Chapter 690 ·The True Storm Generator

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍moment Yami finished speaking, the carriage fell so silent that even the sound of a needle dropping could be heard.

No ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍matter how one looked at it, this news was far too shocking.

“The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍storm is chasing them? How is that possible?” Grand Duke Alvare could not help but cry out in alarm.

“I ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍don’t know either, but that’s indeed what they said.”

Yami ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍stepped forward and leaned against the window, staring fixedly at the enormous tornado outside.

“And ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the storm’s direction has indeed changed. At the beginning, our train wasn’t in the storm’s path—but now, it’s biting right at our rear.”

Grand Duke Alvare fell silent. Yami was right. No matter how unwilling he was to accept it, it did not change the fact that the storm was pursuing them.

“Is there something on the airship? Why would the storm chase it?”

“I don’t know that either. They didn’t say.”

While the others discussed, Patriarch Ignati had remained silent. At that moment, however, he suddenly rose to his feet, as though he had finally made up his mind.

“Everyone, perhaps I have a way to deal with the storm—but I will need your assistance.” After speaking, he turned toward the Church Guard inside the carriage.

“Please contact your superior and tell them I may have a way to deal with the storm behind us!”

As soon as he said this, Yami and the others all sucked in a sharp breath, their faces filled with disbelief.

“Th-that’s a storm! You can fight a storm?”

“The Silent Sanctum is that powerful?”

Transcendents were indeed powerful, far beyond mortals—but to most people, they were merely stronger “humans.”

To oppose a storm—that was something befitting the authority of a God.

Patriarch Ignati gave a helpless smile. “It’s not that I—or the Silent Sanctum—am particularly strong. It’s mainly because, on this trip to the Northlands, I brought along a set of Storm Generator modules. That’s also why I need your assistance.”

The Church Guard wasted no time and immediately reported Ignati’s words.

As the Patriarch of the Silent Sanctum, Ignati’s words carried weight. Before long, a response arrived.

Ignati’s gaze suddenly sharpened. He tightened his grip on the Patriarch’s Scepter and looked toward a corner of the carriage.

From the shadows there, a figure rose.

At first, it appeared crude and flat like a paper cutout. Moments later, details filled in, and the previously vacant expression gradually became lively.

“Moths Chasing Fire…” Ignati murmured softly, his tone tinged with complexity.

There was no enmity between Moths Chasing Fire and the Silent Sanctum, but as the number one heretical cult on the continent, Moths Chasing Fire had a formidable reputation.

Instinctively, Ignati became alert.

“Hello, I’m Gaia.” The figure greeted him without small talk and went straight to the point. “How do you intend to counter the storm? What coordination is required?”

Ignati pointed ahead. Several accompanying 【Burial Ones】 were already carrying over several massive crates.

“These are the ritual runic modules for the Storm Generator recently developed in Castel. With simple assembly, they can be put into use. In theory, they can control storms—but there are a few issues.”

“First, we need a flat surface to lay out the runes—at least six yards in length and width. Second, it requires a large amount of Pollution as fuel. I’m not sure whether what’s on board will be enough.”

“Mm, there may not be enough space in this carriage, but laying it out on the airship would be fine. The passenger cabin there is spacious. As for Pollution…”

Gaia revealed a strange smile.

“Rest assured—Pollution is the one thing we lack the least.”

Ignati glanced out the window. The storm howled. The train sped along the railway, and above, the airship’s power had been pushed to its maximum. For the moment, their speeds were roughly equal.

The train could actually go faster—but the Steam Engine on the airship was already overloaded and could not increase speed. Their synchronized movement was the airship dragging the train down.

No wonder Gaia’s side had prepared to use the airship to lure the storm away.

“How do we get to the airship?”

Gaia frowned. She weighed one of the crates containing the runic modules, pondered briefly, then shook her head.

“I descended directly from the airship using an Avatar. Bringing people up would already be extremely difficult—bringing crates like these is completely impossible.”

Those crates of runic modules were made of thick iron plates. Perhaps they would be lightened in the future, but for now, they were far too heavy.

“Then we can only deploy them inside the carriage. It may damage it.”

“No need to worry.” As Gaia spoke, the Church Guard had already begun dismantling the seats.

“Good. Then please send some Pollution over—we’ll need fuel here.”

“How much?”

“The more, the better.”

“No problem!”

The 【Burial Ones】 joined in dismantling the seats, and their efficiency was far greater.

These Transcendents did not need to unscrew bolts. They simply grabbed a seat and tore with brute force. The seats fixed to the floor were ripped off entirely, and the bolts were even torn clean in half.

The Church Guard looked astonished.

Even the Transcendents of Moths Chasing Fire could not accomplish such a feat.

The 【Burial Ones】 ranked at the very top among Transcendents in terms of physical strength. They possessed neither tracking nor detection abilities, nor any strange techniques. They relied purely on overwhelming brute force—durable and powerful in direct combat.

Soon, the entire carriage looked as though it had been struck by a tornado. Every protruding structure had been ripped out, leaving it completely empty.

The 【Burial Ones】 brought out the runic modules and then turned in unison to look at Hunter and Yami.

They had brute strength in abundance—but assembling runic modules… that was beyond them.

Yami and Hunter had never assembled such modules either. They were not researchers, but these modules came with an Operation Manual.

After a quick scan, Yami roughly grasped the assembly method. He gave Hunter a few brief instructions and immediately began directing the 【Burial Ones】 to lay the ritual runic modules onto the floor.

“This one’s the power source. Three linking modules around it—yes, the one marked with parallel lines.”

“Just align the edges—ah, this section of the floor isn’t level, that’s a bit—uh, you’re really strong…”

They worked their way toward the edge of the carriage, only to find the space still insufficient. As Yami pondered how to deal with it, he saw a 【Burial One】 draw his longsword.

Screech—

A teeth-grating sound rang out as the blade carved a long gash straight through the steel wall of the carriage.

When the 【Burial One】 withdrew the sword, its edge was already chipped.

The Fathers casually tossed it aside and drew another blade. Noticing the astonished gazes of the others, he bared his teeth in a grin.

“I took these from Castel. They said a whole furnace batch was forged specifically for Galahad, but he couldn’t possibly use them all. The Quartermaster practically forced these on us…”

RelatedRelatedRelated