The single teardrop floated up high in the air like an assertive monarch that stood over its subjects. However, even though that single teardrop was capable of sending thousands into a breathless state, there was a slight gentleness in its aura. It wasn't a sovereign that ruled over its subjects with an iron fist, but one that treated everyone with benevolence.
Shin's eyes were still misty after all the crying he'd did so he couldn't study the teardrop in great detail. However, he could sense its dominating power. It was a might that ruled over life and death, it was a power that could destroy mountains but also… could never harm a single human life. It was a mystery why this single tear came out of Junius' body and turned itself into a dominant force within Shin's own Spectre Soul, but that didn't matter to the young man.
Deep down, Shin understood what the teardrop meant. Shin knew what he must do, no… What he'd been directed to do by the will of his deceased brother. It was time to advance to the Spirit King realm…
"Junius, you silly fool..." Shin threw his head back and stared at the blinking stars. The ocean moved around him, waves rising and crashing at every given second. All of the spiritual energy that Junius had sacrificed his life for spun like a whirlpool with its epicentre at the seven crystal obelisks. The original six monoliths slowly distanced themselves from the seventh as it rose right to the centre of Shin's spiritual world.
Like a greedy infant, the seventh crystal obelisk sucked in all of the residue mana that Junius had provided. The Allfather was a Rank 99 Spirit Saint, and his spiritual energy was the closest to that of a Spirit Immortal. Now that it was purified, the Allfather's mana was equivalent to that of a booster pill that could increase any living soul's cultivation. Even Spirit Saints who took decades or centuries to advance one rank would benefit from the pure mana that Junius provided. So, it came as no surprise that Shin had skipped the Rank 50 Spirit Lord realm entirely. Making the mana its own, the seventh crystal obelisk roared out, and a gorgeous colourless hue shone from its core.
Everything was laid out for Shin. It was, by far, the easiest time that Shin had when it came to advancing realms. Without even lifting a finger, the young Prince was already on the precipice of a breakthrough. However, Shin didn't feel accomplished in the slightest. There was a heavy burden weighing down on his heart, and it was pushing him to the brink of collapse. He saw the single teardrop that stood silently over his Spectre Soul as a reflection of his failures.
Shin had failed to save so many people in the past. Ariel was the first. Shin loved the girl more than anything in the world, but he was far too weak to protect her. Therefore, he sought power, a strength that could dominate over anyone that dared to harm his loved ones. Years later, after bleeding his heart out, Shin had obtained said power. He became the most prodigious talent of his generation, so much so that he could defeat Kanari and Suji, the two most powerful in the Himmel Empire.
With confidence, Shin attempted to wield that power for justice. He killed off vile humans without blinking an eye and protected everyone who he held dear. However, with great power, came a great burden. However, Shin was too immature to realise that fact. Without knowing, Shin killed off Star Face, a man who had left behind an orphaned daughter, a daughter that Shin had sworn to protect.
Although his intentions were righteous, it didn't change the fact that Shin was directly responsible for Latina's plight. If he hadn't killed Star Face, the sweet little child wouldn't have turned into an orphan. That mistake had changed Shin once more. He resolved to only use his power to protect the ones he loved and to minimise the number of people suffering on his way to defeating the Allfather.
Day by day, Shin grew his strength. He turned from a small fish into a dominating dragon, one that could command the greatest navy the world has ever seen and was on his way to become the world's greatest man. Shin had everything by his side. A tender and loving master. The most magnificent beauty in the world. A family that loved him no matter what he did. Servants that catered to his every need. Shin's life was almost perfect in any sense of the word. Not to mention, his goal of becoming more powerful was going exceedingly smooth. He learnt the top martial arts, created a new cultivation technique that was purer than water, and even learnt multiple miscellaneous arts such as poison techniques. Shin was, by far, the most powerful Rank 50 Spirit Lord that existed.
Alas, even with that much power, there was only so much that Shin could do.
Shizen, the young Prince's best friend, had passed on in a place that he couldn't reach. He had died at the hands of his former best friend and eldest brother. So what if he had the power to defeat every single threat that existed? There were many things that Shin couldn't do. Death came in many forms, some expected, some unexpected. Shin was unable to protect Shizen, and the nature boy had faded into the abyss like many before him.
So, Shin had opted to go for the next best thing. To absolve the hatred in his heart, Shin traversed the entire continent, all in the hopes of killing Junius, avenging Shizen and finally ending the seven-year chase. With overwhelming power, Shin destroyed the entire Black Masks' base and smoked Junius out of his hiding place.
Shin had been preparing for this final clash for seven years now. He had thousands of scenarios panned out in his mind. He knew how to counter every single one of Junius' extravagant moves and had studied his fighting style into a science. In the end, all that effort paid off as Shin fought a one-sided battle against the famed Blade of Death.
However, that didn't give Shin any happiness at all. In fact, it just left the youth feeling… empty.
Why?
Because Junius had meant to sacrifice himself for Shin's growth. Junius had intended to give up his life and the bright future that he had, just to redeem himself in his brother's eyes.
"Why… Why am I always the one left?" Shin looked up at the single teardrop that held its place in the sky. It was as majestic as a King. No one could touch its supremacy, and everyone had to bow down in reverence to the holy power. It stood at the peak of the world, never dropping its grandeur for anyone. It was a power that every single soul would dream of having. However, it was also… Lonesome.
It was lonely at the top. Shin was unquestionably the most renowned genius of them all. He proved all his sceptics wrong by clawing his way to the top with hard work and dedication. Alas, what good was power when there was no one to share it with. It was Shin's destiny to stand above the masses. However, it was also his burden.
How many mistakes had Shin made to get to this point? How many people had been sacrificed for Shin to become the hero that he was meant to be? And more importantly… How many more have to die for Shin to finally bring peace back the world.
At that moment, the teardrop's azure hue deepened. Absorbing all of the starlights above, the teardrop flew right to the centre of Shin's Spectre Soul, levitating above the impressive seventh crystal obelisk. Mana rose from the depths of the ocean and was quickly being absorbed by the gorgeous single teardrop.
Shin threw his shoulders back in awe. Even before he had found his answer, the Celestial Dragon had determined what Shin's next spiritual ability would be. No, even if Shin were in control of his Spectre Soul, his answer would still be the same. The single teardrop that housed the responsibilities and burdens of a King, that was his next spiritual ability.
The young man smiled. His eyes were still in a mess as the tears continued to fall. Ariel, Lily, Shizen, Junius… They had all perished according to their destinies. Shin, on the other hand, had to carry on moving towards his own. Would he die in a tragedy just like the rest of them? Or would he live on to become the world's new legend? Only time could tell. However, there was only one thing that Shin had to do now.
Shin took a deep breath in, filling his lungs with a crapload of spiritual elements. Everything has been prepared for him by Junius and the Celestial Dragon. All Shin needed to do was to give the command. There was no way that Shin could let all of those sacrifices go in vain. Raising both his arms heavenward, the young man looked at the single teardrop with a determination of a King. The Celestial Dragon spun around in complete bliss as it oscillated around the tear like it was the world's most precious jewel.
"Come down to me… Dragon's Tear!!!"
Phhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!
The Azure Dragon's Tear fell from its lofty position and dripped onto the seventh crystal obelisk. All of the mana in the Spectre World was being congregated into a single point. It became brighter and brighter as if Heaven's Gate had opened itself within the monolith. Slowly, the world came to a halt as the six other obelisks eagerly awaited the arrival of their newest brother.
The first obelisk released a cerulean aura, one that was gentle and oddly flexible. The second one was wreathed with a golden, holy power that would mend the souls of any who saw through it. The third one possessed massive draconic scales, ones that were tougher than diamonds. The fourth obelisk sealed a torrential shard that sprung out white lightning at every given opportunity. The fifth monolith housed an array of colours, representing all shades of the visual spectrum. The sixth one sealed a grey aura that resembled that of the River of Time.
And finally, when the dust settled, and the whirlpools calmed down… The seventh crystal obelisk showed its form. The single azure teardrop was encased within the two-metre-tall crystal as the energies of the world were pulsating out in droves. However, there was one thing odd about the teardrop. Instead of boasting its original azure hue, Shin had morphed it into one distinct colour. One that showed the world of its true origins.
It had been changed into…
A gorgeous viridian colour.
✵✵✵
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