The Black Bulls' hideout was unusually still. No shouting. No explosions. Even Charmy wasn't rampaging in the kitchen. Outside, under the twilight sky, Kael knelt on the training cliff, his breathing calm, mind focused. His Demon Veil Cloak had faded for now, but the power remained just beneath his skin—pulsing, waiting.
Lyra, the Spirit of Light, hovered before him in her luminous form. Her wings flickered like stardust, her expression serene yet intense.
"It's time," she said gently. "You've trained your body, sharpened your mind… but your spirit remains unfused."
Kael opened his crimson eyes, steady. "Then teach me."
---
What It Means to Fuse
"Spirit fusion isn't just about power," Lyra explained as the sky deepened to indigo. "It's about harmony. Our mana, our hearts, our very essence must become one. Not domination, not control. Balance."
Kael nodded. "Like Asta with Liebe. But… not forced."
"Correct," Lyra said, circling him slowly. "You have the rare potential to choose this path willingly. But that also means the risk is higher."
He understood. A failed fusion could fracture a spirit… or a soul.
"I trust you," he said.
Lyra smiled. "Then follow my song."
---
The Song of Light
Lyra raised her hands, and gentle, ethereal tones began to echo around them—no instrument, no voice—just light that sounded. The ground shimmered. The wind stilled. Kael closed his eyes and let the music wash over him.
He saw flashes of memories—not just his own, but hers.
A distant battlefield under twin moons. Lyra, blade of the sky, soaring over fallen comrades. A promise made to the first Spirit King. And then… silence, sleep, waiting for a new partner worthy of her light.
Kael's soul reached out. "Then let's fight together. From now on."
Lyra's form began to dissolve—into light.
---
Fusion Initiated
> [System Alert: Fusion Protocol: Spirit-Link Initiated]
[Confirm Consent: Spirit of Light – Lyra]
[Confirm Consent: Host – Kael]
[Fusion: 3%... 16%... 47%...]
Kael felt warmth flooding through every vein. His heart raced. His grimoire burst open, pages glowing. Mana rushed through his body, and his crimson eyes lit with streaks of golden light.
> [Fusion 100% Complete]
[New Form Acquired: Lightborne Fusion – Radiant Form Lv.1]
[Ability Unlocked: Luminous Stride – Enhanced speed and teleportation flickers.]
[New Spell Unlocked: Solar Lance – Condensed spear of burning light, ignores magical barriers.]
---
The Form Revealed
From the outside, it looked as if Kael was being reborn. His hair shimmered silver-white under the moon, his body wrapped in sleek light armor with glowing runes. Wings—half-formed but radiant—emerged from his back.
When he opened his eyes, they were no longer just crimson… they had a golden halo inside, pulsing with energy.
Lyra's voice now echoed inside his mind.
"I am with you, always."
Kael floated an inch off the ground, then shot forward, disappearing in a blink before reappearing fifty feet away.
Luminous Stride. It was like teleporting—only smoother.
He laughed softly. "Now this… this is magic."
---
Trial by Fire
Suddenly, an explosion rocked the nearby forest. Kael's head snapped toward it.
> [System Alert: Spontaneous Event – Rogue Golem Attack]
[Recommended: Test Radiant Form]
"Perfect timing," Kael muttered, shooting into the trees.
He arrived to see a hulking earth golem smashing through trees, chased by a couple of junior mages who were clearly outmatched. One was about to be crushed under its stone fist.
Kael extended his arm. Light swirled around it.
> "Solar Lance!"
A golden spear formed instantly and launched forward, piercing the golem's shoulder and shattering it. Kael flickered behind the creature and unleashed a second spear into its core.
With a crack of light, the golem fell—defeated in less than ten seconds.
The junior mages stared, stunned. "Who… who is he?"
Kael gave a soft smile, the wings fading as he turned away. "Just another knight. Stay safe."
He vanished in a blink of light.
---
Return to the Bulls
When he returned, night had fully fallen. The Black Bulls' base was loud again—Charmy chasing Luck for stealing food, Magna and Vanessa arm-wrestling on a table, and Asta doing push-ups with Noelle yelling at him for disturbing the floor.
Kael entered quietly, light fusion dissipating. He still shimmered slightly, like starlight clinging to his skin.
Vanessa raised a brow. "Someone's glowing."
Kael just smiled. "Good training."
Noelle looked at him a moment longer than usual. Her eyes narrowed slightly—something in her knew he'd changed. Not in a bad way. Just… evolved.
"Keep it up," she muttered, turning away quickly, cheeks tinged pink.
---
Checkpoint Synced
> [Checkpoint Reached: "Fusion Awakening"]
[Stat Boost: +10 Magic, +7 Speed]
[Title Earned: Spirit-Bound Knight – All Spirit Fusion cooldowns reduced by 25%.]
Kael lay in bed that night, staring at the ceiling.
"I'm getting closer," he whispered. "Closer to protecting them all."
Inside him, Lyra whispered back, soft as wind through stars.
"And I'll be with you until the end."