When the 5-layer enhanced Spirit Whips crashed down on Frederik's mind, his world turned upside down.
Frederik had expected a mental attack to hit him, but three consecutive strikes were too much for him to handle. He didn't even have any energy left to channel through his brain to protect his mind.
Frederik couldn't cope with the mental attack without any protection. He was out of energy, groaned in pain, and blood began to ooze out from his nose just before he collapsed.
'I wonder if there are inheritance techniques for something like Extraction as well,' Michael wondered while staring down at Frederik.
His friend lost consciousness and was lying on the ground in front of him, but his mind was fully focused on the power Frederik had been able to exert with a 3-Star Soultrait. Aeroan was a rare elemental-type Soultrait with a focus on materialization. It was stronger than most 3-Star Soultraits, which was also why Frederik reached the top 100 of the freshman year. Unfortunately, Frederik had no way to defeat Michael.
Extraction's power was simply too strong. Michael had a strong will and high mental power thanks to the Ceasurium Menta mind-refining technique, and Extraction was a 6-Star Soultrait. Overpowering Frederik's typhoon hadn't been too difficult.
Nonetheless, Michael was impressed. He didn't expect Frederik to grow so strong in such a short amount of time. As long as he learned to fight using the strongest moves with Aeroan, Frederik would turn into a menace on the battlefield. That was good to know.
'Maybe, I can help you out a little bit with your Soultrait once I can trust you fully,' Michael thought, feeling that it was a shame to leave Frederik behind like this.
Frederik had great combat senses, and now that he focused on growing stronger with all his might, he could make sure to make the most out of the fortune his family possessed.
The Kolbenheim and Orlando families were not highly influential nobles or descendants of a powerful bloodline. However, they had great advantages in terms of business because Frederik and Jacqueline's territories were near an ocean. That was rare.
Unique ingredients to the ocean, energy infused salt, and fishes with rare properties procured in the Origin Expanse could be sold for a fortune, especially the Origin Siphon Starfish.
The Origin Siphon Starfish was not killed and sold. Instead, it was a monster that was caught alive and sold for an enormous price because it had a very useful Unique Racial Trait. The Origin Siphon Starfish generated and hoarded origin expanse at the expense of food and dispensed it into the surroundings, creating origin energy-rich environment – even outside the Origin Expanse.
The Kolbenheim and Orlando family's business empire had been built upon goods procured from the ocean for centuries, and nobody else had been able to dispute their monopoly until now. On the contrary, The Kolbenheim and Orlando families were unparalleled in that domain, and they were experienced at making use of it.
That was also why they had such great influence in mankind's society even though their Soultraits were considered relatively weaker.
Despite being wealthy enough to create Inheritance techniques, unique elemental techniques, and various other means to increase their strength, the gap between Frederik and Michael would grow in the future. That was bound to happen with Michael possessing a Soultrait like Extraction.
Even his weakest combat-type Soultraits were 4-Star right now. In the future that would change as well with the star rating of his Soultraits increasing.
Right now, Michael waited patiently until the medic team had tended to Frederik. Out of all the students he had challenged, Frederik was the least injured. The only wounds he sustained were mental, along with being drained of energy.
Once Frederik regained consciousness, Michael handed him one of his Energy Nourishing Pills. He smiled at his friend and pulled him up from the ground.
"I really don't understand how you can grow so much stronger every single time we meet. Your strength is not increasing normally at all. Even the Wind Sage's Sacred Body with Initial Mastery at the 3rd Stage is not enough to take you by surprise. I really hate to have a monster like you as a friend!" Frederik cursed while looking deep into Michael's eyes.
"At least you look at me as a friend now. Took you quite a while," Michael responded, ignoring Frederik's curses.
Frederik raised an eyebrow and shrugged lightly. He was not really sure what they were either.
Their competition was nice, but Frederik felt a sense of hatred and helplessness inside him whenever Michael defeated him. Competing with Michael was really not a good moral booster.
"But seriously… How the hell are you getting stronger that quickly? I know you said you've been in a Lord Rift, which explains where you got these Silver Sword Soultrait from, but that doesn't explain everything. You really are a mystery…and a monster, if I didn't mention that already," Frederik said, trying to hide how frustrated he was after losing miserably against Michael…again.
Michael thought about revealing bits of his secret for a moment, but he chose against it. He trusted Frederik enough to tell him about some parts of his secrets, but he was also certain that Frederik wasn't good at keeping secrets – especially with a nosy, clingy lover such as Jacqueline around.
Michael considered creating a Soul Contract for Frederik, Kaleb, and potentially Alice, but he was not confident enough to cover all potential loopholes yet. His lack of knowledge about Soul Contracts was enough reason to hesitate. He didn't want certain facts about Extraction to be exposed to the public – not yet, at least.
"Maybe, I'll tell you later. Just know that I'm not going to slow down," Michael teased, a crafty smile forming on his lips.
Now that he defeated Frederik, Michael entered top 100 with five consecutive wins. He could challenge one of the 12 Stars, which was what he planned to do immediately.
Unfortunately, the 12 Stars were busy. Except for William who was being tended to, nobody was in the Saphirelake Military Academy right now. Well, there were Zeke, Lincoln, and Kaleb, but he didn't want to challenge them. Michael wished to go with them to the Battle Exchange.
That was also why Michael had to tell the system that he wanted to challenge the 12th Star, and that the system should inform him once the 12th Star returned.
Afterward, Michael focused on channeling origin energy into his Legendary Ring Artifact.
Since his opponent was not here he might as well prepare for the battle properly. Michael felt that he should gift the 12th Star a welcome present once she returned from the Origin Expanse.
With that in mind, Michael joined Frederik and walked over to Lincoln and Zeke. The childhood friends greeted Frederik lightly – neither showing the same enthusiasm they felt for Michael nor being distant like they were usually with other students.
Frederik didn't mind their attitude. He knew that they were more interested in Michael. After all, Michael was not affiliated with any big organization, nor related to one of the Supreme Families, or High Nobles. He was powerful and mysterious, and it should be possible to make him their subordinate.
Even if Michael wouldn't become their subordinate anytime in the future, it was obviously easier to deal with Michael – someone who was kind and didn't meddle in politics and scheming –, rather than dealing with the other descendants, who had been taught how to scheme and exploit others.
Lincoln liked Michael's personality and strength. He could tell that Michael was the least likely to betray him in the future – except for Zeke. That, in addition to Michael's kindness, made it easier to get closer to him.
On the contrary, Lincoln was not sure what to think about Frederik. It was obvious that Frederik and his lover were spoiled rotten and that they enjoyed the benefits of belonging to a wealthy family. Their Soultraits were not special in his opinion either. The only reasons they accepted the Barbaric Couple were that Michael had befriended them and that it looked like Michael's influence affected them positively.
"Who are you going to challenge?" Zeke asked straightforwardly.
Michael smiled lightly at Zeke's bluntness.
"The Blood Witch, or whatever she calls herself. The 12th Star," He responded while continuing to channel origin energy into the Legendary Ring Artifact.
Zeke noticed the faint fluctuations from Michael's origin energy. He looked at the crimson ring and tilted his head lightly.
Michael didn't say anything, but he didn't hide his plan either. He simply waited while continuing to chat with Lincoln and Zeke.
Meanwhile, a few more students approached the two childhood friends. They tried to get closer to Lincoln and Zeke, only for them to ignore most of them.
Lincoln and Zeke were not interested in expanding their social circles with weaklings. If anything, the students had to be one of the 12 Stars to gain their attention.
Michael didn't really like the way the two thought, but he could understand them to a certain degree.
"It must be quite annoying to be flocked with strangers all the time. I would have been annoyed for sure," He said at one point. Two dozen students had gathered around their small circle, all of them trying to talk to Zeke and Lincoln.
Some were also trying to talk to Frederik and Michael in an attempt to get close to Lincoln and Zeke through them. However, Michael simply ignored them. Frederik, on the other hand, decided to turn around and glare at them threateningly.
A few students stepped back, only for others to glare at Frederik and step closer.
"We learn from a young age what it means to be…us. Most Descendants of big families are surrounded by people pleasers from the day they're born. That is also why it's important to find people, who are straightforward, honest, and would rather beat the shit out of us than trying to please us by losing intentionally," Lincoln said, looking straight at Michael.
"Hmm…yeah, I would rather beat the two of you than lose miserably," Michael said, while silently adding, "...soon…"
Zeke raised an eyebrow when he heard what Michael added silently, while Lincoln smiled.
"That's exactly what I'm talking about!"
