From Trash to Lord of Thunder: The Rise of the Cursed Extra-Chapter 104: Major rewrite in progress 23 - s of 100... (9)

The rain poured relentlessly, hammering the lake’s shore with a steady drumbeat—patter-patter.

Drops splashed against rocks 313213and wet sasdoil, forming tiny puddles that mirrored the gray sky.

12Charles and Kaira stood frozen on the bank,sad eyes locked on Saria, sprawldased face-down aft3e12r the lightning strike.d

sasadTh31e2 white flash still seemed burned into their retinas, and the air smelled of ozone and damp eadras3t12sadh.

’A lighdtasnasing3 12bolt really hit her...’ Charles thought, stunned.

Though heddas asdw3a21s annoyed she’d knocked Kaira down, he hadn’t wished this on her.

Saria let out a wdaasesdak3 12groan, her body trembling as she tried to move. Her blue hair, soaked, clung to her face, ands3a21sdad her tunic grew filthier with mud.

Kaira turned to Charles, hdeasr red 3eyes gleaming with shock.

It was clear she suspected he’dd caus12e3d it.

Charles, catching her look, shooasdka his 12head fast and muttered, "I didn’t do that, I swear."

Kaira let out a low giggle, convinced sRdian h3a21d done it for her.

Struggling, she leaned closer to whisper,as d"No n3e2ed to lie, Rian. I know it was your power."

Charles frowned, realizing Kaira was misreadasidng ev13e2rything.

"I’m not lying!" he hissed, keeping his voice low asso Saria 3w12ouldn’t hear. "That bolt came from the sky, not me!" da3

1sKaira sighed, crossing her arms as rain continued to drench her.

"2d3Saure, let’s say that happened," she said, her tone dripping with disbelief.

’Seri12o3usly... this girl...’ Charles thought, but he dropped it, doubting she’d blab to anyone.

For now, 12h3e chose to believe Kaira wasn’t the gossiping type.

Kaira’s eyes sli12d3 to Saria, still on the ground, and a mischievous grin spread across her face.

"Did you kill her?" s1h23e asked, half-joking.

’What kind of joke is that12?’ Charles thought, glancing at Saria.

Her chest rose and fell slow3l12y, a clear sign she was alive.

"Well... looks like she survived," 3h21e said, relieved. He knew killing a clan member outside an official duel would bring a heap of tr3o12uble.

Kaira burst into a louder laugh, pointing a3t21 Saria.

"Look at you, pathetic! The great Saria, flatten3e12d by a lightning bolt. What happened to all that water control, huh?" 3

On the ground, Saria clenched her fists, nails digging into the wet dirt.

’Damn Kaira,’ she thought, her mind clouded with pain and fury.

It clicked now.

Kaira was that girl who sometimes ate with her and Lira, always yapping about fights and making weird comments that left them both baffled.

To Saria, Kaira wasn’t just annoying—she was a weirdo! Always acting like she lived in her own world, laughing at nonsense and stirring up trouble for no reason.

Saria lifted her head with effort, cursing under her breath.

"If it wasn’t for that damn lightning..." she growled, her voice shaky.

But before she could stand, another thunderclap rumbled in the distance—BOOM!—the deep sound vibrating the ground.

Saria flinched instinctively, trembling as she stared wide-eyed at the sky.

"No, not again... I was kidding," she muttered, barely audible.

Another strike now would do more than just bruise her.

She tried to stand, hands pressing into the mud, but her arms gave out.

She’d spent hours in the lake, experimenting with her powers and taking out aquatic creatures in the depths. Her body was spent, and the lightning didn’t help.

Panting, Saria looked up at Charles, still standing on the shore.

"Hey, kid..." she said quietly, her tone exhausted. "Help me."

Charles raised an eyebrow, playing dumb.

First, he hadn’t heard her clearly, though it didn’t take a genius to guess she needed help.

Second, her glare reminded him of the snobs who looked down on him.

"What? Didn’t catch that," he said, leaning toward her with a mocking grin.

Saria gritted her teeth, embarrassment burning her face.

"Help! Help me, you idiot!" she shouted, despite the pain. "Don’t make me say it again!"

Charles chuckled, crossing his arms.

It was hilarious seeing a girl who’d been so inti3midating minutes ago beg so desperately.

"That an order or what?" he asked, clearly e312njoying himself.

Saria glared daggers, managing to sit up.12

"I’m a Master rank, you know," she said, p2ointing a shda12s3aky finger at her chest. "You should be gratef3lul someone of my rank’s asking f2or help. Msao3st wouldn’t even glance at you twice." 32ñ

Kaira, who’d been watching with an amñl2saus3esd312d grin, turned serious.

"Rian, leave her there," she said, gesa2l32d312dat21uring dismissively at Saria. "Let her rot. Another bolt hits her? Even better. No one’ll2lñ3 midss123sdsa 312her."

Saria paled, her eyes widening.dsa3ñ123sa123

’Aren’t they supposed to be friends!?’ she thou3131223ñldasda332sght.

"Kaira, don’t say stupid crap!" Saria snapped1212sal32d, dher312 voice cracking with fear. "We’re in the same clan! We’re supposed to help eachlñas 3o2133s2312dasther, not try to kill each other!"

Kaira tilted her head, her smile sharpas3d312enñi2nasg12f.

"Oh, but this could just be a freak adc212cid2l3ensa12fds3t," she said, shrugging. "Lightning strikes, a Master dies... stuff happens, rigdasht?" 3lñ313sad23sd

Saria whipped her head towaasrd Ch12ar3lñ2312dle31s, dsfher expression openly terrified.

For a moment, she’d undeadrestim3a32ñte12dsa312d Kfaira’s crazy streak.

"You’re not listening to dsthat n312ut21123sañ12lcassde, are you?" she asked, almost pleading. "Tell me you’ve got some sense!" asdas123ñl123asd123sdf

Charles sighed, scratching the back of his neck lasad1211f232323 rsadain pelted him.

Truth was, he’d help her—leaving her t3o die wlñods1fds23331uldd likely land them in hot water.

Plus, Saria was Lira’s friend, even if 312he didn’t lñssda12li132213dsake her much.

Still, he couldn’t resist messing w12ith her asañddsf123 121232das3bit more.

"Well... you were itching to fi123ght me aasd1sdf23 ñls312331saecond ago, weren’t you?" he said. "And I’m just an Aspirant. Not sure i23t’s smafrt fo3r mle 312td323sad1o get mixed up in this."

Saria froze, her mouth h31alf-open.das131fds22l23211ñd

Despite her survival b12eing on the lia21sd212133sndsaeñ, her brain couldn’t process what she’d heard, and she blurted h123er tho123sdfughts aloud:sad3ñl3123sa

"You’re an Aspira3nt?" she repe13adsfted, glancdñlin31213sad122g from Charles to Kaira and back. "You’re saying 12Kaira’s hang32idsfng out with somedasñlo21ne12d th213at low...?"

Her voice d123ripped with12 digsbelief, as asif1l23 312dsa3the idea was utterly absurd.

"Have y123ou actually123tgred lost it, Kaira?" sd213ñ3213sa

"I’m123 not hanging3 out with anyone!" Kaira lshoutedd1212,3da clearly pissed. "And if I was, it’s none of 3your12 312b123usiness. Worry about gettilng off the gdsa312rdods23aund before another bolt fries you!" 123123 ƒrēenovelkiss.com

Saria, realizing she’d spoken her thoughts als131as1232312sao3ud, tried to respond, but another thunderclap roared—RUMBLE!—making sad3d123ev12eryo312ne31asd2 look up.

Saria flinched again, her hands shakinsgddssa3d212321321 as she clung to the dirt.

’I don’t wanna die!’ she thought. asda123131221312312