Michael decided to organize the new information he had learned in the last few minutes.
"So it's possible to buy everything in the Achievement Shop. Is that common knowledge? Maybe not that everything is purchasable. Otherwise, Kraft wouldn't have told me that it is impossible to resurrect Danny after he died as Masked Saber," He concluded in a whisper.
If it was common knowledge that Soultraits could be purchased in the Achievement Shop, it wouldn't make sense why everyone was crazy about his Soultrait Symbols as well.
Or everyone knew about the Soultrait Symbols in the Achievement Shop, but the price wasn't worth it. Except for random draws of new Soultrait Symbols, which may be cheap, purchasing Soultrait Symbols in the Achievement Shop was probably not worth it.
Nobody liked gachas if their lives and future depended on the result – except psychos, probably.
[I never managed to access the Achievement Shop, but I think Achievement Points are too valuable to waste on randomly pulled Soultraits. The price for customized Soultraits must be incredibly high as well. Purchasing your Soultrait Symbols, including the massive pile of information you provide them, using somewhat valuable resources from the Origin Expanse seems better than using their precious Achievement Points. They must be hoarding their Achievement Points to purchase other things.] Danny reasoned.
"But what are they saving up for?"
[How am I supposed to know?]
The World Serpent hissed in Michael's mind again, silencing the brothers.
[It would be great if you guys could be quiet while my Seals are activated. Your constant yapping is even more annoying while I'm awake. How is it possible to talk that much nonsense? Just listen to me until I'm done!]
Michael raised an eyebrow when he heard what the World Serpent said. The World Serpent was angry, yet Michael felt it begged the brothers to shut up. Nonetheless, the brothers remained silent.
[Finally, some silence.] It grumbled.
[Where was I? I was just about to talk about Racial Achievements and the races seeking asylum in the Origin Expanse. I'm only mentioning this to point out why you're summoning members of the Silverfang Tigerfolk and to grant you some insights into the mechanics of the Origin Expanse. Maybe that will help you grow stronger a little bit faster. You need to grow stronger quickly, after all.]
Silence engulfed Michael's room briefly before the World Serpent resumed the explanation.
[Back to the Racial Achievements. Racial Achievements and individual merits are different. Racial Achievements are grand achievements that have been achieved by the entire race. This includes annihilating other races, conquering whole regions in the Origin Expanse, and various other achievements. Individuals can claim Racial Achievements, but only a portion of the Achievement Points will be granted to the individual. The race will accumulate the remaining Achievement Points. The accumulated Achievement Points can only be accessed by the race's leader, if there is only one, or the government if you don't have a single leader ruling your race.]
"That means the leaders of High Society have access to the Racial Achievements and the Achievement Points that have been accumulated for 500 years," Michael realized, his eyes widening slightly.
[The Lesser Humans, or whatever your race likes to call their kind, shouldn't have many Racial Achievements until now. They've only been granted access to the Origin Expanse for half a millennium. I've read your memories, and they are embarrassing. Your kin has yet to unlock access to their personalized Soul Techniques. You guys don't even undergo a proper Soul Awakening. If the leaders of the Lesser Humans were a little bit more intelligent, they would upgrade the potency of the Awakening Stones to strengthen all newly awakened first. But their expenditures are none of my business.]
Various thoughts flashed through Michael's mind. He was getting increasingly curious about the Achievement Shop and how different the Racial Achievements looked. Was there a different shop for purchases that could only be done by mankind's leaders?
[Back to the main topic. Racial Achievements and access to the Origin Expanse are also part of how the Will manages to ensure that everyone survives coming in contact with Origin Energy and why every being that comes in contact with Origin Energy is pulled into the Origin Expanse to become Summoned after death.]
[Being exposed to origin energy for a long duration had higher chances of manifesting War Runes. If you're exposed to origin energy in your Mother's womb, you are almost certain to manifest a War Rune. The acceptance of origin energy and the manifestation of the War Rune alter your body naturally to adapt to the origin energy. After entering it for the first time, the grace period you're granted in the Origin Expanse is also part of the safety measurement to ensure that your body can naturally adapt to the changes.]
[New Races exposed to pure origin energy would undergo more changes. The Will of the Origin Expanse has to interfere and strengthen their anatomy, ensuring they won't die when the first Runic Gates open. Of course, the Will's interference is not free. The entire race will be put into debt in exchange for the opportunity they've been given and their DNA alteration.]
[...]
The World Serpent talked for a long time. Michael was certain that it hadn't spoken that long for a few decades, maybe even centuries. He didn't expect the World Serpent to be this talkative, but it exposed a vast load of intel for an entire hour. It ridiculed the Will of the Origin Expanse and praised it in the same sentence.
No matter how Michael and Danny looked at the situation, the World Serpent was a weird fellow. Michael was curious about everything the World Serpent said, but the flood of information was too much for him to digest everything. He has to use Wisdom Breaker to store all pieces of information to go through them at a later point.
Michael was unwilling to miss a single piece of information, but the questions and doubts in his mind accumulated.
"What happens if a race is unable to pay the debt? OR what happens IF a race manages to pay the debt back? Will their deceased Awakened not be pulled into the Origin Expanse and used as Summons anymore? What happens if you seek asylum while still heavily in debt?" Michael blurted out one question after another. He was too curious to stay silent at some point.
[Impatient brat.] The World Serpent hissed, but it answered nonetheless.
[If you seek asylum in the Origin Expanse, you must pay back your debt by working for the Will. You won't remember what you did for the Origin Expanse, but it will scar you forever. As for what happens in the deepest parts of the Origin Expanse where the Will resides, I cannot tell you that for now. You are too weak. The information would put you in more danger than you can imagine. If the Will discovers that a mere Lesser Lifeform knows about it…you will be dead when you return to the Origin Expanse.]
"So Tiara being my 'Battle Maid' is part of the work they must do to pay off their debt?" Michael asked.
[No. Tiara was granted permission to leave that place after the Silverfang Tigerfolk paid off their debt. But I doubt that the Silverfang Tigerfolk expected their Princess to become a mere servant.]
The World Serpent hissed loudly, but it sounded more like it was laughing.
"Yeah…That's really funny…" Michael mumbled while his mind went astray.
'Am I a magnet for lunatics or what?'
