The Sound of Thunder

The wind at the edge of the Cloud Sea grew increasingly biting, carrying damp vapor rising from the world below.

White mist churned around their feet like the hide of a living beast, swelling and sinking from time to time as though it might swallow anyone who came too close.

The three-man hunting party moved slowly along the cloud cliff.

Rock walked at the front, quick and steady on his feet.

Thin cloudlight filtered through the rolling mist and fell across his shoulders and back, revealing and concealing the lines of his muscles as they tightened with each step.

He gripped a short spear in his left hand and carried a Cloud Fish in his right, freshly knocked unconscious, its tail fin still twitching.

The wind below suddenly surged upward like a massive, invisible waterspout, whipping his black hair wildly about.

Yet he was used to it, his gaze remaining calm and steady.

"Three o'clock. Twenty steps away."

He merely lifted his chin slightly. His voice was not loud, yet it sounded particularly clear amid the clouds and mist.

Rock's spread-out senses were like an invisible net, gently yet accurately capturing everything around him—

The paths of prey swimming through the clouds, the faint rustle of Cloud Beasts stepping on Cloud Grass, the subtle changes in his companions' breathing—all of it appeared clearly in his mind.

By now, he was developing this ability almost constantly.

"There's a Flying Cloud Eel about two meters long, swimming upward."

The moment he finished speaking, Kai, who was walking in the middle, immediately raised his hand.

His movement was crisp and decisive, as though countless repetitions had already been carved into his muscles.

A specially made cloud spear shot through the air with a whistle.

"Screee—bang!"

A piercing shriek tore through the mist, followed by violent thrashing.

The clouds were stirred apart, exposing a patch of faintly gleaming scales.

The Flying Cloud Eel stopped struggling entirely, its tail twitching twice before going still.

"Nice!"

The other hunter could not help clapping and laughing. "Your aim is still incredible, Kai!"

Kai showed no trace of pride. He merely glanced at Rock—

That look carried complicated emotions.

He could not help but smile bitterly to himself. Without Rock's guidance, there was no way I could have pinpointed the target so quickly.

After dealing with the prey, the three prepared to return.

At some point, the sky had darkened. The Cloud Sea felt as heavy as a stone pressing against their chests, and an unsettling sense of oppression quietly spread through the air.

As they walked, Rock suddenly stopped.

The Cloud Grass beneath his feet rustled softly.

Kai and the other hunter instantly became alert, tightening their grips on their weapons.

"Wait..."

Rock spoke in a low voice, his brows tightly furrowed and his expression grave.

Just now—

His Observation Haki had been struck by some powerful, chaotic signal, like sharp metal scraping across his eardrums, making even his heart tense.

Kai immediately asked in a deep voice, "What is it?"

Rock's voice was low. "Over there... it seems like... thunder."

Yet the sky was only slightly overcast, nowhere near the point where thunderclouds would gather.

There were no dark clouds, no flashes of light, yet there was thunder.

Kai drew a deep breath, his fingers tightening as his entire body instantly entered a state of alert.

Only a second later, he made his decision.

"We're going back to the village immediately." His words were decisive, without the slightest hesitation.

"Don't go near that place."

He trusted Rock's judgment just as he trusted his own instincts.

But he knew even more clearly that unknown thunder could only mean danger.

Rock's Adam's apple bobbed slightly as he opened his mouth.

He had wanted to say, "I'll go take a look by myself."

But when he met Kai's eyes, he ultimately swallowed the words.

The air grew even colder than before.

The three turned toward the village, while that strange "thunder" lingered in Rock's mind, refusing to fade.

It was as though that thing were calling to him.

He could feel it.

Powerful, clear, impossible to ignore.

After the hunt ended, the village regained its rare warmth and bustle.

White mist drifted gently between the wooden houses, covering the village like a thin veil.

The women sat around the bonfire, skillfully cutting open fresh Cloud Beast meat. Firelight fell across their profiles, making every flash of their blades seem gentle.

The children ran and played across the soft Cloud Grass, their laughter rising and falling;

The men who had returned from hunting drank their home-brewed ale while repairing their weapons, carefully wiping away the cloud scales and bloodstains left from the hunt.

All of Birka Village was peaceful, a sharp contrast to the oppressive feeling of that Thunder Intent from earlier.

Rock calmly set down the prey, but he did not join in the work as usual.

Using the night wind, smoke, and laughter as cover, he quietly avoided everyone's notice, circled around the bonfire, and headed toward the village exit.

The moment he reached the village gate, he stopped.

Kai leaned against the wall beside the gate with his arms folded, looking casual yet carrying the certainty of someone who had known all along that Rock would come.

Rock could not help smiling bitterly. "Father... why are you here?"

Kai slowly turned around, his gaze steady and sharp, as though he could see through every thought in Rock's heart. "What are you going to do?"

Those simple five words weighed a thousand pounds.

Rock fell silent for a moment.

It was not that he wanted to hide it. There was simply no need to.

Kai was the father who had raised him for ten years, and the person in this world who understood him best.

"I can feel it..." Rock raised his head, determination shining in his eyes.

"That thing is... very important to me!"

Extremely important.

Important enough to change the future.

Perhaps even to change this world.

Kai's brows furrowed deeply.

He was an old hunter, with instincts frighteningly sharp.

He knew that danger undoubtedly lay ahead.

There was an unknown power there, Thunder Intent that should not be approached, perhaps even an existence beyond their understanding.

But when he looked into Rock's eyes and saw that wildness—firm, stubborn, unwilling to be restrained—

It was as though he saw the infant abandoned in the forest ten years ago once more.

That little child who had cried himself hoarse had now grown into the village's sharpest warrior.

After a long silence, Kai did not try to stop him.

He merely walked past Rock and headed toward the lively village.

His back looked broad and solid in the firelight, every step steady, as though he would shield Rock from all the storms behind him.

"Come back early," Kai said without turning around.

There was no stopping him.

No questioning.

Only a father's simplest, most unwavering trust.

And an old warrior's recognition of a young warrior.

Warmth filled Rock's chest as he bowed deeply.

"I will."

The next instant, he abruptly raised his head and leaped out through the village gate like someone set ablaze by the wind.

Treading across the soft Cloud Grass, Rock became a swift black shadow racing toward the depths of the forest.

There—

Was the source of the thunder.

Was the boundary of the unknown.

Was where fate truly began to turn.

And Rock felt no fear.