'Mastery of the body…'
What was 'the body'?
While Vale felt naturally inclined to conclude his flesh and blood was 'the' body, he decided to steer away from the pragmatic and obvious rationale.
After all, while his current appearance wasn't too different from his own back on Terra, it was undoubtedly different. Meaning, either his physical constitution changed when he was transported here, or he'd entered a new form altogether. And, from the evidence provided, the latter seemed to be true.
Thinking about that Vale thought on the concept of the soul — the immaterial makeup of a person. It is thought to be the metaphysical foundation that all living beings possessed.
But, if this so-called soul existed. What was the body to it? Are the two terms synonymous? Or was it what his preordained knowledge dictated — that the body was merely a vessel for the soul.
It would sort of make sense that way. That his soul transmigrated, but not his body.
