Michael was not sure what to think about Hiraku. Of course, Hiraku was extremely strong. He was a Peak Tier-3 Awakened and had a unique Soultrait.
However, Hiraku looked distant and cold. It was hard to approach him.
Fortunately, Michael didn't intend to approach Hiraku, in the first place. He came here to talk with Frederik about the last few weeks and to invite his friend to join his territory.
Even though Frederik had been in a coma for a few weeks and recuperating from the Minor Curse and various wounds, he had advanced to the Mid rank of Tier-2. That wasn't too bad given that he couldn't enter the Origin Expanse to exploit the time dilation to the fullest. However, Frederik was dirt poor now. His family's savings were used up and it would be difficult to improve any further.
"I never managed to thank you properly. I would love to give you something in return…but I don't have any money anymore. I'm already in debt because I have to take care of my father. His physical wounds have been tended to thanks to your help…but his mind has been damaged. He is not the same person he used to be…" Frederik grit his teeth.
"I considered everything as given…as if it was normal to have everything… My father's wealth, his health, my relationship with Jacqueline. I never thought of any of that as something special. I…am such a piece of shit…"
He clenched his fists until his fingernails dug deep into his palms. Warm blood trickled to the ground.
"Now…I have nothing left. Our family lost everything, and I lost Jacqueline. Even though my father is still there…it feels like he left me. Jacqueline…I don't dare to look into her eyes anymore. I have nothing to offer. All I have is debts and huge favors that I have to repay. Who would want to be together with a loser like me?" Frederik's eyes watered, but not a single tear escaped.
Michael and Hiraku heard the pain in Frederik's voice. Hiraku eyes Frederik for a while. It looked like Hiraku heard all of this for the first time. Michael saw a minor change in Hiraku's gaze, but the change reverted to normal when he noticed that Michael looked at him.
"I can solve your problems," Michael intervened in Fredeirk's miserable monologue before it could get even more pathetic, "And you should know that."
Frederik lifted his head, and Hiraku's gaze followed. The burly youth looked at Michael, his head tilted to the side.
"Join me, and protect my territory, and you will be able to solve all your problems on your own. All you need is to be determined, hard-working, and a little bit lucky."
Hiraku frowned hearing what Michael told Frederik. Enslaving one's friend didn't seem like a nice proposal. It felt like Michael was kicking Frederik in the gut even though Frederik was already miserable and in pain. That was not something a good friend should do.
No matter how much Michael did to help Frederik, he shouldn't ask his friend to become his slave.
That was Hiraku's point of view. His opinion of Michael plummeted at once and a deep frown masked his cold and distant expression.
Michael noticed that and could hardly suppress smiling. It was not difficult to tell that Hiraku didn't know anything about him or his powers. The burly Awakened wasn't up-to-date.
Michael retrieved two Soultrait Symbols and integrated some SoulStar Fragments into them. Both Soultrait Symbols were upgraded to 3-Star Soultraits at once. He reached out to hand Frederik both Soultrait Symbols while paying little attention to Hiraku. All he noticed was that Hiraku's War Rune twisted and distorted as if trying to escape the confinement of the back of his right hand.
'He is quite good at controlling his War Rune,' Michael noticed when he saw how easily Hiraku calmed down his raging War Rune.
Frederik, on the other hand, wasn't faring nearly as well. The youthful Awakened with azure hair couldn't control his War Rune. Frederik's desire and lack of control got the better of him. Several energy tendrils burst forth from his War Rune. They coiled around the two Soultrait Symbols and pulled back into the War Rune.
He absorbed the two 3-Star Soultraits and fused with them.
"Oh fuck. Sorry, Michael!!! I-I didn't want to do that. I couldn't control my War Rune!!!" Frederik screamed all of a sudden once he realized what he had just done. His eyes went wide as the influx of information reached him. Two floods of information overwhelmed him, granting him basic knowledge and mastery of his two new Soultraits.
"It's fine. I put these two Soultraits aside for you, either way," Michael waved his hand, disregarding Frederik's apology, "The Soultraits are called Enhanced Wind, and Wind Mastery. Their names are pretty simple, and so are their effects. Wind Mastery elevates your comprehension and understanding of the wind element drastically. It will allow you to comprehend more about Aeroan in no time. You will have no issue creating your own Legacy Arts and a wide variety of Martial Arts with Wind Mastery."
"Enhanced Wind, on the other hand, is a Soultrait that requires the wielder to have a Wind-attributed Soultrait, otherwise, the Soultrait is useless. Enhanced Wind naturally amplified Aeroan's power output, control, and also mastery."
Michael didn't know anyone else with a Wind-attributed Soultrait. There might be some Supreme Families with Wind-type Soultraits, but Michael couldn't care less about them. He had Frederik whose 3-Star Soultrait, Aeroan, had always been quite troublesome to deal with.
Adding Enhanced Wind and Wind Mastery to Frederik's repertoire was a good move. It would amplify Frederik's prowess by a few times.
However, Michael was not yet done.
"I want to upgrade Aeroan to 5-Star. Combined with Enhanced Wind and Wind Mastery, Aeroan's power output, control, and your mastery over it will be enough to turn Aeroan into a Pseudo 6-Star Soultrait," He explained while staring deep into his friend's eyes, "I need you!"
Michael was in dire need of someone like Frederik to fight and cause considerable damage to the Heart of the Blazing Lion army. The Kolbenheim family's Inheritance techniques, the Wind Sage's Sacred Body Refinement Technique, transformed Frederik's body. His body was attuned to the wind element and wind-attributed energy.
Frederik was not a Descendant, but by upgrading his Soultraits, and by customizing a Soul Technique for him…it should be possible to create a powerhouse to deal with the Zentika Empire.
Frederik was still overwhelmed with the influx of information. However, he heard what Michael said.
His friend's last words reverberated through his mind, over and over again.
'I need you! I need you!'
Tears welled up in his eyes suddenly. He didn't expect to hear these words ever again. Frederik thought that he lost everything and that his life was over…that it was not worth living anymore. However, Michael never abandoned him. Michael never considered him as baggage.
Their first encounter and the following meet-ups had been rather difficult, but Frederik knew that Michael never mistreated him. If anything, Michael helped him get his act together and grow stronger.
Michael never hesitated to help those important to him. He gave Frederik everything he could have wished for.
And now, the person who helped him unconditionally needed his help.
"What can I do for you? Join your territory? No problem!" Frederik clenched his fists tightly.
The light in his azure eyes returned, and signs of a grin blossomed on his face.
"You will have to accept the Link of Loyalty, and there will be a Soul Pact as well. There is no need to rush anything. You can read through the terms a-..."
Frederik interrupted Michael, "No need. I will accept the terms and conditions. I trust you. If, after everything you've done for me, I cannot even trust you enough with a Soul Pact, I should be ashamed of myself!"
If it was anyone else, Frederik would have hated to become someone's subordinate. However, his bond with Michael was different.
Frederik's expression soured when he thought about the time Jacqueline had offered him a Link of Loyalty to change his anchor in the Origin Expanse. He had rejected her offer because the Orlando family would never acknowledge him as worthy enough to hold Jacqueline's hand and be with her. How could they accept Frederik, if he had to depend on Jacqueline to survive in the Origin Expanse?
If Frederik was not even capable enough to protect himself, would he be worthy enough to be with Jacqueline? Of course…
not!
That was the Orlando family Elders' standpoint. They didn't acknowledge Frederik and they would never accept him if he accepted Jacqueline's support. Their family's image would crumble to dust.
The Orlando Elders would rather kill Frederik than see their family's image deteriorate because of their foolish youngest generation.
Fortunately, Frederik didn't accept Jacqueline's offer. He wouldn't be able to look into her eyes if he allowed her to save him.
His territory had been bulldozed by another Lord and turned into a magma field, ensuring that Frederik would never be able to return. However, that didn't mean he could give up on Jacqueline. Joining her territory as Jacqueline's subordinate would be like giving up. Frederik couldn't do that.
He didn't want to give up Jacqueline. She was the love of his life. She…was his everything.
Frederik wanted to get her back, take care of his father, and retrieve their wealth.
All he had to do to achieve his dreams was to join Michael's territory and grow stronger.
How hard could that be?
