Dimensional Descent

Leonel's spear danced in the wind, free and light. It didn't seem to have a shape or form, moving as it pleased and reacting even faster. Its tip was like a shadow, vanishing beneath the sunlight and reappearing in the least obvious of places. Its shaft was like a flood dragon, roaring through the air and dancing beneath the clouds.

His skill in the spear was just the same as it had been before he entered the pagoda. The strength of his grandfather's comprehension was not small, and by grasping it, Leonel had already entered the elite ranks of spearman.

However, what wasn't the same was how his Absolute Spear Domain flowed around him.

It blanketed the surroundings, moving like a living, breathing entity as it followed the cadence of his spear.

By this point, Leonel had gained an entirely new understanding of the Absolute Spear Domain and how it connected with his Spear Domain Lineage Factor. As this connection deepened, he also came to understand that the reason he hadn't been able to parse apart its true strengths was far more complex than he had originally thought.

It wasn't just his method of battle that was holding him back, nor was it just his Ability Index. In addition to these two things, another large factor that held him back was actually a magic system that he had come to love a great deal: Camelot's Magic System.

A lot of the mechanisms of the Spear Domain Lineage Factor overlapped with Camelot's Magic System, namely the latter's ability to control atmospheric Force and make use of it.

The root of the Spear Domain Lineage Factor was in Controlled Range. Everything within Leonel's Absolute Spear Domain could be considered to be an extension of his body, from sensory organs down to even Force itself.

Within the barriers of the Absolute Spear Domain, the flow of Force was absolutely clear and it could be taken to give strength to the spear wielder. This helped bolster the strength of the spear: range and leverage.

However, Leonel's Mage Core gave him a very similar feeling, albeit slightly different. Due to his Mage Core being far more powerful due to the neglect of his Spear Domain Lineage Factor, in addition to the other mentioned factors, the feeling was far too subtle even for him to pick up on.

So was that all? Case closed?

Not exactly, because much like the Bow Domain Lineage Factor had building blocks that seemed useless to the current Leonel at the moment, so too did the Spear Domain Lineage Factor. However, now that Leonel knew where the foundation lay and what it might build up to, seeing through the true strength of the Spear Domain Lineage Factor was much easier, so that was exactly what he did.

After he found the first thread, he began to pull, losing himself in an endless, bloody battle that stretched on from hours to days. He was seemingly relentless in his pursuit of the end of this thread, and that was when the first bits and pieces began to make themselves known.

Leonel learned that the so-called foundation of his Spear Domain Lineage Factor, which he had thought was the physical characteristics that allowed him to use the spear, was actually not the foundation at all. In fact, if he was correct, if he ever gained the full Bow Domain Lineage Factor, he would experience similar physical changes that would instead help him to use the Bow.

This wrong conclusion had caused him to make the incorrect assumption, shielding him from the true abilities of the Lineage Factor.

If there was a "first reward" for him to gain in this Pagoda, a reward he could have been given if not for the fact he already had the Lineage Factor to begin with, it would be 'Spear Aura'.

This Spear Aura would allow Leonel to use his Spear like he did Internal Sight, blanketing a very small area which allowed his spear to be omnipresent.

When this was accepted, just how similar was this to the Bow Domain Lineage Factor? Both improved the senses. One made his vision far sharper and the other also gave him a replacement for Internal Sight.

Likewise, what was the final reward for the Bow Domain Lineage Factor? Wasn't it the ability to emit Force at a location you gazed upon?

Just like this, the final reward of this pagoda would likely be Leonel's Absolute Spear Domain which allowed him to directly manifest Force outside of his body.

From this perspective, the two Lineage Factors were like mirrors of one another, working similarly.

The question, then, was what were the steps in between? Between Spear Aura and the final Absolute Spear Domain, what were the building blocks that gave the Lineage Factor strength?

And that was something that Leonel was able to finally grasp after five days of continuous fighting.

To pressure. To redirect. To take. To attack. These were the four summarizing pillars of the Spear Domain Lineage Lineage Factor.

To pressure.

Within the Absolute Spear Domain, all other Forces were suffocated and stifled, falling under the rulership of Spear Force.

To redirect.

Within the Absolute Spear Domain, all Force that managed to remain were restricted in their control. First Forces lost their edge and docile Forces didn't dare to move at all.

To take.

Within the Absolute Spear Domain, Forces could be co-opted and stripped away, melding into the rotating Spear Force to strengthen it or be used for a counterattack. Essentially, all Forces could be stripped down and turned into Spear Force.

To attack.

Within the Absolute Spear Domain, the spear could appear anywhere. Much like the eyes of the Bow Domain Lineage Factor could shrink space and manipulate the fringes of time, so too can a spear tip within the Absolute Spear Domain.

Regardless of the situation, regardless of Leonel's position, regardless of the attack's position, so long as all related subjects were within the Absolute Spear Domain, the spear would find them.

Leonel's aura suddenly flourished, his demeanor shifting and his dead spear trembling to life.

A roar shot through the skies, the rattling of the Spear Domain Ring becoming omnipresent as Leonel suddenly pierced forward.

However, right at that moment, the general of the army appeared to his back having finally found an opportunity to attack.

PCHU!

The general froze, his spear risen high into the air.

Leonel didn't even look back, slowly retracting his spear as a bloody hole appeared between the general's brows.

The wildness in Leonel's eyes faded, his breaths coming in deep, soothing heaves.

From start to finish, he never turned to face the general.