Chapter 36: Thunderous Body Forging
"Boom—"
The sky thundered, and lightning dragons danced and twisted among the dark clouds.
Owen applied a liquid extracted from Thundergrass onto his body.
This herb was known to enhance the power of lightning.
He swallowed several Thunderberries, and blue electric arcs began to appear within his body.
"Wrath of the Thunder God, power of the swift wind, heed my call and descend upon this place. Purple lightning stone magic pen, guide the lightning. Thunderberry fruit, provide the magic power. Thundergrass, amplify the strength. In the power of lightning, I stand. Thunderous body forging, I shall be invincible."
His voice was deep and powerful, the incantation resonating with arcanergy, as if capable of shaking heaven and earth.
As he chanted, the air around him began to swirl madly, as though drawn by a mighty force.
Boom—
Thunderous sounds echoed from the sky, as if the gods of thunder were responding to Owen. He stepped into the magic array.
Lightning streaked across the night sky, like a colossal serpent, striking Owen's body in an instant. A torrential downpour followed.
Owen's body was instantly enveloped in electricity, as if gripped by an invisible force.
He felt intense pain radiating from every cell in his body, his muscles twitching uncontrollably, unable to command his own body.
His vision blurred due to the electrical stimulation, but he could clearly feel the rampaging power of lightning wreaking havoc within him.
The energy of the lightning flowed rapidly inside him, like a powerful torrent surging through.
His blood felt as if it were ignited, boiling within him. "It hurts—"
Owen clenched his teeth, enduring the excruciating pain.
Boom!
The sky unleashed another bolt of lightning.
The intense current rampaged through Owen's body, as if trying to tear his bones and muscles apart.
The severe pain left him breathless, almost causing him to lose consciousness.
Inside his dantian, the "Golden Egg" slowly rotated, releasing the power of the Gold Divine Dragon, gradually repairing his body.
Inside Owen, the searing agony clashed with the cool sensation emitted from the "Golden Egg."
The mix of comfort and pain was almost driving him insane.
Yet, it was this coolness that kept him conscious, preventing him from succumbing to unconsciousness under the brutal onslaught of the lightning.
Boom!
Thunder Resonance once again drew a bolt of lightning, striking Owen.
This time, the destructive power was truly formidable.
Owen's skin turned charred, as if scorched by fierce flames.
The intense pain was unbearable, his body convulsing and trembling uncontrollably.
As time passed, signs of erosion appeared on Owen's skin.
Flesh began to peel away, revealing raw and horrific wounds.
These wounds emitted a burnt scent, chilling to the bone.
Owen's body seemed to be enveloped in flames, feeling as though he was being burnt alive.
The "Golden Egg" rotated faster, emitting ever more potent energy.
His eroded skin began to heal, and under the power of the "Golden Egg," his flesh restored and became even more robust.
The thunderous body forging was transforming Owen's body from the outside in.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Owen's resistance seemed to have enraged the Thunder God, who unleashed three consecutive bolts of lightning upon him.
The triple strike of lightning was a formidable force.
His bones began to crumble, emitting a chilling sound of fracture.
His internal organs suffered severe damage, his blood churning within as if trying to tear him apart.
In agony, Owen collapsed to the ground, vomiting blood, his organs' tissues expelled from his body.
An ordinary person struck by such lightning would have long returned to the heavens.
Only Owen, with his draconic physique, could withstand such a barrage of lightning.
His skin charred and eroded, sweat beading on his forehead, only his eyes shone bright like stars.
He knew the crucial part was coming.
The tempering of his internal organs and bones was the essence of Thunder Resonance.
Enduring the pain, each breath felt like immense torture.
The air around him was filled with the smell of burning; the power of the lightning turned the ground around him blackened and charred.
Owen's body was unrecognizable, his clothes scorched, revealing his scarred skin.
The "Golden Egg" tirelessly rotated, slowly releasing golden energy.
This golden energy continually repaired Owen's battered body, reconnecting his bones and stitching his shattered internal organs.
His body oscillated between repair and destruction.
The "Golden Egg" had shrunk to half its original size.
Suddenly, Owen's spirit soared. He slowly stood up, letting the lightning strike him.
His body was instantly enveloped in electricity, as if being pierced by the current.
However, he suffered no harm; instead, he felt a surge of immense power within him.
Owen smiled, clenching his fist as he looked at his arm:
"The body forging part of Thunder Resonance is now complete, entering the stage of the Thunder Body. At this stage, lightning no longer affects me but instead becomes nourishment for my body."
Bathed in lightning, Owen eagerly observed the changes in his body.
His originally slightly dark skin was now smoother and more delicate, as if covered by a faint sheen.
On closer inspection, one could even see arcs of electricity flickering on the surface of his skin.
The process of thunderous body forging had made his body lines more fluid and his muscles more robust and powerful.
He could feel his strength had increased several-fold.
Most importantly, his blood flowed with a sound like thunder, blue electric arcs constantly striking the blood vessels, making the circulation of arcanergy more fluid.
His already golden blood became even more brilliant, emitting a gem-like radiance.
During the thunderous body forging process, impurities in his blood were effectively cleared, leading Owen to speculate that even his Gold Divine Dragon blood had been somewhat purified.
The transformation of his bones was another aspect Owen couldn't ignore.
His golden skeletal framework no longer felt rigid but had a jade-like softness and flexibility.
Owen took a deep breath. Particles of lightning arcanergy in the air danced around him.
His affinity with lightning had significantly increased after this body forging.
"A fruitful harvest!" Owen thought joyfully, pulling up his status panel.
[Strength: 7689
Constitution: 4986
Speed: 2133
HP: 9999]
There was a noticeable increase in his stats, especially in the HP category.
The number 9999 was clearly special, indicating that Owen had reached a critical point in his HP.
"System, am I about to break through?" Owen wondered inwardly.
[No, host, your situation is somewhat unique. You are currently at the diamond-tier, and your HP should be under 10,000. It's just that after your body forging, every aspect of your physique has been enhanced.]
Owen realized, "So, it means my realm hasn't broken through, but my strength has increased, right?"
[Correct.]
"That's good news too," Owen silently mused.
Clenching his fist, he felt as if he could crush an entire mountain.
...
The next day, Owen went to school as usual.
Walking on the street, he felt a distinct change in the atmosphere.
The environment at the Grand Magus Academy had become more serious.
Coupled with the heavy rain from the previous night, the whole academy seemed colder and quieter, as if waiting for the arrival of someone important.
Owen's eyes flickered as he entered the classroom.
The eager chatter of his classmates reached his ears.
"Did you know? The second prince of the kingdom is coming to our academy."
"Really? No wonder the academy was organizing school discipline recently, even issuing a notice to avoid fights during this period."
"The second prince is a big figure in the kingdom. Even the academy can't take it lightly and naturally holds great respect."
"What's a royal prince doing coming to a school?" Owen thought to himself, feeling less excited than his classmates.
After all, the Laine Kingdom had no jurisdiction over the dragon race, so he wasn't particularly concerned.
...
Outside the academy.
At the entrance of the Grand Magus Academy, a large crowd had already gathered, all dressed in the academy's uniforms, their unity in dark green accentuating their demeanor.
Leading them was none other than Principal Kendo, with Professor Elwin and Eldrich among them.
After all, the second prince represented royal authority; not giving face to the prince was akin to disrespecting the Laine Kingdom.
Even Kendo wouldn't want to offend the king over such a trifle.
Soon, a troop of knights on tall horses appeared in view.
They wore magnificent armor and held long spears, looking imposing and majestic.
Escorted by the knights, the second prince rode in on a magnificent white horse.
On the streets beside them, citizens of the Laine Kingdom stood packed. Everyone was enthusiastically greeting the prince.
The second prince wore a golden princely outfit and a crown studded with jewels, looking distinguished and compelling.
He extended his jade-like palm, gently waving at the cheering crowd around him.
The people of the Laine Kingdom grew even more excited, with some young girls fainting in their exhilaration.
Following the prince was a grandiose carriage with a canopy.
The carriage, following behind the prince, made it seem as though the prince was more like a guard, arousing curiosity about who was in the carriage.
The second prince halted in front of Kendo.
A woman descended from the canopy carriage, with golden hair and blue eyes, full-figured and exceedingly beautiful.
She curiously surveyed everything about the Grand Magus Academy, following the second prince step by step.
As the principal of the Grand Magus Academy, Kendo showed no excessive flattery but stepped forward and bowed slightly, saying, "Second Prince, it's been a long time."
The second prince, Finn Laine, dismounted briskly and walked up to Kendo, taking his aged hand,
"Principal Kendo, no need for such formalities. I still remember the blessings you gave me when I was a child. You can just call me Finn."
Kendo shook his head slightly, squeezing out a smile,
"For the Second Prince to remember an old servant like me is more than I could ask for. How could I dare overstep?"
To win over the Grand Magus Academy, the Laine Kingdom typically granted honorary positions to magi above the grandmaster-tier, providing them with generous stipends.
Kendo referring to himself as an old servant was not out of place.
Finn paused, looking deeply at Kendo, "If only my magical talents were higher, I might have been one of your students."
"The Second Prince's warrior talents are extraordinary; you can also carve out your own path," Kendo replied.
"If the principal insists on calling me Second Prince, then I... I must defer to the principal,"
Finn sighed inwardly, realizing Kendo was not giving any openings.
He didn't expect Kendo to be so impenetrable.
With the aging king of the Laine Kingdom, the position of the imperial heir was still undecided.
The eldest, second, and third princes were the strong contenders for the succession.
If anyone could gain the support of the Grand Magus Academy, securing the position of heir would be effortless.
Finn had intended to get closer to Kendo to strengthen their relationship but didn't expect Kendo to give no chance, clearly indicating his unwillingness to get involved in the kingdom's political struggles.
Finn could only extend his hand, "Principal, please."
"Second Prince, please."
...
In the classroom.
Owen listened attentively to the lecture when suddenly the professor tapped on the desk, "Everyone, hold on a moment. The Second Prince has arrived. Let's go out and greet him."
"Yay, no class again!"
"This isn't just about skipping class; it's about witnessing the grandeur of the Second Prince."
"This might be the only chance in our lifetime to see someone of royal blood."
The students were thrilled, cheering in a tumultuous excitement.
"Quiet down," the professor frowned, tapping the desk more insistently. "Let's show the Second Prince a good image of our academy."
The chatter ceased, and the students orderly moved towards the exit.
Owen watched as the classroom emptied, reluctantly putting his textbook into his spatial ring,
"Well, there goes today's lesson. Might as well head to the library and memorize the 'Advanced Magic Compilation.'"
Saying this, Owen headed out.
The academy students were all gathered around the Second Prince, making it impossible for him to see what the prince looked like.
Owen watched his classmates' frantic actions, shaking his head slightly, "Is this necessary?"
He probably didn't realize that for many, having a chance to see the Second Prince was a dream come true.
His classmates didn't have the same profound background as Owen; many were ordinary people.
This was one of their few chances to connect with the influential and powerful.
Of course, the students of the academy would be ecstatic!
Suddenly, a voice that chilled the enthusiastic atmosphere to a standstill bellowed out,
"Owen, if you are not coming to pay your respects to the Second Prince, where are you heading?" The voice, amplified with arcanergy, shifted everyone's expressions.
Who? Who would dare make such a racket at this moment?
All eyes turned towards Owen, making him the center of attention, as gazes converged on his face.
Owen's mouth twitched slightly; he saw three individuals approaching him with unkind smiles on their faces.
Finn's brows furrowed slightly, a flash of coldness in his eyes, "Principal, what's going on here?"
Kendo's white beard twitched, mentally facepalming, "Perhaps they have some old grievances."
The woman beside Finn looked curiously at Owen, then her expression suddenly changed, and she couldn't help but cover her mouth, exclaiming, "Owen?!"
Finn's frown deepened.
The woman beside him was new to this world and had never been to the Grand Magus Academy before.
How could she recognize someone from the academy?
He couldn't help but ask her in a low voice, "Saint... do you know him?"
The source of this c𝐨ntent is freewe(b)nov𝒆l