Chapter 201: Emperor's Domain, Part 3

Howard felt like his entire body got crushed by Harkel in an instant.

Harkel had never used the full power of his domain on Howard, mostly because it had been unwise for him to do it while they were battling. A domain took a large amount of Ki expenditure, and thus, by using the full power of his domain if Howard broke through he'd have no Ki for defense.

Yet, obviously, with Howard asking for him to use his full domain to attack him, he was happy to oblige. He began to feel Howard beginning to grasp various parts of the domain at once! Whatever 'insight' he'd just had, it was fantastic! He would be glad to sharpen him even to the point of death! He laughed. Even if Howard died from his domain, he'd still revive, but this might be a once and a life time opportunity for him!

Howard seemed to have reached a state that Demon King Earl like to call purity. When you were in s state of purity, you'd be able to grasp concepts hundreds of times easier! Whatever this soul was that got into Howard's awareness, seemed to have also blessed him with a gift! He looked like everything that had been holding him back got unchained!

"Howard, focus! Focus on that feeling!" Harkel held out his arm before hundreds of Ghost Arms slammed into Howards body. Hundreds of chains surrounded his torso as well while he tried his hardest to mimic all the feelings in the air! It was possible! He really was making progress!

Howard smiled, and looked up at Harkel before he nodded his head. Though the burden on his body was intense, he was beginning to feel like the domain belonged to him. Even with the ghost chains constricting around his body, something about it made sense.

"Mom, did… did you know that I always copied you when I was growing up. Hehe, because father wasn't around, I-I did everything you did without worrying about it. One time, I even stared in the mirror trying to smile the same way you did, haha!"

"I figured if I had a beautiful smile as you, there'd be nothing I couldn't do. But now I realize, it's not your smile that made you so fantastic. It was the feelings you gave me. This domain, Harkel's domain, it reminds me of you, but it's not beautiful yet. Mother, shall I make this domain beautiful for you?"

'He's going to pass out,' Harkel shook his head, 'I-I thought he entered the purity state, but maybe I'm wrong.'

'If he was in the purity state, he shouldn't be showing any signs of joy, but he seems so happy. Even as he's getting completely decimated from all sides by my domain, he seems happy! Hahaha! But whatever! He still asked for me to challenge him! Well prepare for this Howard. I've never used this part of my domain before, nor showed it to anyone! However, since you asked for it! Here you go! 10 Royal Ghost Crowns, bind!"

Harkel's domain was made specifically to control enemies, and to keep enemies at bay. It was made entirety to deal with the Great Last King. 

The Great Last King had an extremely powerful offensive array, so Harkel did his best to make one that could defend against almost any attack or seal almost any opponent. The crowns, he was showing Howard right now, were the one trick he had up his sleeve!

If he wanted to, right now, he could use all his strength to seal Howard inside of the 10 crowns! Obviously, he wouldn't do that, but even without activating the ultimate ability of his domain, sealed chaos, it was still a terrifying amount of pressure for someone like Howard to stand!

Howard instantly felt like his body, and all the bones inside of it, were cracking while the 10 crowns constricted him more and more, however, he was actually getting happier! For some reason, the crowns seemed to be exactly what he needed! He needed to know the final piece of Harkel's domain!

'I see it! I see everything mom! I see that you must have searched for me, even though it was just a trace of your remaining energy, your soul, in order to let me know you loved me! Well, mom, for you, I'm going to create something very beautiful right now, okay? And then maybe, maybe some day, I'll revive you! I'll get to see that beautiful smile again!"

"Now, right now! Activate! Ultimate Emperor's Domain, activate!"

Boom!

The entire cavern around Harkel instantly seemed to shatter, causing hundreds of rocks to fall down. Harkel, himself, moved back a step before a single crown appeared around Howard's body. 

It was just a small crown, and only one at that, but it instantly caused the chains, and ghost arms, and crowns around Howard to be slightly pushed back. With a smile on his face, Howard fell down onto the floor a second later. He felt like, inside of that crown, was the spirit of his mother. He couldn't help but smile. Finally, he collapsed on the floor.

"Hoho, what a maniac," Harkel said before he clapped. "Rather than learning the easiest part first, or trying to copy my ghost arms, he chose to copy the hardest part of my entire domain! My ghost crowns required every single piece of my knowledge of domains to make even one of them! Howard, you're fantastic, hahahaha! Unfortunately, you're training is along way from done! Now rest well! Because tomorrow, you're training will only be harder!"

###

A week passed quickly, and Howard had made very little progress.

Yet even a little bit of progress in a short time with a domain was more than exceptional. 

Whereas Oclen had learned a lot about the fundamentals of domains, and had gotten up to being able to make 50 Ki Projections, just enough to form the essential building blocks of a domain, Howard had learned everything that a person needed to master one.

Unfortunately, for the last week, Howard had seemed to lose that purity state. He was getting the fundamentals of making the ghost arms, the ghost chains, and even the swords, but he was lacking when it came to piecing them together. He really needed a miracle in order to complete the entire domain in three weeks! In three weeks time, he'd have to fight Armecolith, and maybe even Oclen at the same time! 

This was not good! 

If only he was a better teacher! If only he said something better during Howard's purity state!

'Give yourself a break, Harkel. He's learning how to use a domain roughly 100 times faster than everyone you've ever met. Even the Demon King Earl took two years to make his domain. However, Howard, Howard is trying to completely learn how to use one in four weeks total! You can't blame him for having trouble! It's like teaching advanced algebra to a baby!"

"Harkel," Howard said with a smile, "I want to try something nuts today. I want you to kill me if I don't make a domain in the next five hours."

"Hmph, are you nuts? You mean so you can reincarnate, right?" Harkel shook his head. "That would waste our time! It will take you 2 - 8 hours to revive depending on how I kill you! Hmph, no way!"

"When-when they used to kill me back in the prison, when I woke up the next morning, I'd always have these grand ideas. I-I would learn these new small ways to learn my Fire Ki. I-I know it's crazy, but I think the only reason I've done so well in the Furnace is because of all those deaths! I-I can't be scared of dying! Not when I can wake up the next morning! Not when everyone is counting on me!"

"Howard, what you're explaining is probably because of your Ki Cells reviving your body, but trust me, it's much better to have a lot of time to think. Come on, stop asking for the impossible! What if someone attacks when you're dead!"

"Just do it! You're supposed to be a Ghost Authoritarian! Stop being so damn nice!" Howard screamed so loud that the rocks around him shook. Monica, who had been training with Priscilla, instantly turned to look at Howard in the cavern.

Even Oclen, whos eyes couldn't stop studying the arrays that Harkel had given him also looked up. Howard��s agitation could literally be heard from a kilometer away, yet Harkel didn't seem to care! He-he walked over to Howard and grabbed his shoulder. The next second, he squeezed it so hard that blood shot into the air.

"Howard, how about this? If you don't master a domain in ten hours, I'll cut your head off. Enough about this small talk. I'll kill you for good if you don't do it! Do you dare accept the challenge."

"No!" Monica said, running up to Harkel. Her green hair floated behind her while she rapidly shook her head. "Howard, don't be stupid! You-you idiot! Don't you dare risk your life! Worst case scenario, we can all go and save your grandfather together!"

"I'm doing it," Howard dropped down his head before a slight smile appeared on his face. "Harkel, don't hold back if I fail. I mean it! Go for the kill!"

"Hoh, very well," Harkel let go of Howard' shoulder. "Very well, for your final training, the consequence will be true death! Now then, let's start!"