What entered Treyton's view was a violet fruit shaped like a waterdrop with many blue dots on its surface. To top off the already peculiar look, it also distorted the air around it a little bit, giving the fruit an almost mystical charm.
-Hmmm...so I am supposed to eat this thing? Is it even edible?- , He couldn't stop asking himself this question in his mind and thought about what he learned about modifying his soul.
For humans in this world it is possible to modify their soul to gain supernatural powers. Thinking about the situation of the Clorall Continent, which is filled with monsters, it's even more important, otherwise the human race would be pretty much annihilated, already. It's just too difficult to stand against those monsters and evil races with superior physical capabilities without gaining more power.
That's when humans researched different ways of improving their bodies and battlepower and when the concept of modifying the soul was discovered a long time ago, which simply surpassed all other useless attempts to gain power, it quickly was implemented in everyone's lifes.
The key component of modifying the soul is the essence fruit. A rare fruit that unlike other fruits stores a specific type of essence inside. The essence is a type of energy and comes in different forms and by consuming it, it's possible to use that essence to modify the soul and even body.
However, it's only possible to modify the soul with an essence fruit once because the essence aquired by the soul would block out other types of essence, if consumed. That's why it's important to exactly know which essence fruit one wants to use because you can't go back and every person has a different innate talent with another type of essence fruit.
One who has a bad innate talent with a water-type essence could have a good innate talent with a fire-type essence. This talent is naturally passed down to the next generation, which is why many people go with the same type of essence as their parents, since they know that they would have better chances to succeed than using a new type.
Of course, there are people with powers that can see innate talents but it's as good as impossible to find such a person for an orphan like Treyton.
After he observed the fruit for a while, he looked at the small, blue book beside the fruit, which should have explanations for the fruit and its essence-type inside and directions on how to modify the soul.
He took the book and blew away the dust on the cover. After looking for a moment at the clear cover he noticed that no written characters appeared, raising his suspicion. When he arrived at the first page he knew what bothered him. This book was obviously not written officially but is just a notebook.
This is quite unnatural because most essence fruits one can get in shops or auctions give you a specific book, which serves as a manual for each specific essence. However, the book in his father's book is a notebook.
"That's weird. Why didn't you get the right book Dad, are you joking with me?"
His eyes slowly scanned the first page and stopped in the middle, looking at the big letters in surprise.
-Space Essence Fruit-
"No way, what is this?"
Treyton rubbed his eyes and looked again. Surely, he got it right.
Space?
He knew about space essence but it's definitely rare and the number of users small. He heard that it needs tons of essence for using space-like powers and is difficult to implement because few people have good innate talent for this type.
The most common types would be earth, fire and water. Those elements of nature are found more often in the wilderness and people tend to have higher innate talent for one of them. Air essence fruits are also available but less people have the talent to use this essence successfully.
His father, however, was blessed with high talent for air essence and became a powerful fighter.
Steel essence fruits are more popular in the military, because of the hardening capabilities of the body, which is useful in fighting against monsters with superior physical bodies.
The space essence, in comparison, is different. Few people have the innate talent and there is also much less information available. It's hard to use because of it's high essence usage but has the potential to be extremely powerful. It's potential is on par with those high-grade essence fruits, which naturally requires sacrifices. There is no free lunch after all. Those who want higher potential and power should deal with the consequences.
However, this didn't trouble Treyton at all.
He was more interested in why his father would get him such a fruit. Besides, he knows how rare high-grade fruits are and his father couldn't be this lucky, could he?
His eyes shifted to the notebook once again and he started reading the introduction. He noticed the soft, elegant handwriting, which couldn't compare to his father's rough handwriting and seemed more like that of a woman's than that of a man but he didn't pay it much mind.
5 minutes, 10 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, ...
Treyton read every corner carefully and tried memorizing it all. His academic abilities are average but this is mostly due to him being bored in the lectures. His learning capabilites are far better than other kids his age and are the only reason why he could save himself a place in the middle of the school rankings. Otherwise, his bad study motivation would have already kicked him to the bottom.
He quickly finished the first part of the book and already started the next section, his eyes never leaving the book all throughout the night.
---------------------
Central Region of Clorall
Capital Atila
In a small mansion on the east side of the capital, shone a single, bright light in one of the bigger rooms that could still be seen even from a great distance. The white marble stone on the exterior walls glowed in the moonlight and made the mansion look modern and elegant, although its size couldn't compare with the mansions of the other powerful families in the capital.
Inside the lit room, a beautiful woman with shoulder-length black hair was lying on a big, king-sized bed, staring straight at the ceiling, lost in thought. She looked like a woman in her early twenties but her actual age is close to thirty, making her appear young but mature.
Suddenly she heard a gentle knock on the door and turned her head to the person who came in. A young maid appeared and walked slowly to the woman on the bed.
"Madam, I brought you a cup of tea. It's your favorite flavor."
"Thank you Maddie, just put it on the nightstand."
"Of course, but is there something that troubles you, Madam? You were sighing the whole day. You even left the party of the Quin family early, without socializing like you usually do."
The maid Maddie has worked for the Madam for years and their relationship long exceeded employer and employee, which is why she is naturally concerend for her friend's well-being. The woman on the bed turned her head back to the ceiling and closed her eyes.
"Hmmm...it's nothing. The party was boring and the Quin family just wanted to show off their first and second sons talent."
"Oh come on, it shouldn't be that bad. Every family that can be considered powerful in the capital wanted to attend this party, what happened?"
"Maddie, it wasn't a big deal. The Quin family's first and second son are just arrogant and stiff, totally unlike children their age should be. Just listening to the conversations about those two was tiring enough."
"Okay, I understand, but this doesn't explain your mood right now. The other times you went to parties you were always glad coming back home but right now your mood hits rock-bottom."
"It doesn't matter, I just need some sleep."
"Alright, I will leave then. Have a good night, Madam."
Leaving the tea on the nightstand, Maddie left the room. After hearing the door closing, the woman on the bed opened her eyes.
-He should be ten years old now. I hope he at least got my birthday present for him-
The woman couldn't help feeling helpless after thinking about him. It's been so many years now and she doesn't even know where he is, making her tear up.
- He has to attend one of the 30 academies and the most prestigious 8 are in the capital, so I only have to wait for 4 more years-
This thought naturally raised her mood and the flame of determination quickly rose in her eyes.
- Have fun until then, Little Trey-