Dimensional Descent

The hilt of Aina's battle ax slammed against the ground with a dull thud, a light breath leaving her lips. Her posture straightened and her eyes partially closed. Her aura seemed to steam and bubble, the dangerous air coming off of her multiplying several times every second even as the subtle patterns of a black panther crawled up her skin, highlighted by a faint crimson glow.

Her hair was gently lifted into the wind before settling down, its length so long that it almost graced the ground with its presence. Though she didn't move or say a single word, her entire demeanor screamed danger. If anyone took even a single step toward Leonel, she would lash out.

The gazes of several of the geniuses narrowed. Everyone had the feeling that this situation was only growing more complicated with each passing moment and it was difficult for them to tell exactly where their place should be.

It was difficult enough for the absolute geniuses who would have been Amethyst Token wielders in other years to decide how to act, but the stragglers that were Golden Token wielders at best were even more lost, suddenly feeling that it was a mistake to come so far.

At that moment, completely out of everyone's expectations, Leonel's eyes suddenly shot open.

A ring of light violently expanded outward, causing a wind to kick up and a wall of pressure to push outward. Some of the weaker individuals found themselves almost lifted up from their feet, their bodies being sent stumbling backward.

"Ha…"

Leonel exhaled a long breath, his body slowly rising. He reached out with a hand, sweat dancing down the contours of his shredded physique. As his Metal Body progressed, it only seemed to make every fiber more defined, every peak larger and every valley deeper, only for it all to be tightly compressed into a lean, thrumming engine.

from motes of light in the air at the behest of his fingers. The lights grew more numerous before concentrating into a solid weight that fell with

its individual features. However, when its coat of light began to flake off, dancing in the air like twinkling stars, what was left was a spear

meters from tip to tip, its minor details more beautiful and gorgeous than the last. Its shaft took up most of its weight, designed with white hexagonal plates of metal. In between

had the shape of a harpoon, one side of its blade edge being as flat and smooth as a sword's edge and the other

two feet long alone and was a blinding golden color. Sometimes it would appear to be as solid as a finely worked piece of metal, and at other times it would appear as intangible as light itself, dancing between

tightened, his arm flexing as he casually swept his spear to the side

BANG!

the wind pressure alone, a slab of rock

look like nothing more than playdough, its prowess shining

he slid it into his mouth,

ready, but he simply smiled. Taking a step forward, his arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her into

guard by the sudden showing of affection, faltered slightly. Something about Leonel's sweat after so long consuming Cleansing Waters everyday was particularly refreshing and almost oppressively masculine. It was the kind of smell that

explain what I want

toward Leonel's side profile, her

grin only widened with every passing

swept his gaze over the growing number