Then, with a deafening CRACK, he vanished. A violent arc of lightning tore through the hallway, leaving behind a scorched ruin in his wake.
Thunder rumbled across the isolated forest. From the dissipating haze where lightning had struck, a figure emerged.
Taranis turned sharply, his eyes locking onto a ragged-looking teenager. Black-haired, piercing gray-eyed—his clothes torn, dirt-streaked, and full of holes.
The boy's head was thrown back in wild, unrestrained laughter, his arms stretched, lightning coming from his hands.
"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Taranis' expression darkened. He took a slow step forward, his voice rumbling like a coming storm.
"Who are you?"
The laughter cut off abruptly. The boy stiffened, turning toward him like he hadn't expected anyone to be there. As if he didn't just summon him the worst way possible.
"Hey!" He waved weakly. "Uh… you saw that?" He gestured between himself and a nearby tree—exploded in two halves—that he used a training target.
Taranis' eyes narrowed. His patience was already thin.
"I said... Who. Are. You."
The words hissed between his teeth like a crackling storm, charged with a weight that made the air itself feel heavy.
The boy hesitated—then, without another word, bolted.
The forest exploded with sound as he shot forward, the wind screaming past him. Dirt and leaves kicked up in his wake.
Taranis arched an eyebrow. Fast for a mortal child.
His gaze tracked the boy's movement, calculating. 80 kilometers per hour? Maybe more. A low snort escaped him.
Foolish.
He vanished.
A blink later, he was already in the boy's path.
Before the kid could react, Taranis' hand shot out. He snatched the boy's head mid-sprint and slammed him into the ground.
The impact sent a deep, echoing boom through the forest. Dirt cracked. Dust shot up in a cloud. The earth itself trembled.
Taranis lifted him effortlessly, gripping the boy by the face, his golden eyes gleaming with cold amusement.
"Now… to which pantheon shall I send your body?"
His voice was almost contemplative, as if he were discussing the weather.
"The Church, perhaps? Those fools can't help but meddle with children. No, you don't look like one of theirs. Nordic? Hm…"
The boy struggled in his grip, kicking out wildly. Taranis barely felt it—until one of the kicks landed.
A detonation erupted against his arm. Not enough to harm him—but enough to loosen his grip.
In a sharp twist, the boy wrenched free, flipping back onto his feet. His breathing was ragged, his hands twitching.
A spear flickered into existence in his grasp.
Taranis' eyes narrowed. Not a weapon.
An energy construct.
"The fuck you are?" the brat spat, steadying himself into a clumsy battle stance.
Taranis tilted his head, regarding him like an insect that had learned to bite.
"You dare ask who I am?"
His voice rumbled through the clearing, thick with power. The sky above them darkened, clouds swirling, charged with electricity.
"I am Taranis."
The skies groaned in response.
"Celtic god of the sky and celestial order."
His presence crashed down like a tidal wave, the sheer pressure making the air tangible.
"Now." His golden eyes locked onto the boy. "Explain why you are in my domain—usurping my power—before I lose my patience."
The wind howled.
The boy swallowed hard.
"If I told you that I didn't know, would you believe me?" He asked, bending his knees even more to anchor himself.
"No–"
Before Taranis could finish, lightning struck.
The ground erupted in a blinding explosion, smoke blowing in every direction.
Taranis snarled, rage crackling in his mind. He dares to use lightning against him?
With a flick of his wrist, he sent a wave of power through the air—clearing the smoke instantly.
The boy was gone.
Taranis' eyes flicked to the side—just as the brat lunged at him from behind. His spear slashed downward—an amateur's strike.
Taranis didn't move.
The spear struck his back with a dull clang, doing nothing.
The boy slid past him, dragging the spear's butt along the ground as he circled.
Then—
BAM.
The spear slammed into the dirt.
"Seal."
A bubble of blue light erupted from the ground, coils of energy writhing around its surface, locking Taranis inside.
"I'm out." The brat gave a mock salute before sprinting–explosion blasting beneath his feet.
Taranis snorted, arms crossed. He simply snapped his fingers.
The air bent.
A deafening crack split through the sky, sending every remaining bird fleeing in terror.
Yet the barrier… only expanded, strengthened.
Taranis' jaw unhooked slightly.
He snapped again—this time summoning raw lightning.
The barrier fractured.
Taranis shouted, swinging his arms from their crossed position to slam the barrier.
Then—it shattered.
The resulting explosion flattened a good chunk of the forest, reducing trees to ash.
Taranis remained motionless, his face unreadable.
But if one looked closely at his face, he was slightly amused, excited even.
The boy was far from where he sealed the god, still sprinting. With every step he took, the tree branch he stomped upon was blasted apart, and he flew off.
It was a technique he'd created—inspired by shunpo from Bleach. He modestly called his version [Dash]
Magic circles were carved into the soles of his shoes, channeling energy into controlled explosions that launched him forward while shielding his legs from the force.
He still felt the backlash though.
Yet he ignored the pain in his legs from using [Dash] further than it was intended to be used.
The burn in his calves stung. His breath came in ragged gasps. He had enough magic left for only a few more jumps before he collapsed.
"First fight a god, huh? I must have the karma of a narcotraficante." He snorted.
Then he felt it—the explosion.
Taranis was coming.
He took one last leap before skidding into a stance, slightly adjusting his form to be more efficient—to stop getting in his own way.
Too late.
The god was already in front of him.
"Finally realized that you can't escape me?" He raised an eyebrow.
The brat snickered. "Do I look like I have long-term plans?" he gestured to himself.
BOOM.
The world went white. The brat hit the ground hard, twitching from the shock.
"Cocky. Stupid. Persistent." He snorted. "Annoying little shit."
The god lifted him onto his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, before thunder rumbled a last time.
The forest was once again devoid of residents.