Chapter 596: Thunder Judgment

The battle was swift and brief.

For a Peak Third-Stage fighter, after only a few probing exchanges, the outcome often turned on a single, fleeting moment.

With four bolts of lightning crashing down in rapid succession, Park Chan-eun—who had been locked in combat with Nguyen Tianming—suddenly shifted his target.

Thunder!!

Crackling with electricity!

A massive, explosive bolt of lightning pierced a rapidly moving dark figure.

The sudden, paralyzing force of the lightning instantly froze the Awakener from the Japanese Battle Zone under Yenir’s command.

Caught off guard, they were instantly encircled by the Korean Third-Stage fighters.

The situation suddenly turned dire.

Even after transforming into Otherworldly Ghosts, Nguyen Tianming and his allies wouldn’t be distracted by a setback in battle.

Yet, already struggling with mounting losses, they quickly fell into a severe disadvantage.

Meanwhile, an Awakener from the South Korean Battle Zone let out a menacing laugh and, seizing his overwhelming numerical edge, shifted his focus to two fighters from the Vietnam War Zone.

“Give up your resistance! Or I’ll kill you right now!”

“Think it over! Even if you lose in the national battle, you might survive! But if you die, your ranking will only look worse!”

Brimming with confidence.

Though his stamina was nearly depleted from singlehandedly turning the tide, Park Chan-eun now wore an expression of unbridled arrogance. Without hesitation, he summoned a lightning spear aimed directly at the remaining three fighters trapped in the circle.

Earlier, Nguyen Tianming and his group might have barely withstood the entire South Korean Battle Zone, staying temporarily safe.

But now, there was no doubt—they were trapped in a death spiral.

If they were any smarter, they would have surrendered immediately or sacrificed one more man to force an escape.

The battle lines contracted.

After barely clinching a decisive advantage, Park Chan-eun suppressed his excitement and fixed his cold gaze on Nguyen Tianming and his comrades, who were still stubbornly resisting.

He couldn’t fathom why those Vietnamese monkeys had only their Peak Third-Stage fighters here—and dared to strike at them.

Now that victory was all but assured, eliminating the most threatening assassin-type Awakener would cost him little before he easily crushed the opposition!

In doing so, they’d secure a massive edge in the national battle rankings!

Had he not worried that such ruthless killings might force Nguyen Tianming’s side into a desperate fight, he could have finished them off right then and there!

Of course, there was one more reason: he still hoped to extract news about the Huaguo people from those damned Vietnamese monkeys.

Taking down one Battle Zone meant nothing! Park Chan-eun wanted the whole world to know that under his command, the South Korean Battle Zone was destined to rise in this national battle!

He aimed to singlehandedly subdue two nations!

Yet, even as Nguyen Tianming and his comrades found themselves completely surrounded by the South Korean Battle Zone, they offered no response to the threats.

As Otherworldly Ghosts, without orders from Yenir, they wouldn’t bat an eyelid even if they all perished here.

All of Park Chan-eun’s threats and coercion meant nothing to them!

Seeing Nguyen Tianming and his group battle on relentlessly—like unmoving machines despite being encircled—sparked a surge of rage in Park Chan-eun.

Damn it! These damned Vietnamese monkeys still refuse to surrender!

So brainless, so ignorant—they actually think they have a chance!?

Have they still not realized the massive gap in power between the two sides!?

Enraged, Park Chan-eun once again channeled his inner Spirit Energy, unleashing a lightning bolt as thick as a bucket that crashed down once more.

Won’t surrender?! Won’t cooperate?!

Then let’s disable them first!

“Tell me where those Huaguo rats are! You damned Vietnamese monkeys!”

Boom!!

The roar of thunder fell relentlessly—but at that very moment, an unexpected voice rang out from above Park Chan-eun’s head.

“Rats?”

“Monkeys?”

Before Park Chan-eun could even tense his muscles, he abruptly looked up to the sky.

There, hovering overhead, Yenir let out a light laugh as a crimson storm suddenly materialized behind him.

Activating his Judgment state for the second time, he unleashed its full force ahead of schedule—a colossal black sword, resembling a falling meteor, hurtled down from the sky!

“You damn South Korean, jumping like that? Then get ready to be hit by my big stick!”

Boom!!!

Falling at eight times the speed of sound, the giant sword locked onto Park Chan-eun.

Though he shone in a terrified blue aura as he tried to rocket away, his superhuman reflexes couldn’t save him; in the blink of an eye, the giant sword crashed down with the fury of true Judgment.

The air ignited as a nuclear-like explosion echoed, and a tsunami-like shockwave blasted scores of Third-Stage fighters away.

The ground shattered, and the entire district sank into a pained depression under the impact.

It was as if an elderly man lying on the ground had been brutally sliced across his waist.

Within a 300-meter radius, the once-solid earth heaved upward, flinging countless wandering zombies and wrecked cars skyward in an instant.

In a single, devastating strike, the entire district was reduced to ruins.

Debris shot into the sky as thick, billowing smoke slowly rose.

Gazing into the chasm, the dark red hue was so intense it seemed even the rocks had melted.

Even Yenir, unleashing his final Judgment state for the first time, couldn’t help but be awestruck.

With his Mind Storm doubly reinforced and its properties realigned to work in tandem with his Judgment skill…

this attack’s power was downright terrifying…

He took notice.

Even after being forcibly locked on, the South Korean fighter frantically activated his innate talent, trying to transform into a bolt of lightning to escape. But like a rat with its tail stepped on, not a single step was spared.

He ended up taking a full blow from the Judgment Sword, leaving even Yenir uncertain if he was still alive.

“Don’t die… please…”

He murmured quietly to himself.

Unbothered by the frantic escape of scores of South Koreans—either scattering in terror or flung about by the shockwave—

Yenir simply shook his head with a hint of concern before diving straight into the chasm.

To ensure that Park Chan-eun would be reduced to a near-death state and forced to transform into an Otherworldly Ghost, he had just supplemented his attack with a burst of Mind Shock.

But now it seemed… if Park Chan-eun’s will was too weak,

unable to muster the power to protect himself, he might well be shattered to pieces…

Unable to sense his opponent’s vital energy, Yenir couldn’t help but feel a surge of anxiety.

He had been observing this ‘electric rat’ for quite some time.

His combat prowess was undeniably impressive—exceptionally skilled at spearheading charges.

Clearly, compared to other Peak Third-Stage fighters he’d encountered, Park Chan-eun was equivalent to three men.

In the final stages of clashing with fighters from other nations, that kind of strength would be priceless!

He could even be utilized as a self-destructing rat if needed…

Lost in thought, Yenir soon reached the bottom of the chasm.

As waves of burnt stench and vast shards of crystallized quartz filled his vision, he couldn’t help but exhale in relief.

Fortunately…

At the very bottom of the chasm, the once-spirited, ‘Thunder God’-like Park Chan-eun now had half his body embedded in the earth, gurgling blood.

He lay half on the ground with great effort, his charred right hand instinctively reaching for the sky.

In those shattered, pale eyes, there burned an overwhelming yearning for life.

When struck directly by the Judgment Sword, his body was nearly cleaved in half, brutally shattered into two pieces.

Fortunately, his strength was formidable enough to endure the assault, even as lightning enveloped him.

He no longer felt fear or shock over who had struck him.

In his near-death state, he could no longer sense his lower body.

All he now wanted was to beg for mercy—to simply stay alive.

“Help… help me…”

“Huh… huh…”

“I don’t… want…”

“To die…”