Alex got two traits from eating the legiacris , [elemental discharge] and [water breathing]. the first one was uncommon rank and needed Alex to devour fifty elemental materials from each of the elements to unlock. The second trait however was one that Alex had already maxed out causing something to happen with the system that had never happened before , he got a trait ticket. Apparently when a trait is maxed out it gets added to a list of other traits like that and if Alex should consume something that gives him that trait again he will instead get a ticket of that rank instead.
This ticket can then be exchanged for an unlocked trait of that same rank without having fulfilled the original conditions or even consuming or coming into exposure with it. This wasn't an exploitable thing either as once a ticket was given for a specific trait that trait was removed from the list of possible findable traits permanently. The [water breathing] trait was common ranked so even though Alex's options weren't even remotely close to being small he couldn't go out of his way to get some sort of large area destroying ability. What Alex chose instead was something very common but unbelievably useful useful , [sharp instincts].
Most monsters and even animals in this world have instincts that tell them a multitude of things throughout their lives , but an even more extreme version of these instincts can warn them of danger before it even arrives. Alex unfortunately had no instincts beyond those he honed via experience since he was the first of his kind which had proven to be a large disadvantage as well as an advantage. While this meant that he didn't have the instincts to tell him not to do something bad for him like going skydiving without using his wings it also meant he could purposefully harm himself for a trait without the instinctual itch to dodge.
[Sharp instincts] took the instincts he had and pushed them a step further so that they counted as a trait. This meant since he only had the instincts that he had honed through effort he was now getting double or triple what he had previously for next to no cost at all. Applied to his battle honed instincts and ambushing Alex with any type of attack had just spiked in difficulty.
Still The next day was the one set by the admiral for the expedition and Alex had no intention of missing out. While alex wasn't going to go to the elder's recess before the expedition ended didn't mean he didn't have a empty schedule. In fact he was planning to go somewhere that wasn't even an area in the game to test his luck. See in the game the only mention of traveling up the everstream was when the wanderer(male) took the player and admiral through a branch of it that lead to zeno jiiva. Alex had been curious as to what the rest of that area held beyond the "final boss" of the game.
Alex knew that the elder's recess connected to the everstream at some point but he wasn't sure exactly where which was one of his goals for this trip. 'I plan to head up the everstream for a while.' Alex told the commander as well as the admiral before the expedition group had set off making the later frown. "Any reason for this sudden interest in the everstream sid?" the burly man asked seriously. 'I am curious about what I might find if I follow it up , due to most of it being under water I won't be able to bring anyone with me either.' Alex said honestly.
"Hmmm , I'll allow it but I want a full report on whatever you find when you return." the commander said after so thought. 'Of course , should I not return within a month feel free to assume I bit off more than I can chew and hold a funeral.' Alex said seriously. "Are you expecting to find trouble sid?" the admiral asked concerned. Alex chuckled 'That place is literally overflowing with pure energy , if I didn't find something living near it something would be very wrong. The problem is that anything living there is likely extremely powerful and if it's not friendly.....' Alex said without finishing that final statement.
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