Chapter 976 Attack Me!
Once Hel stirred enough trouble using her Divinities in other Galaxies, Michael returned to the Novix Galaxy, where he anchored his Runic Gate. He teleported back to the Origin Expanse and was welcomed by his people.
Everyone was much stronger than they used to be. Daniel Fang, Hiraku, Frederik, Kaleb, and the like grew rapidly. They'd consumed a droplet of the Origin Liquid and wasted no time growing stronger. Their strength skyrocketed as they digested the Origin Liquid, but their progress continued to increase quickly, even after the Origin Liquid had been digested. Their bodies were cleansed of impurities, which wasn't necessary for Daniel, but it pushed his Tier quickly to a higher rank while the others profited from all of Origin Liquid's benefits.
Kaleb, Danny, and the others were not yet Divine Lifeforms, but they progressed fast enough to consider their chances of ascending to Divine Lifeforms fairly high within the next decade. As for their combat prowess...they were already on the same level as the average Divine Lifeform or would soon be pushed to that level. Michael would ensure that the Super Awakened would be pushed to a much higher level. They would be like Mythical Existences, capable of fighting beings of a higher Tier, if not stronger.
"Hello, everyone. I see nobody turned into a lazy bum after I left. That's good to know. Nobody here disappointed me!" Michael announced with a bright smile while Lucia came running his way. She sensed the energy ripples sweep faintly through the Untamed Jungle when he arrived and dashed to his exact location using the trace of the Nature Divinity left inside her body.
"Daddy!" She squealed and pounced into his embrace. Her hug was tight and would probably break the necks of all Normies and Tierless individuals, but Michael just smiled.
"You remember me, little one?" Michael asked with a vibrant smile. He had been afraid Lucia would forget him. Even though he visited the Untamed Jungle often since he left, Michael didn't have much time to play with his daughter. They saw each other often but only for short hours.
"Of course! You are the best and the strongest. Everyone~ is telling me about you and how much they love you! Mom brags the most about you!" Lucia exclaimed, which brought a smile to Michael's face.
He turned to Alice, who'd rushed behind Lucia, only to blush hearing what her daughter said.
Some couldn't even follow Hiraku's movements. He was too fast for them. The Awakened swallowed hard, but Hiraku cursed when Michael didn't budge. Hiraku's attack hit Michael on the head, but the Imperial Barrier enveloping him blocked the attack easily. The weakest form of the Imperial Barrier blocked Hiraku's first attack and what followed suit. A fiery wave of energy swept from Hiraku's fists after the impact. Under normal circumstances, it would have penetrated the defenses of most ordinary Divine Lifeforms and damage their insides, but none of that was a problem. The Imperial Barrier was a creation of multiple layers with different functions. It was a Soultrait created from ten different Soultraits. The best parts of those Soultrait Symbols, to be precise.
Hiraku pulled back, but Michael wasn't given much time to recharge the Imperial Barrier. He could have done it easily but didn't bother doing so when Kaleb attacked. A spear flung through the air, its tip filled with Frozen Nova Essence. It was one of Kaleb's newest creations and contained the strongest power of Frozen Nova. The Imperial Barrier released a creaking noise but didn't break.
Michael responded with a smile and gestured to everyone to keep going.
"Everyone can attack me simultaneously or in a row. I need to gauge your combat prowess, your ability efficiency, and more sooner or later either way," Michael declared before teleporting himself and everyone else to one of the unoccupied training grounds in the Untamed Jungle. Everyone looked around in shock. They didn't even sense Michael's energy enveloping them or that something was about to happen when Michael teleported them. "Everyone can attack me simultaneously or in a row. I need to gauge your combat prowess, your ability efficiency, and more sooner or later either way," Michael declared before teleporting himself and everyone else to one of the unoccupied training grounds in the Untamed Jungle. Everyone looked around in shock. They didn't even sense Michael's energy enveloping them or that something was about to happen when Michael teleported them. "I don't have all day to test everyone," Michael teased, but his expression remained dead-serious, "The more you impress me with your power and Soultraits, the more you might receive in return." He had yet to create a perfect rewarding system for the Super Awakened, but those who could do cause the most damage to him – after some calculations that included their Tier, the star-rating of their Soultrait Symbol, the number of Soultraits, and much more – Michael would give them whatever they needed to grow stronger and be ready to fight the Supreme Human Alliance on multiple frontlines.
Michael could teleport everyone with Slipstream across the Supreme Human Alliance's territories, and he would arm everyone with one or two means to escape from powerful enemies. But before that, the Super Awakened had to show him how strong they were and that they deserved several powerful Soultrait Symbols from him.
Kaleb and Hiraku were smiling, but they looked at each other, and the other Super Awakened with a trace of worry. They might be among the strongest, but their Soultraits were stronger than others. They had more Soultrait Symbols than most others and desired to obtain a few more Soultrait Symbols before attacking the Supreme Human Alliance with all their might.
Yet, to do so, they had to show that they deserved more Soultraits than everyone else. Their achievements had to be the greatest.
The Super Awakened's morale skyrocketed, and they charged Michael simultaneously, hundreds of Soultrait Symbols activating simultaneously.
Michael grinned at the incoming attacks. Shivers ran down his spine, and his grin widened until it hurt.
'That is exactly what I have been waiting for!'