Chapter 692 ·The White Calamity Watching from the Sidelines

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍runic modules lit up, and Ignati’s eyes lit up as well.

They ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍no longer seemed like a pair of pupils, but two clusters of brilliant electric light. A blazing white radiance scattered outward from his eyes, like sparks dispersing into the air.

Wherever ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍his gaze fell, a string of charred black marks flashed across the interior panels of the carriage. He quickly realized this and shifted his sight past the window, looking toward the distant storm.

“Stop ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍here!”

He ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍pointed forward, and the electric light followed his will. Outside the carriage, a lightning bolt as thick as a water bucket suddenly split down from the sky. Like a hot knife cutting through butter, it plunged straight into the hurricane. The tundra beneath the dark clouds was instantly illuminated as bright as day.

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍storm froze for an instant.

The howling tornado seemed as though it had been tripped. The black column that had stretched from heaven to earth swayed violently, nearly split apart by the strike.

The lightning that had fallen in that brief moment almost blinded everyone. The burst of brilliance was like staring directly at the sun for an instant, the afterimage lingering before their eyes, waves of darkness spreading through their vision.

“This is way too exaggerated…”

“Th-this is the power of the Storm Generator?!”

“It was nowhere near this strong at the Testing Ground!”

“This is already a real storm and lightning!”

“How is that possible? How can it be this powerful?!”

Ignati slowly shook his head. He knew this was not entirely the Storm Generator’s achievement.

The storm outside had already accumulated a large amount of electrical potential energy. He had merely released it.

To put it simply, he had been more like a detonator triggering explosives. The exaggerated explosion had not been caused entirely by him.

Because of that, although there were quite a few charred marks across his body, his injuries were not severe. After briefly assessing his physical condition, Ignati lifted his head again.

At this moment, the hurricane outside had weakened considerably and was already on the verge of collapse. Seizing the advantage, Ignati extended his hand once more!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Bolt after bolt of lightning crashed down. This time, Ignati continuously activated the Storm Generator. In an instant, the storm transformed into a thunderstorm. The lightning descending from the heavens resembled the bars of a prison, trapping the storm within them before instantly shredding it apart!

The wind roared, its shrill sound like sharp nails scraping across iron plates—piercing and miserable, like a final wail before death.

Then came another thunderous boom. The final lightning strike completely dispersed the tornado.

The gathered storm violently scattered in all directions, bringing wind and rain with it.

The storm that had chased the train—like a scene from the apocalypse—was now reduced to nothing but devastation.

The train gradually slowed and finally came to a stop.

The storm behind them had long vanished. Even the dark clouds had been shattered by the relentless lightning strikes, sunlight streaming down in beams upon the tundra.

Inside the carriage, everyone stared blankly at the scene. An indescribable sense of shock, like the lightning itself, left bright imprints in their memories.

People leaned out of the windows and then stepped off the train. It should have been a moment of celebration, yet confusion lingered in their eyes.

“Is it… over?”

“The storm was actually… split apart?”

“How is that possible… oh heavens…”

The storm had been unimaginably powerful, beyond human reach. Yet the lightning that had descended from the sky moments ago had been the same. It was not that the storm’s disappearance had been absurd—it was that the lightning gathered just now had been unstoppable.

When people grasped this, the way they looked at the Storm Generator and Ignati gradually filled with reverence.

Especially the 【Burial Ones】—each of their eyes shone with excitement.

Although the 【Burial Ones】 rarely died and possessed extraordinary physical capabilities, they were at a disadvantage when facing other Transcendents.

They were more like mighty strongmen of the mortal world. Truly miraculous Transcendent abilities, however, they lacked.

But now, seeing Ignati—like a god—who would not feel awe?

And this power was something each of them could obtain. The ritual runic templates inside the carriage had been placed by their own hands. They had all tested this Storm Generator of Castel at the Testing Ground. If Ignati were replaced by any one of them, it would have worked just the same.

The allure was almost fatal.

For a moment, the hearts of the 【Burial Ones】 stirred. They had been heading to the Northlands to construct the Silent Sanctum, yet now their thoughts drifted toward Castel.

“I heard Castel is going to war with the Candlelight Society,” one of the 【Burial Ones】 said softly.

The others all turned to look at him, then silently averted their gazes in unspoken understanding.

Castel had taken in the Children of the White Raven and aided the Resistance Army. That made it a friend of the Sanctum.

And speaking of it, Nora had long since arrived in Castel…

Their thoughts wavered.

Ignati stood within the ritual modules that had ceased operating, lowering his head to look at his hands.

His fingers were somewhat charred; the injuries were not light. The moment he had controlled lightning had not come without cost.

But compared to the power he had unleashed, that cost seemed trivial.

If someone had given him a chain flail and sent him charging a thousand times, he still would not have been able to stop the storm behind them. Yet now, he had done it.

For some reason, Nora’s words echoed in his ears, her furious expression resurfacing in his memory.

“It’s been a thousand years. A thousand years ago the Sanctum survived only through sacrifice—and a thousand years later, it still relies on nothing but sacrifice!”

Ignati looked at his hands.

As the Patriarch of the Silent Sanctum, he had stopped the storm—but not through sacrifice. He had relied on the Storm Generator beneath his feet.

What could not be accomplished through sacrifice had been achieved through technology. A disaster that human strength could not halt had been blocked by Castel.

At the moment the lightning fell, he had seemed like a god. Yet any one of the 【Burial Ones】 could have done the same.

“Castel… has tamed lightning…”

Standing there, Ignati suddenly felt the weight of time. He had lived through many years and witnessed countless rises and falls, yet none had truly left a mark upon the world.

And Castel, before he had even noticed, had already changed the entire world.

For the first time, he felt the heaviness of the passing ages. This world that had seemed forever stagnant had quietly begun to move. When he lifted his head, he realized he had been left behind.

“Change… the world…”

Dust-sealed memories knocked upon his heart. Before his eyes, it was as if clusters of blazing flames appeared—events from so long ago he had believed he had forgotten them.

“Great Sage Bruno… Mechanical Society… 【Named One】…”

Ignati’s face was covered in soot, yet his eyes gradually brightened.

Not far from the train and the airship, mist spread thickly.

There had originally been no White Calamity here. But when the storm had chased the train, the White Mist had spread here at astonishing speed, encircling the entire railway and storm from afar—only to stop some distance away.

RelatedRelatedRelated