PRICK

Leonel didn't know how much it was the Vital Star Force affecting him, but he felt that he would have reacted much the same way. He had never lost his empathy, at least not toward the people he actually had connections to.

His father's death hit him like a truck. Aina's death felt like the same truck had backed up and dumped its load on him. He could still remember the rage he had felt when he had seen his brothers trapped in the bodies of beasts, and knowing at the same time that the Morales family was likely finished as a result of what he was seeing.

He had felt all of those things then, and he felt them just as strongly now after stepping into the Impetus State. This made him feel better. In fact, it made him feel better than he thought it would make him feel. It was as though there was still a kernel of what was really him in there, a piece that wasn't entirely dictated by the Forces he chose to comprehend.

But as good as that feeling was, his sense of duty was even more suffocating. Right now, he could intimately feel the difference.

The Leonel ruled by his Scarlet Star Force would immediately go on a rampage, not stopping until what was left of the Spirituals were mowed down like dried weeds. However, the current Leonel felt that he wanted to take a different approach entirely.

He still felt the will within him to fight, to slaughter, make those that had made his family, his friends suffer, pay back their debts in blood. But he knew that it was a useless endeavor. Would it bring those that had been lost back? And he had already slaughtered to his heart's content, and what was the end result, exactly?

Would there be slaughter? Yes. There would definitely be a reckoning for this, and he would make certain that all those who were responsible were buried six feet deep. The Spirituals would only be the beginning. The day he met the Demoness would be the day she paid for all her crimes as well. He would show her what it truly meant to be toyed with.

But would it be now? No. If he wanted this to not happen again, it had less to do with his own strength. Could he guarantee to always be there? To always be ready and by their side? It was impossible. It had been proven again, and again, and again.

How many people had he lost? Even if he had managed to bring many of them back, would he be able to do so forever? What about when they entered the Eighth Dimension and the Silver Tablet became useless? Would he keep them at the Seventh Dimension forever? Forcing them to remain weak and useless?

If he wanted to change things, it didn't start from him, at least not in the sense that he had to continue chasing after strength and power. He had to change himself, yes, but the change would come in his approach.

He had to pass on his knowledge. He had to help his brothers to grow stronger and more powerful. He had to empower his people. Even if they couldn't reach his height, he had to at least bring them close.

Leonel closed his eyes, his thoughts thrumming. Of those that were here, there were his brothers, three of the remaining Novas, Kira, and the youths of the Morales, namely Nora and Tommie. The rest fell into similar categories. There weren't any of the people of Earth, Leonel noticed, aside from his brothers, of course. But Aina's friends were glaringly missing. That said, if they had died, Leonel was certain his brothers would have also said something.

Aside from that, there was also Emna, Raylion and his wife. Leonel had a feeling that the only reason so many people he knew survived was precisely in an attempt to humiliate him and also to drive him out to kill him. Obviously, the latter part of that plan had clearly failed.

Leonel opened his eyes and shook his head. Here he was, trying to do things by himself again.

"Give me a few hours. Feel free to talk into the skies if there's anything you want. Anastasia will help you."Material © .

"You're volunteering me for work I didn't ask for, aren't you too cheeky?"

"Ignore her," Leonel said, before running away.

...

Leonel sat in a quiet place, looking out into the ocean. His father's dictionary felt smooth on his palm, vibrating with a slight warmth.

"What do you think of the Conventional Path?"

"It's shit."

Leonel's lip twitched. Classic.

"It's the path I chose, though."

Leonel was shocked once again.

"Why?" Leonel asked after a long while.

"Because the path is a blank slate. The God Path is a stupid path. It has some interesting quirks, but trying to step onto a path like that one before you have a full understanding of the scope of the world around you is foolhardy at best. It's like expecting a toddler to already have chosen their career path.

"If you use the Conventional Path, though, you gain an extreme amount of flexibility. When you understand everything well, and you're certain of your path, you can devote yourself to it and not worry about potential backlash."

"That sounds very valuable, though. So why do you not like it?"

"Because there are better methods of doing the same thing. [Dimensional Cleanse] for one, is a technique well known for being compatible with every other technique. What most don't know is that there's likewise a Path that comes with it that is compatible with every other Path.

"Not only does it provide flexibility, but it also comes with a great deal of powerups and helpful boosts that the Conventional Path doesn't have."

Leonel smiled. "Then why didn't you use [Dimensional Cleanse] instead of the Conventional Path?"

He had a feeling he already knew the answer.

"Why? Have you read that technique's introduction? The creator was an arrogant prick. I wouldn't allow myself to owe that bastard anything. Over my dead fucking body."

Leonel's laughter rang out.