From Trash to Lord of Thunder: The Rise of the Cursed Extra-Chapter 43: What the Hell Are You Doing Here?

Lira strode through the Storm Clan’s medical area hallways, carrying a covered tray wafting a mouthwatering aroma.

She’d made a beef stew with herbs and homemade bread, far better than the roll Charles had eaten earlier.

’Now he’ll taste real food,’ she thought, a proud smile forming.

The tray was hot, and Lira quickened her pace to keep it warm.

But when she opened Charles’s room’s door, she froze.

The bed was empty, sheets messy, the ice cream bowl abandoned on the table.

’What the hell?’ she thought, frowning.

For a moment, she thought she’d entered the wrong room. She set the tray on a table and stepped into the hall, spotting a nurse.

"Hey!" she shouted, making a young woman with a clipboard jump. "Which room is Rian Cole in?"

The nurse, flustered, flipped through her clipboard.

"Uh... Rian Cole’s in room 204, Miss Lira," she said, pointing to the door Lira had just opened.

Lira narrowed her eyes, her glare making the nurse step back.

"Then why isn’t he there?" she asked, her tone more threat than question.

The nurse swallowed, clutching the clipboard to her chest.

"I... I don’t know, miss," she said, voice shaky. "He was here a bit ago. No one told me he left."

Lira clenched her fists, taking a deep breath.

"Find him," she ordered coldly. "And tell me where he is ASAP. If someone kidnapped him, I swear I’ll make them wish they were never born."

Before the nurse could reply, another, passing with a tray of tools, paused.

"Talking about Rian Cole?" she asked casually.

Lira turned, softening her expression but keeping her authority.

"Yeah," she said. "Know anything?"

The second nurse nodded, unfazed.

"He left his room a few minutes ago," she said. "Said he wanted to stretch his legs, felt cooped up too long. Think he headed to the west sector gardens."

Lira closed her eyes, inhaling deeply before exhaling.

’This absolute moron,’ she thought, annoyed.

Didn’t he know Kain was waiting for the perfect chance to kill him?

’Oh...’ she thought, realizing she hadn’t warned Rian about that yet.

"Fine..." Lira said, calmer. "Thanks for the heads-up. Good work."

She glanced at the first nurse, still trembling, and pointed to the tray in the room.

"Throw that out."

The nurse blinked, confused.

"But... the food looks fine," she said timidly.

Lira raised an eyebrow, her smile not reaching her eyes.

"I didn’t ask, I gave an order," she said, tone final.

The nurse nodded quickly, hurrying into the room to grab the tray.

Lira turned and left the medical area, fists clenched.

’A walk? Seriously, Rian?’ she thought, heading to her room.

The nurses lingered in the hall, exchanging looks.

"You okay?" the second asked the first, who still seemed rattled.

The first nurse forced a laugh.

"It’s nothing," she said, shrugging. "Just a Cole’s temper. You know how they are."

◇◆◇

Meanwhile, Charles was outside the clan, under rain that grew heavier with each step.

He’d left without much thought, following the system’s suggestion to find a secluded spot for a risky recovery method.

The rain soaked his tunic, and the cold wind made him shiver, but he pressed on.

"System, swear this method’s gonna work," he said, mixing hope and doubt.

A blue panel appeared, barely visible in the rain:

[The method has a high success probability. Your power is tied to the lightning element. If a lightning bolt strikes you, the energy surge could accelerate your body’s regeneration, including your hands.]

Charles frowned, sidestepping a puddle.

"Regeneration...?" he repeated, confused. "Nowhere in my skill window does it say I have regeneration."

[Elemental users, when deeply connected to their element, develop unique bodily properties. In your case, lightning isn’t just a power source but can stimulate cellular regeneration under specific conditions. This isn’t magic but a biological adaptation.]

Charles stopped, stunned.

"So I’m, like... immune to lightning?" he asked, eyes wide. "Or what?"

[You’re not immune, but your body has natural lightning resistance that can be leveraged to speed healing. Magic, however, operates differently, manipulating external energy without bodily integration.]

Charles raised an eyebrow, wiping rain from his face.

"And how’s magic work then?" he asked, curious.

[My current level is too low to understand magic’s principles. Please level up to unlock additional information.]

Charles clicked his tongue, frustrated.

"You know what? Sounds like you’re making excuses to avoid explaining," he said, crossing his arms. "That it, system? You messing with me?"

The blue panel flickered but didn’t respond.

Charles grunted, shaking his head.

"Forget it," he muttered, resuming his trek.

He’d reached a forest outside the clan, different from Nora’s usual haunt.

Tall trees swayed in the wind, the ground carpeted with wet leaves.

The system had suggested a remote spot to avoid suspicion.

"If someone sees me get hit by lightning and walk away fine, they’ll start asking questions," Charles muttered, glancing back to ensure the clan’s building was far enough.

The rain kept falling, but it began to ease, making Charles curse.

"No way! Why’s it stopping now?" he shouted, glaring at the sky. "I need a lightning bolt, damn it!"

He sprinted to a lone tree in a clearing, thinking it might attract lightning.

"Come on, sky, help me out!" he yelled, arms raised. "Just one, so I can fight tomorrow!"

But the rain weakened further, dwindling to a drizzle.

Charles sighed, leaning against the tree.

"No way..." he muttered, defeated. "You always helped before. Rain saved me against those Novices, and now you’re bailing?"

He stared at the sky, frustration and desperation mixing. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm

’If I don’t get that bolt, I won’t be ready for the duel,’ he thought, clenching his fists.

Just as he was about to give up, a voice called from the distance.

"Rian!"

It was familiar, soft but firm.

Charles turned, confused, and saw Nora approaching, her tunic soaked, brown hair plastered to her face.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, concern and curiosity blending.

Charles felt his cheeks warm, embarrassed to be caught in such a ridiculous situation.

"Uh... just... taking a walk," he said, scratching his neck. "Felt cooped up, you know?"

Nora raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced.

"I heard you yelling at the sky from a distance," she said, crossing her arms. "You were running alone in a storm. I came to check if you were mentally okay."

She paused, eyeing him up and down.

"Rumors say you ended up in the hospital after fighting... what, 30 people?"

Charles laughed, shaking his head.

"30’s insane!" he said, grinning. "It was like eight, I think. Don’t remember exactly."

Nora blinked, impressed.

"Eight’s still incredible," she said sincerely. "They were trained Novices, Rian. No one expected you to pull that off."

She frowned, noticing his bandaged hands.

"But... I heard your powers hurt you more than they help. Is that true?"

Charles opened his mouth, searching for a way to downplay it.

"Well, it’s not a big deal..." he said, shrugging. "Just need more practice. What I envy about those guys is they can use their powers without worrying about... you know, hurting themselves."

Nora nodded, her expression sympathetic.

"I get it..." she said, stepping closer. "But you’ve gotta take care of yourself, Rian. You can’t keep pushing like that."

She was about to say more when lightning lit the sky.

CRASH!

A bolt struck Charles’s head, the deafening roar shaking the ground.

The air crackled with energy, and a blinding flash illuminated the forest for a moment.