CHAPTER 186: DESTROYED THE CURSED (3)

Chapter 186

Just when the tension within the heroes’ ranks felt like it might snap, several figures stepped forward. The crowd parted instinctively, making way for them.

Leading the group was a young man with perfectly split hair—half black, half white—flowing slightly in the breeze. He wore a long blue sweater and black jeans, looking more like someone heading out for a casual stroll than a warrior entering a battlefield. Behind him followed familiar faces: Ronan, Aiden, Clara, Elexa, Silver Wing, and the rest of their elite squad.

Han stood firmly at the front lines, facing the horde of gang forces with a calm, unreadable expression. No trace of fear or doubt touched his face—only that familiar, unsettling calm. Though the air around him was heavy with pressure, his posture remained relaxed.

"I’m here for the Cursed," Han said, his voice tranquil yet forceful enough to carry across the entire battlefield.

He was sure these people weren’t part of the Cursed. They were being used—sacrificial pawns to soften the heroes’ forces. But Han had no intention of playing along with the enemy’s script. He would give them a choice—a chance to walk away.

"I’m not here for you," he continued. "Leave this island now and we won’t pursue you. No harm will come to you. But if you stay, you’ll be seen as one of the Cursed... and I swear on everything, every last one of them will be erased today. If you stay, you will die."

Han’s words echoed with a solemn weight. He wasn’t threatening out of arrogance—he was giving them a way out. He didn’t want to kill those who weren’t his true targets.

"I know many of you have something you hold dear," he added. "Think twice before throwing your lives away for the Cursed."

Aiden, standing behind him, scanned the opposing forces. The gangs remained quiet, perhaps digesting Han’s words. He whispered, "Hope they make the right decision..."

But then, the leader of the opposing side—his hair styled into a white mohawk—grinned wickedly and stepped forward. He pointed his rapier directly at Han.

"And who the hell do you think you are?" he sneered. "Do you really think you and your little squad can take us all on? Look at my army."

He gestured behind him. A sea of gang members stood tall, weapons drawn and eyes blazing.

"Now look at yours," he mocked, pointing past Han. "Sure, you might be strong... but by the end of today, you’ll all be corpses. Why would we run when we can kill you, take all your resources, and claim your territory?"

His grin widened, sharp and dangerous. Then he raised his rapier high into the air and bellowed, "Everyone! Crush these bugs! Take everything!"

A thunderous roar erupted from behind him as the thousands at his back raised their weapons and prepared to charge.

Han didn’t move. His head dipped slightly, his body trembling—not with fear, but fury.

Behind him, Aiden observed the growing chaos and shook his head.

"Fools," he muttered. "The greatest of fools."

Though the enemy was many, Aiden knew they were rushing headfirst into their doom.

The leader with the white mohawk led the charge, a confident smirk playing on his lips—

But he didn’t get far.

A sharp, searing pain ripped through his chest, freezing him mid-step. His eyes widened in shock as blood gushed from a large, gaping hole where his heart should have been. Before he could even register what had happened, darkness swallowed his vision, and he collapsed to the ground with a dull thud.

The battlefield froze.

Those behind him came to an abrupt halt, staring in stunned silence at the corpse of their fallen leader. He was dead—just like that. Gone in an instant. Upon closer inspection, his body was scorched, the flesh around the hole blackened and smoking, blood pooling beneath him.

Ahead of them, Han stood with one arm raised, lightning crackling fiercely around his palm. His expression remained as calm as ever, but his eyes... they had turned cold—cold and sharp like finely honed steel.

His voice rang out, calm yet absolute.

"I gave you a chance to leave with your lives."

He slowly lifted off the ground, rising into the sky as his hair fluttered in the wind.

"I told you I was only after the Cursed," he continued. "But you chose to stay. You chose greed. You chose death."

As he spoke, the energy around him surged. Lightning danced across his body like living serpents, each arc bursting with unrestrained power. The sky above began to darken unnaturally, swirling clouds forming as thunder rumbled across the heavens.

"Everyone, get back," Han commanded, glancing briefly at his allies behind him.

They obeyed immediately.

Han raised his hand, now holding a sphere of wildly unstable, compressed lightning. The moment it pierced the sky, the atmosphere changed. Thick clouds crackled with volatile energy, the air itself humming violently. Thunder boomed like the roar of gods, shaking the very ground beneath their feet.

Panic spread.

The gang members, once filled with arrogance, now trembled in terror. A woman near the front screamed, "Run for your lives!" She bolted toward the forest, others following in a frantic stampede.

Some tried to flee toward the heroes in desperation, but before they could reach safety—

A bolt of divine fury struck them down.

Han’s eyes snapped open, glowing with pure lightning. He pointed a single finger toward the fleeing army and declared:

"Lightning Force: Thunderstorm."

The sky split open.

A blinding pillar of lightning crashed down with unimaginable force, obliterating everything it touched. There was no scream, no time to react—only instant, utter annihilation. Those not caught directly in the blast were still struck by the residual energy, their bodies convulsing violently as they were fried from the inside out.

One by one, they fell—twitching, screaming, then silent.

Barriers shattered. Weapons dropped uselessly to the ground. There was no hope, no defense. The storm had descended, and with it, death.

Painful screams and the agonizing wails of the gang members echoed for only a moment—before being completely swallowed by the crashing thunderbolts that tore through the sky. The sheer force of the storm rendered everything invisible. The heroes couldn’t hear the dying cries. They couldn’t even see the battlefield ahead. All that existed was the blinding light of divine judgment and the deafening roar of retribution.

But what they felt... was undeniable.

A sacred, dreadful awe settled over them, like they were witnessing the wrath of a god firsthand. It was overwhelming—like heaven itself had descended to strike down the wicked.

They had never seen divine judgment before... but this—this felt like it.

Several long minutes passed. When the thunder finally ceased, a tense stillness followed. The air crackled softly with residual static, the clouds slowly beginning to clear. With weapons drawn, the heroes advanced cautiously, preparing to finish off any survivors.

But the moment their boots touched the blackened earth... they froze.

The ground beneath them was no longer soil. It had been scorched beyond recognition—burned, melted, and fused into a glassy wasteland. But that wasn’t what made them stop.

What did... was the sight.

Bodies—or what was left of them—were scattered across the field. Some were charred to the bone, barely resembling human forms. Others had been vaporized entirely, leaving behind only ashes or... nothing at all.

The sheer magnitude was horrifying.

Over a thousand gang members, perhaps closer to two thousand, had been erased. Not defeated. Not wounded. Erased. As if they had never existed.

A collective gulp echoed among the hero ranks. Faces paled. Eyes widened.

And then, slowly, all eyes turned to the sky—where Han hovered, arms folded, lightning still flickering faintly across his body. His expression remained calm. Collected. As if he hadn’t just wiped out thousands of human beings in a single strike.

But he had.

And in that moment, every elite hero below felt one thing above all else—

Fear.

Dread—pure and absolute—settled in their hearts. The word echoed across their minds like a whisper carried by the wind:

Monster.

They didn’t want to fight him.

They didn’t want to oppose him.

They didn’t want to ever be on the receiving end of that power.

Because what they had just witnessed... was a fate worse than death.

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To be continued...

Here’s the Chapter, guys! Don’t forget to vote and leave a comment—your support means everything to me.

I wanted to let you in on something exciting:

I’ve recently launched two new novels that are part of the same T&S Universe as this one! If you’re enjoying this story, I’m confident you’ll love these as well.

Book 1: Shadow Bender

A darker tale of survival, betrayal, and rising power in a fractured world.

Book 2: Gods Slayer

Follow a fierce journey of vengeance, divine conflict, and the hunt for ultimate power.

Both series have just begun, but there are already several Chapters available for you to dive into and get a taste of what’s to come.

If you check them out, I’d love to hear what you think—your comments and feedback mean the world to me.

Thank you all so much for reading and supporting this story. Stay tuned... the next Chapter will be epic.

— Ultra.