Seeing the chart of ranks, everyone was dumbfounded.
"Soul rank automatically increases after you upgrade your Exceed Tree to the next level and develop the next Seal. That's the process," Terrana explained.
——————————————
[ Exceed Tree Level -- Seal -- Soul Rank ]
1. Awakened --> First Seal --> Exceedier
2. Surge --> Second Seal --> Adept
3. Prime --> Third Seal --> Elite
4. Mystic --> Fourth Seal --> Master
5. Wisdom --> Fifth Seal --> Sage
6. Ascent --> Sixth Seal --> Transcendent
7. ??? Do not have data.
8. ??? Do not have data.
9. ??? Do not have data.
——————————————
"When you develop the next seal, you can keep your previous seal's characteristic and a single Quirk."
"Single?" Leo frowned. "That's unfortunate."
"Yeah, my Seal requires both Quirks to bring its full power," Rei wryly smiled. "I would need both."
"The Quirks develop in a strange way that you desire and matches your Seal. So, you can only develop one Quirk and one Characteristic from each Seal," Terrana said before waving her hand to produce another chart. "Of course, it's possible that you can sometimes keep both Quirks of your Seal, but it depends on the structure of the Seal, like Rei's. I am sure he would be able to keep both of his Quirks."
——————————————
✥ Inferior Seals: The First, Second, and Third Seals are considered Inferior Seals.
—>Quirk-grades of Inferior Seals: ✦ Bronze -> Silver -> Gold.
✥ Median Seals: The Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Seals are considered Median Seals.
—>Quirks-grades of Median Seals: ✦ Emerald -> Ruby -> Jade.
✥ Grand Seals: ??? Do not have data.
——————————————
"This grading doesn't show the absolute potential of a Quirk. For example, a Bronze-grade Quirk might help more than a Gold-grade Quirk in some particular situation," Terran said with a smile. "It's always how Exceed uses their powers to their advantage."
"This journey is indeed going to be long," Rei said, grinning with excitement.
…
Alice and Lia busied themselves in another room and took Amby with them while Rei was getting bored since he had nothing to do while traveling.
"Leo, how long until we reach your kingdom planet?" Rei asked, utterly bored as he lay flat on a couch.
"You've asked this fifth time in the last hour," Leo replied with a sigh.
He was not bored since he could gather more information and check with Terrana.
"Why don't you help Lia with her ability or experiment with Toxin Farm?"
"Idiot. They are girls. I won't barge in there to relieve my boredom unless they call me," Rei said while scrolling through his mobile.
"Don't be dense. I think both Alice and Lia like you very much," Leo said, grinning at Rei.
"So what? I also like them," Rei said while rolling his eyes and then shortly grinning at Leo. "I also like you."
"The fuck, you're not gay, right?"
"My ass! I got more bitches while I was traveling than you saw in your school."
But Rei sighed and toned down again, "Fine. I guess I'll take a nap or something."
"Yeah, that would be best."
"Indeed," Terrana also added.
But right after that, Alice came and dragged Rei into Lia's room.
Alice sat back beside Lia after coming in with Rei while Amby sat on a nearby table and was eating a chocolate energy bar with big curious clear eyes.
"What's up?" Rei asked, confused as to why Alice brought him here.
"Umm, Boss. Since you are our boss, you should take care of us, right?" Alice asked with puppy eyes.
"Am I not doing that?" Rei wryly smiled.
"You are, but Lia-sis needs something to help with her Taint, and she says that only you can help her," Alice said, turning to Lia.
"What do you need?" Rei curiously asked Lia. He had checked the tainted spot on his Exceed Tree and found the requirement to remove it, but he couldn't do it on the ship as it was a bit complicated.
'Sorry, Alice,' Lia thought, feeling guilty because she had fooled Alice into doing this. But she couldn't hold back anymore.
Lia didn't answer immediately and turned to Alice.
"I'll leave now and see what Leo is doing," Alice said after nodding at Lia and leaving the room with Amby.
"So? What's the problem?" Rei asked with an amused smile on his face.
He could easily read Lia from her face that she was a bit uncomfortable and also feeling guilty for some reason.
"My tainted spot appeared on the tree, so I know how to remove it," Lia said, her face blushing a bit.
"Eh? Don't tell me it's Sex?" Rei bluntly asked.
"N-No," Lia answered, her face turning beet red.
"Then what?"
Taking a deep breath, Lia wryly smiled and said, "Let me show you."
She opened her Exceed Tree and willed it to show it to Rei. "We also learned that you can show others your Exceed Rune and Exceed Tree if you wish. Here, take a look."
Rei indeed saw Lia's Exceed Tree and was surprised. Soon, he found the tainted spot on her Tree that looked similar to his, a wisp of black spot constantly flickering like a flame.
———
[Taint: Pain Spurt]
-Condition to remove: You must feel the opposite of pain on a daily basis to remove the Taint. The stronger you feel pleasure and happiness every day, the sooner the Taint is removed.
———
Lia nervously rubbed her fingers as she saw Rei reading Taint's description.
And the moment Rei looked at her, Lia quickly spoke, "Y-You see, Rei. You really came in like a ray of sunshine in my life. You know I've never been loved or anything like that, so seeing and staying with you already made me happy.
"So you love me?" Rei calmly asked.
"I-I mean, I am falling in love, and I am supposed to stay with you and others for a long time, right?"
"Hmm, that's true," Rei nodded with a smile before shaking his head, "But, no love. For love, you should find someone else."
"Why?" Lia asked, her eyes turning moist, but she quickly stopped her emotions from flooding.
She liked Rei. He was the first man to save her from her darkness, and she was supposed to stay with him for a long time, so why not for life? Deep inside her, she was already adoring Rei.
Moreover, she didn't have broad knowledge or vast ambitions like Rei, as all she wanted was to stay happy. And that source of happiness became Rei.
She wanted to do her best to help Rei, and this had become her subconsciousness goal.
But Rei was not seeing the deepness of Lia. She was thirty-one years old but lived in slow devouring darkness. One was her home, and then she was thrown into another house, never exploring anything and staying dead while just working, working, working like a robot.
So when he saved her, he became her sunshine.
"Let me explain to you," Rei gently said as he sat down before Lia and held her hands.
"See, I am already feeling a current of delight just because you grabbed my hand," Lia said as she smiled, but a teardrop finally rolled on her pink cheeks.
'What should I do?' Rei thought, stumped. 'First, I'll explain about Love as I was going to, and then I'll see what can be done.'
"Lia, listen to me first," Rei said. "You seek love like all others, and it's a natural human instinct. But love is easily fulfilled, so you can't make it your goal."
"But we are a team already, and I will do my best to help you," Lia said.
"But what about me?" Rei shook his head. "Do you think you will stay happy if I don't love you as much as you love me?"
"Ok, then I will change. I know I am not that beautiful looking, and my face is not flawless. But I will try so much that you will love me," Lia said with a serious expression.
"Silly," Rei said with a chuckle before he caressed Lia's right cheek and wiped that wet spot of her tear. "You are already beautiful, miss Lia. You are thirty-one years old without lacking anywhere physically, you know? There's no way you are not attractive."
Lia blushed before shaking her head, "You are lying. My husband never even touched me."
"I am an anomaly of a thirty-one-year-old. I've wasted most of my young life doing just chores and work in the house since I didn't awaken any ability and was a bad academic. I also watched TV a lot and then just never wanted to go out. Sigh, I am also at fault."
Rei rolled his eyes. "You are not at fault. Your parents crushed your confidence and then your husband. That's why you became a shut-in and a robot worker."
"As for your husband, that idiot didn't touch you because he already had a lover and was scared of her. It's clear that his love life was dominated by his lover, haha."
Looking at Rei laughing and trying to cheer her, Lia couldn't hold back anymore.
"Then prove to me," Lia said while intently blushing and suddenly leaned forward before hugging Rei.
"Prove?" Rei wryly smiled as he sensed Lia's wildly beating heart.
"I-I am still a virgin, so I want you to… you know."
"Sex?" Rei was speechless. 'If I did that with her, she might never leave me.'
On the other hand, Lia was already feeling bliss just by hugging Rei.
'Fuck it. I'll see how it goes. I care for her as my subordinate and a valuable person who I trust, so what's wrong with loving her to make her happy? Anyway, my goals wouldn't change because of that.'
But then, Rei remembered another thing and received a headache.
'Alice. This lass is at the age where she should be feeling all this at her strongest….'
Rei had already noticed that Alice liked him, and since they had lived together for a month, she was glued to him.
After all, she was at death's door when he saved her and actually treated her like his little sister as long as they were together.
Giving her all food she wanted and whatever place she wanted to play when they were traveling, he made sure to make her a happy little girl because of how disastrous her life went.
"Ahem, let's keep this a secret from Alice for now."
"Mhmm, I understand," Lia nodded. Her eyes were closed with a blissful smile. "Umm, can I hug you for longer?"
"Sure, but I'll also have fun in my way. I don't know about love, but I'll make sure to fill my lust," Rei said as he grabbed her butt cheeks. "Are you still fine with this?"
His last attempt to make her back off. Alas...
"I don't care. If you feel pleasure with me, it's the same as love to me. I've decided to make you my goal, and that will never change."
"Fine. I guess I'll make your life more colorful."