Limitless: New Dawn

Chapter 285: Lightning Baptism

Hello everyone,I met with an accident and had a minor surgury, so I was unable to upload for the last few days.

But I am recovering now and would continue to upload chapters.

Happy reading!

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Arthur did not return to the city immediately after collecting the Nine-Turn Spirit Grass. The forest still had far more to offer, and now that he had already pushed into its deeper regions, it made little sense to turn back so soon. 

Instead, he continued forward at a steady pace, his senses stretched outward in a wide radius as he scanned for anything of value. The density of spiritual energy in this part of the forest was noticeably higher, and it reflected in the environment itself, here plants grew thicker, their colors were richer and brighter, and even the air carried a faint pressure that hinted at the presence of stronger lifeforms.

Over the next hour, Arthur collected a variety of herbs, some familiar in structure yet different in composition compared to those from Thyrandel, while others were entirely new to him. Each one was carefully stored after a brief inspection, his mind already cataloguing their potential uses and how they might translate into either potion-making or pill refinement. 

Occasionally, he encountered beasts guarding patches of land or valuable resources, but most of them retreated the moment they sensed him. A few tried to test him, stepping forward with low growls or flaring spiritual pressure, only to back off when Arthur revealed his strength.

This continued for quite some time, and Arthur had just finished collecting a cluster of crimson-veined herbs growing near the base of a massive broken tree when a sudden shift in the atmosphere made him stop mid-motion. 

The leaves on nearby trees began to tremble without wind, and the hair on Arthur’s arms rose instinctively as static energy built up in the environment.. The faint crackle of electricity began to echo through the surroundings, it was subtle at first, but it was rapidly intensifying. 

Arthur slowly straightened, his gaze lifting toward the sky just as the clouds above twisted unnaturally, gathering into a dark, swirling mass. The forest fell silent in an instant, every creature within the vicinity retreating or hiding as if responding to a threat.

He didn’t move, instead he waited for whatever it was to arrive. A few seconds later a piercing screech tore through the forest.

Arthur’s eyes sharpened as a massive figure descended from the sky, its form cutting through the clouds like a bolt of lightning. The creature was enormous, it resembled an eagle with wings that spanned over twenty meters, each feather lined with arcs of electricity that danced continuously across its body. 

Its golden eyes locked onto Arthur the moment it stabilized in the air, and the sheer pressure it emitted caused the surrounding trees to bend outward as if pushed by an invisible force.

Arthur’s expression didn’t change, but his body tensed slightly, sensing the eagle was stronger than him.

The eagle let out another piercing screech that echoed across the forest, and without any warning, it attacked.

A bolt of lightning descended instantly, striking Arthur’s position with devastating force. The ground exploded, dirt and debris scattering in all directions, but Arthur had already changed his position, his figure blurring as he sidestepped the attack at the last moment just enough to avoid a direct hit. Even so, the residual energy brushed against him, sending a sharp jolt through his body that made his muscles twitch involuntarily.

“…That’s not normal lightning,” he muttered, his gaze narrowing slightly.

But before he could analyze the attack further, the eagle moved again.

Its body blurred, its speed enhanced by the very element it controlled, and in the next instant, it was already upon him. Its claws came down with crushing force, forcing Arthur to raise his arm to block. The impact alone sent him sliding backward, his feet carving deep grooves into the ground as he absorbed the force.

Arthur steadied himself quickly while holding onto the claws of the eagle as he assessed the situation. The creature was stronger than him physically, there was no doubt about that but what made it dangerous was how seamlessly it combined that strength with lightning manipulation.

The eagle spread its wings again, and the battlefield changed instantly.

Lightning erupted outward, forming a domain that engulfed the surrounding forest in a storm of crackling energy. Bolts struck randomly within its range, the ground fracturing under repeated impacts as the environment was rapidly transformed into a chaotic death zone with everything turning to ash the moment it was touched by the lightning.

But Arthur stepped forward instead of retreating.

“Good,” he muttered quietly, almost as if approving of the challenge.

The next moment, lightning erupted from his own body, coiling around him like a serpent as he matched the eagle head-on. Unlike the eagle’s wild dominance, his control over his lightning was much more precise, refined through understanding rather than instinct. But the eagle's lightning was much more overwhelming and destructive in nature than his.

The two collided again. This time, the clash was far more violent.

BOOOOOMMMM!

Arthur’s fist met the eagle’s claw mid-motion, the impact sending a shockwave outward that flattened everything within several tens of miles. Lightning exploded from both sides, their energies colliding and dispersing into chaotic bursts that tore through the surroundings.

The eagle screeched, its body surging with more power as it formed a blade of condensed lightning along the edges of its wing and swung it at Arthur.

Arthur raised his arm to block, but this time it broke through his defences.

The lightning blade cut into his arm, leaving a deep gash across his forearm as lightning energy surged into his body. His muscles spasmed violently, his nerves getting constantly damaged and screaming under the intensity of the attack.

But he didn’t retreat. Instead, he stepped forward again.

He grabbed the eagle’s wing mid-attack, he tightened his grip despite the lightning coursing through him, his muscles tearing under the strain and his skin burning under the intensity of the lightning attack and regenerating constantly. The eagle reacted instantly, its domain intensifying as multiple bolts converged toward him, striking repeatedly in rapid succession.

Boom… Boom… Boom!

The ground exploded around them as Arthur was struck repeatedly, his body engulfed in blinding light. For a brief moment, his figure disappeared entirely within the storm of attacks.

Then… he emerged from the attacks with a calm look in his eyes.

His body was visibly damaged, his skin was charred in places, torn flesh, and blood trailing down his whole body, but even though the damage was life-threatening, it was already healing. His regeneration kicked in almost instantly, repairing what had been destroyed, while something deeper within him began to shift. 

The lightning that had overwhelmed him moments ago now felt… weaker.

He vanished, reappearing directly above the eagle, his fist descended with crushing force, driving the massive beast into the ground with a thunderous impact that shattered the surrounding terrain. The forest floor cracked, trees collapsing outward as the shockwave spread.

BOOM!

The eagle roared in fury, its body erupting with even greater power as it surged back up, faster than before. Its speed had increased due to the infusion of lightning energy. Lightning wrapped around its talons, forming multiple blades that struck towards Arthur from different angles simultaneously.

Arthur moved faster and even utilized teleportation for better advantage, his body adapting in real time as he closed the gap again.

The battle escalated rapidly. The eagle rose into the sky, gathering energy on a massive scale as the clouds above darkened further. Lightning converged toward a single point, forming a massive strike that carried enough power to level everything below.

Arthur looked up at it, but this time he didn’t move from there.

BOOOOOMMMMM!

The bolt descended and the explosion that followed was deafening, a pillar of light tearing through the forest and leaving a massive crater in its wake. The surrounding area was reduced to scorched earth, trees were burned and turned to dust as the energy dissipated slowly.

For a moment, everything was still.

Arthur emerged from under debris some distance away as he was thrown away due to the blast. His body was again heavily damaged, and smoke was rising from his burnt skin. Regeneration worked rapidly, repairing the damage while his body adopted further to the lightning that had struck him.

The eagle hesitated seeing its prey was so tenacious. It was only for a second, but it was enough for Arthur.

He again disappeared, reappearing directly in front of it, his fist drove forward, wrapped in compressed lightning that pierced through its defenses and sent it crashing into the ground with overwhelming force. The impact shattered the terrain, the domain collapsing instantly as the storm dispersed.

The forest fell silent.

Arthur remained standing, his breathing became steady as the last traces of damage faded from his body. The ground around him was devastated, a wide stretch of land reduced to rubble and scorched earth, evidence of the battle that had just taken place.

The eagle lay still for a moment before slowly stirring, its body was trembling slightly as it tried to rise again. It wasn’t dead, but it clearly had no strength to continue the fight.

Arthur watched it for a few seconds, then walked towards it to finish it.

“W… Wait!”

***

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