Sword God in a World of Magic

After Shang left the Isolation Barrier, he noticed that Linay had left.

That made Shang realize that the time for which he had booked her had passed.

Shang was now alone again.

As Shang looked at the surrounding Eternal Ocean, he felt that he wasn't safe enough.

Sure, he had an Isolation Barrier made by a Mage King, two powerful Isolation Chambers, a direct line to every member of the Lightning Manor, and a pin with which he could contact the Lightning Emperor, but there was still something that could happen to him.

If Shang decided to leave the Isolation Barrier, like now, a powerful Mage Lord could theoretically stand at the ready to ambush him.

Shang would only feel safe when all of this was covered.

Eventually, Shang called Linay again.

"Hello, Shang," she answered.

"Are you still responsible for managing my exchanges with the Lightning Manor?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm still responsible for that," she answered.

"Good. I need either you or a Thunder that keeps watch over my Isolation Barrier while I train."

Linay took a deep breath.

Literally nothing had happened in the 800 years she had watched over Shang.

She had literally done nothing during that time.

Shang was the safest person in the world with all the safeguards around him.

Who could possibly kill him?

"Shang, I think that's a waste of resources. I watched over you for 800 years, and nothing happened," Linay said.

"Whenever I leave the Isolation Barrier to check on any updates on my Transmission Medal, I am open to an attack," Shang said. "If there were a Peak Mage Lord with a fourfold Spirit Sense waiting for me, I would die before I could contact anyone."

Linay sighed.

In her mind, Shang was paranoid to an insane degree.

"Let me see what I can do. I will call you later. Please don't enter the Isolation Barrier for now so that I can reach you," she said.

"No," Shang said. "I will go back in, but I will come back out in a week."

Linay groaned. "Fine."

Then, she cut the connection.

Shang entered the Isolation Barrier again and reviewed everything he had learned over the last century for the next week.

A week later, he left the Isolation Barrier again and contacted Linay again.

"Okay, listen, we got a solution without having to dedicate a Thunder to you," Linay said quickly.

"Yes?" Shang asked.

"The Dawnlight King can still be contacted via the Transmission Medal from inside the Isolation Barrier, and he offered to be your contact person. If you want to leave, just call him, and he will send someone to inspect the surroundings. Then, you can come out and check any messages you received," Linay explained.

"That works," Shang said.

"Good," Linay answered. "Is there anything else you need?"

"No," Shang said before cutting the connection.

Shang went back into the Isolation Barrier and trained for another century.

His progress was insanely slow, and Shang had no idea how much progress he had actually made.

After leaving the Isolation Chambers, Shang contacted the Dawnlight King.

"Ah, hello, Shang. Nice of you to call," Amarius, the Dawnlight King, said.

"Hi, I need someone to watch over my Isolation Barrier while I leave to check for any messages," Shang said.

"Oh, you don't need that," Amarius said. "Clouds and weaker are no longer allowed to contact you, and any Bolt or Thunder has to go through any of us Kings to contact you. I told the others that they should tell me if anyone wants to contact you. I guess you can view me as some sort of an assistant. Doesn't that make you feel grand and important? Having a Mage King as your assistant sure is something worthy to brag about."

Amarius laughed loudly.

"That works," Shang said.

"Hey, listen, since we are already talking, there's something I'd like to talk about," Amarius said.

"Is this about the war again?" Shang asked in a neutral tone.

"Yes, partially. Listen, I get that you have been-"

"I want them dead," Shang said, interrupting Amarius.

Amarius laughed bitterly. "I know, I know, but things aren't that simple. We can't just-"

"I want them dead," Shang repeated.

Amarius sighed. "Shang, it's been 900 years. Can't you just let this go?"

"I want them dead."

Amarius took a deep breath.

"Shang," he said, his voice serious but still friendly. "The Lightning Manor is actually having significant issues in the southeastern Zone. The Judgment Palace has already taken 60%

of the Zone, and they are putting heavy pressure on the borders. We are currently holding them back by paying significant costs."

"Frankly, you are our only option in this case. You have to realize that we can't just go against our very philosophy of honesty and fairness. This has been the Lightning Manor's philosophy for 300,000 years. The responsible Thunder has already been punished far beyond of what is actually fair. Just to appease you."

"You are free to refuse to fight, but you have to realize that the Lightning Manor might actually be destroyed. That is a very real problem."

"At that point, you will die as well, and all your Contribution Points will not matter at all."

"Are you willing to risk your future and survival just for a bit of revenge?" Amarius asked.

"Are you?" Shang asked back.

Silence.

"You are really not budging on this issue?" Amarius asked.

"I want them dead," Shang said coldly.

Silence.

"Why?" Amarius asked. "Why is this so important to you? What happened that this is somehow so important to you?"

"They made me angry," Shang said.

Silence.

"Is that it?" Amarius asked.

"Yes," Shang answered.

"And your anger is so important? You are willing to risk the Lightning Manor just because you got angry? You are willing to risk the people that have supported you just because you were angry?"

"Don't act like I'm the sole reason for the current situation," Shang said. "If you had just accepted my request, you wouldn't be in so much trouble."

"Shang, that's not a request," Amarius said. '"There are many words to describe what you are doing. Blackmail, ultimatum, demand, order."

"That is not a request."

"I. Want. Them. Dead," Shang said very slowly.

Amarius took a deep breath.

"Shang, you are very important but not important enough for the entire Lightning Manor to bend over backwards for you."

"Am I not?" Shang asked.

"Kill me and watch the Lightning Manor die with me."

"Force me to fight and watch me refuse to continue training."

"And even if you survive the immediate future, what about 48,000 years from now? Are you ready for King Sanctified Death to kill every living being in the world?"

"I am the only person that can save the Lightning Manor, and I am the only person that can save the entire world."

"Are you willing to doom everything you know and love just so you can keep up your little ideology of fairness and honesty?"

"Two Mage Lords or the world."

"You decide what survives."

Silence.

No one said anything for half a minute.

"I'll have to talk with the other Mage Kings about this," Amarius said in a neutral but professional voice. "I'm going to call you back in one week. Will you be available then?"

"Yes," Shang answered with an even voice.

"Good. See you then," Amarius said before cutting the connection.