Chapter 202: Emperor's Domain, Part 4

Howard lightly smiled after the training with Harkel began.

For the first time, he felt some real pressure to get stronger. When he'd felt his mother's Ki enter into his awareness, the last fibers of her being, it had made his mind completely clear and serene. Yet, right now, it was different, but also had the same affect. His mind had completely resolved itself to learn the domain.

"Here I go!" Harkel held out his hand before every single part of Harkel's domain attacked Howard. "I mean it Howard! You have until today ends to activate a complete domain, or you're dead! Now, hold onto that pretty head of yours! Today, I also will hold nothing back."

"Idiot,' Monica watched Howard began training and shook her head, 'There is no way Harkel will actually kill him, right? There's no way he'd kill Howard. If he tries, we'll see who's the one who loses their head!"

"And that, right there, is what we're missing," Harley wiped the sweat off her head while she patted Monica on the shoulder. "You know, I hated you when we first met, but I got to say. I'm starting to love looking at you from behind. It usually means that I get to kiss Howard next."

"Hmph, I'm seventeen now," Monica said, shaking her head. "I'm not that little girl you can just say things to and expect me to take it. I-I don't believe you one bit!"

Monica was so furious that Howard was training his hardest while she and Harley were just having a casual conversation. On the other hand, Priscilla was still training on the obstacle course that Harkel had built.

Priscilla had a huge insight the last few days, and was planning on trying to create her Ki Hearts in the next couple weeks. Though she wouldn't be nearly strong enough to help Howard, she still tried her hardest no matter what was happening. Monica couldn't take it! Why? Why couldn't she be like her! No matter how hard she tried to beat Priscilla in a fight, she always got stronger than her!

"Monica," Harley said with a smile, "You're still younger than both me and Priscilla by two years, and are twice as strong as both of us were when we were seventeen. Yet, for some reason, you think that you're failing, haha! What about giving us older girls some time to shine? What do you say? What's so wrong with seeing me from behind? What's so wrong with people being stronger than you?"

"If-If I'm weaker than someone, I'm not valuable. My-my father made that perfectly clear!" Monica gently pushed Harley to the side. "However, how about this? Why don't we make a bet. If in a month, I don't grow my Ki Hearts, you-you can have Howard first every night! How does that sound?"

"Hmmm, not quite comparable to Howard risking his life, but I'll take it. You realize, if you fail, I'll be not letting go of his lips until he falls asleep. You might get really used to seeing this backside. You might even kiss it because you're so sad."

"Hmph, if Howard can risk his life, the least I can do is risk having him first," Monica shook her head, and then lightly smiled. "However, you're right. I really am two years younger than you and Priscilla. I think-I think for the next month, I'll take it at my own pace."

'You trying to imply you're faster than us?" Harley laughed, "Come on, let's leave Howard alone and get back to training sprout. Hehe, and by the way, I'm also close to growing my Ki Hearts. You want to make another wager?"

"What?" Monica said while she whipped back her green hair and tightly closed her eyes. You could clearly see the anger on her face. "What do you want to wager?"

"The person who grows more Ki Hearts first, gets to marry Howard first?" Harley smiled, "You daring enough to bet that?"

"You're on, but even if I lose, we're still going on the honey moon all together!" Monica said before she rushed back to begin training. "Now, damn it! I'm going to work harder! I���m going to show you all what I can do when I try my hardest!"

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Howard opened his eyes once or twice to look at the time, but for the most part he remained focused on the feelings of the domain.

It felt like he was beginning to decipher it slowly, but at the same time it was so complicated. He sighed, and shook his head. He had to let go of the thing he valued most recently. The first crown he had created.

'I-I-I realized a few days ago, mom, that I tried to put your soul into the crown, but I wasn't able to. What I felt wasn't even your soul, but just a part of your ki full of your memories when you died.'

'However, because I made the crown first, it made it hard to create any other part of the domain. Yet, please forgive me mom! I have to be strong! I have to leave you behind in order to unlock my full strength!'

"Hoho, there you go Howard! Let go of all those doubts!" Harkel said while they got down to the last hour. He was still attacking him with all his might, but he was beginning to grow worried. "Come on Howard, I don't want to have to kill you! Focus! Focus on that feeling! Channel it, and use it to destroy my domain! I believe in you, hahaha! Like the son I never was able to have! Now damn it! Do it! Let go already!"

Boom!

Howard instantly felt what seemed to be the entire world crushing down on his shoulders because of Harkel increasing the strength of his domain's attacks! Yet it was exactly what he needed! Exactly what he needed to say goodbye to her!

"Mom, I'll love you forever, but I need to protect them now. You're already gone," Howard summoned a crown around him, the first time he'd activated evne a sliver of a domain for the last few days, before it began to dissipate in the wind. "Thank you for caring about me. Thank you for letting me copy you, haha! I'll miss you forever, but now! Now it's time to focus on the future not the past! Now it's time to stop holding back and break these damn shackles around me!

"Emperor's Domain, Activate!"

Boom!

A large surge of energy shot around Howard and instnantly surprised Harkel. When activated a domain, most times, it would require extremely delicate control, but Howard seemed to be trying to force his to appear by using all his Ki at once.

Yet instantly, rather than Howard's domain failing, a massive amount of Ki began to transform into different forms around him. Dozens of crowns, chains and swords began to float around his body with silver flames coating them! The feeling he was getting from it was terrifying! This was it! This was definitely a domain that surpassed his own! This is exactly what he wanted for Howard.

However, it still wasn't complete! Howard had still yet to make it his own!

"Just one more step and you got it or you die Howard. Now do it! Cause your domain to expand into the space and attack me, or you'll be dead! You have 50 minutes! 50 minutes before either your head rolls or I nod my head with pride!"

"I-I'm not in a rush," Howard said with a smile before he held up his hand, and caused three crowns to spun in the center of his hand. "All I need is 5 minutes to complete the domain. I bet my head on that!"