'He's not that bad,' Melody thought, seeing Jon in a new light.
Her mother was so attractive. It was really hard to resist abusing her if there was an opportunity. But Jon had done the impossible and earned her recognition.
Unaware of the positive impression he had left on Melody, Jon smiled at Amelia, "No need to thank me. You are my milk mother. This is the least I can do to repay you for the help you've provided me when I was a helpless child."
Recalling the way she had helped him, Amelia's ears turned red.
****
Amelia returned home that same day, while Melody stayed behind to serve Jon.
"Young master, how can I serve you?" Melody asked.
"Leave me to my thoughts for now," Jon replied.
Melody bowed to him before going away.
Jon closed his eyes, getting lost in thoughts.
His position in the clan wasn't good.
His mother had died giving birth to him, and ever since, he'd been labelled an unlucky star.
His father hated him, blaming him for his mother's death.
His stepmother was always scheming against him, and his half-brother had been brainwashed into hating him too.
Everytime they met, he was always looking down on him as if he was a bug he could crush beneath his feet at any moment.
Furthermore, due to schemes of his stepmother, the rest of his clan kept away from him too. As distant as his father!
'Our names are similar.'
'So why are our lives so different?'
'My parents, although poor, cherished me dearly.'
'His entire family is outright trash.'
Jon sighed heavily.
Hours later.
"Hmm?"
His eyes widened as a line of text appeared before his gaze.
[You've received the Soul Devouring System.]
Jon smiled.
His perk as a transmigrator...
His golden finger...
It was finally here!
[The Soul Devouring System has the following Function!]
[Allow you to obtain the soul of the creature you kill.]
[Souls can be used to improve your strength, talent, and potential.]
[Please refer to your character panel for further information.]
"Status," Jon said
A character panel appeared.
Name: Jon
Talent: 10-Star
Unique Physique: 1-star Low-Grade Magic Physique
Magic Sea: Sealed
Potential: 1-star
Power Level: Mortal
Special Note 1: Your power level can't be improved until your magic sea is unsealed.
Special Note 2: A mortal souls can be used to increase your potential.
Special Note 3: Ten mortal souls can be used to upgrade your Talent.
His talent, physique, and potential were nothing special.
Battle masters were divided into four stages. Those four stages were further divided into ten minor realms.
He would never be able to breakthrough to the second minor realm of the first stage even if he trained his entire life because the maximum growth he could achieve as dictated by his physique and potential was lesser than that, and since his talent was also pretty low, it would take him a lot longer than a talented person just to reach the first level of the first stage!
'With these stats, I am destined to be the weakest amongst Battle Masters unless I improve every single one of my innate qualities.'
'Luckily, I have a system that makes it possible.'
'If I hadn't transmigrated over, the original owner would have lived a terrible life.'
'Not only would he have been looked down upon once his talent and potential were revealed, he would also have to suffer constant humiliation and schemes from his own family.'
'His father's perpetual cold indifference, his half brother's arrogant mockery, and his stepmother's relentless plotting to ruin him would've made his life a living hell.'
Jon felt an urgent need to improve.
Because the day when one's talent and potential was revealed in the mountain clan was not far away!
'I need mortal souls to improve my innate qualities.'
'What exactly counts as a mortal soul?'
'With tests and trials, the answer will naturally be found.'
'However, if the soul of every mortal creature that isn't magical is considered a mortal soul, then it would be simple to gather a hundred of them.'
'I hope that's really the case.'
Night has already fallen.
Melody was fast asleep in the room Jon had assigned to her.
He went to the bathroom to freshen up.
Leaving the bathroom, he began moving around the house in search of an insect or a fly to kill.
A mosquito saw him wandering around and came close to suck his blood.
Buzz!
The faint whine reached his ears before he saw it.
Jon's eyes narrowed, locking onto the tiny blur hovering just out of reach.
Come!
The mosquito darted toward his arm, its needle-like proboscis poised to pierce his skin. But before it could land, Jon's hand shot out, enveloping it in a crushing grip.
A crisp notification chimed in his head.
[Ding! You have killed a Common Mosquito. You have gained +1 Mortal soul]
Jon's smiled deeply.
'Looks like my guess wasn't wrong.'
'Since mortal souls can be obtained from ordinary insects and flies, it won't take much time to acquire thousands of them.'
'I wonder how much improvement thousands of mortal souls can bring me.'
'For now, I only have enough to undergo a single upgrade.'
Jon licked his lips.
"System, upgrade my potential."
[-1 Mortal Soul.]
[Congratulations, Host. Your physique has experienced a minor improvement. Your potential has increased to 2-star. Your upper growth limit has increased to the second minor realm of the initial stage battle master realm.]
[Remaining Mortal Souls: Zero.]
[To increase your potential again, you need 10 mortal souls.]