Supreme Lord: I can extract everything!

Michael ignored the fight in his head. Instead of joining them, he focused on the knowledge he'd procured about the Seal Fusion technique. Eren's intent had been infused into the Seal Fusion technique, which was helpful as it increased Michael's understanding to a certain extent.

He tried using the technique only to hear the World Serpent speaking to him again.

[While that white-haired guy's words are true, your Seals will weaken if you don't grant your Curse bits and pieces of control.]

Michael frowned but continued listening.

[You cannot gain complete control of my Seals either. I'm alive and not your Curse, not exactly, at least. Still, you can use the Seal Fusion technique on my Seals, but you will be forced to give up on the portion that revolves around gaining complete control of the Seals. As for the little wolfie who has been with you all your life…it will be a little bit different, yet not. He is too powerful for you to claim his Seals with that kind of technique. Even if the technique is remarkable, you have yet to understand how powerful this wolf bastard is. He might be a piece of shit, but he is a powerful piece of shit.]

Michael nodded slowly. He expected something like that to happen. However, it was good to know Seal Fusion wouldn't work properly with the World Serpent and the Wolf Curse as targeted Curses. Michael wouldn't force his luck since he knew the 'difficulties'. He would use the Seal Fusion technique but surrender a portion of the Seals' control to them.

The only thing he could try was to gain as much control of the Seals as possible without losing any of their potency and might.

"I'm ready," Michael announced, his attention drifting to the large pool and the vial of Origin Sap resting in Eren's hands.

"...That's great," Eren had many questions to ask, but now was not the time to do so. He noticed that Michael's move to acquire Seal Fusion's knowledge damaged his vessel, drastically reducing the time he'd left to prepare. There was no more time to waste for that young lass.

Eren released a trace of his silverish energy to remove the array lock that sealed the glass vial's cap and handed the Origin Sap vial over.

"Dissolve the Origin Sap in the pool once we're outside. You can jump into the pool right after, but I would wait a few seconds before the Origin Sap's first layer has been removed. The first wave of energy and nutrition should have evenly spread through the pool before you submerge. After that, the only thing you have to do is to absorb everything."

Evee nodded, but she had something else to add, "The arrays will ensure that you cannot absorb too much energy and nutrients. That doesn't mean they will hold you back, but the arrays will sense when you try to absorb more energy than your body can handle. I don't understand everything about the arrays, but they will adjust their limit fairly precisely to your limit. They're your lifeline and the reason many Cursed Children managed to survive what they wouldn't have survived outside the Nest."

"You cannot drown in there either. One of the arrays will provide you with oxygen. It uses a mix of spatial and wind energy to replicate your breathing underwater," Evee explained, staring intently at Michael, "I hope you can digest the Origin Sap. I don't want to hear complaints from my father for the next few decades saying that he wasted his precious Origin Sap on you."

Michael scrunched his nose but nodded.

"Good luck," She said, turning around to leave.

Eren followed his daughter, leaving Evalynn behind. She looked at Michael for a few seconds. Her lips parted, but no words escaped her mouth. She had so much to say but couldn't find the right words to start with.

"We can talk later. I have yet to meet Father and Hesta either way. I'm not sure if it will be a happy reunion – I doubt that – but I can talk to them."

Evalynn nodded slowly at Michael's words. She pressed her lips together and turned around to leave.

"I hope your ascension will be a success. You are strong, Michael," Evalynn said before joining Eren and Evee outside. The door connecting the hallway to the Ancient Isolation Chamber closed behind Evalynn, leaving Michael with a massive wall covered in various arrays to look at. The arrays glowed faintly, sealing the gate until Michael decided it was time to leave.

[Ascension time~]

Michael walked over to the pool and squatted down. His fingers brushed through the water surface for a second before Michael moved on to the next step. He retrieved the cap of the Origin Sap vial and was just about to drop it into the water when a surge of energy splashed against his face. The glass vial trembled and showed signs of breaking as life energy spread explosively in all directions.

Michael forgot how to breathe. His eyes widened in surprise, and he nearly dropped the vial inside the pool. He fought against the oppressive sensation that overcame him and swallowed hard. At last, he lowered the glass vial and emptied the viscous content. The golden drop of Origin Sap trickled on the water's surface and broke through it.

Michael made sure that there wouldn't be remnants of Origin Sap left within the glass vial before he stored it. He waited patiently for the first layer of the Origin Sap to loosen and for the real game to start. However, nothing happened in the first few seconds.

A few seconds passed before his Spirit Eyes discovered a massive tidal wave of energy. The life energy swept through the pool, transforming the calm water into massive waves that splashed against the pool's edges with tremendous force. Michael's eyes narrowed, but he didn't waste too much time staring at the pool as the water turned golden. The corner of his lips curled upward, and his clothes disappeared in the War Rune storage.

Michael jumped into the golden pool, his heart filled with excitement. It was time to ascend!

**

The world around him changed the instant he submerged in the golden water. When he tried to keep his eyes open, they hurt like they were about to burst. The water brushed into them, forcefully activating his Spirit Eyes, which could see things that ought to remain secrets.

Michael closed his eyes and concentrated on the energies that entered his body. It was more important to make utilize of the Origin Sap now that things were getting serious. Nonetheless, his High Ascension wouldn't start right away. He was not yet at the Peak of the 3rd Tier.

Fortunately, the principle was the same as before. Michael had to absorb the energy around him, every little trace of it if he desired to utilize the Origin Sap fully. That was precisely what Michael did.

He allowed the Extraction Aura to expand freely until it reached the pool's edge and devoured the nutrient-filled energy swiftly. Michael kept his eyes shut and concentrated on circulating the energy through every corner of his body.

It wasn't long until his skin burst open as the highly potent energy brushed past him. Yet, instead of feeling pain, Michael was enveloped in warmth. It was almost like his skin was supposed to burst apart.

He didn't panic. On the contrary, Michael remained eerily calm as he continued absorbing the energy containing a tremendous amount of nutrients. The nutrients and energy were enough for Michael to practice his refinement techniques – finishing what he should have completed before – while his War Rune was being refined. After all, he had yet to reach the Peak of Tier-3 with some of his refinement techniques.

Thus, Michael did just that while his War Rune was busy refining his Energy Pillar. He finished refining his Body, Mind, and Soul.

Time passed quickly.

Michael didn't sleep once, and he never left the golden pool either. That wasn't necessary. The Ancient Isolation Chamber and the golden pool kept him living and full of vigor at all times.

Michael grew stronger. His War Rune reached the Peak of Tier-3 at some point, and his body, mind, and soul felt more profound than they used to. It was almost like his entire being was more as if he'd undergone a complete reconstruction.

But that wasn't the case. He hadn't even started with the High Ascension yet. Despite that, Michael smiled brightly. He couldn't suppress his emotions.

His War Rune reached the barrier connecting him to Tier-4.

The barrier was weaker than expected. Michael tried grasping the barrier subconsciously and shattered it instantaneously.

His High Ascension thus began.