Ian, Miguel, and Lucia all turned almost in unison, eyes wide. The crimson flash was gone as if it had never been, leaving behind an ominous, oppressive silence that seemed to weigh more heavily than before.0

"Was that... a lightning strike?" Miguel muttered in a daze. 0

Ian didn’t respond. His gaze remained fixed on the surging, dark-red clouds that rippled ominously above.0

Crash!0

The sky brightened again, this time unmistakably. All of them saw it—a crimson bolt piercing the clouds and crashing down to the ground. It struck somewhere beyond the wall, deep within the heart of the autonomous region. The lightning flashed once more, then vanished without a trace. A deeper furrow appeared on Ian’s brow.0

"So, it actually... hits the ground?" Miguel’s voice quivered, his body contorted awkwardly as he clung to his horse’s neck and craned his head to look behind him.0

"I-I’ve seen nothing like this before either..." Lucia’s voice trembled, her lips parting in shock. "I thought the red thunder was just a phenomenon triggered by the Black Wall’s seizures... but it seems... I was wrong."0

"If it’s not just a phenomenon, then what?" Miguel asked, loosening his hold on his horse just enough to glance at Lucia.0

"I'm not entirely sure, but perhaps..." Lucia’s eyes met Ian’s as he turned to face forward again. Her amber eyes flickered with unease.0

"... The...0