Chapter 500: Thunder Transformation
Staring at the map spread out on the table, Doro’s eyes were filled with a rare look of horror. She never expected to see such a drastically inaccurate map in this secret transmission. What could account for the fact that this version of the Main Continent showed an area that was a third larger than the current map?
Although the map in the secret transmission was roughly drawn with coarse and blurry lines, its overall outline was still quite accurate. Except for the eastern part of the Main Continent, there were no serious deformations that conflicted with the current map in other areas. Thus, Doro could confirm that the map’s inaccuracies were not merely the result of the artist’s error; it was indeed intentionally drawn this way.
This map appeared to be a copy of a wall carving from the previous era, during the Empire period. In this Third Era map, the land area depicted is significantly larger than the present. What could this possibly mean?
Filled with doubts, Doro contemplated the map before her. In her memory, she recalled the message she had seen near the Mirror Moon Altar when she was exploring the underground ruins of Crown University. It had been left by the priestess of the Mirror Moon Goddess, stating… they had to leave Prit for some agreed-upon purpose, and they did not know where that distant place was, only that it was in the east.
‘The east… the Third Era map shows a large area that is absent now… a place where the clergy of the Mirror Moon faith collectively migrated. What is there in that place?’
Thinking this, Doro looked out of the window towards the distant eastern horizon, waves of thoughts bubbling up in her mind. After gazing out for a while, she gradually shifted her focus back to the secret transmission.
‘I feel like I have received some significant secrets this time, but currently, these secrets are not very useful to me. Still, spirituality is definitely more practical.’
With this thought, Doro conducted a spirituality extraction of the content she had gathered from the secret transmission, yielding a total of 10 points of spirituality: 5 “Lamps,” 3 “Shadows,” and 2 “Enlightenments.”
Sitting in her chair, Doro was momentarily taken aback after completing the spiritual extraction. She concentrated on the types of spirituality she had just extracted. In this secret transmission, she had extracted both “Lamp” and “Shadow,” two opposing spiritualities, which confirmed some of her previous speculations.
‘It seems that the curved blades symbolized on this map refer to “Shadows.” The god within this sun wheel wields symbols of two opposing spiritualities. Could it be that they aim to control both conflicting powers simultaneously?’
‘And from the literature regarding the Goddess of Abundance, I also extracted a small amount of “Stone.” The situation here is quite similar. Does this imply that the Goddess of Abundance is also trying to seek the power of “Stone”? How about the King of the Underworld? Why have these Pure Color deities of the Third Era suddenly shown interest in their opposing spiritualities?’
For a moment, Doro began to speculate about the intentions of the Pure Color deities during the Third Era and why they would be interested in their opposing spiritualities. She wondered if it was related to the collective loss of faith in the Pure Color deities in the present, but due to the limited information at her disposal, she had to abandon any reliable conclusions for the time being and shifted back to the spirituality extraction.
Next, Doro intended to extract the spirituality from the information obtained in the Enlightenment Mark Temple, primarily the complete advanced methods for the Red Tier level. This brought Doro an exorbitant increase of 4 points of spirituality for each type.
Then, Doro calculated her consumption during the battle with Muhetar. Thanks to the spirituality provided by the temple, although she had unleashed countless strikes of lightning, the consumption of spirituality from the Fury Path ability was zero. The main points of consumption were using the “Cup” to stabilize her state and transfer damage, as well as the “Shadow” in her ring being completely drained.
Doro had used bl**d-Eating that cost 1 point of “Cup,” and transferred the almost shattered large area of damage, costing 7 points of “Cup.” The “Shadow” in her ring had lost 5 points and needed to be recharged.
After comprehensive calculations, Doro’s spirituality status was as follows:
24 Cups, 12 Stones, 22 Shadows, 25 Lamps, 25 Silences, 50 Enlightenments.
‘This spirituality… has suddenly become a lot more abundant, especially the “Lamp.” It was only in single digits before, and now it has jumped to 25; no wonder it came as a reward for defeating a Red Tier “Lamp”…’
‘Moreover, apart from “Stone,” it appears that all the other types of spirituality have met the promotion requirements faster than I expected. And regarding “Stone,” there’s no need to worry; the Enlightenment Mark Temple library is right there. Although most of the content is indecipherable, with some time, I should be able to find some General Language content that is useful for Poison Recognition, which will help replenish my “Stone.”‘
While pondering in her heart, Doro acknowledged that most of the books in the Enlightenment Mark Temple were recorded in ancient Ufeiga language, with only a small portion in General Language, and she lacked access to many of them. Thus, the reading material available to her was limited, necessitating time and effort to look for useful content.
“Anyway, given the current situation, I won’t be leaving Adis anytime soon, so I’ll find a chance to look into the library later.”
Having made up her mind, Doro began the task of distributing her spoils. Since the success of this battle was the result of collective efforts, the final spoils needed to be shared.
After some consideration, Doro decided to give the Daylight Stone and the Floating Spirit Amulet to Vania. It made sense to gift Vania the Daylight Stone, which could only be used by an Extraordinary Being of “Lamp,” while giving her the Floating Spirit Amulet to enhance her agility. With her reading skills, Vania could quickly accumulate the spirituality required for the amulet.
As for Muhetar’s Empty Magic Box, Doro decided to give it to Shadi. Although this item was very precious, it would not be of much use to her, who already had a better version. It was just right for Shadi. The Soul-Disrupting Ring was best suited for an Extraordinary Being of “Silence” in close combat, making it the perfect choice for Neve. The remaining Soul Contracts, sigils, and the secret transmission would be kept by herself.
After finishing her organizational work, Doro tidied up everything on the table, then stood up and slowly walked to the balcony. She looked at the once chaotic Adis, which was now slowly returning to calm. Doro understood that Shadi had managed to gain control, and the chaos in Adis was over.
“The situation in Adis is stabilized, but the larger picture in Adus is still unclear. The next few days will depend on how that revolutionary leader maneuvers…”
Gazing at the city ahead, Doro murmured, fully aware that, once news of the current events in Adis spread, it would stir ripples throughout all of Adus… and even the world.
—
In the following days, the sudden events in Adis spread rapidly among merchants and travelers, through telegrams exchanged between relatives, via secret communications by spies across various locations, and in the covert transmissions of Extraordinary Societies throughout all of Adus.
Within just two to three days, the alarming news had reached everyone in Adus—from ordinary civilians to revolutionary leaders and remnants of the Baruch Dynasty—shocking all who heard of it.
In conversations among the common folk, they learned that something unexpected had occurred in Adis; the sky suddenly darkened with ominous clouds, and thunderstorm raged incessantly for hours. Everyone was terrified by the relentless thunder and stayed hidden in their homes, fearing the lightning would strike them.
Fortunately, the lightning seemed to concentrate only on the palace and church, sparing all other areas, leaving the common folks to wonder whether the revolutionary commanders in the palace or the clergy of the Savior Faction were being punished by the heavens. After everything calmed down, many revolutionary soldiers still emerged to maintain order, while the clergy who usually preached throughout the streets were nowhere to be seen.
This led the people to feel that it wasn’t all of the revolutionary army that had faced divine punishment, but only the Savior Faction. It sparked their imaginations for the lightning to perhaps be a divine retribution descended from the Three Saints. However, there were rumors stating that the storm was not sent by the Three Saints but rather by an ancient deity known as the Judge of Heaven. The reason for this was that many people near the Radiant Church heard a thundering proclamation during the storm, declaring that followers of the Savior Faction had blasphemed against what should have been the sacred temple of the Judge of Heaven.
Among civilians, the rumors ran rampant, but at a higher echelon, news acquired by stationed revolutionary troops was clearer and more precise. They knew that this storm did not originate from the Three Saints, but was summoned by a priest serving the Judge of Heaven, which had nearly wiped out the armed forces of the Savior Faction in Adis!
Facility of the Savior’s Incarnation Sect stationed in Adis, aside from ordinary civilian believers, hardly any were spared—Supernatural captains to the fanatical loyal armed followers alike fell victim to the storm! More crucially, the supreme leader of the entire Adus Savior Faction, the formidable Extraordinary Being Muhetar, also perished in this divine punishment!
The news of Muhetar’s d*ath reverberated like a thunderclap through the entirety of the Adus Revolutionary Army; within the army, both the Savior Faction members and the Shadi Faction were astonished by Muhetar’s sudden demise. After all, he was a powerful Extraordinary Being of the Red Tier! With a long lifespan and immense strength, the caliber of a Red Tier could not be easily replaced in maintaining a nation—was he truly gone?!
Muhetar’s d*ath sent shockwaves through the entire secret world of Adus. They were not only surprised by his d*ath but were also baffled by the nature of his demise. To be struck down by a summoned storm from an ancient god’s priest was utterly unfathomable to them. They were more inclined to believe it was part of a conspiracy orchestrated by the Summit Church or the revolutionary leaders, unwilling to accept the notion that Muhetar had died for such reasons. However, information from Adis forced them to reconsider—it was indeed the cult of the ancient god, the Judge of Heaven, that was responsible for the annihilation of Muhetar and the entire Savior Faction in Adis, triggered by their desecration of the sacred temple named for the Judge.
Muhetar’s sudden d*ath had the most profound impact on revolutionary factions scattered across Adus, where the ranks of the Savior Faction were heavily infiltrated. In a flash, Muhetar’s d*ath left them directionless, leading to chaos among the divisions.
At this moment, Muhetar’s cause of d*ath was more critical than the fact of his d*ath itself. If it could be ascertained that Muhetar was killed by Shadi or the church, that would give the Savior Faction a target for retaliation. A figure among them could rally all Savior Faction forces to launch an offensive against the Shadi faction, triggering a comprehensive civil unrest. During this period, higher-level members from the Savior faction would surely come to Adus to consolidate these powers, posing a significant threat to the Shadi faction.
However, the alarming truth was that Muhetar had died mysteriously at the hands of the incipient Judge of Heaven cult, and the shocking manner of how he died—a lightning strike—left the Savior Faction in Adus dazed. Their leader had died, not by a competing leader suspected to have caused his downfall, but rather by lightning. This left them at a loss, leading to internal strife, confusion reigned, and there was no one to lead them.
Indeed, Shadi had kept quiet about the palace battle, concealing his falling-out with Muhetar, promoting instead the narrative that Muhetar had died due to the punishment of the Judge of Heaven for desecrating the sacred temple. The relentless thunder served as evidence of this divine will, exonerating him from any blame.
Given that the battle for Baruch Palace was handled meticulously, with Doro providing the sky-eye defense system and unlimited strikes from above, none of the armed elements of the Savior Faction involved in the coup managed to escape with their lives. Consequently, no outsiders were aware of what occurred inside the palace. To the common folk, the ongoing thunder eclipsed the sounds of battle and gunfire within—the immense scale of what transpired was completely unknown to them. Other than the dead members of the Savior Faction, only Shadi’s soldiers, who sustained heavy losses, and a dwindling number of envoy escorts remained. They obviously could not disclose the true situation.
In preparation to prevent any leaks, Muhetar’s conspiratorial plans were kept under tight wraps. Aside from a few trusted allies in Adis, no one else knew beforehand—including the zealot armed forces which received word only moments before the coup commenced. The relationship between Shadi and Muhetar had deteriorated rapidly during the negotiation period, and to the external forces, it seemed the two had merely experienced a falling out, not full-scale conflict. Therefore, Shadi’s claims carried a degree of credibility; the power of thunder was not something he could command alone. The priest of the Judge of Heaven, Isis, had also openly appeared during the storm and enacted punishments, making it difficult for outsiders to immediately blame Shadi for Muhetar’s d*ath.
Afterward, Shadi expressed deep sorrow in a public announcement to all revolutionary factions in Adus. He proclaimed his heartfelt sadness over Muhetar’s d*ath, mourning the loss of a soul figure in the revolution. He called it a tragic disaster.
Moreover, in the days following the coup, Shadi held a memorial ceremony for Muhetar in Adis. Shadi personally attended and delivered a heartfelt speech during the event, commemorating Muhetar as a steadfast companion in their battle against the Baruch Dynasty and as a great warrior. He affirmed Muhetar’s contributions to the Adus revolution and proclaimed his resolve to carry forth Muhetar’s legacy, leading Adus toward the mutually agreed-upon future.
This grand ceremony drew numerous revolutionary officials from various factions and was open to all citizens of Adis. Doro also attended, mingling among the children at the banquet.
Shadi’s memorial ceremony temporarily bewitched many of the revolutionary members of the Savior Faction. They were persuaded into believing that Muhetar perished due to the Judge of Heaven cult’s actions, with no involvement from Shadi. They thought Shadi was willing to continue Muhetar’s work, thereby creating a new Savior’s Incarnation in Adus.
Simultaneously with the memorial, Shadi’s confidants promptly spread throughout Adis, providing high-ranking officers from Savior Faction factions with promotion orders, citing the nearly complete annihilation of their upper echelons. This meant taking these regional commanders to fill the recent vacancies of central high-ranking positions, addressing the immense power vacuum resulting from Muhetar and his subordinates’ obliteration.
When delivering these orders to the local commanders, Shadi played it up as mysterious, claiming that many leaders across Adus were eyeing the power left empty by Muhetar’s d*ath. Thus, those who arrived in Adis first would take the largest portion for themselves, inciting a sense of urgency among them. Additionally, Shadi emphasized the external threats, predominantly from the overarching organization of the Savior’s Incarnation sect outside Adus.
In his conversations with these commanders, Shadi subtly hinted that the Savior’s Incarnation sect was eager to replace Muhetar with someone new, but how could outsiders so easily seize control of their power? They were also believers in the Almighty; why should those newcomers from the Northern Ufeiga be deemed superior? Why could the Adus faction not govern themselves independently without succumbing to the overarching influence of the Savior’s Incarnation sect?
Shadi’s insinuations stirred up a frenzy among many local commanders in the Savior faction, particularly those born in Adus and feeling marginalized by the arrivals from the overarching organization, who found themselves electrified by the prospect of taking a slice of the power cake left behind by Muhetar.
Of course, some commanders recognized the issues within this plan and expressed skepticism towards Shadi’s motivations, even suspecting that Muhetar’s demise was linked to him. Consequently, these individuals hesitated to accept the orders to proceed to Adis. Additionally, some of them utilized their connections to successfully summon the spirits of Muhetar’s fallen kin and friends from the lightning disaster. Through consultations with their souls, they discovered the truth of the palace incident and the involvement of Shadi in Muhetar’s d*ath.
As a result, they contacted other high-ranking officers from the Savior Faction in different regions, attempting to expose the truth and form a coalition against Shadi. However, Shadi anticipated this move and swiftly retaliated, accusing these officers of being agents of the overarching Savior’s Incarnation sect. He claimed they were under their control and sought to disrupt the Adus people from reclaiming their church. This smear campaign left the revolutionary forces within the Adus extremely disoriented and confused.
Through measures of persuasion, division, and deception, Shadi had effectively fragmented the massive influence of the Savior Faction within the Adus Revolutionary Army without any bloodshed following Muhetar’s d*ath. Earlier, a secret communication was dispatched from the envoy group in Adis to the Sacred Summit.
This secret communication documented what would later be referred to as the “Thunder Judgment Transformation,” a significant historical event in Adus, and unveiled what they termed the so-called “truth.”
