Cry was now smiling, proudly showing off his beautiful green soul stone. You might have thought what had just happened was only a dream, given how drastically his personality had shifted.
It was rare to see Cry this happy—he looked over the moon, and Summer and Red were just as glad for him. For now, they decided not to bring up the strange nature of his harmony. This was a time to celebrate, and they let their joy flow freely. After a long day of searching, each of them had finally found a monster that suited them—it was simply an incredible moment for this young team of Soul Warriors.
As for Cry, he felt completely transformed. Now he truly understood the excitement his friends had shown earlier. His strength had multiplied, and every other physical trait had changed as well. He felt like he could move mountains. It was, without a doubt, the most intense sensation he had ever experienced.
He didn't know why he had chosen this monster in particular, but he was certain it was the one he wanted. As if his instincts had naturally guided him toward this scythe mantis.
Always eager to see new powers in action, Red interrupted Cry's thoughts with a request:
"Come on, show us your stats, buddy!"
"No problem!" Cry replied with a wide grin. He placed his hand on his soul stone, and his stats interface appeared.
CRY'S STATS – SCYTHE MANTIS RANK E –
Level 1
Strength: 7
Agility: 11
Defense: 7
Speed: 8
Charisma: 20
Special weapon: Scythe
Innate skill: Leap
"Twenty charisma!!!" Red and Summer exclaimed.
"Whoa, was that grasshopper really that intimidating?" Red wondered.
"Yep, I told you I was extraordinary! Ha! Ha! Ha!" Cry replied, laughing.
"Can you show me your weapon now?" Red asked, practically bouncing.
Cry had never summoned his weapon before, but he could feel that if he focused, it would appear in his hand. It was like a new sense—strange, yet strangely natural—and he embraced the feeling with enthusiasm. He focused, and a sleek, deadly-looking scythe appeared in his right hand.
Cry was proud of his weapon. It looked incredibly powerful, and he now felt fully reassured about his choice of monster. He still didn't understand why he'd been so irresistibly drawn to this mantis, but he was thrilled with the result.
"You've got an innate skill, Cry," Red said. "That's awesome!"
"Yeah, I'll test it tomorrow. The sun's about to set. We're still only level 1, guys—tomorrow we need to train to get stronger."
"Yeah, for sure. So, heading back?" Summer asked.
"Yeah," Cry agreed. "We're not taking the risk of staying out at night. The chief warned me monsters are both stronger and more numerous after dark."
The three friends returned to the village after a long day of hunting. Tired, but happy to have found their first monsters.
Back home, Summer lay down on her bed and thought about the day she'd spent with Cry. She smiled, then recalled the way he had frozen the mantis in place—it had been nothing short of incredible. She had never felt such pressure before; it was so intense! Just thinking about it made her cheeks flush. No matter how much she tried to hide it, Cry didn't leave her indifferent, and remembering it made her heart race. Still, when she thought about it more, she had no idea how Cry had managed to do such a thing. It had been far too strange. She decided not to dwell on it for now—there was still so much she didn't know about harmony and its complex workings.
Back at his own home, Cry—usually calm—was buzzing with excitement.
"Mom, I found my first monster! It's a scythe mantis!"
"Congratulations, my son! I hope Red didn't cause any trouble today."
"No, Mom, he behaved. Frank! Come see!"
Cry was overjoyed—his mother hadn't seen him like this in a long time. She smiled, happy to see him so full of life.
"Wow, Cry, can you show me your weapon, please?" Frank asked, even more excited than his brother.
"I'll show you later, but right now I'm starving! It's been a long day—let me rest a bit first."
"I've already made dinner, Cry. Sit down," his mother said warmly. "There's plenty—eat as much as you like."
Cry sat down and devoured his meal in one go. Then he looked at his mother and said:
"Don't worry, Mom. Now that I can go hunting, I'll bring back plenty of food for the family."
She smiled gently. Since her husband had died, it had been hard for her to provide a proper meal for her children every day. Luckily, the village was very supportive, and Malik, the chief, made sure they lacked nothing. Even at his young age, Cry understood how hard it was for his mother to rely on others to feed the family—and now he wanted to take on that responsibility himself.
Feeling happy, he took a shower and went to bed. He knew his life was about to change from this day on. New adventures awaited him, and he couldn't wait to train and grow stronger. His head full of new dreams, Cry drifted off peacefully. His face was relaxed, and even in sleep, his mother could see how happy he was. She was glad to see her son so content.
Night settled peacefully over the small village of Tipoon. The sky was filled with stars, and you could almost hear the soft snores of the new little warriors sleeping soundly.
Cry woke at the first crow of the rooster. His mother and brother were still asleep.
The night before, he had taken a good look at his interface and discovered he could now store his belongings in a virtual bag. It was amazing! He could summon it whenever he wanted by selecting it in his interface. For him, everything was new, and every discovery thrilled him. He grabbed some supplies, stored them directly in his bag, and headed toward the village center. He went to check the mission board—a large panel where villagers could post requests in exchange for rewards.
Many merchants asked for various materials to support their trade, which was exactly what Cry was looking for.
Mission Level 1: Skin collection – 8 frog skins, 8 rabbit skins, reward: 150 bronze coins (BC) – repeatable quest –
"This one's perfect for me," Cry thought. "And since it's repeatable, I can do it over and over. I need to make as much money as possible if I want to help Mom."
Cry made his way to the village gates. He'd gotten up so early he didn't see Summer or Red.
Once outside, he decided to review his stats and abilities.
"Alright, let's test my innate skill—Leap," Cry said to himself.
Boom! Cry sprang upward, jumping nearly two meters high.
"Nice! This'll be really useful for attacking certain birds. I bet I can use it forward, too, to surprise monsters."
Cry then scanned the area for a monster—he was ready to test his new combat skills. Within seconds, he spotted the weakest creature nearby—a small rabbit. The perfect target to get started. He leapt forward, launching himself at the startled creature, which had no time to react. Using his momentum, Cry landed a few quick kicks and punches—and *poof*—the rabbit vanished, leaving behind a small fur pelt, which he immediately stored in his bag.
The rabbits near the village were quick but not very tough. They were level 1, and Cry could take them down in just a few hits. For inventory management, he only had to open his interface to see everything he'd collected. The bag had a 50-slot capacity, perfect for storing herbs, bandages, and all the loot from his fights.
"There's my first rabbit skin! Alright—seven more to go, then on to the frogs."