan forged from pure lightning!

He let out a low roar, the energy in his limbs impossible to contain any longer.

His right fist, which seemed to be made of solidified lightning, shot out like a spring compressed to its limit. It viciously slammed into the assassin’s jaw. A piercing electrical whine filled the air as the assassin’s teeth shattered and his eardrums threatened to burst.

His body was launched upward, tracing a high arc before crashing into the ocean.

CRACK! Another bolt of lightning struck down!

The assassin’s body floated on the surface of the sea, his condition unknown.

The roar of the thunderstorm reached a crescendo.

Less than five minutes had passed since the battle began.

Of the three assassins, one was severely wounded, and another was unconscious in the water.

The last one stared in utter disbelief, the thought of retreat already taking root in his mind.

The thunder continued to rumble and crash down, like a stadium audience giving a boxer their most fervent applause.

...

Things weren’t going well for the nearby *Hearthfire* either. Within five minutes, the Gold-grade drifter had been struck by lightning three times in a row.

Reinhardt watched the battle on the deck of the *Grand Fortune* through his binoculars, caught between a rock and a hard place.

Fortunately, he had already received his advance payment of 500 Pure Dome Crystals. The other thousand were still held by the three-man squad and, as per their agreement, would only be paid to him after they recovered the drifter.

As for the final payment... he’d likely be waiting a very long time for that.

"Fuck!"

"I knew he’d be tough, but I didn’t think he’d be *this* tough!"

"And these assassins from the Gold Pagoda are completely useless!"

Reinhardt cursed, gritting his teeth.

"Captain, should we help them?"

’Help?’

The corner of Reinhardt’s mouth twitched.

’Help them? Are you blind? Didn’t you see that bastard beat three A-rank Awakened—a coordinated team, no less—to a pulp? Help them? You mean go over there and die?’

"No. They said they didn’t need our help. Activate the lightning arresters! Get us out of this area!"

He couldn’t be blamed for abandoning his allies. The Thunder God operatives had explicitly said they didn’t need help beforehand. He was just respecting their wishes; there was no reason for him to get involved.

’I’ve already got part of the payment, so it’s not a total loss. Let’s just get out of this danger zone first!’

"Captain! Bad news! The ship’s ignition system was struck by lightning and overloaded! It’ll take about three minutes to reboot!"

"What!?"

CRACK! Another bolt of lightning came crashing down!

Reinhardt’s charming face was now scorched black, and his golden hair had turned a sooty gray, giving off a faint, toasted smell.

Fortunately, the bolts from the Ten Thousand Tribulations Thunder Prison were just ordinary, natural lightning. An A-rank Awakened’s body was strong enough to endure them. But still...

Reinhardt looked at the Humanoid Fierce Beast in the distance.

"Activate the emergency backup ignition! Full-speed retreat!"

’Three minutes? He couldn’t wait that long!’