He knew the answer.
"Mm," the Spirit Master said softly.
Ray's chest tightened. Silverfalls Vine. Vines were considered the weakest kind of martial soul. They were the most common. He had seen it crushed underfoot every day.
"But I…" His voice shook. "I waited so long…"
"You have soul power," the Spirit Master said quickly. "Rank three. Not bad at all."
Ray looked up sharply. "I do?"
The man nodded. "You can cultivate. You can become a Soul Master."
Ray looked back at the grass.
"But it's still Silverfalls Vine…"
The Spirit Master hesitated, then smiled. "Do you know the Immortal Guild?"
Ray nodded.
"Their founder began with Silverfalls Vine, too."
Ray's eyes widened. "But his martial soul became the Silverfalls Vine Emperor."
The Spirit Master coughed lightly. "Evolution requires effort. Endless effort."
Ray clenched his fist.
"Thank you, Lord Spirit Master."
The little blade of vine swayed quietly in his palm.
Ray walked out of Ironspire Academy as if his feet were not touching the ground.
The gate behind him slowly closed, cutting off the noise inside. Outside, parents were still gathered in small groups. Some were smiling. Some were silent. Some were already pulling their children away, as if afraid hope might linger too long.
Ray barely noticed any of it.
His head felt heavy, stuffed full of cotton. Warmth rolled through his body in waves, making his steps uneven. He followed the familiar road home without really seeing it.
"Ray."
His father's voice reached him like a hand pulling him back.
Ray looked up.
Wilheim was smiling, the kind of smile that tried very hard to stay calm but failed around the eyes. He placed both hands on his son's shoulders.
"You know," he said softly, "only one child out of a thousand awakens soul power."
Ray blinked. "Dad…"
"That means," Wilheim continued, his voice growing lighter, "my son is already extraordinary."
Ray hesitated, then asked the question he had been holding in since the chamber.
"Dad… is Silverfalls Vine really trash?"
Wilheim paused for half a step, then laughed.
"Trash?" He shook his head. "If trash could awaken soul power, the whole city would be full of geniuses. Besides, didn't I tell you about the founding emperor? Silverfalls Vine carried him all the way to the peak."
Ray listened, but his heart still felt tight.
Their home sat in the commoner district, tucked between old buildings and narrow streets. It was small, but clean. The door opened with a familiar creak.
"You're back!" his mother's voice rang out.
Selina wiped her hands on her apron and crouched down to hug him. "You must be starving. I'll cook—"
"I'm sleepy," Ray said quietly, wrapping his arms around her neck. "Can I sleep first?"
She froze for a moment, then nodded. "Go on."
She watched him disappear into his room and sighed.
"He took it hard," she said softly.
Wilheim sat at the table, staring at the steam rising from the food. "He has soul power."
Selina looked up sharply. "Really?"
"Yes. Rank three." He smiled bitterly. "But with Silverfalls Vine… I'd rather he didn't."
Silence filled the room.
"We'll let him rest," Selina said after a while. "If it's too much, we move him to the normal class."
Wilheim nodded.
Neither of them knew Ray was already asleep the moment his head touched the pillow.
His body began to heat up.
He twisted restlessly, skin flushing red. His heartbeat raced. Faint golden lines appeared on his forehead, spreading down his body like flowing threads before vanishing again.
Then everything went still.
In his dream, grass stretched as far as he could see. Silverfalls Vine swayed beneath a golden sky. Something massive loomed above him.
A mouth opened.
Golden.
Endless.
Ray screamed and sat upright.
His clothes were soaked. His skin felt strange, light yet tight.
He washed quietly, careful not to wake anyone.
Later, when his mother found him, she pinched his cheek. "You're going to catch a cold running around like that."
Ray smiled.
By the time he stepped out again, the sky was dark.
"Come here," his father said.
Ray sat down.
Before either parent could speak, his stomach growled loudly.
They burst into laughter.
"Eat," his mother said, pushing a bowl toward him.
Ray ate.
And ate.
And ate.
When he reached for a fourth bowl, his parents stared.
"Mom," he said earnestly, "it's really good. I'm still hungry."
By the time Ray finally put his bowl down, the table was empty.
Completely empty.
Wilheim stared at the bare dishes, then at his son's round belly, and let out a helpless laugh. "Son… are you secretly some kind of legendary food-eating spirit beast?"
Ray blinked. "Dad, what's legendary?"
Selina didn't answer. She simply reached out and covered the remaining dishes with her hands. "Enough. If you keep eating, your stomach will burst."
Ray looked genuinely troubled. "But… I'm still hungry."
Wilheim cleared his throat and leaned forward. "Ray, let Dad ask you something serious."
Ray straightened his back.
"You can still change classes," Wilheim said slowly. "The Soul Master class is harder. Much harder. If you want, Dad can help you move to the ordinary class."
Ray answered without hesitation. "No."
Wilheim paused. "No?"
"I want to stay," Ray said firmly. "I want to be a Soul Master."
Wilheim looked at him carefully. "Your martial soul is Silverfalls Vine. Cultivating it won't be easy. You'll be laughed at. You'll struggle more than others. Are you sure?"
Ray nodded hard. "Yes. If I become a Soul Master, I can earn money. I can buy good food for mom and dad."
Selina turned away, her eyes red.
Wilheim reached out and rubbed his son's head. "Alright. If you're sure, we'll support you. But remember this. If one day you're unhappy, you can stop. You don't have to become a dragon or a phoenix. We just want you to be happy."
Ray grinned. "I'm already happy."
That night, he drank more water than usual and fell asleep early.
Before dawn, Wilheim gently shook him awake.
"Up. First day of school."
Ray rubbed his eyes. Today, he would officially join the Soul Master class.
At the academy gate, Wilheim gave a few final reminders before heading to work. "Go straight home after class."
"I will," Ray promised.
The Soul Master class entrance was different. A teacher stood there to guide them in. Only fifteen children gathered inside the classroom.
A chubby boy beside Ray leaned over. "Hey. What's your martial soul?"
Ray lifted his chin. "Silverfalls Vine. Same as the Immortal Guild's founding ancestor."
He raised his hand. A strand of blue grass appeared, swaying lightly. Near its roots, a faint golden tint flashed, unnoticed.
The chubby boy snorted. "Silverfalls Vine? Trash."
Ray frowned. "Then what's yours?"
The boy summoned a small knife. "Knife martial soul. Rank five soul power. I'll cut your grass to pieces."
Ray clenched his fists.