Michael figured that it wouldn't be easy to hide the marks around his eyes. Even without activating Spirit Eyes one could see them, though subtly.
But then again, Michael didn't really plan to explain anything, in the first place. He felt like it would be the best idea to let others make their own speculations about the visible changes of his body – just like Zeke did. It bothered Michael a little bit but it was something that would have happened sooner or later. He couldn't hide his secrets forever. The only thing of importance was to hide it until he was barely strong enough to protect his skin from High Society and other greedy bastards.
'Well, whatever.'
In the worst case, Michael could attribute the Tekur for the changes of his body by saying that he obtained some tome and that he started practicing after he comprehended something. It was really not that troublesome. Probably.
"Since you don't want to talk about your eyes, let's talk about our next few steps. What are you going to do now?" Zeron asked Michael after realizing that Michael did not want to talk about his eyes.
"If we're going to continue traveling and fighting in this constellation, I would join your team for the time being. However, I was also told to travel around and search for other groups to make sure that everyone gathers to fight the Tekur together. So I might as well leave if you and your comrades decide to make a different move," Michael answered.
"I think we're going to join the other Alliance members to fight side by side. We were lucky to confront rather small groups of Tekur, yet everyone nearly died. If not for your active participation in every battle, most of us would be dead by now," Zeron sighed heavily.
He didn't know how the young human did it, but he was strong enough to defeat some Tekur while being a mere Tier-2 Lord, though he was at the Peak of the 2nd Tier. It didn't make sense that Michael was this powerful, let alone that his combat prowess increased with every battle.
'Does he own some sort of Soultrait that allows him to refine his physique, or strengthen his Soultraits after defeating powerful enemies?' He began to wonder.
After observing Michael for a while now, it was pretty obvious that his eyes changed a lot since the young human Lord joined their team. Zeron saw how the silver sheen in Michael's pupils intensified whenever he finished his business with the Tekur corpses. The change in Michael's presence was also noticeable. It was only slight at first, not anymore though. Now that silver and golden veins spread through his eyes and around the eyes, Michael's presence was on another level.
Zeron was certain that Michael was much stronger than before.
'I should inform the Chieftain about this once we're out of here.'
Michael didn't know what was going on in Zeron's mind. They continued to talk for a few minutes and went their separate ways. Zeron and his group would meet up with the other Alliance Members whereas Michael decided to travel through the isolated dimension alone.
Having too many people around him meant that it was more likely for someone to find out about his secrets. Michael felt that it was already hard to keep his secrets in front of a few dozen Berserkers and Warlock Centaurs. How was he supposed to keep Extraction a secret when he wanted to extract the Tekur corpses with hundreds of Alliance members around him.
That wouldn't work.
Therefore, it was time for him to travel around alone. He felt strong enough to do so, either way.
There was only one small issue he would have to solve now that he was leaving; he had to fill the empty Soul Socket that Spirit Gaze left behind by fusing with Roc Eyes.
Michael left after exchanging some pleasantries with Zeron and his comrades. His steps were nimble as he rushed in the opposite direction. He hoped to confront a bunch of Tekur in the next few days. It was also time to practice his altered Soul Technique a bit more and to use his creativity, knowledge, and understanding of Soul Technique to piece his own Soul Techniques together.
Once the distance to Zeron and his group was significant enough, Michael retrieved the emerald box and opened it. A stash of 55 Soultrait Symbols appeared in his view and he began to think hard.
"Second Skin is a really good Soultrait. Unfortunately, I don't think I can change into a different race while Second Skin is at a low rating. I cannot transform into a Tekur to backstab them by sneakily infiltrating their own rows. Invisible Projectile should be given to Mika in the future, and I'm not a fan of Soultraits that drain my lifeforce, or Soultraits with severe conditions to use them.
"With Archangel's Grace I have a Soultrait of some sort as well. I might want to fuse my own Soultrait in the future, but not now. It won't increase my combat prowess drastically while the Flag War is still on."
"How about Invisibility? Or the Tekur's Physique-enhancing Soultrait?"
At the end of the day, Michael had to make a decision. Invisibility might be rather useful but Michael liked to fight in the open. He could give Invisibility to someone else, who could make more use of it. Thus, he switched his attention to the physically-enhanced Tekur's Soultrait.
It was a 0-Star Soultrait right now, but that could be changed swiftly.
He retrieved the Soultrait with the Symbols that showed the human anatomy with great precision and fused it into his War Rune. A white tentacle shot out of the War Rune. It coiled around the Soultrait Symbol and devoured it instantaneously. In a matter of seconds, the Soultrait Symbol found its way to the empty Soul Socket where it was attached. Michael gained a new Soultrait just like that.
Information spread through his mind. The pieces of intel found a place to take root quickly and showed Michael everything he had to know. In the meantime, streams of molten lava began to course through his body. The pain was not as unbearable as it had been when Eagle Eyes evolved to Roc Eyes or as Roc Eyes and Spirit Gaze fused to Spirit Eyes. Nonetheless, the pain was not to be taken lightly.
"Constitution, 0-Star Soultrait. Improves the Constitution in all aspects. Meaning that the body, mind, and soul are tempered and some of the existence's flaws will be removed." Michael mumbled through his gritted teeth.
More information entered his mind, but one thing was evident. His entire body was being altered. The changes were not drastic but Michael could clearly feel the muscles in his body squirm and bulge. His energy veins entangled and some of the impurities clinging onto them like leeches were loosened.
Michael's pores burst open and a considerable amount of blood gushed out of him. The blood, however, was not pale red like usual. It was almost dark in color, shrouding the loose impurities within his body before expelling them all-together.
Michael shrouded his body with a layer of energy to store the blood-shrouded impurities in his storage bracelet. They could be thrown away and burned later. But for now it was best to store them away.
Nearly an entire hour passed before the changes within his body were completed. Michael had to consume several Apex Nutrition Serums and absorb the purified compressed energy within a handful of Inferior Energy Stones to provide enough energy and nutrition to complete all changes. However, the result was certainly worth it.
Constitution was merely a 0-Star Soultrait right now but it was far more unique than most Soultraits Michael had encountered until this day.
Just like the information said, Constitution improved his constitution in all aspects. His Body, Mind, and Soul felt stronger and his movements 'smoother' than before. His energy circulation improved, his mind was clearer than ever, and his body naturally absorbed the energy in the surrounding area. It even annexed the energy that entered his body naturally.
Using Leviathan Diffusion to boost the effect, Michael could now digest the compressed purified energy within Inferior Energy Stones much faster than before. Most important of them all, however, was that he could use the Tekur's Soul Technique along with Constitution. Constitution might still be a 0-Star Soultrait, but that was something Michael could change quickly.
Hunting a group of Tekur should do the deed.
Michael was getting a little bit arrogant and full of himself but he understood his limits regardless. He was aware of the various advantages he obtained by possessing so many powerful Soultraits, and what it meant to be in possession of the ability to create his own Soul Techniques.
It was draining to use various Soultraits with immensely high output, but he possessed as much origin energy as a Peak Tier-3 Awakened. That was something Michael got to know by observing the Awakened and Lords around him using Roc Eyes before. Now that he possessed Spirit Eyes, Michael could see the amount of energy residing within everyone with clear precision.
The things he saw made him understand that the amount of energy coursing through his body was abnormal. But why was that the case?
The answer was obvious.
Michael used several times more energy than others to refine his War Rune. He was in possession of 10 Soultraits and required far more energy than others to increase his rank. Only few possessed nearly as much energy as Michael while being on the same rank as him. Kaleb and Maria were like that.
But even their situation was different, somewhat. Michael presumed that the Sphere of Light was part of the reason why his War Rune required more energy to naturally strengthen his mind, body, and soul.
It was a Curse and Blessing at the same time.
However, now that he obtained Constitution, the Curse might turn into a full-blown Blessing. After all, he should be able to absorb far more energy than before.
All he needed was enough resources to absorb and upgrade Constitution.
