Zombie Domination-Chapter 49- Lightning

Thunder cracked like cannon fire as lightning danced across the sky. Dark clouds converged above the battlefield, swirling ominously as if summoned by the wrath of the gods themselves. Bolts of lightning struck the ground one after another, each impact splitting stone and shaking the earth.

Darrion’s aura surged with electricity. Blue arcs of lightning coiled around his limbs like living serpents.

"This ends now!" he roared, vanishing in a flash of light.

Julian barely managed to twist his body in time.

"He’s fast!" he muttered, just before Darrion’s fist crashed into his ribs.

BOOM!

Julian was sent flying, slamming into the side of a broken-down armored truck. Metal crumpled under the impact, and the air hissed with static.

Before Julian could recover, Darrion was already on him, unleashing a flurry of lightning-charged strikes. Sparks exploded across Julian’s body as he desperately blocked with his blade and shadow tendrils.

"You destroyed everything I built!" Darrion screamed, eyes wild. "I’ll make sure you suffer for it!"

Julian was knocked back again, rolling across the scorched ground. Smoke curled from his clothes, his breathing shallow. Darrion stepped forward with cruel confidence, his voice laced with venom.

"Give up. Lightning devours shadow. You’re at a disadvantage in every way."

But instead of despair, Julian smirked.

"I already calculated that," he said coolly.

He reached into his inventory, and with a soft hum, his body was encased in a sleek, matte-black armor. The surface shimmered faintly with circuitry-like patterns, designed specifically to absorb and disperse electricity.

Darrion narrowed his eyes. "What...?"

Julian straightened, unfazed. "Custom-forged by a mechanic I trust. Lightning-proof."

"Fool," Darrion spat. "You think a toy will save you?"

In a blur, Darrion lunged again, a massive lightning spear forming in his hand. He hurled it with lethal intent, but the moment it struck Julian’s armor, the spear shattered, dispersing harmlessly in a pulse of blue light.

"What?!" Darrion gasped. "My power..."

Julian seized the moment. In a single fluid motion, he swapped his blade for a different weapon, an alloyed spear forged with insulated metals and anti-conduction runes.

Julian’s eyes sharpened.

"Your turn."

He dashed forward, the ground cracking beneath his feet. The spear pierced Darrion’s defense with precision, slamming into his side and sending him sprawling with a thunderous impact.

"AARGH!!" Darrion screamed, lightning crackling wildly from his body. "You little—!"

Before he could retaliate, Julian was already in motion, closing the gap and locking Darrion in close-quarters combat.

No more shadow tricks. No teleportation.

Just pure martial skill.

Julian ducked a wild punch, countered with a knee to the gut, spun around and smashed the blunt end of the spear into Darrion’s jaw. The force lifted him off his feet.

Julian’s voice was cold and deliberate.

"You talk too much."

He spun again, slamming the shaft of the spear into Darrion’s back, driving him into the dirt.

Sparks fizzled weakly from Darrion’s armor. His breathing was ragged. His pride, shattered.

Julian stared down at him, eyes glowing faintly beneath his helmet.

Darrion’s chest heaved as sparks of lightning coiled around his arms. He staggered back, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth, but his eyes blazed with raw fury.

"I won’t lose... not to someone like you!" he roared.

He lifted both hands toward the heavens as the storm clouds churned above. The sky darkened further, and bolts of lightning danced between clouds like dragons in flight. An ominous hum filled the air.

Julian narrowed his eyes, sensing the energy condensing above.

"Get ready..." he muttered under his breath.

Darrion screamed with all his might, "Storm Execution: Wrath of the Heavens!"

A colossal lightning bolt, thick as a tree trunk, split the sky and crashed down toward Julian with a deafening roar.

BOOOOM!

The impact engulfed the battlefield in smoke and blinding light.

Darrion dropped to one knee, exhausted but grinning savagely. "It’s over... you’re dust."

But then... from within the smoke, a shadow moved. A figure walked out, slowly, confidently, untouched.

Julian.

Darrion’s face contorted in shock. "What?! How are you still standing?!"

Julian didn’t answer right away. Instead, he pulled something from the ground and tossed it toward Darrion’s feet.

It was a long, metallic rod, scorched at the tip.

"A lightning rod..." Darrion whispered, eyes wide. "You... diverted the strike?"

Julian gave a slight smirk. "Old trick. Still works."

"Damn you! DAMN YOUUU!" Darrion launched himself forward, fists crackling with residual lightning.

Julian met him head-on.

Their weapons forgotten, their bodies bruised and bloodied, they fought with raw strength, punch against punch, kick against kick, teeth clenched, bones straining.

Julian ducked a wild swing and drove his fist deep into Darrion’s gut, knocking the air from his lungs. Darrion stumbled, and Julian followed with a barrage of strikes, one to the jaw, one to the ribs, another to the cheek.

"Stop—! Enough!" Darrion gasped, collapsing to one knee. "I give up! Please... have mercy!"

Julian stood over him, eyes glowing faintly. His voice dropped into a low growl.

"Surrender... and submit."

As he spoke, he activated his skill, [Dominion].

A surge of pressure radiated from him, raw authority. Darrion trembled as the weight of Julian’s presence crashed down on him like a mountain.

"I... I submit... I’ll obey! Just don’t kill me!" he pleaded, face swollen and covered in blood.

A panel flickered in Julian’s vision.

[Skill: Extraction – Active]

Target Darrion Kravest is Dominated. Would you like to use [Extract]?

Julian didn’t hesitate. He tapped YES.

A surge of energy flooded his body. Sparks of electricity raced through his veins, merging with his core. His muscles tensed, and for a brief moment, his eyes flickered with electric blue light.

Darrion collapsed to the ground, gasping as the power drained from him.

"No... my strength... what’s happening to me...?"

You have acquired Skill [Lightning]

Julian stared down at him, the air around him crackling with his newfound power.

"That... was a decent fight," Julian said, pulling his katana from his inventory.

Darrion’s eyes widened in horror. "No... stay back! You said—!"

But Julian was already in motion. In a flash of lightning and shadow, he closed the distance.

A single slash.

Clean. Precise. Final.

Darrion’s eyes rolled back as his head separated cleanly from his body, hitting the ground with a dull thud.

Julian exhaled softly, the storm finally beginning to clear.

The silence that followed was deafening.

A deafening roar echoed through the ruined battlefield.

"We did it!!"

"We won!!"

"Victory!!"

Cheers erupted as the remnants of Celestia’s unit, battered but alive, raised their fists to the sky. One by one, they turned toward Julian, who stood silently amid the debris, katana still in hand, the wind tugging at his dark coat.

"Julian! Julian! Julian!"

The soldiers rushed him with broad grins and wide eyes, sweeping him off his feet.

"H-Hey—OI!!" Julian protested, but too late.

They hoisted him high into the air.

"Three cheers for our savior!"

"Long live our savior!"

And just like that, they began tossing him up and down like a hero from a forgotten fairytale. Julian sighed in defeat, a rare smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he let them have their moment.

Emma, watching from the sidelines with her arms crossed, laughed aloud. "Boys and their egos..."

Veronica smirked. "Right?"

Clarissa, standing beside them, giggled softly. "Let them enjoy this. They’ve been through so much."

Nearby, Celestia stood in silence, her long white hair flapping gently in the breeze. She watched Julian’s face as he was lifted skyward, his usual stoic expression softened by joy. The sight brought an unexpected warmth to her chest.

He came for me... even when I doubted.

Her hand unconsciously brushed over her chest, and she remembered what she had told Darrion earlier, in defiance and pride.

’He’s my boyfriend...’

The memory alone made her stoic features crack just slightly. A faint blush colored her pale cheeks, though she quickly turned away, as if hiding it from herself.

"Lieutenant!" Aya approached her cheerfully, her expression bright and eyes gleaming with relief.

Celestia turned. "Aya."

"Thank you..., they all fought amazingly."

Celestia nodded, her voice softer than usual. "We survived... thanks to all of you."

The celebration continued into the twilight. Makeshift fires were lit using debris and broken barricades. Soldiers shared rations, some danced despite the bruises, and laughter echoed over the battlefield like an anthem.

As the dust settled and the battlefield fell into a rare silence, Celestia raised her voice with firm authority.

"Support units, begin healing operations. Prioritize the severely wounded. Move!"

Her soldiers, now refocused, moved with discipline. Healers knelt beside those who groaned in pain, glowing hands igniting with gentle light. A few made their way toward Julian, who stood at the edge of the wreckage, blood seeping through his torn sleeve and a shallow cut across his jaw.

"Sir Julian, sit down," a young medic said to him, pressing lightly on his shoulder.

Julian didn’t argue. He sat on a broken concrete block, exhaling slowly as the medic began treating him. The warm sensation of a healing skill tingled through his body.

Footsteps approached.

Julian glanced up to see Celestia standing before him, no longer the hardened Lieutenant, but the woman beneath the armor. Her usual icy expression was gentler now, hesitant even. novelbuddy-cσ๓

"Julian," she said quietly, "thank you... for saving us. Again. I owe you more than I can repay. My life, and theirs."

Julian stared at her. Then, without a flicker of hesitation, he replied, "Then come with me."

The medic froze mid-heal, eyes wide, head slowly turning toward them. ’Wait, what?’ he thought.

Celestia’s composure cracked. Her pale cheeks flushed as she blinked, taken completely off guard. "W-What do you mean...?"

Julian stood now, meeting her eyes. Calm. Unwavering.

"I want you by my side," he said. "Not just for now. For whatever comes next."

Her heart skipped. Her throat tightened.

Celestia Claine, Lieutenant of the Eastern Garrison, trained to lead without emotion, without attachment... suddenly felt her chest tighten with something fragile and terrifyingly warm.

"I... I can’t. Not yet," she whispered, eyes darting away. "I still have a mission to complete... people to protect."

Julian nodded, as if he expected the answer. "Then once that mission’s done," he said with a half-smirk, "you’ll come with me."

Her cheeks turned even redder, and her voice was barely audible. "...Yes."

The medic’s mouth dropped slightly, nearly dropping his satchel. ’The Lieutenant... is blushing? Like, really blushing? Did she just agree?!’

Julian stretched his shoulder, now fully healed, and stood straight.

"Alright," he said, glancing at the horizon, then back at her. "Let’s head to your base. You’ve got people to get home."

Celestia, still flustered, nodded without a word. The two of them walked side by side, and for once, her steps didn’t echo with solitude.

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