LightReader

Chapter 43 - Divine Judgement

"You have endured the storm. You have faced the judgment… and survived. You are worthy of inheriting the heavens' power."

The voice reverberated throughout the space, each word carrying weight.

"Young one… are you ready to receive the power of the heavens?"

The voice rolled through the sky, calm yet thunderous, like the rumble of a storm contained within eternity.

I didn't fully understand what this "power of the heavens" was, but something tells me that it's going to be powerful. I'm trying my hardest to become strong so if I can get a power up out of nowhere there's no need for me to reject it , right.

"Yes," I said firmly, my voice resolute. "I am ready to inherit the heavens' power."

"Very well."

The sky shifted instantly. Clouds churned and bent, spiraling into a colossal vortex that stretched across the horizon. At its heart, a radiant blue cosmos unfolded, as though the heavens themselves had torn open a gateway.

A brilliant light flared from its center, so bright it seemed to pierce through my soul. The voice echoed once more, reverent and commanding:

"Oh Lord of the Heavens, bestow upon this child the blessing of Your eternal might."

The blue radiance descended in a cascading torrent, enveloping me completely. My breath caught as the light seeped into every corner of my being, saturating my flesh, my veins, my very core.

And yet… there was no pain. Only warmth, as if the heavens themselves had chosen to embrace me. Relief and awe washed over me in waves, leaving me trembling—not from fear, but from the weight of something far greater than myself.

Slowly, the light began to fade. The vortex of clouds unraveled, vanishing into wisps, until the sky once more returned to its quiet, ordinary blue.

I stood there, staring up in disbelief. "What… just happened? Did I really gain some kind of power-up? I don't feel any different…"

Instinctively, I called out: "Hey, System… did I receive anything from that?"

[Yes, Host.]

[New skill acquired.]

[Skill Name: Divine Judgement.]

My eyes widened, a flicker of disbelief flashing across my face before it curved into a grin I couldn't suppress.

"Oh… a new skill."

I read the name and arched a brow. "Divine Judgement, huh? It sounds like the kind of grand, world-shattering attack I'd want—but honestly, it also reeks of something those pompous priests from the Holy Church would chant about during their sermons." A low chuckle escaped me, half mocking, half amused.

Before I could dwell on it, the voice returned—deeper now, like a fading echo carried by eternity itself.

"Child, the heavens have entrusted you with a great power. Wield it not with arrogance, but with resolve. Strength without purpose leads only to ruin. Let your blade strike not for vanity, but for justice. Let your power blaze not to destroy, but to protect."

Before I could say a word, the space around me twisted unnaturally, as though the very fabric of reality had been pulled taut and then snapped back. Light fractured, shadows stretched, and in the blink of an eye the divine expanse dissolved.

When my vision cleared, I was no longer standing beneath the heavens. I was back in the cave—its damp air pressing against my skin, the familiar scent of stone and moss grounding me once more.

My gaze fell instinctively toward the chamber's center. The orb that had once pulsed with mysterious light now lay on the ground, shattered into countless fragments. The pieces glittered faintly in the gloom, as if reluctant to let go of the last remnants of their power. That radiant artifact which had brought me here, which had been the key to everything that just happened… was nothing more than broken shards now.

"I guess it was only meant for one-time use," I muttered, nudging one of the broken shards with my boot.

My lips twisted into a half-smirk. "And that last bit—'use your power to protect, not to destroy'—seriously? That's the same tired line they preach in every novel, game, and holy sermon. Couldn't the heavens come up with something a little more original?"

I sighed, shaking my head. "Well, whatever." My eyes narrowed, anticipation prickling through me. "Time to see what this so-called 'gift of the heavens' is really about."

"System," I said, straightening my posture. "Tell me about my new skill."

[New Skill : Divine Judgement ]

--------------------------------------------

Description:

[ Upon activation, the skies above darken and tear apart with arcs of divine blue and white lightning. A colossal pillar of lightning surges down from the sky, engulfing the target area with overwhelming destructive force. The strike is not a single bolt, but a storm condensed into one divine spear of annihilation.

The impact releases an explosion of radiant lightning energy, vaporizing everything within its radius. The sheer heat, force, and divine energy not only obliterate the target but also leave behind a massive crater of scorched earth and shattered stone. ]

---------------------------------------------

My jaw nearly hit the floor. "Woah… holy shit."

My eyes scanned the description again, and a grin broke across my face. "This skill… it's ridiculous. I mean, insanely powerful."

I couldn't hold back the surge of excitement bubbling up inside me. My chest tightened, and then the laughter spilled out.

"Haah… haaa… hahahahaha! This is amazing!"

The thought that I, out of all people, had been granted something like this—it was surreal. "Did I really just get such an OP skill? I've never even heard of anything like this in the game…"

But just as I was lost in the rush, the System chimed in again.

[Notice: Host, there are additional details you must be aware of regarding this skill.]

I blinked. "Hmmm? What is it?"

[High mana consumption detected. Activation drains a significant portion of the caster's mana pool.]

[Warning: Due to the skill's wide destructive radius, reckless use may harm allies or civilians within range.]

I clicked my tongue, though I wasn't surprised. "Tch, of course. A move this big wouldn't come without a price." I rubbed the back of my neck, still grinning. "High mana consumption, huh? Makes sense. At best… I'll only be able to fire this off once in a fight."

Even so, my pulse raced at the thought. One use… but one use strong enough to erase everything.

"If I want to use a skill like this more than once… then I need to increase my mana."

I exhaled slowly, calming down from the high of receiving the skill. "Well, there's no need to rush.

For now I want to test out this new skill . My fingers twitched just thinking about unleashing that colossal lightning spear. But I can't do it here . I mean I can't let others see this. If I leave a large amount of destruction here it will definitely cause a lot of problems for me.

"Hey, System… do you have some kind of secret space or domain where I can train?"

You know, like in those other system-based novels and manhwas where the MC gets their own personal training ground.

[Yes I do host ]

"Ohh you have one. Then why did you never mention it to me "

[Because, Host… you never asked.]

"…What?" I froze, utterly dumbfounded. "Are you serious right now? That's your excuse?"

[Affirmative.]

I dragged my hand down my face. "Unbelievable…"

The System continued in its flat tone:

[Additional Condition: The domain can only be accessed for a maximum of 4 hours per day.]

I smirked, the irritation fading. "That's fine."

"Sent me there."

[Yes Host.]

[Opening portal]

Suddenly a black void like portal appeared infront of me.

"…So I just… go through this?"

[Yes, Host.]

I stared at the portal for a moment, the edges warping and pulsing with faint light, as though it was breathing. My lips pressed into a thin line. "Figures. It had to be ominous."

Taking in a deep breath, I stepped forward. The instant my foot crossed the threshold, gravity itself seemed to vanish. My body was pulled in, weightless, like I'd been dropped into a bottomless ocean of darkness.

And then—

The darkness swallowed me whole—then spat me out into… something else entirely.

I blinked, my eyes adjusting to the new surroundings. The air here was heavy, thicker than the outside world, almost as if it pressed against my skin. Around me stretched an endless void of black and violet, the two colors twisting together like smoke. The ground was solid beneath my feet, but it shimmered faintly, as though made from glass reflecting an infinite abyss.

Faint streaks of violet lightning cracked silently across the horizonless sky, but there was no sound, no echo—just an eerie stillness. It felt less like a place to train and more like a forgotten corner of the cosmos, where time itself had stopped.

A shiver crawled down my spine. "This… is your training space?" I muttered, my voice sounding small in the vast emptiness.

[Yes, Host. A private dimension tailored for growth and experimentation.]

I couldn't help but smirk despite the unease. "Dark, creepy, and ominous… Honestly, kind of suits me."

"Now then let's do what I came here for."

I took a steadying breath, feeling the mana coursing through me. The skill was unlike anything I had wielded before—a storm compressed into a single, devastating strike.

I closed my eyes and began to concentrate.

The sky above started to tear apart and path ways with arcs of divine blue and white lightning.

I opened my eyes and spoke in a firm, commanding tone: "Divine Judgement."

The instant the words left my lips, the air around me shivered, charged with an almost unbearable energy. The storm I had summoned descended like a wrathful deity—a colossal pillar of lightning that tore through the heavens and struck the earth with ruthless precision.

BOOM!

The explosion was cataclysmic. Debris erupted in every direction, a violent shockwave rattling my bones and sending a guttural roar of fury through the air itself. The sheer force of it bent the landscape, tearing the ground asunder with deafening authority.

When the smoke finally cleared, the aftermath was absolute. A vast crater yawned where the strike had landed, the earth scorched and fractured, leaving nothing but the raw scar of destruction.

I started to stand up but instead I my legs gave out and my vision also seemed blurry.

"Shit , This mana consumption is no joke."

I somehow pushed myself to my feet.

I stepped forward, my boots crunching over shattered rock and scorched earth, eyes scanning the crater. The heat from the strike still lingered in the air, carrying the sharp scent of ozone and burnt soil.

The sheer force of Divine Judgement had left the surrounding terrain in ruin.

"Holy shit ... It caused this much destruction."

I lowered my hands slowly, feeling the tremor of power still coursing through my veins. This skill… was more than just a weapon. It was a force of annihilation.

The silence that followed was deafening, broken only by the faint sizzle of residual electricity dancing over the fractured ground. I allowed myself a brief, calm breath, already sensing the weight of what I had just unleashed.

"So this what my new skill can do . Really powerful but also dangerous ."

A slow smirk crept across my face. This was only just the beginning.

Well I guess It's time to go back now.

"Hey system sent me back."

[Yes Host ]

The same portal appeared infront of me. I passed through it and I was back in the cave again.

"Time to leave this cave and head back to the academy."

More Chapters