Soon, the auction ended. Michael paid without fuss and stepped out of the auction house, his expression calm.

He booked a hotel nearby and led the five slaves he had purchased — two males and three females, all aged between ten and sixteen.

Michael entered the hotel with practiced ease, the staff bowing as he passed. He had already arranged everything ahead of time — a quiet, upscale establishment with ample space and discretion.

He turned briefly to the five youths standing quietly behind him. They were hesitant, tired from the auction ordeal, and unsure of what to expect. Some avoided his gaze, while others peeked around, taking in the surroundings.

Michael gestured for a bellboy, then spoke calmly, "Take them to their rooms. One for each. Let them bathe, rest, and be fed properly."

The bellboy nodded quickly. "Yes, sir."

As the group was led away, Michael remained behind, watching them go. Their clothes were plain, their bodies thin from poor treatment, but none were injured. He wasn't seeking warriors yet — he was looking for potential, the kind only he could awaken.

Once they vanished down the hallway, he finally stepped into his own room — spacious and well-furnished with velvet curtains, warm lighting, and a chilled bottle of fruit wine already prepared.

He leaned back onto the sofa, eyes half-closed, and murmured to himself:

"Let's see how they turn out after a few days of real care… Then, I'll decide who stays and who needs more work."

The next morning, the large hall of the spirit-sealed hotel was bathed in golden light from high arched windows. Though the building rested in the heart of the city, It was also under Spirit hall, so whatever Michael do inside, no one will know.

At the center of the grand chamber, Michael sat lazily on a velvet-covered throne-like chair, a cup of warm tea resting beside him. The floor before him was polished marble, and five youths knelt neatly at its edge.

The difference from the previous night was already striking.

Their hair was clean and brushed, their skin no longer pale or grimy. Each of them wore plain but fine robes — loose and light for ease of movement. Their eyes no longer held just fear, but confusion, curiosity… and a budding sense of self.

The spirit-nourishing pill Michael had slipped them the previous evening had done its job. Even if their martial spirits had failed to manifest properly before, their bodies had now begun to awaken — nourished, strengthened, and stabilized. A soft, almost imperceptible energy now clung faintly to each of them.

Michael's gaze swept over them slowly, like a judge inspecting raw gemstones.

He spoke at last, his voice smooth and even, yet carrying undeniable weight.

"I bought you all because I need team members to participate in the upcoming Spirit Master Summit," he said, his gaze passing over each of them. "And before you start thinking, 'What can we even do?' — don't worry. I've already taken care of that problem for you."

With a flick of his hand, five small jade-colored pills appeared in the air before him, gently floating toward the kneeling group. Their scent was faintly floral, but carried an ancient warmth — as if they pulsed with life itself.

"This is called the Dragon and Phoenix Rebirth Pill," Michael continued. "Each of you, take one. Then we'll talk."

There was no hesitation. Whether from fear, trust, or desperation, each of the five caught their pill and swallowed it without question.

The effects were almost immediate.

One by one, their bodies trembled as surges of energy rippled through them. Their eyes widened as warmth spread from their cores, crawling through veins, bones, and marrow. Then, it began — the first signs of true change.

From the three females and two males, soft glows started to rise.

Crimson sparks. Azure mist. Faint flickers of lightning. Even soft wisps of shadow. Muted, broken martial spirits that had once been silent now roared to life, reshaped and reborn.

The cat-eared girl clutched her chest as her breath hitched — and behind her, a faint golden silhouette of a feline with twin tails shimmered into existence.

One of the boys cried out as phantom flames coiled around his arms — not enough to burn, but enough to prove his spirit was awakening.

The other three glowed with different auras — one surrounded by falling frost, another crackling softly with electric threads, and the last pulsing faintly with an ancient plant-like rhythm.

Michael sat back in his chair again, satisfied.

All five now had awakened martial spirits — not just random, broken ones, but mutated spirits that had fused deeply into their bodies. Spirits born flawed… now evolving under guidance.

And more than that — each of them had reached Spirit Power Rank 10, the first critical threshold.

As the light and energy settled, Michael stood and approached them — his gaze sweeping over each of the five, who now knelt in awe, gasping, eyes wide with the aftershocks of evolution.

The Cat-Eared Girl — Lian

The first to awaken had been the short, nervous girl with mismatched eyes and beastkin traits.

Now, behind her shimmered a majestic, ethereal silhouette:

Mutated Martial Spirit — Twin-Tailed Moonshadow Lynx.

A fusion of speed and stealth, this rare mutation gave her enhanced agility, acute reflexes, and an affinity for shadows and lunar-type energy.

Her cat-like features had become more refined — the ears twitched with sharper awareness, and her tail moved with practiced grace.

The Boy with Scorched Hands — Ren

The second was a lean boy who had previously shown no signs of spirit energy. But now? His arms shimmered with traces of red-orange light, as embers danced up his sleeves.

Mutated Martial Spirit — Infernal Emberheart.

It was a fire-type spirit rooted in pain tolerance and explosive bursts. The mutation allowed him to store internal flame pressure and release it in bursts for close combat or mid-range impact strikes.

The Delicate Girl with the Cold Aura — Mei

She had always looked frail — skin pale, movements careful. But now her body was enveloped in a cold mist, and frost traced the edges of her sleeves and collar.

Mutated Martial Spirit — Glacial Vein Lotus.

It fused ice-elemental energy with a plant-based regeneration path, giving her both defensive and support potential. She could create frost barriers and eventually manipulate freezing spores that sapped stamina and slowed enemies.

She blinked up at Michael with a shy reverence, her hands glowing faintly with snowflake patterns.

*******

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