While the battles involving Anna, Yan Qing, the two Rogue Deities, and Sect Leader Luo Hao were reaching a fever pitch, the war between the [Professor of Lightning] Nikola Tesla and the [Lord of the Underworld] John Pluto Smith also ignited instantly.
"Hmph! Witness the lightning that surpasses the Age of Gods!"
With a cold snort, a massive pillar of electricity struck down toward Smith's head. Fortunately, Smith's elite Campione physical attributes allowed him to dodge just in time.
"That was truly dangerous," Smith muttered, looking at the scorched, shattered earth where he had stood moments ago. "Terrifying... so this is Nikola Tesla? For such a famous scientist to manifest as a Heroic Spirit... it's truly bizarre."
"Hmph, hmph, hmph! If even a 'Demon' like Edison can become a Heroic Spirit, then a genius like me who far surpasses him naturally has no problem!" Tesla smirked with supreme confidence, not forgetting to take a jab at his old rival.
"I feel like I just heard some world-shaking information... even Thomas Edison is here?" Smith shook his head in disbelief. "But for now, in this battle, let me see just how strong the Professor of Lightning truly is!"
Authority Activated: [Meta Morpho Seth — Super Transformation]!
This was an Authority Smith seized after defeating Tezcatlipoca, allowing him to transform into various forms. However, it required a "Sacrifice" to activate. While he could switch between his human and transformed states at will, once a form was used, it could not be summoned again for seven days.
Smith chose the form: [The Magic Bird].
This form possessed high mobility and commanded the "Winds of Destruction." It was a black demon bird capable of exhaling toxic smoke that paralyzed the divine power of anyone who inhaled it. The sacrifice required was the "Earth" meaning the surrounding ground would continuously suffer from tremors during the transformation.
["In the name of the Lord of the Underworld, I command: Offer up the Black Wings that can tear the heavens! O Sky, reveal your heart only to me!"]
As the incantation echoed, the ground beneath Smith began to shake violently. His form warped and shifted his arms transformed into obsidian wings, his head became that of a predatory bird, and long tail feathers sprouted behind him. Finally, Smith became the jet-black Magic Bird, soaring high into the sky.
"Caw!!"
The transformed Smith let out a harsh, crow-like cry. He became a streak of black light, diving from the clouds toward Tesla, who was looking down from above.
"Useless"
Tesla watched Smith's charge with cold, unimpressed eyes. "Don't you know the most basic rule of the world?"
"Electric types are super effective against Flying types!"
Vast amounts of lightning fell around Tesla, weaving into a colossal Electromagnetic Net that trapped both Tesla and Smith within its glowing mesh.
While Smith was momentarily panicked, Tesla smiled. He phased through the lightning net effortlessly, leaving the bewildered Magic Bird trapped alone inside. The bird's face actually managed to show a look of pure confusion.
"Now, let me teach you a bit of common sense..." Tesla chuckled, raising a metallic finger high before snapping it down. "[Thunder] is a move that can hit [Flying] units with 100% accuracy! Unless you're a Flygon (Note 1)!"
BOOM!!!
Despite the clear sky, a world-ending bolt of lightning struck the Magic Bird without mercy. Blinding light enveloped Smith, making him screech in agony. The cry, so similar to a crow's, was enough to make anyone's head spin.
As the lightning faded, a charred, black mass fell from the sky. Upon hitting the ground, the "burnt coal" glowed and reverted to Smith's human form.
Smith was in a terrible state. His entire body was scorched, his skin turning a dark, bruised shade almost the color of Darius III. Steam rose from his body. While his mysterious mask remained intact, his clothes were shredded, and his iconic black cloak had been turned to ash by the strike.
"What... what overwhelming lightning!" Smith panted, looking up at Tesla, who sat enthroned in the sky like a supreme deity looking down at a "Foolish Child" trying to challenge God. "To think a modern scientist could possess power surpassing the God of Thunder in myth!"
"That is only natural," Tesla replied calmly, looking down at the blackened Smith. "I am the man who revealed the 'Lightning' the weapon of the gods upon the earth. I am the magnificent and brilliant Demonic Man of Wisdom, and more importantly, I am a [Pioneer of the Stars]. Controlling lightning is as simple as breathing for me."
"I see... you are indeed more powerful than a 'God'." Smith's face was hidden, but his body was trembling not with fear, but with fanatical excitement. "But we are Campiones! We are the [Fools] who slay gods! Professor of Lightning, witness this Authority seized from a goddess!"
Authority Activated: [The Freeshooter]!
This was an Authority Smith seized from Artemis a barrage of pale, magical bullets. He could only fire six shots per month, but their power was absolute. They could pierce through skyscrapers, vaporize solid rock, and even rewrite terrain. These bullets possessed auto-tracking, silencing, and explosive properties. They would follow the shooter's will, curving through the air to find their target anywhere in the world or even return from outer space.
By pouring in massive amounts of divine power, the destructive force increased exponentially.
Smith drew his silver-white pistols and aimed at the sky. He loaded two bullets at once, his divine power swirling around the weapons. With a sharp crack, the pale magic bullets streaked toward Tesla.
Tesla's eyes narrowed as he dodged the high-speed projectiles. However, the bullets curved mid-air, their [Auto-tracking] keeping them locked onto his position. Tesla was forced into a high-speed game of cat-and-mouse.
Golden and silver-white streaks of light blurred across the sky, eventually drifting over other battlefields.
Anna Goldi, who was currently chasing Zhu Bajie with her flaming whip to make some "Roasted Suckling Pig," was startled by the sudden light. By the time she regained her composure, the pig-god had vanished. She turned toward the sky and screamed at Tesla's back:
"YOU TURN-BASED OBSESSED BASTARD! GIVE ME BACK MY ROASTED PIG!!!"
Tesla, even at high speeds, managed to fire back: "Shut up, you real-time heretic Witch! Turn-based is the only true way to play!"
"YOU SON OF A—!" Anna could only gnash her teeth as Tesla and the bullets flew further away.
Tesla, however, was starting to feel the pressure. This infinite pursuit was becoming a nuisance.
"Let's see if I can neutralize it," he thought, manifesting a massive orb of electricity and hurling it at the incoming bullets.
To his surprise, the magic bullets didn't collide with the orb. They split into two, weaving around the electricity before merging back into a single projectile.
"They can even phase through attacks?!" Tesla was impressed. But since the bullets were now two, he had to change his strategy.
He returned to the original battlefield and stopped mid-air. "If that's the case... I'll just destroy you with this!"
Skill Activated: [Galvanism: A]!
Blue lightning erupted from Tesla's body. The magic bullets, unable to dodge such a massive Area-of-Effect (AOE) burst, were struck directly and shattered into fragments. However, upon being destroyed, they triggered a violent explosion that engulfed Tesla.
As the smoke cleared, Tesla emerged. He wasn't seriously hurt, but his clothes were slightly tattered, which clearly offended his pride.
"Impressive. Truly impressive," Tesla said to Smith below. "Whether it's [The Freeshooter] or the Authority stolen from Artemis, you use them better than the two Archers I know. To think a 'Fool' could push a genius this far."
"But this is where it ends. Next, you shall face the lightning that surpasses Indra, Perkūnas, and Zeus. Watch closely this is the power of a [Genius]!"
In reality, during their conversation, Tesla had been using [Galvanism] to accumulate massive amounts of electrical and magical energy for this very moment—
[The God's Thunder is here]
Colossal magical energy gathered around Tesla.
[Come, open your eyes and witness]
Smith felt a surge of absolute dread. He had to stop the man's incantation.
But it was too late. The Professor of Lightning released the True Name of his Noble Phantasm.
This was the crystallization of his life's work and the supernatural legends surrounding his mystery. Even before the True Name release, it was a high-tier electromagnetic manipulation power. Often mistaken for the second coming of the Thunder Gods, this Noble Phantasm was the reason for his Archer classification.
At its base, it was an electromagnetic pulse attack. But when the True Name was released, it created a "limited, simulated space-time fracture" to lay waste to everything in the vicinity.
[SYSTEM KERAUNOS!!!]
Roaring black clouds covered the entire sky. Every combatant on the mountain stopped to look at the battlefield of Tesla and Smith.
Thunderous lightning dragons coiled within the darkness.
BOOM!!!
Countless bolts of lightning struck down. At that exact moment, Smith heard the very "Space-Time" around him let out a strange, cracking sound as if reality itself was shattering.
Crack!