A few hours of rest proved enough for Ruby. Wanting to get it over with as soon as possible, the squad headed towards a terminal to examine her attributes.

'Now that I think about it, this is the first time I am seeing it in this life.' Michael mused.

Each terminal was located in government-owned buildings. It was vital to be knowledgeable about the attributes of cultivators in order for humanity to make more effective use of their troops.

Naturally, this required cultivators' attributes to be recorded. Those who disliked the idea often refrained from using official terminals, choosing instead to monitor their progress through illegal means.

That was the nice thing about Michael's system. No one knew about his stats aside from himself. As for his team, there wasn't a problem with them having their attributes recorded. Because they spent more time on the front line than in safe enclosures, no one would try to pass them any orders.

In the first place, the recording measure was implemented to ensure that soldiers would not lose their edge over time.

Entering the government-owned building, the crew noticed that the place was jam-packed. Unsurprisingly considering the colossal population the capital housed.

"So we will have to wait…" Ruby sighed in dejection. Truthfully she still didn't feel comfortable in large crowds; a single slip-up of her hood would cause trouble.

"Wait?" Michael threw her an amused glance before patting her on the head.

"You see, power, especially in war-torn zones, comes with advantages beyond just giving you the capability of protecting yourself."

Wordlessly he grabbed her hand, leading the way.

Disregarding the rows of waiting soldiers, the crew pressed forward.

"You dare cut me off?" A man that gave off the aura of an Adept bellowed. "You are courting death—"

He halted mid-sentence, realizing the aura Michael's crew emitted. They weren't even being openly hostile. That was simply the difference in power between them and the normal soldiers.

"I was the one courting death…" The man mumbled in terror, looking the other way.

Skipping the queue was generally despised among civilians, but under the current circumstances, it was the crew's right.

In times of war, no one wanted their strongest fighters stuck waiting in one place instead of contributing to the war effort. That was why those who had reached higher realms, like Michael and his crew, were granted undeniable privilege to bypass nearly any queue.

"Glory to Mankind!" The woman before the counter saluted, bringing them to a free-to-use terminal.

"So what now?" Ruby asked, observing the strange console in curiosity.

"Just prick your finger with a sharp object and let them scan a bit of blood." Victoria explained calmly.

"Though take care to not injure yourself too much, lest you look like a fool at best and almost die of blood loss at worst." Enzo added, reminiscing about embarrassing memories of his past.

With a little nod, Ruby followed the instructions, and her attributes appeared over the terminal screen a few seconds later.

Name: Ruby

Soul Realm: Early Expert

• Strength: 650

• Agility: 900

• Stamina: 950

Unsurprisingly, unlike Michael's system, the terminal wasn't able to measure as much data. As Ruby's spirit and mind weren't displayed, nor was it able to detect what kind of cybernetics she had mastered.

Still, what the screen showed was more than enough to utterly stun the crew. Ruby had recently entered the Early Expert realm, yet her agility and stamina were almost in the four digits!

Given that Michael's stats were higher than usual due to the free skill points he gained from the system, her progress was truly breathtaking.

'It seems her agility and stamina are compensating for her lack of strength. That must be due to her altered soul and body.' Michael mused.

Now that Ruby had officially tested her cultivation on a terminal, she was considered a proper cultivator. The first thing she did was finally enter the Indomitable Alliance faction. She hadn't been able to join earlier, as only true cultivators were permitted to become members.

In a timely manner the others checked their attributes as well, everybody being more than pleased with their rate of progress.

Just as they were about to leave, Claire noticed a partial detail.

"Michael?" She asked. "Aren't you going to examine your attributes as well? If you are uncomfortable with us seeing your progress, we can leave you alone if you wish—"

"There is no need." Michael replied. "Let's go."

The crew exchanged glances but didn't press him for details. By now they had long gotten used to Michael's unpredictable behavior.

"It's time to make use of this…" Michael said, taking out a black envelope with a crimson seal. Their task was to locate Aisha's sister and hand it over. No one knew exactly what was inside, but it was supposed to make Aisha's sister take their words more seriously.

Unfortunately the place they needed to go to was the main headquarters of Magmorious, located at the very center. Due to the large size of the capital, it was needless to say that it took a few hours until they reached their destination.

The building in question was massive, yet what interested the crew more was the large empty space in front of it. If Michael were to make an estimation, it was five by five kilometers of mostly even ground without buildings in sight.

Noticing his reaction, Victoria explained.

"There are several reasons a place like this exists. Aside from serving as a gathering spot for an army and a place for briefings, it also is intended for protests during times of public unrest."

Indeed, just like Victoria said, there were a few small groups that were protesting about different causes, though their numbers were too small to make a difference for now.

"Let's make haste. I will crash out if the person we are supposed to find has gone home." Richard growled, proceeding forward with hands in pockets.

Along the way, the crowd naturally dispersed, making them a clear path.

Rumm…

"...?"

Abruptly, Michael paused for a moment.

'Was that an earthquake?' He thought. 'I didn't think this area was vulnerable to such things... It must be my imagination. I'm just too on edge.'

Without a hindrance, the crew was allowed to enter the headquarters. Inside it, people were walking in a chaotic manner, carrying mountains of documents.

Just as Michael was about to wonder how they were going to orient themselves in the place, his gaze stopped at a woman that bore a striking similarity to Aisha.

'Lucky.'

In a flash he disappeared, appearing right next to her.

"Hello." He greeted her with a warm smile.

"I'm busy. Who are you, and what do you want?" The woman asked, clearly unfazed by Michael's power. Given that they were in the most important building in the capital, the place was naturally teeming with guards of the Grandmaster realm, with a few Lords nearby in case anything dire occurred.

With a smile still plastered over his face, Michael calmly handed her the envelope.

"I presume this is enough to make you listen?"

"..."

The woman in question gently took the letter, examining it for a few seconds.

"Follow me."

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