Lord of Annihilation

"I measured her." Lucius casually answered, slightly tilting his head in confusion.

Back in Pectron, when Lucius was performing the procedure on Olivia, he had flooded her entire body with his soul power. Since he was looking for the root of the Curse Energy within her body, Lucius had scanned Olivia in her entirety, noting her bone structure and density, muscle distribution, organ placements, etc. 

The matter regarding her sizes was simply another result of this detailed scanning. Therefore, it was not wrong to say that Lucius had indeed 'measured' Olivia.

But of course, when heard without the above context, the listener's mind would most often arrive at another conclusion. And such was the case with Reyna.

'Wa-wai-wait! He measured her?? Does that mean Olivia stripp--!! NO! No, stop thinking!! I don't want to get into any more trouble!!!' Reyna hurriedly shook her head to clear her mind.

She was already mentally beating herself up for stupidly voicing her question. Reyna simply did not want to take any more risks, voyaging into this racy topic.

She silently turned towards her table, pulled up a holographic screen, and recorded the measurements. Her job required her to only make the item. Reyna decided to stick to her job and not ask any further questions.

"…hmm, since it's the same design as yours, it will take me three days to complete nine more sets. You wanted them to be dyed in purple?" Reyna spoke in the calmest voice that she could muster.

"Yes." Lucius nodded his head.

"How do I inform you when it's complete?" she asked.

Lucius thought for a moment and replied. "I will come by in three days."

His Domain had already reached initial completion as a result of his efforts over the last eight months. To improve and perfect it further, he had to use it in actual battles and pit it against other Domains. 

In short, Lucius had nothing to do but wait.

Alas, Lucius' answer had only served to confuse Reyna's mind further. 

Although she tried her best to stop herself from thinking about it, her mind couldn't help but wonder about Olivia and Lucius' relationship.

'Although he looks cold and dead on the outside, could it be that he was a caring and passionate heart on the inside?' Reyna absent-mindedly guessed.

Unfortunately, her guesses could not be any farther from the truth. Lucius' insides were even colder and dead-er than the outside.

"…So, your second request?" calming herself once more, Reyna asked.

"It's this." Lucius pulled out his scythe from within his [Void Storage] and showed it to Reyna.

Looking at the first weapon that she had made and presented to Lucius, back during their time in the Academy, complex emotions filled her heart. 

The time before the Ascension when all their lives were still carefree...when she had a crush on Lucius...when her father was still alive... when Mankind was still...

Recalling those memories made a wave of sadness wash over Reyna's heart.

Tears started pooling near her eyes, threatening to burst out. 

However, she hurriedly stopped herself when she felt Lucius' cold, uncomfortable aura flare around her. Now wasn't the time for reminiscence as she could not make the person before her wait. 

Noticing the cracks and fissures spread throughout the body of the weapon, she asked.

"…do you want me to repair it?"

Lucius shook his head and denied. "No. I want you to make a longsword, the same way you made this scythe."

"A Pseudo-Living Armament?" Reyna pondered for a few seconds before nodding her head. "It will take some time, but it can be done." 

"How long?"

"At least a week. I haven't made another one of these since yours. Some specialized machines which we don't currently have, are required to make them."

Lucius nodded his head in understanding. Putting the scythe back into his [Void Storage], Lucius took a step back and raised his right hand. Soul power exited his palm and started to take shape in the air once more.

The materialized soul power started to gradually lengthen and widen, before taking the shape of a longsword.

Holding the weapon in his hand, Lucius swung it a few times before shaking his head. He then changed his stance, brought together both of his hands to hold the weapon, and started to swing it again.

With each swing, Lucius adjusted both his movements and the shape of the weapon. Slowly, the weapon started to decrease in width, become shaper, slender, and more elongated. 

He then made some adjustments to the pommel, the guard, and the handle of the weapon, before coming to a stop. The finished product resembled less of a traditional longsword and more of a thicker, heavier rapier.

Satisfied at his creation, Lucius handed the weapon over to Reyna and spoke.

"The shape, size, and weight of the finished product must be the same as this one. The sword in your hand has been imbued with enough soul power to last for a week before dissipating."

"I'll come back in a week to collect both items." 

Saying so, without waiting for her reply, Lucius turned around and left the laboratory. Exiting the large, white building he stopped for a moment to think.

'With that, the matter regarding mine and Olivia's equipment has been solved.' Gazing at his current clothing once more, Lucius thought to himself. 'As annoying and spineless as she is, her talent in creation is the real deal.' 

Resuming his walk towards Olivia's office, Lucius continued to ponder.

'My Domain has reached a point where I need feedback from actual battles to continue perfecting it. For now, it's stable and there is nothing I can do to improve it.'

'The battle for Alcana Empire's throne will intensify once more in about five years. That would be the most chaotic and opportune time to intervene. Before that, I will have to raise Olivia's combat prowess to its limits.'

'Her talent is decent and her personality is quite diligent. The only factor hindering her growth and potential is her Grade 3 body. A Race Transformation would be suitable…but there's just not enough time for that.'

All souls have the potential to reach Stage 7; however, they are often hindered in their journey due to their lesser bodies. 

A Grade 3 species can only cultivate up to Low-Level of Stage 3. 

A Grade 4 species can cultivate up to Low-Level of Stage 4. However, it is incredibly rare for them to reach this Stage as it was impossibly difficult to complete the Stage 4 ascension.

A Grade 5 species can cultivate up to Low-Level of Stage 5. Entering Stage 4 is also much easier compared to Grade 4 races. Newborns of such races are born with Stage 2 cultivation and are almost guaranteed to reach Stage 3 by adulthood.

So on and so forth…

Being a member of a higher race meant that no matter how untalented one was, strength was guaranteed. Conversely, no matter how talented one was if they were of a lesser species their journey is severely limited.

This was the problem hindering Olivia, and once hindered Lucius of the past.

Still, like always there is no such thing as an absolute. Solutions to overcome this hindrance do exist. The safest, guaranteed solution was the Race Transformation method.

As the name suggests, one literally has their entire race/species transformed from a lower one to a higher one. During the procedure, one would have their body artificially evolve into a better vessel or in some cases change the entire vessel itself. 

The only problem with this method was that it was extremely rare for a lone person to find an opportunity to undergo Race Transformation. 

One would either have to be extremely lucky and find an inheritance/legacy of some higher being or some lost race and gain an opportunity there. 

Or one would have to sell their lives and freedom to a Higher Race with a Race Transformation method and live the rest of their lives in servitude.

To Lucius, his opportunity came during his final days of life when he was being hunted by the Grand Alcana Empire for a crime he did not commit. He disappeared at Low-Level of Stage 3 and returned a hundred years later, with Stage 5 cultivation. 

Upon his return, his race had changed from Human (Mankind) to Undying, which later earned him the titles, 'The Undying One' or 'The Deathless Killer', to name a few.

As for how or where he had undergone his Race Transformation, no one other than Lucius himself knows. 

Ka'lor'ah had some guesses on this topic and vaguely knew that it had something to do with the place called Limbo. However, Lucius was unnaturally quiet on this matter and refused to say anything related to that place.

Returning back to the story…

'With a Race Transformation not currently feasible, there is only one other method.'

Having arrived before Olivia's office, Lucius paused for a moment before opening the door and walking in.

'Her Domain must be equal to mine.'