When he woke up he saw a pair of yellow teeth smiling down at him with a wet cloth along his forehead, cooling him down as the kid from earlier was looking at him. A bucket of water was at his side and Charles's mouth felt wet and cool. He knew this older kid had used another rag to pour water into his mouth.
"Listen you shouldn't be walking around, you just woke up. As the guardian servant of your group I can't let you die under my watch okay? You look deathly pale all of a sudden, who knew in the ten minutes I was away you'd collapse again."
Sitting up and squeezing his hands into small fists he could feel something strange inside of his body, and his clothes felt tight almost like he would tear them if he moved too much. The changes weren't that obvious when he wore three layers of clothes due to the cold but he could feel an inexhaustible strength in his muscles.
'Soul Body Characteristics:
As long as the soul isn't damaged, the body has increased regeneration.
Stamina increased considerably, strength marginally.
Has the option to eat souls, and can see wandering souls tempering the body.
Produces soul power to automatically temper the body.
1 soul point produced per day for external or internal use.'
He grimaced as he looked at the words appearing before him, this was drastically worse than the lightning body he wanted. He would be as fast as a cheetah, and be able to leap through the air like an Olympian according to the book.
It takes a lightning body four hours of running at top speed to feel exhausted, what use was stamina if he couldn't even keep up with someone?
Memories spilled into his head suddenly, making his eyes lose focus for a moment, before dimming this seemed to be another side effect of the soul body.
He now knew who's body he inhabited, a child by the name of Silver, he was named that because that's how much they could get for selling him to the guild.
A single silver coin and he'd be handed over for them to raise. His family was poor so he got in under an adoption contract, if he tempered his body before ten he'd be a regular junior guild member if not he'd be in the same position as the ten year old in front of him.
Those that got in through adoption didn't receive a single resource or education other than how to read or write before they tempered their bodies so only those with exceptional talent became a junior guild member.
He also knew his age now, it was actually 7, almost 8 in a handful of months, he knew that the book remarked that tempering at five wasn't for people like him at all. That was for those that were accepted into the guild from rich families that had the resources.
Him being able to temper his body before his eighth birthday was actually an achievement, but it wasn't a remarkable one.
"What's your name? I can't just sit here calling my guardian yellow right?"
The kid seemed confused at the nickname but smiled widely, "Servants don't have names, we lose that right when we aren't able to cultivate."
"Well then, I'll just call you yellow then, since my name is a color as well. That makes us friends. Now tell me how long have I been unconscious?"
"About two months."
Silver nodded accepting his new identity, and went through his memories piece by piece before finally speaking, "I'm surprised they let you take care of me that long without tossing me into the streets."
"Well I honestly didn't report that you were asleep all this time, we get heavily reprimanded if a child under our watch dies before they're ten." He sheepishly grinned, scratching his cheek.
Silver could tell he wasn't telling the whole truth, looking at the tabletop where the book was still sitting. "Do me a favor. Keep the fact that I tempered my body from getting out and bring me food as usual." He could see the boy about to reject, "In turn I won't tell anyone you read the book without my permission and allow you thirty minutes each day to read it."
The boy shut his mouth quickly before looking back at the closed door, whispering slowly, "You sure? We could both get in trouble if you don't report right now."
"I tempered a unique body, and I don't want them to make a fuss about a child tempering their body out here before they were eight." He noticed a spider crawling on the floor and smashed it with his palm busting through the floorboard accidentally.
Both of them looked at this in astonishment, as he thought back to the fact that his strength had only grown marginally. He wondered how godly his stamina was now then, when it went up considerably.
"Unique? Did you forge a beast body or something? Must be something that enhances strength!" Yellow looked into the hole, with wide eyes.
'Creature killed, refine soul?'
'Yes!' Silver shouted in his head, feeling something new inside of him then a sudden dizziness.
'Soul gear collected, slots 1/1 filled.'
He stared at this screen which blinked out of existence after two seconds. 'I only had one use and wasted it on a spider?' He nearly cried but he couldn't do anything about it. 'Can I see my soul gear?'
'Soul Gear 1/1
Spider Armor (Body Augmentation)
Use one Soul Point to equip for the day?'
He could only have one, and he was producing one soul point daily so he was tempted to do so. Looking at the older boy he decided against it though, "Yeah something like that."
Yellow was very noticeable of the changes of expressions having to deal with so many kids day in and out he knew that Silver wanted to be alone. Tapping at the bucket, "Then I'll see you tomorrow. I'll bring food, I'll leave the water here for you though. Drink some, then wash yourself down with a cloth."
Silver waited for the older boy to leave before looking into the bucket's side. It was made of metal and he could see his face now which was deathly pale. Probably from lack of sun, but it might also be a part of his soul body, he wasn't sure since he hadn't seen his face before tempering.
Automatic tempering, a unique aspect not found in the other disciplines, caught his attention. While the book only briefly mentioned the next stage after body refinement, it outlined three distinct paths in greater detail.
The first path, known as Body Refinement or the Way of Adamantine Flesh, demanded an intense focus on perfecting the physical form. Practitioners aimed to unlock their body's full potential, akin to transforming into ancient artifacts. Those who followed sword cultivation even merged their essence with their blades, becoming one with their weapons.
Spiritual Attunement, or the Way of Harmony, involves forging a deep bond with nature through meditation and the cultivation of one's willpower. This path turned practitioners into conduits for the essence of the world itself, reminiscent of the practices of wizards.
Lastly, there was Essence Fusion, the opposite of body refinement. This path allowed cultivators to seamlessly merge with the essence they had tempered their bodies with.
With a tap of his finger against the table Silver looked at the next line, before fully accepting it, 'All paths lead back to essence.' This was a quote from the first human that attained enlightenment and broke from the mortal limitations becoming a god in the eyes of many.
It appeared that the majority of individuals in this guild favored body refinement, evident from the guild's name itself, which centered on forgers specializing in crafting tools and weapons for others. Stout-bodied individuals could often be found laboring over stoves for most of the day, engaging in the most lucrative tasks available within the guild. Crafting a single sword entitled one to thirty percent of the profits if they utilized the guild's resources and distribution channels, assembling them during their work hours.
This was also reflected in the manner in which they recruited individuals, gathering groups of children and subjecting them to a rigorous selection process, allowing only the strongest to rise to prominence while consigning the rest to servitude under their peers. Silver likened it to the process of refining metal, where impurities were scraped off the surface, leaving only the purest form behind. He doubted that other guilds treated their members in the same manner, though he considered himself fortunate that he had not found a place in the guild of assassins.
"Oh yeah, the spider armor. I have to see what this is about." Silver removed his clothes and placed them neatly on his bed before standing in the cold room, clad only in his underwear. He paused for a moment, surveying his body, before finally conceding to the earlier prompt. "Equip spider armor."
A white, viscous substance slowly oozed from his skin, weaving itself into a silken pair of clothes resembling a skin-tight bodysuit that snugly enveloped his hands and feet. Remarkably breathable, it prevented him from sweating despite its close fit. A few quick stretches confirmed its adherence to his body, but he failed to discern any other benefits.
Disappointed at having used his only soul gear slot on something seemingly useless, merely providing him with minimal protection from the elements, as he couldn't feel the coldness in the air at all in this outfit. However, his doubts were dispelled as a message appeared before him.
'Spider Armor:
Once worn by a legendary assassin who escaped from the dungeons of the Kingdom of the Four Kings, fashioning it from the spiderwebs collected in his cell over forty years. Infused with his lingering grudges against those who wronged him and his determination to exact vengeance upon those who forgot him.
Conceals your presence, suppresses your power, and masks your killing intent, growing stronger with each soul point invested in its creation.
Enhances climbing ability and triples grip strength through the subtle adhesive properties of the armor. Offers moderate protection against piercing and slashing weapons.'
With a glint of determination shining in his eyes, he propelled himself towards the wall, envisioning himself effortlessly adhering to it like a seasoned superhero. Yet, as his body made contact with the surface, he was met with disappointment as he began to slide downwards with an audible thump. A string of curses escaped his lips as he lamented the limitations of the suit, yearning for the agility to scale walls and traverse ceilings with the same effortless grace like in the movies.
"I guess I can't be greedy, but this shows some of the uniqueness of this body… or is it these screens that are causing this effect?" He couldn't figure out what was causing these things so he put it to the back of his mind since there was no way of finding out the truth at this point anyway. As if sensing his sense of helplessness at the lack of answers another screen appeared replacing the last.
'Would the host like an explanation?'
"Yes of course, give me a guide, tutorial, or a help menu at least!" He dusted himself off, getting off the ground.
'Welcome to the Soul Bound Marketplace!
Have you ever yearned for the soul of a mighty dragon to accompany you on your journeys?
Or perhaps a seductive succubus soul to infuse into your latest golem?
Look no further than the Soul Bound Marketplace!
Here, you can sell and trade the souls of your friends, enemies, and victims alike!
We offer free extraction and identification services to all members.'
"My... soul body... It wasn't meant to help me, but to make me rely on you, wasn't it?" Silver frowned at the words displayed before him, feeling betrayed by the screens for the first time since he had woken up.
"The Soul Bound Marketplace provided that service as a one-time event for all of its customers who meet the criteria."
"Well then, how many customers do you have?"
"The current number of living customers is one."