The blade of red energy looked no different from a real blade. It shook the surrounding air, sparkling with a translucent sheen that emitted a grandiose power.
However, its majesty was overwhelmed by the ever growing sound of blades clanging against one another. A strong Force whipped about Leonel, forming into a growing dome of strength that enveloped him and eventually even the spirit before him.
What did it mean to have a Spear Domain Lineage Factor?
All this time, Leonel had focused too much on the spear aspect. However, it was precisely due to this that he had ended up neglecting one of the most powerful cards in his hand.
It was like a clash of memories was finally coming together into one, forming a full picture that Leonel had completely missed until now.
That day his consciousness was taken over… That day he mastered the primitive consciousness for the first time… That day he touched upon the true form of Universal Force, causing him to step upon the King's Path… That day he finally realized that he was truly meant to be a King…
What was a Domain? What was the Spear Domain Lineage Factor…?
An indifferent light reflected in Leonel's gaze. He took a step forward, his spear spinning in his hand, following an elegant arc.
His Spear Force Embryo continued to tremble fiercer and fiercer. It grew in size, becoming larger and more prominent. Eventually, it grew so large that it began to manifest in Leonel's surroundings, the striking mark of a golden spear etching itself onto his forehead.
Rather than ruining his appearance, it gave him a mysterious, exotic air that bordered on intoxicating.
The mark of the spear grew brighter and brighter as Leonel clashed with the spirit. His steps were so steady and his strike so perfect that the sturdy spirit stumbled a step backward, its spear rebounding away from Leonel's own.
Leonel took another step forward, his spear spinning. Swirls of blue Star Force came into being, forming a second blade that slashed at the spirit.
Recovering quickly, the spirit blocked with the body of its spear. However, Leonel wasn't fooled. He could almost feel the imbalance of the spirit, causing him to instinctually apply pressure just a bit more to its right.
The spirit's steps faltered, clearly not having recovered as much as it had seemed to.
Leonel's spear didn't stop. With a third spin, the head of the spirit shot into the air, an arc of crimson slicing through the air without a single sound.
The spirit vanished into motes of light, sinking into Leonel's body and adding to its heft once again.
Leonel's gaze narrowed as he took deep, steady breaths.
Every time he had mastered a spear, he slotted what he learned into his Dream World for his later use. But, this not only put a greater burden on his mind, slowing his cognitive function, but it also neglected the true form of what his Spear Domain Lineage Factor was meant to be.
His Spear Force Embryo wasn't a Spear Force Embryo at all… It was a Spear Domain Embryo. Its purpose was to store Leonel's comprehensions of the spear, forming it all into a unique path that could match up to its master.
Of all the owners of Spear Domain, there were practically none that had systematically mastered so many spears at once. And then there were those with the Spear Domain Lineage Factor who would never touch the Heirloom a day in their lives.
Yet, Leonel had the conceptions of so many spear masters in his mind. But, rather than using them as he was meant to, he practically tried to reformulate the Spear Domain Lineage Factor in his own image.
What did it mean to have a Spear Domain?
If one was referring to an individual spear, it was a narrow avenue of power related to an Element or a restriction.
If one was referring to the Heirloom, it was a graveyard of spear masters of the past, an homage to the greats that once lived.
And… If one was referring to the Lineage Factor, it was an area of absolute control, confidence and Kingship. It was a region where delicate and masterful control of the spear was demanded, a region where the spear was almighty and all must kneel before it.
In those few seconds, Leonel had only managed to fuel his Spear Domain Embryo with just a few lower level consciousnesses and had yet to fill it with all the spears he had mastered, of which there were tens of thousands. And yet, the change to his combat prowess was mind numbing.
'I understand… I'm not supposed to simply fill my Spear Domain Embryo with all sorts of spear disciplines. What I'm supposed to do is select those that match with my combat prowess the most and fuse those and those alone with my Spear Domain Embryo, allowing it to truly become my own. That's the true strength of the Spear Domain Lineage Factor… I can also tell that there's more waiting for me as I help it to grow stronger…
"However… That is just for others. Others don't have minds capable of housing a Spear Domain Embryo with endless assortments of spear disciplines. As such, they must be extremely selective. But, my mind is strong enough."
Leonel had finally come to understand. This was where feel and computation met and fused into one.
He didn't have to allow his body to be taken over. From the very beginning, his Lineage Factor was designed to take on all the 'feel' for himself. It was already one with him from the very beginning. It was just like he was taking a test he had studied thoroughly for, but had forgotten at the critical moment how to apply that knowledge.
But now…
Leonel shot forward, the mark on his forehead growing brighter and brighter with every passing moment. It resonated with a luminescence that seemed intent on outshining even the star before him.
'All of it. Fuse with all of it.'
…
'Hm…?'
A young man paused, the spirit he had felled with his sword turning into motes of light that fused with his body.
He had quite the disposition. He had a starriness in his eyes that would make women swoon, his deep black irises somehow twinkling with their own light. He had long, sweeping jet black hair only tied at its very end. It made his hair almost look like a perfect flow of water.
However, what was maybe the most shocking about this young man were two things in specific…
The first was an eerily familiar ring that could be found on his finger.
The second was the bright sword mark that was etched onto his forehead.