94-104

Chapter 94 - Leeches

[Bonus chapter for 900 powerstones ... and we're apparently already closing in on 1200... *sigh*]

In truth, Leonel was a bit embarrassed that he never realized that Aina had been awake the whole time. He had done his best to ignore the fact she was on his back, or else he would have lost himself in the softness of her figure. How could he, a lifelong virgin, resist the feeling of those two soft things on his back. He ultimately had no choice but to practically ignore her completely.

Leonel shook his head as he ran at Aina's pace. Now that he had lost a couple hundred pounds on his back, his fatigue didn't seem as bad anymore. Well, that and the fact he didn't seem to be needed.

Aina was like a one woman artillery unit. She didn't seem to need Leonel's help at all. He would only occasionally snipe some danger in the distance. Now that his Force wasn't restricted, it seemed that his Internal Sight increased almost tenfold.

From what he could see, he had an area of sharpness and an area of vagueness. Within about 200 meters, he could see things as though he was looking at them with his own eyes. Between 200 and 1000 meters, everything gradually grew foggy until he couldn't sense anything.

When he paired this foggy region with the primal instincts of the primitive consciousness, he was able to sense general areas which harbored danger and killing intent. Like this, he sent warning shots in those directions. Whether he hit them or not, he didn't care. He only wanted to disrupt their rhythm so they couldn't snipe at Aina.

What Leonel couldn't have guessed was that Aina didn't actually need his help at all.

"Stop shooting, you'll only expose our exact location. Let them snipe. They won't be able to touch a hair on your head."

When Leonel heard these words, he blinked. How had the roles reversed so suddenly? When did he become the damsel in distress?

It wasn't long before Leonel understood where Aina's confidence stemmed from.

They charged down the densely packed region of residential homes.

From the inner city doors to the outer city gates, there was a main road that plowed straight through to connect them both. This wasn't exactly a great design as it made the Fort easier to breach if the main gates fell, but Leonel assumed it was like this for the sake of convenience.

Leonel thought that Aina would avoid the main road. Their only advantage now was the fact there was only a pair of them. They should take advantage of this and try to find another exit. Leonel didn't believe the Leum family would be stupid enough to make a city with only one gate. It was possible that Miles had hidden the others with his ability. In that case, he just had to get close so that he could see through them with Internal Sight.

But, Aina didn't do this. She charged through the straight main road. If one came, she cut him down. If two came, they both lost their heads. If ten came, they fell all the same.

Her efficiency was scary to the point Leonel felt numb. It took Leonel almost two hours to exit the inner city, but Aina seemed to be closing in on the Fort's gates in less than 20. Nothing was capable of stopping her.

The truth was that this was due to the fact the outer city had no Force disrupting towers, so the technology available was much weaker here. But, Leonel seemed to have forgotten this and only had endless praise for Aina.

"Halt!"

The next poor commander stepped up, trying to stop them.

Unfortunately, her fate was not much different than those who came before her. It wasn't as though the special units would all remain idle in the Fort. The one Aina took out in one fell swoop was the only one not stationed at a distant Perimeter.

Aina's eyes suddenly flashed as the bang of a sniper rifle rang out.

Leonel's heart stopped. He could sense the bullet enter the sharp range of his Internal SIght and could see that it was perfectly aimed at Aina's forehead. But, he simply wasn't fast enough to stop it.

Who knew that Aina would have begun moving even before the shot rang out? He was so lost in worry that he didn't even notice she had shifted her attention toward that direction long ago.

Her ax swung downward, cleaving the bullet in two.

Without even a pause, she took another step forward and swung again, cleaving another bullet that was aimed for Leonel.

Leonel blinked in shock. 'She wasn't faster than the bullet, she just acted before it could get here as though she predicted it…'

A moment later, Leonel's gaze focused on the headpiece on Aina's head. It had a delicate necklace-like structure that wrapped around her head like a headband. The singular jewel it had dangled from her forehead like a clear drop of water.

He suddenly understood. Leonel received a Quasi Bronze Reward. How could Aina not receive one as well?

Aina turned back and charged forward again. Her ax alternated from taking heads to cutting down bullets. The way her body danced with that battle ax twice the size of her body made her look like a crimson fairy. The night was dark all around, with the sole exception of the red-gold aura around her body.

"… I know that my mind is my greatest weakness too. But this can help me cover for that. Just rely on me for now." Aina said confidently.

Leonel finally understood. While he thought he had no choice but to bow to the demands of the Empire, Aina never even thought of that as being an option. She hid the fact she had this treasure, which was the reason why the wererat was able to catch her off guard. Now that the situation had reached this point, there was no reason for her to continue hiding it at all.

'Good… I was worried that the Junior Governor Duke might come around for a last stand and catch Aina off guard. But if her mind is protected by a Quasi Bronze treasure that seems able to increase her perception, there's no problem then.'

Leoenl felt that he could finally breathe easy. The way things were going now, even if he simulated it with his Dream World, the likelihood of them leaving this Fort unscathed was over 90%.

'What should we do after we leave though…' Leonel frowned.

Eventually, he realized that the only option was to leave Earth. They stood no chance staying here. Their only option was to hope the dictionary could find them a high enough rank Zone to enter so they could earn a teleportation award to another world.

'Uncle Montez will probably be able to tell me about which worlds are relatively safer and more accepting of outsiders…'

Leonel was lost in his thoughts when it happened.

The explosion was so loud he couldn't hear anything for a long while. No, he could hear something. It was a loud, high-pitched noise. If Leonel had to pick something it reminded him of, he would immediately think of the flat-lining of a heartbeat. It was the kind of sound a hospital's emergency room would have on replay…

Blood dripped from his ears and a searing heat assaulted him. It was like a wall of invisible fire had crashed into his body. The wind it came with was almost strong enough to knock him off his feet.

The heat was so excruciating Leonel had no choice but to close his eyes. The last sight he saw was Aina frozen in place in front of him. She was perfectly fine, but she seemed to be just as shocked as he was.

'… They…'

Leonel's mind went blank. He opened his eyes once more to find AIna in the same place. But, the residential homes that had been ahead of them were blown to pieces. A rain of stone and rubble fell all around.

As Leonel's hearing slowly came back, the first thing his ears latched onto was the screaming.

From the start of Leonel and Aina's escape, they hadn't seen a single civilian. They hid and cowered in their homes, not wanting to get involved. Likewise… The two of them left them alone.

But now, their screams filled their ears like treacherous demons clawing at their hearts.

"Ha…"

Leonel's bottom lip hung loosely, a sound that seemed a cross of a sad laugh and a sigh escaping thanks to them.

On a distant tower, Miles watched on without a hint of emotion. They had only missed because the weaker technology they were strapped to without the Force disrupting towers was a bit lacking. But, he was confident that there wouldn't be a second time.

He didn't dare to use such a tactic in the inner city. Those people were nobility. But, what were these poverty stricken leeches to society worth to him?

"Fire again." He said coldly.

Another volley was launched. This time, its aim was true.

Chapter 95 - Terrain

"No!"

Leonel shook himself awake, dragging up what reserve strength he had managed to regain while allowing Aina to lead to swoop her into his arms. He tried to cover Aina completely, hoping that her ax could block the rest of the attack.

BOOM!

Pain like nothing Leonel had ever felt in his life before assaulted his body. Without suspense, he was sent flying. He couldn't even tell up from down anymore, let alone telling just how far it was he had flown.

The Quasi Bronze chain necklace on his neck splintered. It was just a tiny crack, but it came with a sound almost as loud as the bomb itself. Or, maybe Leonel's sense of sound had just been completely thrown off as well. He really couldn't tell.

"Aina? Aina!"

Leonel roared, barely able to hear his own voice. Only after shouting with all he had did he faintly hear himself.

Aina's state was far more sorry than his own. He had tried his best to cover her back while her ax had covered much of her front, but her legs and some of her arms had been completely exposed.

Leonel's blurry vision teared up when he saw her, a lump quickly swelling in his throat.

Her legs had been charred beyond recognition. What was once delicate, fair skin was blackened beyond recognition. It was so bad that she didn't even bleed, even her blood itself seemed to have burnt to ash.

Her arms were in a slightly better situation, but this somehow made it more gruesome. Severe burns of the fourth degree almost exposed her bones. Her flesh bubbled almost like water, producing a scene that made one's stomach upturn.

Leonel's knees and palms surrounded her almost like a mother protecting her cubs. He wanted to scream and roar, but his inner organs didn't seem to want to allow that.

Blood leaked from his orifices, partially obscured by the soot and grime that coated his body.

Leonel quickly shuffled around in his pockets. When he found the bracelet he was looking for, he slipped it onto Aina's wrist as gently as he could.

Regret filled his heart.

'I'm so stupid, I'm so stupid. I should have given it to her earlier. Why didn't I give it to her earlier?'

He felt as though something was clawing at his chest and eating his flesh.

He had had this bracelet ever since he exited the Mayan Tomb. It was only a Tier 4 Black treasure, but since it was one time use, it was countless times more powerful than other treasures of its tier. He chose it just for Aina, so that he could protect her and help her.

But, when he saw her kill Conrad like that, he began to question everything. Even after he learned that she had killed Conrad for the sake of protecting Yuri, he still couldn't forget that scene.

Leonel knew that he liked Aina more than even he, himself, could put into words. But, there was always a piece of himself that remained restrained, a part of him that couldn't accept her. So… He never gave her the bracelet he saw as the symbol of his feelings.

He was so stupid. Impossibly stupid. Regret was seeping through his veins like a venomous poison.

Leonel roared like an enraged wild beast, ignoring the pain of his inner organs. He could hardly hear it himself, but it spread throughout the Fort like a shockwave.

"Fire."

Miles coldly watched on, a disdainful glint lighting his eyes. His only regret was that such a good treasure would likely not survive the wreckage and would have to be buried along with them.

To the side, Simeon's expression was far more sadistic. He remembered Leonel's voice when he shot that bullet toward him just two hours ago.

'Unfortunate'. Those were the words he had said. As though the interaction had been meaningless to him. Watching Leonel suffer like this after humiliating him like that made him the itch in his heart lessen.

'It's too bad the child of that whore will die without repaying the family for the genes she was given. But, so be it.'

Leonel's maddened roar was drowned out by the explosion.

BOOM!

Leonel felt the bones of his body fracture and crack as he slammed into something heavy. His vision was too blurred to see where he was, he could only barely tell with his Internal Sight. The only thing he knew for sure was that he was holding onto Aina.

"Li…"

Leonel heard a weak voice by his ear along with the splintering of another treasure. The gem of the bracelet he had just slipped onto Aina's hand fractured and dimmed, falling from its socket.

At first, he thought the voice was trying to say his name, but this wasn't true.

"Little fool… Take it."

Leonel blinked, feeling something pressed against his chest. It was only after his senses were barely half recovered that he realized it was Aina talking and she was pushing something against his chest.

He looked down to find a tall and slender piece of paper between her hand and his chest. No, it looked too much like a piece of fabric to be called paper. However, all Leonel could see was Aina's hand. How she managed to continue holding on to her ax in one and lift the other to give him this thing, whatever it was, Leonel had no idea.

"This… Is a tick… et. Just pour… your Force into… it and… it will ta… ke you to… an… other… world. I've al… ready vet… ted it… it shou… ld be sa… fe."

Leonel's expression flickered, his throat running dry.

"Fire." Miles once more said coldly.

"Ju — Junior Governor Duke, we can't do that. They've been blown too close to the walls. If we shoot again, we'll compromise the safety of the Fort. Some Invalids have already been attracted by the noise."

Within the tower, the commander of the post hesitated but still clenched his teeth to explain. He was already horrified by Miles' actions. Now that he had found such a good excuse, he had to make use of it. Miles might not care about the common people, but he at least cared about his own safety… right?

"Who cares, we'll just build another wall." Miles said coldly.

They had built such a great wall in such a short period of time. They could easily do it again. Not to mention the fact that it would just have to be a repair and not a complete reconstruction

This time, another official stepped in.

"Junior Governor Duke, the alloys we used to build the wall were all from emergency stores in case of a Class 9: Red event like this one. They've been used up already and we won't have the technology or safety to mine such ores again in the short term."

Everyone held their breaths, waiting for the Junior Governor Duke's response.

"… Send all available units down."

They all sighed breaths of relief.

"You heard the Junior Governor Duke! Send down the orders!"

"Wait." Miles suddenly stopped them, causing them to feel nervous once again. "Call Tier 5 Admiral Bennett as well."

By the Fort walls, Leonel still hadn't realized he had been sent so close to his original goal. But, even if he had, he hardly had the strength to move now and there were enemies all around.

"… Take it!" Aina spoke firmly. "They won't… kill me. The… Bra… zinger family ne… eds me…"

She fumbled around weakly and also managed to find a pill.

"This can … stimulate your… po… ten… tial for five minutes… but it… will leave… you we… ak for th… ree days af… terwa.. rd. Only take it if… you fi… nd dan… ger on the oth… er side…"

Aina coughed violently.

"I look like… I'm in a … bad state but my … body will… heal soon… Don't… worry…"

Leonel gripped Aina's hand which had pressed against his chest once more.

"What world is it?" Leonel asked with a gruff voice.

Aina's soft lips curled into a smile, seemingly happy that Leonel would ask this.

"It's called… Terrain…" She laughed a little before chuckling. "… It seems that… we aren't the… only ones with bad… naming sense…"

Hearing that Aina's voice was slowly getting steadier, Leonel smiled, the grip he had on her small hand tightening slightly. It seemed she hadn't been lying. Her body really was recovering at an astonishing speed.

"You're right, Earth and Terrain really are bad names." Leonel responded lightly. His words seemed to put Aina at ease for a moment. But, she froze at what she heard next.

"Wait for me there. I'll come to get you with a present far better than that bracelet, I promise."

Aina didn't have the time to react before the paper turned fabric she had pressed against Leonel's chest was pasted onto her forehead.

The last thing she saw was Leonel's smile and the gentle, loving looking in his eyes before she vanished.

A teleportation ticket could only work for one life form at a time. Even the Metal Spirit Aina had been holding onto for him couldn't follow her in.

But, Leonel was calm as he looked at the red pill in his hand. Without hesitation, he weakly stood and swallowed it.

Chapter 96 - Sociopathic Hypocrite

[Bonus chapter for 1200 you little demons]

Leonel closed his eyes forcefully as though trying to blink his fatigue away.

Deep in his gut, a flaming hot coal landed. An instant later, it burst.

As though hundreds of snakes were racing through his body, Leonel felt like all his veins, arteries and blood vessels had suddenly been lit on fire.

His eyes opened, a deep red hidden within the depths of their pale green.

His head turned slightly in one particular direction. The cold within his gaze bubbling forth.

Miles and Simeon felt a cold sweat mat their backs. For a moment, they found it difficult even to breathe, let alone move.

'… It would take me 8 minutes and 36 seconds to make it there and kill them in this state… It's not enough time…'

Leonel had never felt such a strong desire to kill. It was worse than just wanting to end someone's life. It was deep to the point of wanting to feel the warmth of their blood.

He was pissed.

Of course, he was mad about not being able to kill them. But, he was even more pissed off about his own weakness.

It felt cliche. He was certain that he had read the same exact line in a hundred if not a thousand books, shows and movies before. But, it wasn't until now that he felt it to the depths of his soul, a yearning that was seeking to roar out.

Others thought that Leonel didn't like the result of his Gene Analysis Exam because he didn't like being a quarterback. However, this wasn't the truth at all. What Leonel actually didn't like was the idea of someone dictating what it was he could and couldn't do. The feeling of someone cornering him like that left him enraged.

Even he didn't know what he wanted to do with his life yet, so how dare someone else decide his course for him? Who were they to do such a thing? To treat him like a puppet on a string they could pull every which way they desired?

Those innocent people who died today were just like that. Weak. Having their lives, their fates toyed with on a whim. Was he really much different from them?

Leonel had never been an ambitious person. From a certain perspective, it could be considered to be one of his flaws. Maybe the only thing in his life he had ever truly wanted was Aina's answer to his confessions. That singular, childish want had actually pushed him to such an extreme. He didn't even really remember how it happened, but here he was. He was now an enemy of the Ascension Empire behemoth.

That was how simple Leonel was. Such a small thing yet he was willing to go so far for it.

Aina wasn't the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, that was Joan. She had only ever said his name once. He didn't even feel that he knew much about her.

It was just a feeling. It was a feeling that told him that there was no better woman to be by his side. So, he strove to make that happen. It was nothing more and nothing less.

If others heard his thoughts, they would think that he was crazy. Such a man… If he ever had ambition… If he ever had something he wanted to accomplish… Just how scary would he be?

However, now, Leonel wanted a second thing.

Their heads. Until he had both of their heads leaking with blood before him, he wouldn't rest.

'The next time I come, I'll make you pay for taking Aina from me.'

These were his true thoughts. He didn't mention the innocents who had fallen even once. This was somewhat cruel… But it was human.

Leonel turned toward the tall silver walls of the Fort. He was not even a hundred meters from them now. With the strength flowing through his body and his shoes, it wouldn't even take him 30 seconds to leap over it, defeat the guards on the walls and leap down to the other side.

However, it was at that moment he suddenly heard a familiar voice.

"Let me go!"

'… James…?' Leonel frowned, looking back.

By now, many guards had long since surrounded Leonel while he was deep in thought, they were even within ten meters of him. But, Leonel had simply ignored them, not sparing them a glance.

However, he hadn't expected to hear James' voice here.

James' father was a Tier 5 official. Even among those in the inner city, his status was high. While Miles dared to brazenly kill commoners, James shouldn't have been in any danger. So, what was going on?

Was Miles this stupid? He could still keep control of the situation before, but if he started targeting nobles too, he wouldn't be able to keep hold on power for long.

Leonel's gaze landed on James who was about 20 meters away, struggling under the control of a man with his face obscured by a black tactical helmet. Even in the dark, it was easy for Leonel to make out the gun to James' temple.

One of the commanders who hadn't moved due to the overwhelming pressure emitting from Leonel sneered, his knees still trembling somewhat as he drummed up his courage.

"Obediently allow yourself to be captured, or else your friend will suffer a fate worse than death."

Leonel stood somewhat at a loss, giving the units who had been surrounding him more courage.

"Leo! Don't listen to them! Just run!"

"…"

Leonel didn't say anything for a long while. In reality, it was barely five seconds, but those five seconds somehow seemed like an eternity.

However, to those watching, it only seemed natural. Wasn't he just struggling, trying to decide whether to escape with all his might or save his best friend? But, the words Leonel said next left them at a loss.

"James. Are you sure you want me to kill him?"

Leonel's voice was calm and even. This was already shocking enough, but the words he said were even more ridiculous. What did he mean by that?

James suddenly hesitated, his face painted with confusion.

"I've never seen your father before." Leonel started slowly. "But, this only makes sense. My father retired from his Tier 5 position and I don't come from a large family, so it only makes sense that I'm not worthy of rubbing elbows with the Bennett's too much."

The more Leonel spoke, the paler James became.

"People about six feet tall aren't rare, but those who could be as tall as you are quite a small percentage. You have an A-grade defensive ability, compared to others, what you should fear the least are low class guns that can function without Force disruption. Lastly, it would be quite stupid for Miles to turn on the nobles that help him keep everyone in line, don't you think?"

Leonel continued to calmly speak as though not sensing more and more units closing in on him.

"So, I will ask you again, James.

"Are. You. Sure. That. You. Want. Me. To. Kill. Him."

Leonel's words were like a hammer taken to a stake at James' heart.

Seeing that James didn't respond, Leonel shook his head.

"I'm disappointed… I really… took you as my closest friend…"

"Bullshit!" James suddenly roared. "You pretend to care about so many things, you pretend to be kind hearted, but all you really care about are things ending up exactly like you want them! You don't like killing only because you don't want to deal with the guilt! You don't like playing football only because you didn't get to choose it! You only want to do things your way and nothing else matters!"

Leonel frowned. He couldn't make sense of the jumbled mess James was speaking. He could feel that this 'friend' of his had had this on his mind for a long time, but he wasn't eloquent enough to put them into words in any sort of short and concise way. Even more so, Leonel didn't know where this was coming from.

Yet, somehow, even without a true cohesive line connecting his thoughts, James' words seemed to stab at something deep within Leonel's heart.

"You're a fucking sociopathic hypocrite!"

"…"

Leonel looked toward James who was bordering on hyperventilation. There was a slight hint of pain in the depths of his eyes that he was unable to hide.

"… I don't know whether or not the things you said are true." Leonel finally responded. "I really don't care about many things. Goals? I don't have any yet. When my father mentioned the fact that my mother was actually still alive… I didn't feel much. In all my life, I never even asked him about her.

"There are very few things that I am certain of. The first is that I love my dad. The second is that Aina is the woman for me. The third was that you were the person closest to me outside of my own dad… but it seemed that this was me being too naive.

"What I do know, though, is that regardless of what reasons you have… At this moment, you're trying to push me toward my death."

James' face became as white as a sheet. No matter how hard he tried, he simply didn't have a response.

Leonel turned toward the man holding a gun to James' head.

"I hope it was worth it using your son like that, Mr. Bennett."

Leonel turned and left. Of course, there were numerous attempts to stop him, but they were all foolhardy. Miles even grit his teeth and fired the canons once more, not caring for the damage that was done to the walls, but Leonel simply used his shoes to leap out of the range of the explosion.

Without the burden of Aina and her ax, and being so close to the walls thanks to Miles' mad volleys, Leonel survived within his five minute timer.

With that, he vanished.

Chapter 97 - Talk Too Much

Leonel walked slowly, using his silver rod to hold himself up.

His once handsome face was obscured by soot and grime, his brownish-gold hair loosely hanging downward. One could barely see his pale green eyes between its strands, but what one could see would make it impossible not to shiver.

There was some sadness in there. After all, now Leonel had no one. His father had gone off on his own to some unknown place, Aina was now on another world, and now, the last person he thought he could trust on Earth had turned on him as well.

Compared to the horrible things truly unfortunate people have to deal with, this wasn't much. However, to Leonel, who had never really suffered in his life, it was a huge blow.

However, this wasn't what would shake people to their core. What was so shocking in those eyes was the coldness. An indifferent, calculating coldness.

Leonel hadh't even left the range of the Fort's influence, but he was calculating. Like an emotionless machine, he ran through plan after plan, each of which would lead to the death of Miles and Simeon.

As he watched them die in his Dream World again and again, the gaze in his eyes grew colder… more inhuman.

The faint lights of dawn could be seen on the horizon. Soon, the night would end and the sun would rise.

Leonel's steps only grew slower and slower, his body becoming less and less able to hold itself together.

"Since you're already here… Is there a need to continue hiding?" Leonel spoke plainly.

He had noticed this person long ago, but hadn't said anything. He had been hoping that this person would come out and attack him. To the current Leonel, sooner was better. His body was already in a sorry state. If he was forced to continue, he wouldn't be able to take another step.

Leonel had thought of pretending to find a place to hide and rest. Like this, he could wait for this person to make their move then. However, he felt that if he lied down now, his body would shut down.

At that moment, a shadow slowly came out.

He looked like an oriental man with dark black hair and eyes. But… that was the only thing normal about him. The weird things were almost too numerous to list, but even the short version could make one's expression twist weirdly.

For one… The man was completely naked. He wore not a single thing. Other than the weird chain from his neck that held a card that dangled from one of its links, the sniper rifle strapped to his back, and the knife in his hand, he had nothing else on him.

Secondly… His body was covered in tattoos. In the 24th century, a tattoo artist teamed up with a leading expert in biological nano technology to create what they called 'Vision Tattoos'. They were essentially tattoos that moved along one's body in a repetitive, loop-like fashion. Almost like a 'gif' from the 21st century.

If it was just the fact this man had a vision tattoo, it would be fine. But… why was his vision tattoo a porno?

It was so weird that Leonel didn't even think to ask himself why it was the technology of the vision tattoo seemed unaffected. His virgin eyes couldn't leave the plump woman being plowed by three men at once. He couldn't help wondering if she was okay…

The third weird thing about this man was the fact that half of his body was covered in bandages. Yet, not only had he chased Leonel, but he was actually smiling so masochistically, as though he was enjoying his own pain.

Who else could this person be if not Xinghai?

"… I wanted to wait until we were out of the range of the Fort so that no one would interfere in our battle, but I didn't expect your body to be so weak now. I bet if that Junior Governor Duke knew this, he wouldn't have given up chasing you so quickly."

"Are you finished?" Leonel asked without much of a change to his expression.

Xinghai didn't get mad at such words. Instead, he sighed.

"It's a shame. You were good prey, but I don't have the time to wait for you to recover. Plus, I'm injured too and it's your fault. So, things are fair, don't you think?"

Xinghai licked his lips and took a step forward, but what he saw next made him freeze.

Leonel flicked his wrist and a grenade appeared out from his spatial bracelet.

"Since that's the case, let's die together."

Leonel smiled, yet it seemed colder than even Xinghai's own. Before Xinghai could do anything, Leonel pulled the pin.

However, despite the panicked look on his face, Xinghai was internally sneering.

'This idiot.'

Xinghai laughed within his heart. Then, he prepared his blink ability and activated it. However, what he saw in the last moment before he disappeared made his eyes squint in confusion.

'… He threw the grenade away from us…? What…? Oh no!'

BANG!

The sound wasn't from the grenade. Leonel had chucked it so far away that compared to this bang, it was nothing.

When Xinghai appeared once more, he found a gun placed onto his chest, its hot nozzle burning his skin.

He looked up at Leonel in shock. Then, fell over. Dead.

Leonel watched indifferently as the last of Xinghai's life faded. At that moment, he felt like his arm was about to implode. Without Force disruption towers, the recoil mitigation technology of the handgun didn't work anymore, so he had to take the brunt of it himself. However, even though he was prepared, it had still hurt like hell.

'It's too bad that you talk too much…' Leonel thought, walking toward the card that Xinghai had hung from his neck in curiosity.

The moment Xinghai gave Leonel too much information to deduce some things from, he was finished. He never stood a chance. Even he had no idea, even in death, how Leonel had seen through him so easily.

Chapter 98 - Fawkes

[Bonus chapter for 1500... next week there will be bonus chapter per 350 powerstones instead >;] ]

The moment Xinghai said his injuries were caused by Leonel, it made the latter think of a few things. There was no one he injured like that. Could it be that Xinghai was referring to the canons Miles was using?

But, when Leonel saw the sniper rifle on his back, he realized something else. Could this have been the sniper he shot at? Shouldn't he be dead? Leonel had been very confident in that shot…

That was when Leonel understood. If that sniper managed to survive, there was an 84% chance that he had an ability that allowed him to do so.

Judging by Leonel's observation, there was a 7% chance this ability was defensive and a 91% chance that this ability was evasive. It was less likely to be defensive, or else Xinghai wouldn't be so injured. Leonel then decided that this ability was either related to high speed, some sort of invulnerability, or potentially teleportation.

In the beginning, Leonel had given teleportation the lowest odds because he intuitively knew it must be a rare high class ability. However, when Xinghai stepped toward him, Leonel realized his speed stat was far too low, so teleportation moved up a rank. That left invulnerability and teleportation.

So, Leonel set up a test with the grenade. He didn't believe that Xinghai's ability was impregnable, or else he wouldn't have been injured. He also didn't believe that Xinghai's ability had a long duration, or, again, he wouldn't have been injured.

This led Leonel to ultimately conclude that Xinghai's ability was short term invulnerability or short distance teleportation. Regardless of which it was… He was finished the moment he took Leonel's bait.

'This is really too inconvenient.' Leonel shook his head. 'If I didn't have to speak out loud to the dictionary, I wouldn't have to go through so much trouble. It could have just directly told me what I needed to know…'

This event was one no one was destined to know about. It happened in a place without spectators and Leonel didn't even seem to care much about it. However… If others were to know what happened here… How Leonel, an 18 year old boy, played a Five Star Arms Professional to death while barely able to stand on his own two legs…

The world would come to know that a monster had awakened.

'Slayer Legion?' Leonel's eyes narrowed as he looked at the card Xinghai left behind.

The Slayer Legion… It was a name not many knew about. This wasn't because they tried to hide themselves. It was quite the opposite, actually. There was nothing this group wanted more than to be widely recognized and renowned. However, they were always pressed beneath the thumb of the Ascension Empire.

The few who knew its name were either high ranking government officials or other unlucky individuals that happened to be present during one of its many attempted and failed campaigns.

By now, those who were clever enough had likely already guessed exactly what this 'Slayer Legion' was. It was precisely the rebel army that dared to face up against the mighty Ascension Empire.

In order to dehumanize and emasculate the rebels, the Ascension Empire suppressed news of them to the extreme. It was to the point that many weren't even aware that they had a name at all.

Leonel didn't expect Xinghai to be affiliated with them. He was quite bold to wear it around on his neck like that. But, then again, he didn't exactly seem like a normal individual.

"The rebel army, huh…?" Leonel flipped Xinghai's card in his hand. "… I'm not interested in joining, but I can probably use these guys to kill them faster…"

**

In the lofty Ascension Province, there was a palace that stood as tall as a mountain. Beautiful golds and silvers were all around, displaying an impossible to grasp majesty.

Within the royal court, nobles from all across the land were gathered. If one were to not be aware of the Metamorphosis, it would be impossible to guess from this place that such a horrible event was going on. Let alone how immaculate the Ascension Palace looked from the outside, even much of the Ascension Province seemed completely unaffected.

Still, despite how many powerful men had gathered here, there was one man who had so much presence that they were all completely drowned.

He sat on the throne with a light smile on his face. He looked to be quite old based on his wrinkles, maybe almost 60 years old. But, he had a youthful exuberance that rivaled a 20 year old man in his prime.

His hair was a bright white-gold that almost seemed to radiate its own light. His eyes were like two green emeralds, twinkling as though they were gems. His beard was full and almost looked like a lion's mane, but it was so meticulously groomed that not even a single strand was out of place.

He was handsome to the point of being inhuman and charismatic to the point of being untouchable. He had the kind of air that made it impossible for one to continue holding onto their anger before him.

He was Emperor Gervaise Fawkes. The man who wielded the most power on Earth.

At this moment, a man kneeled before him with an ugly expression, explaining a great many things that he listened to seriously.

"Outrageous!"

One of the nobles roared as they listened to this story.

"Two children actually dare to be so brazen just because they were awakened as Variants?! What is your Royal Blue Province doing, Governor Duke Leum?! You can't contain two commoners?!"

The kneeling man wore an ugly expression, but he didn't refute, waiting for His Majesty's response. He knew that his enemies in the court wouldn't allow him room to maneuver now that his son had made such a big mistake. The only option was to come clean. Hiding it would only make things worse.

Suddenly, the Emperor began to laugh. The laughter was so jovial and happy that the Royal Court was stunned silent.

"Leonel Morales is it? HAHA!" Emperor Fawkes continued to laugh. "You're asking me what to do about a teenage boy? Do whatever you want, go all out. Kill him if you can, though I doubt you'll be able to."

The words left them speechless. What was going on…?

However, Emperor Fawkes continued to laugh.

"Killed a few nobles? Killed several thousand commoners? Disobeyed direct orders? So what?!

"If you can, you can go ahead and kill him. In fact, if anyone can kill him, I will reward you greatly. The second Province we clear after the Ascension Province will be yours if you succeed."

"… Pardon…?" Governor Duke Leum thought he must have heard incorrectly. That must be it… right?

Unfortunately, Emperor Fawkes continued to laugh.

"Leonel, is it? My daughter truly gave me a great grandson. Kill some more, rampage some more, who cares? A Fawkes man should be exactly like this."

Governor Duke Leum directly fainted. He collapsed to the ground, willing what he had just heard away in his dream land.

Chapter 99 - Noah

The Ascension Royal Court was in an uproar.

They all knew that Emperor Gervaise Fawkes had had two children in his lifetime — his eldest daughter and his younger son. The talent of the latter didn't need to be mentioned. Whether it was his intelligence, elegance, or personal strength, not a single one was lacking.

However, despite his talent, the Emperor never formally handed the Crown Prince title to him despite it being tradition to do so. No one was aware of the reason why. But, Gervaise Fawkes was a near mythical figure. Those who dared to question his decisions simply didn't exist anymore.

When it came to the princess, though… they were completely in the dark. The last time she was seen, she wasn't even ten years old. Since then, she hadn't made any public appearances. No one knew where she was.

It was only now, with the help of the Emperor's words, that they were aware that she was not only alive, but had married and even had a child? How could it be that the Nation's First Daughter could be married without them being informed? Just what sort of secret was hidden behind this?

Of course, many of them thought it was some sort of conspiracy. But, this idea was quickly thrown out. If it was as simple as the Princess disobeying her father and marrying a man he didn't accept, why would she disappear before she even turned ten? It can't be that she got married as a toddler, right?

In addition, judging by the Princess' age, she should be about 65 years old right now. But, her son was only 18. So, what secrets could have filled the time between her 10th birthday and her 47th?

Regardless of what the truth was, the royal court was at a loss.

The Emperor was encouraging them to go out and kill Leonel if they could, and even promised such mouth watering rewards. But…

Who of them actually dared to take the first step?

**

After the daily gathering of the Royal Court ended, the Emperor could be found silently meditating, a radiant smile on his face.

Swirls of Force slowly entered his body. Compared to Leonel, the speed was much slower. But, it seemed that he was taking his time as though taking a nice, slow paced stroll.

If one looked closely, it was possible to see the deep lines of wrinkles on the Emperor's face slowly receding. A long while later, he looked to be even younger than he had this morning.

"Imperial Grandfather."

Seeing that the Emperor had finally opened his eyes, a young man with sharp brows humbly kneeled before him.

The young man's hair was also a bright white-gold, albeit a few shades dimmer than the Emperor. It seemed that the genes of the Fawkes were quite strong, because his eyes were also a deep shade of green.

He had a handsome, confident bearing. His shoulders were wide and powerful. And, though he didn't dare to bring a weapon in the presence of his grandfather, the calluses on his otherwise blemishless hands proved that he was adept at using one.

"Noah… Why have you come to see this old throne?"

The Emperor's smile didn't fade. He looked no different than a grandfather chatting with his grandson.

"… I have a cousin?" Noah asked, probingly."

"Of course. You've had a cousin for 18 years already. You're just a little older than he is."

Noah felt a bit frustrated by this answer. The Emperor obviously knew what he meant by asking this question. The point wasn't that he had a cousin, the point was about why this was hidden.

However, Noah had known his grandfather for long enough to know that it would be useless to ask directly. He had to find another way.

"… Are you really going to allow those nobles to try and kill him?"

The Emperor's smile deepened.

"Yes." He replied. "A talent isn't worth much if it's grown in a greenhouse."

"A talent…?" Noah's jaw involuntarily set. "Is he more valuable to you than me, Imperial Grandfather?"

One might expect a grandfather put in this sort of situation to go out of their way to settle the hearts of their grandson, but the Emperor did nothing of the sort. Instead, he pondered for a while before nodding as though this was obvious.

"His mother is more talented than your father. And, his father is beyond what your mother could imagine. Isn't this just the logical conclusion?"

Noah felt his heartbeat slow as though it was sighing in resignation along with him. This sort of answer, he wasn't surprised by it. What he was surprised by was the latter part of the statement.

Beyond his mother? His father was born on Earth but his mother… How could that be? Just where did Leonel's father come from to gain such an evaluation? It even faintly sounded like even his Imperial Grandfather, a man who wasn't scared of anything, held some faint reservations about this man.

"If it's like this, Imperial Grandfather, why did cousin not grow up with me?"

The Emperor remained silent, continuing to smile at Noah. But this only made the latter feel as though he was being drowned in his own sweat.

"Those who grow up in good environments often end up being useless." The Emperor finally replied.

"But…"

"You're wondering why I say his father and mother are both better than yours, yet in the same breath also say he didn't have a good environment to live in?"

"… Yes."

The Emperor's smile deepened. "It's the same reason why your mother can't actively take part in your life just yet. Did you think she didn't have a reason for this?"

Noah's eyes widened. This was the first bit of happy news he had gotten since this conversation began. It was a simple sentence, but he felt it suffocating him with joy.

Of course, what Noah didn't know was that despite not being able to actively take part… Leonel's father still stayed by his side despite the restrictions. As for why his Imperial Grandfather hid this important piece of information, it was impossible to tell.

Feeling much better, Noah smiled brightly.

"Imperial Grandfather, I would like to leave the Ascension Province and seek out cousin. Then we can face his coming challenge together. You said that a talent in a greenhouse isn't worth much, right?"

The Emperor shook his head. "No, this is his challenge, not yours."

Noah quickly lowered his head, realizing that he had gotten a bit too ahead of himself.

"However… if you're going off to try and kill him, I can allow you to go."

Noah felt as though he had been dunked into an ice bath. He flexed his muscles with all of his strength, trying to stop his own trembling. But, the Emperor continued as though he didn't notice his grandson's odd state.

"Those Tier 7 officials are really too useless. I could tell that none of them would have the backbone to act. Maybe only that Governor Duke Leum would do something when he's pushed into a corner."

The Emperor's smile deepened.

"That said, not everyone is useless. That Brazinger family and those like them are foolish enough not to fear me, those Tier 8 and above officials as well. Should be an interesting time for your little cousin.

"I have great expectations for the little guy, HAHA! What a good grandson, a good grandson indeed."

The Emperor laughed for a while longer before turning back to Noah.

"Go on now, LIttle Noah. There are a lot of starving dogs that have turned their eyes on our piece of meat. And, there are some larger ravenous beasts that want to take a chunk out of our Earth.

"You and your cousin will be the figureheads of your generation. Don't disappoint me."

In his laughter, the Emperor's aura had leaked from his body. The presence was so imposing that Noah almost lay down flat on the ground. He felt that he couldn't drag up the courage to do anything in opposition to this man.

"… Yes! Imperial Grandfather!"

**

In the basement wreckage of a collapsed building, Leonel sat against a dusty wall with his muscles spasming in pain. However, his face remained completely expressionless.

To an outside observer, it almost looked like all sorts of snakes and insects were wiggling beneath his skin, yet Leonel didn't seem to notice. His mind was focused on something completely different.

'The Segmented Cube swallowed up that sniper's dead body too… It can't be that it wants me to eat his corpse like I did with the octopus… right?'

If Leonel had the spare strength he needed to form them, he would definitely be shedding tears right now. Why did his father leave him behind such a perverted treasure?

Chapter 100 - Lab

Leonel suddenly felt immense regret about not asking Montez for an abode type treasure. The feeling of having your body split apart out of your control, yet only being able to lie on hard, stone floors was really too unbearable. If he had a tent treasure like Yuri had, this would be much more convenient.

'Yuri… I wonder if she'll be okay…'

Leonel frowned at this thought. The only reason why he was able to escape the outer city was because he only had to worry about himself. He knew that going back to get Yuri was impossible. If he had, they both would have died.

He was worried about more than just Yuri. He had no idea if Miles would try to make use of his teammates against him or not.

Leonel shook his head. He knew there was no point in thinking about these things. He just had to grow stronger.

'Since I can't move, what can I do?'

"Hey, do you know why the Segmented Cube took in the corpse of that sniper?"

[ *Ping* The corpse is useful ]

Leonel frowned. "Why is it useful?"

[ *Ping* The abilities of existences at and above the TIer 7 Black grade condense within the Ethereal Glabella Evolution Crystals. Force Crafters can refine these into limited use items. ]

Leonel was speechless. Though this was better than having to eat the corpse, was it that much better? Something about using a human body to refine items made him feel uncomfortable.

"Wait…" Leonel suddenly thought of something. "… Does that mean that the octopus was taken for that reason as well?"

[ *Ping* Replying to Seed, yes. ]

Leonel's lip twitched. The sniper's ability might really be useful to him, but wouldn't he have to grow tentacles in order to make use of the octopus' ability? Where was the cool factor? How could he show his face to Aina again if he did such a thing?

"Hold on a second, the Segmented Cube is a lab, right? Doesn't that mean I should be able to enter it?"

[ *Ping* Yes. ]

"Then why the hell am I still here? It can activate on its own to take that pervert's corpse but can't see that I'm struggling out here?"

Leonel took out the Segmented Cube, fuming. He didn't know if there was anywhere comfortable to rest in the lab, but it should at least be cleaner than this dusty place, right? How could it treat him like this? What kind of weird fetish did this cube have to have to like corpses more than the living?

"Hey, little guy." Leonel knocked on the cube with a knuckle. "Can you let me in?"

The Segmented Cube vibrated, then separated into its pieces once more. Leonel felt his vision go black and, a moment later, he found himself in a small ten by ten by ten meter space.

On the outside, out of Leonel's vision, the pieces of the Segmented Cube floated around where Leonel had just been sitting. Its jigsaw-like pieces were connected by a faint white light, taking up the same amount of space as Leonel could see from the inside.

"This is the lab?" Leonel blinked, unaware of what was going on outside.

Leonel struggled to stand and looked around.

'The Force concentration in this place is a lot higher.' Leonel's brow raised.

On one side of the lab, there was a silver rack filled with what looked like snowglobes. But, Leonel's eyes widened when his gaze landed on them.

Within two of the snowglobes, he could see the corpse of the octopus and that sniper floating. It seemed that they had been compressed and placed inside. Leonel guessed that this must be the lab's method of preservation.

Other than the silver rack, Leonel found the bookshelves and cubicles filled with scrolls his dad left behind on another side of the room. In the middle, that odd table with half-spherical wells that was in the basement was here as well. Though, Leonel wasn't certain of what it could be used for.

Thinking of something else, Leonel reached into one of the large pockets of the tactical gear he had stolen from the Fort and brought out the Metal Spirit.

The little guy bounced around like an elastic ball, pinging around the confines of its cube as though still trying to escape. But, Leonel could tell that it was just excited.

"Why is this little guy so excited to be here?" Leonel asked.

He thought he would find some great treasure here, but aside from the rack of snowglobes, there really wasn't anything else special.

[ *Ping* Replying to Seed, Spirits need high concentrations of Force and their preferred element to grow and evolve. The half Metamorphosed Earth is akin to a barren wasteland for it. In comparison, the Segmented Cube's inner space is much better. ]

"The Segmented Cube can generate Force?" Leonel asked expectantly.

[ *Ping* No. ]

Leonel frowned. It can't generate Force? Then why is the concentration so high? At a moment like this, he really hated that the dictionary only ever answered his questions directly and hardly embellished.

"Why is the Force concentration so much higher here, then?"

[ *Ping* The Segmented Cube has a sterilization ability. ]

"Explain this ability to me."

[ *Ping* Replying to Seed ]

[Sterilization: The refinement and purification of Force. ]

"So the concentration of Force here is dependent on the outside world? What Dimensional grade has it reached?"

[ *Ping* Yes. The current concentration is about equal to a Mid-level Fourth Dimensional World. ]

"Mid-level? Worlds of the same Dimension are separated as well, huh…"

Leonel forgot his pain in all his curiosity. He only wanted to learn more and know more. He found all of this fascinating.

"… Wait! The concentration of Force… If I use the lab, wouldn't that make Invalids come after me? Crap!"

Leonel panicked for a moment. He had already been in here for several minutes. This was more than enough time for Invalids to close in on him.

[ *Ping* No. The lab is able to hide its Force activity. ]

Leonel's eyes widened before he began to laugh wildly. He was only forced to stop after he felt his lung might come flying out from his throat. This pain was really too unbearable.

His progress had always been limited by those damned Invalids. Even if he was still in the Fort, it wouldn't make a difference due to those Force disrupting towers. But now, with the lab, he could practice [Dimensional Cleanse] without worry. Wasn't this fantastic?

'I'll have to wait for my body to recover before I can do any Force cultivating. But, in the meantime, I can do other things…'

Aina said he would feel weak for three days. So, during those three days, his healing would be exceptionally slow. After those three days passed, though, his body would be able to slowly recover at a more normal pace.

As for how long it would take him to recover after that? Leonel didn't know. But, regardless, since the lab could hide him from Invalids, there was no need to move from this place for now.

Leonel's mind ran wild for a moment. What was the best use of his time?

After a while, Leonel made a decision.

He walked to the odd table and took out two ores, a pair of gloves, a quill, and finally, the Metal Spirit.

"How do I make this little guy my official Familiar?"

Chapter 101 - Adorable

[Bonus chapter for 350 ps, next at 700 :) see? I can smile through the pain]

[ *Ping* ]

Leonel stood in confusion. Usually, the dictionary would respond right away, and even if it didn't, it would tell him that the information was omitted. So, what was going on?

A moment later, the hologram of his father gained life to it once more, causing Leonel's eyes to light up. It seemed his father had left more than one recording behind. Since this one activated now, it must mean that this was quite important.

"You finally activated this, little cry baby?" Leonel's father shook his head. "It's about time."

Leonel bit his teeth and remained silent, he refused to fall for the same trick twice. His father had gotten him once, but if he got him a second time, he would never live this down. So, he only silently watched as his father picked at his ears.

Luckily, it seemed that his father was already satisfied after tricking him once.

"I'm not certain which Familiar you've managed to get your hands on, but if it's a Metal Spirit, good. If it's not, it's still good. Regardless of how useful a Familiar is to you, remember to treat it like a partner and a friend. If I find out one day that you've treated it as a tool, I'll peel a layer off your ass with my palm."

'… So vulgar…' Leonel almost couldn't refrain from rolling his eyes.

"If you're smart, you've probably understood from my words that the most important part of a relationship between a Familiar and a Force Crafter is friendship and intimacy. The more in sync your hearts are, the better the results will be.

"If you've managed to find a Metal Spirit, just say 'Yes' and the dictionary will direct you to that recording."

"Yes." Leonel replied

Leonel's father smiled, pushing up his glasses.

"Lucky, lucky. Metal Spirits are fairly weak in the infancy stages. In fact, before our Morales Clan took them to be our favorites, they were quite looked down upon by the Force Crafter world. Most other Force Crafters prefer Flame Spirits.

"Before one even gets to the Metal Spirit, there are a whole host of Familiars one might think of first. Wind Spirits are especially beloved by those who focus on the Force Art aspect of Force Crafting. Natural Intelligence Spirits have calculative minds far beyond that of us humanoid creatures. The list goes on and on…

"However, a Metal Spirit, especially when combined with our Metal Synergy Lineage Factor, has been widely recognized as one of the best. Those with Metal Spirits are the best at crafting small and intricate parts. This may sound like a meaningless thing, but everything starts with a foundation.

"Nothing large and complex can be created without the small and simple. Thanks to this, our Morales Clan has a reputation in craftsmanship that puts dwarves to shame. One day, when you're confident, take a look at the mechanisms of that dictionary I left you. That day, you'll be able to see the prowess of our Morales Clan."

Leonel's father laughed heartily.

"Anyway, I will get to the point. The simple answer to your question is that you can't. Making a Familiar your official companion is a long process. There's no such thing as making it submit. Well… there is, but I would never allow you to do such a thing. In fact, if you ever come across someone who has, you should directly kill them."

The coldness in his father's voice made Leonel shiver. His father had never said something even remotely close to this. In fact, much of the reason Leonel's moral code was like it was, was due to his father's guidance. It was his old man that taught him his kindness. To abruptly say such a thing was too… jarring.

Leonel's father shook his head as though feeling he had said something he shouldn't have. He hesitated for a moment. Leonel felt like his father was trying to decide whether or not to delete the recording and start again. But, in the end, he decided to press forward and leave things as is.

"… All you can do to make a Familiar accept you is treat them well. There will come a time where you two become inseparable. Take it to nice environments, treat it to nice food, and don't keep it imprisoned for too long. Let it roam free, it won't easily leave the side of a person it's familiar with. After all, in the beginning stages of its evolution, it's not much more than a child."

Leonel nodded in understanding.

"The last thing to do is to give it a name and train by its side. Metal Spirits, in comparison to other spirits, have a very high demand on the dexterity of their partner. I've left a step by step training plan for you in the dictionary to be used alongside blueprints that were in my office.

"Remember, the most important thing is your personal strength. Do not spend too long on Force Crafting. Your old man has made this mistake before. If I wasn't so fascinated with it in my youth, I would be ten times more powerful than I am now. But, I had to give others a chance, if I really was any more powerful, the universe might not be able to accept my existence anymore, HAHA!"

Leoenl smiled and shook his head. If he knew that his old man really wasn't joking, then maybe his reaction would have been a bit different.

After the message ended, Leonel took a deep breath and walked to the Metal Spirit. It was still bouncing around crazily.

When it noticed Leonel had appeared above it, it plopped down and formed a little puddle as though pouting. Leonel really couldn't help but think that it was quite adorable.

"Well… Be free little guy."

As soon as Leonel opened the lid of the transparent cube, the Metal Spirit shot up like a spring and hit the ceiling. Then, without a pause, it rebounded across the room.

Leonel smiled as he watched it. He thought the little guy might have some resentment toward him for keeping him locked up for so long, but it really was like a child. Its memory was short and the only feelings it seemed to have for Leonel were those of gratitude for setting it free. It didn't seem to remember that it was only locked up to begin with because of Leonel.

After a long while, the Metal Spirit grew tired of its new environment and settled down onto the table. Force began to whizz around it, disappearing into its little body like a typhoon.

Leonel watched on silently and allowed it to do as it pleased.

'It seems that the Force the lab can sterilize at once is limited. I can already faintly feel it dissipating. That probably means that I'll need to wait for the lab to replenish itself every time I finish using [Dimensional Cleanse]… That's fine, it's still better than not being able to practice at all.'

"Alright, what's the first lesson that old man left behind for me?"

Leonel decided not to bother the Metal Spirit for now. Since Leonel himself couldn't use the Force in his current state, he might as well leave it to the little guy.

[ *Ping* ]

[ Book One: The Basics ]

[ Lesson One: Hazards ]

Leonel nodded. At least his old man was serious when it came to this sort of stuff. The dangers should be the first things he learns about, lest he almost kill himself again like the time he foolishly modified a Force technique.

[ 1. Metal Spirits ]

Leonel frowned. 'Metal Spirits are dangerous? Then why did dad say to let it free. Don't tell me this old man is trying to get me killed…'

[ Metal Spirits are highly corrosive lifeforms. Their instinct is to devour. In order to evolve, they need to consume large amounts of Force and high level minerals. Unfortunately, Evolvers happen to have high concentrations of both. It is advised to never allow skin to skin contact with a Metal Spirit. Even veterans who have been by their partner's side for many years can still suffer at the hands of their Metal Spirit Familiars. ]

[ Whenever you are handling a Metal Spirit, be sure to wear the proper defensive gear. The minimum requirement is a pair of Force Skin Gloves. However, for a beginner, a full Force Skin Suit is more appropriate. ]

Leonel looked up at the ceiling above his head, the grief evident in his eyes. His old man really was trying to get him killed.

The good news was that he now knew what those gloves Montez gave him were.

The bad news was that those gloves were a mere minimum requirement, yet they were all he had. To make things worse, he had set them on the table when he brought the Metal Spirit out. And now… The Metal Spirit was swallowing Force from right on top of them.

Leonel suddenly felt that the little guy had become much less adorable.

Chapter 102 - Competition Across Generations

[One of you guys mentioned that you might like to vote on the little guy's (Metal Spirit's) name, so I thought sure, why not? Feel free to comment your suggestions, I'll pick the one with the most likes :) don't be dirty, think of the children :'< ]

After this slip up, Leonel realized that he was most definitely not in the best state to continue pushing himself. He didn't know what he was thinking. He still hadn't slept a wink since the matters with the weremen and his body was collapsing on him. It was best that he set this aside and come back when his mind was fresh.

Luckily, after this, Leonel learned some useful things about the lab.

Firstly, the state of the lab was dependent on the amount of Force it had access to. Since this was only a Pseudo Fourth Dimensional World still in the process of completing its Metamorphosis, the lab could only enter what the dictionary called: Phase One.

Secondly, each Phase had two settings. One was the Lab Setting and the other was the Abode Setting. The Lab Setting was self explanatory, but the Abode Setting was geared toward resting and recovery.

Leonel was so happy he almost shed real tears. After entering the Abode Setting, the Metal Spirit was left in the Lab Setting, allowing him to breathe a sigh of relief.

The Abode Setting of Phase One had one main attraction. It was a pool that was eerily similar to the one Montez allowed Leonel to bathe in. According to the dictionary, it was filled with Black Grade Soothing Waters. Leonel assumed that it could be improved by entering Phase Two.

The Black Grade Soothing Waters weren't very beneficial to increasing his strength any longer. But, it was perfect for speeding up his recovery.

That said, what Leonel loved the most about the Abode Setting wasn't the pool, but, rather, the bed. He wasn't sure if it was simply because of how tired he was, but he swore it was softer than a cloud. Without a doubt the best bed he had ever slept on.

Like this, Leonel did nothing in the next three days but sleep, eat octopus meat, and recover in the Soothing Water pool.

**

On the fourth day, Leonel dressed head to toe in the tactical gear he had stolen from the Fort and cautiously entered the Lab Setting to find the Metal Spirit still snoring away on top of the Force Skin Gloves.

Though Leonel inwardly cursed, he still resolved himself. He was already about 80% recovered by this point, so he felt his mind was much clearer.

Maybe the smartest thing to do would be to use the cube that had imprisoned it before to move it away, but Leonel took his father's words to heart. This little guy was meant to be his friend, his companion. Clearly, he didn't like being imprisoned. In that case, Leonel didn't want to antagonize him.

The rest of the process went surprisingly smoothly. The Metal Spirit, maybe due to having absorbed so much Force, was quite languid and just slipped right off the black gloves. If it wasn't for the little bubble it formed and popped on its surface to greet Leonel, the latter would have thought it hadn't noticed at all.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Leonel slipped the gloves on and left the little guy alone. For now, he still didn't know enough to interact with it. Then, he began his studies in earnest.

[ *Ping* ]

[ Book One: The Basics ]

[ Lesson One: Hazards ]

…

[ 4. Finger Strain ]

[ To a Force Crafter, your most important treasure isn't your partner, but, rather, your fingers. It is important not to execute complex movements before you're ready or else you can cause irreparable, hidden and lingering injuries to your hands. These injuries can often build artificial bottlenecks to your progress. Refer to Book One: The Basics - Lesson Two: Stretches and Strengthening… ]

…

[ 9. Force Art Reactions ]

[ Force Arts are an incredibly complex subject matter, even the most accomplished Force Artists would never dare to say they know everything. This is why it's important to blueprint your ideas and test their feasibility. If two Force Arts clash and react violently, you may die before you know what happened. Refer to Book One: The Basics - Lesson Five: Force Art ]

…

[ 17. Reactive Metals ]

…

[ 23. Third Dimensional Electrical Engineering ]

[ 24. Fourth Dimensional Electrical Engineering ]

…

[ 37. Overfeeding and Metal Spirit Potential ]

…

Someone else might have been overwhelmed, but Leonel soaked in everything he saw as though he was a sponge. He didn't seem to get bored or tired. In fact, a very familiar aura began to spread from him the moment he began learning in earnest.

To Leonel, it had never mattered whether he loved to do something or not, he always took it with the utmost seriousness. In fact, compared to other things, since his father loved Force Crafting so much, he had a better opinion of it as well. So, of course he would try his best.

Before he knew it, he had already cleared the first Lesson of Book One and moved on to Lesson Two.

[ *Ping* ]

[ Book One: The Basics ]

[ Lesson Two: Stretches and Strengthening ]

Unlike Lesson One which listed a seemingly endless barrage of hazards, Lesson Two focused entirely on what Leonel's father claimed was his most important tool. Instead of learning Force Crafting skills, Lesson Two was all about exercises… for his fingers?

[ 1. Flexibility]

[ … ]

[ 2. Speed ]

[ … ]

[ 3. Strength ]

[ … ]

[ 4. Dexterity ]

[ 4.1 Precision ]

[ … ]

[ 4.2 Acceleration ]

[ … ]

[ 4.3 Deceleration ]

[ … ]

[ 5. Force and Your Hands ]

[ … ]

[ 6. Recovery ]

[ 6.1 Stretches ]

[ … ]

[ 6.2 Herbs ]

[ … ]

[ 6.3 Natural Treasures ]

[ … ]

[ 6.4 Force Circulation ]

[ … ]

[ *Ping* ]

[ Lesson Two: Completed. ]

[ Lesson Three: You and Your Metal Spirit - Locked ]

[ Unlock Condition: Seed's hands must reach a Grade One designation. ]

Leonel blinked awake from his focused state.

'Grade One designation… If I recall correctly, a pair of Grade One hands can complete all Grade One exercises to a Tier 7 Black level, or the S-grade…'

Leonel smiled bitterly. His dad was really asking for too much.

Usually, one could begin the first applications of Force Crafting as long as you reached the Tier 1 Black level in all Grade One exercises. But, Leonel's dad was asking him to reach a level of hand and finger strength only those on the verge of becoming Bronze Grade Force Crafters would have.

To put this matter in perspective, not all Force Crafters would even reach Grade One designation before beginning to work on Bronze Grade crafts. Most would only complete all Grade One exercises to a Tier 6 Black level before moving on.

However, thinking of his father's smug face, Leonel grinned. That old man was so proud of his Force Crafting. What kind of face would he have if Leonel surpassed his requirements?

Above the Grade One designation there was the Advanced Grade One designation and the Superior Grade One designation, each for the SS-grade and SSS-grade level respectively.

Usually, only those who had Force Nodes in their hands could reach the Superior Grade One designation. But, Leonel already knew where his next Force Nodes would go and knew his hands weren't appropriate locations for them.

'In that case, Advanced Grade One designation it is. First, the flexibility exercises…'

Leonel's eyes shone brightly as he began to move his fingers according to the exercises his father left behind. If there was one thing he loved to do, it was win. And now, he was competing against the phantom of his father.

A competition across generations.

Chapter 103 - Regret

Leonel completely lost himself in a new world. Though he wasn't sure about why he had to do all of these hand exercises just yet, Leonel had already completely forgotten about that curiosity. His mind was entirely focused on the target he had set for himself.

According to his father's training program, flexibility was the very first step to training the fingers of a Force Crafter. Without flexibility as a foundation, everything else would come harder. The flexibility exercises were almost like a mechanic diligently oiling even the smallest components of their machines, building it up so that even the smallest corners were in top working condition.

Only after laying a foundation of flexibility would Leonel turn his attention to strength and speed. Upon reaching this step, Leonel would begin working in dexterity exercises which would teach him how to use his newfound strength and speed.

Of course, everything would once again circle back to flexibility. Every training day began with and ended with stretches. At the end of it all, there would be a cycle of recovery.

After about two weeks, Leonel felt that he should heed his father's advice. Focusing too much on Force Crafting would be detrimental to him, especially since it wouldn't help him take down Miles and Simeon.

'I've been here for a while, yet no one has come.' Leonel narrowed his eyes, looking down at the wrist watch still strapped to his arm.

This thing was his greatest worry. He always felt that it was only a matter of time before it was used to track his location.

Before, Leonel could only take the risk of staying in the same place. After all, if he could be tracked, whether he moved or not wouldn't make much of a difference. In fact, moving when he was heavily injured would only negatively impact him.

But after so long, nothing had happened. He had even almost forgotten about it.

'Hm, maybe it's jammed just like all the other technology? I remember that after the Paradise Islands fell, it went completely silent. It wasn't until I entered the Mayan Tomb that it showed signs of life again… Maybe I only have to worry about it inside of a Zone then?'

Leonel could only accept this line of thought. Regardless, he wasn't afraid.

His body had recovered completely by now and he even felt that it was stronger than it had been in the past. He felt that this might be because more of the residual effects of his dad's vomit brew were being released again.

He wanted to know more about that, actually. He even asked the dictionary about it. Unfortunately, he got an *Information Omitted* response in return.

'I guess I should enter the Spear Domain again.'

Leonel took a deep breath and got up to leave the Lab Setting.

Before he could, the little guy jumped up from the table and landed in his palms, snaking around his fingers and hands as though saying goodbye.

Leonel smiled. Since he had the Force Skin Gloves on, he wasn't worried.

"I'll be back tomorrow."

A bubble formed on the Metal Spirit and popped with a *Boop* sound before the little guy hopped back onto the odd table with wells.

He still hadn't given the Metal Spirit a name. He wanted to listen through Lesson Three first since it seemed to be important in understanding the relationship between a Metal Spirit and a Force Crafter. He didn't want to make another stupid mistake that could be avoided.

Soon, Leonel had made his way to his bedroom after going through Grade One recovery treatments for his hands. Then, he laid down comfortably, not wanting to bash his head on the floor again, and stretched his Internal Sight toward the Spear Domain ring.

WHOOSH

Leonel felt his body go light again as though his consciousness had been forcefully sucked out from his mind.

When his vision cleared, he was once again in that hellish spear graveyard.

Dark reddish black skies hung above his head, spears of all shapes and sizes were dotted around him, and a heavy pressure that might crush him at any moment rested on his shoulders.

This time, Leonel understood a lot more and didn't blindly begin to walk around. He had questioned the dictionary thoroughly before coming here and had learned a great many things.

First, this wasn't his real body, it was a manifestation of his self formed of his Soul Force or spirit, as Leonel preferred to call it. Second, there was a constant pressure being exerted on him not by the world, but by the spears themselves.

Each spear was connected the consciousness of the owner it had previously. These consciousnesses were the equivalent of the state Leonel was currently in. As such, they exerted pressure on Leonel's spirit form.

The closer a spear was to that massive mountain peak that pierced the skies ahead, the more powerful the consciousness and thus the harder it was to walk forward.

At Leonel's current strength, it was already a miracle that he could survive in this place. Usually, it would only be possible after grasping Spear Force. Only then would one be able to resist the pressure of the spears here. However, Leonel's ability gave him a great buff to his spirit that allowed him to circumvent this.

Regardless, Leonel could only take a single step and touch a single spear before his spirit gave out. So, he had to be more selective this time.

He had gotten great gains from the primitive spear he took out last time, but he didn't want to take up a spear like that again. In order to make full use of the primitive man's combat ability, Leonel had to sink his mind into the same state. However, Leonel wasn't a blood thirsty, battle hungry kind of person. He preferred to be calm.

Without sinking into that primitive mindstate, Leonel could at best use about 70% of the primitive man's abilities. This wasn't bad, actually, as it taught him a lot. But, it could be better.

'I'm not good enough in the spear to use his abilities without just copying him, which is why I need to sink into that mind state… But, if I learn more and build a solid foundation for myself first, I'll be able to use 100% without changing my demeanor.

'For now, I need to find a spear that meshes with my personality better. Something calm and calculating, but filled with a firm resolve…'

Leonel took his time, quietly scanning each spear in range of a single step of him by turning his head. He didn't dare to reach out with his Internal Sight, or else he'd be blown away without even being able to choose.

After a while, Leonel smiled bitterly. Without his internal sight, he really couldn't make a decision. It was because of his Internal Sight that he had been able to pick out [DImensional Cleanse] before. But now, he could only rely on his eyes. He didn't know enough about spearmanship to make judgments like this.

Leonel took a deep breath. 'I guess I can only choose randomly, then.'

After a while, he made a choice and reached forward.

The spear had a wooden shaft as well, much like many of the spears in this starting line, but it wasn't crudely made like the primitive spear. It was made of a flexible, light wood that was about 1.8 meters in length. Its blade was just as thin as the shaft and was formed with four sides like a prism. The shade and tip were separated by a golden colored wrap which the feathers of a colorful bird hung from.

It was quite a beautiful spear. Though it was made of cheap materials, it was clear the craftsman cared about his or her work, which was why Leonel chose it.

But, it was a decision he instantly regretted.

Once again, he found himself in an all new world, but he didn't even have the mind to take a look around because… when he looked down he found that his chest had suddenly grown two massive, soft mounds. And, as though that wasn't bad enough, there was a distinct cold draft of wind sweeping through his legs.

Why was he wearing a dress…?

Chapter 104 - Succubus

Leonel could only keep his tears to himself. Since he wasn't able to control himself when he entered the consciousness of the spear owner, he could only be a passive observer.

The world itself was nothing special. It didn't have the exotic feel that the jungle of the primitive man had. Instead, it seemed to be a small village, not much different from the first village Leonel and Aina landed in the France Zone.

The woman was currently practicing her spearmanship on a few wooden targets. The moment Leonel set his sights on her movements, he completely forgot how aggrieved he was just moments before.

Each of her strikes carried a blinding speed with them. The slight whistling of the wind that came when it reached the end of its acceleration made Leonel internally shiver. It was perfectly timed every time. Her spear would always reach the peak of its speed just before it hit the target and would leave a hole so perfect that the four sides of the spear's blade could be clearly seen.

It reminded Leonel of a venomous snake. Her spear would lull one to sleep then suddenly accelerate, only biting down when it had reached its optimal potential. Though she wasn't as savage as the primitive man, Leonel could still sense her underlying venom. She held an ideology no less vindictive and blood thirsty than the primitive man had.

A loud whistle caught the attention of both Leonel and the woman whose body he was in.

The lady was soon approached by a group of three led by a young man with a bare chest rippling with muscles that seemed carved of steel. They immediately began speaking in a language Leonel couldn't understand, but, quite frankly, he didn't need to understand to see the leering and lewd gazes they looked at him, or rather, her, with.

It was only now that Leonel was no longer distracted by the woman's spearmanship that he got a good look at exactly what kind of beauty he was in the body of. If she were to be described in just a few words, Leonel would choose: stimulating to an impossible degree.

Leonel realized now that if there was no guarantee that the spear would have a male owner, then there was probably no guarantee that the spearman would be human either. This woman was definitely not human. Even if he was beaten to death, Leonel wouldn't believe that she was anything other than a succubus.

She wore nothing but two pieces of beast skin clothing. One was a strapless wrap that binded her chest, and the other was a short skirt that didn't even make it midway down her thighs. And, as though that wasn't enough, there was a slit on one side, exposing even more of her legs.

Her skin was dark, soft and flawless. Her every movement seemed to emphasize the flexibility of her body — the way her hips winded like a pendulum, the way her breasts bounced with her every slight movement, even the way her hair waved in the wind.

If Leonel wasn't fused with her body, he would likely appreciate the view even if he didn't react much to it. But, since he was, he felt jittery and uncomfortable. This feeling only got worse when the woman seemed to start flirting with the three men as though she would take them back to her home for a round far more wild than anything Xinghai had tattooed to his body.

'Please, for the love of all that's holy… Don't do this to me…!'

Unfortunately, the woman didn't seem to hear Leonel's screams. Or rather, this world was never designed for her to be able to.

She continued to flirt with the three men, making suggestive comments and displaying her tantalizing figure without restraint or embarrassment.

However, by the grace of some god up above, when the three men extended what Leonel interpreted as an invitation, the lady turned them down. Then, she said something that must have been an insult because the leading man turned red with rage.

These men probably thought it would be simple to vent their rage, but what happened next left Leonel, who wasn't even the target of the succubus-like woman, shivering.

Her spear was like the stinger of a murderous wasp. Due to the design of her blade, her array of attacks were all variations of a piercing motion. Yet, even with the lack of variability provided by hacks, chops and slashes, her moves seemed impossible to deal with.

No matter how Leonel simulated, no matter what tricks he used, no matter how hard he tried, he realized that there would only be one conclusion if he were to battle this woman…

Death.

She toyed with her enemies, a seductive smile curling her soft lips as she stabbed toward them again and again.

The three men tried to run away after their pride had been crushed, but the succubus' speed was too dazzling. She fluttered around like a butterfly, cutting off the escape of three of them with ease and a beautiful smile on her face.

At some point, other people of their village converged to watch the good show. It wasn't long before Leonel realized that this wasn't 'their' village at all. Rather, it seemed like these three men were outsiders who had been completely ignorant of this woman's power, and now they were paying the price for it.

Leonel lost count of the number of bloody holes that filled their bodies. They screamed in agony, wanting to die, but the woman didn't seem intent on letting go of her playthings.

A long while later, the screams of the men finally died down.

Blood marred the practice grounds, but not a single drop had touched the seductive beauty. In fact, that same smile was still on her face, looking toward the three dead bodies as though they were a masterpiece rather than the corpses of three men who had just been living and breathing.

In that moment, the woman's consciousness seemed to turn toward Leonel, something that shocked him greatly. He felt a cold sweat cover his back as her eyes seemed to invite him to play as well.

He startled awake, shooting up from his bed. The heaviness of his breath hung in the air as he tried to breathe, his chest heaving.

A long while later, he looked at the spear in his hand, his calmness returning to him. A cold gleam was sparked in his eyes. This wasn't exactly the consciousness he was looking for, but Leonel felt that it suited him quite well.