Artificial spirit souls still relied heavily on soul beast genetic material. As soul beasts gradually went extinct, usable genes became scarcer with each passing year. In response, Spirit Tower researchers had experimented with alternative sources, attempting to create spirit souls using non-soul beast genes.
While those experiments technically succeeded, the resulting spirit souls were so weak that almost no one was willing to purchase them.
Without a doubt, the Grass Snake before them was one of those defective products.
Worse still, it was a spirit soul that lacked even the smallest trace of soul beast genes. It had been permanently placed at the very bottom of the random selection pool, one of the fixed hundred spirit soul balls that endlessly cycled through the extraction machine.
The Spirit Master shook his head softly before continuing, "It is a spirit soul, without question.
However, it's extremely weak. Now that it's been activated, you have twenty-four hours to decide.
If you don't fuse with it within that time, it will die. Whether you choose to fuse with it or abandon it and return in the future to select another spirit soul… that choice is yours."
Wilheim looked at his son's blank, hollow expression, and his heart clenched painfully. He placed his hands on Ray's shoulders, steady but trembling. "Ray… let's go home."
Ray didn't respond. He simply turned and began walking, his steps mechanical, as though his body were moving without his soul.
"Wait." The Spirit Master called out, unable to endure the scene any longer.
"You really should give up on this spirit soul," he said gently. "Even if it was technically a successful experiment, it's still—" He went on to explain the origin and flaws of the Grass Snake spirit soul, hoping that reason might spare the boy further pain.
Ray didn't remember how he got home.
All he knew was that he clutched the spirit soul ball tightly against his chest the entire way, as though it might vanish the moment he loosened his grip. Inside the ball, the tiny Grass Snake moved sluggishly, unafraid, occasionally poking its head against the transparent shell.
Low-level spirit souls like this possessed no intelligence. Before fusion, they couldn't even comprehend the world around them.
"Don't be sad, son," Wilheim said, his voice firm despite the turmoil in his eyes. "Dad will find a way. I'll earn the money, no matter what it takes. I'll help you buy a proper spirit soul. You can trust me."
Ray gently shook his head. "Dad… I'm going to my room."
Vivienne, who had been sitting quietly nearby, stood up and followed him without a word.
Ray sat on his bed, staring at the spirit soul in his hands. His gaze slowly shifted to his own palms, rough and callused from years of forging. In that moment, something inside him finally broke.
Tears poured down uncontrollably.
When his martial soul awakened as Silverfalls Vine, he hadn't cried. He still had soul power. That meant hope.
When he learned his family couldn't afford a spirit soul, he hadn't cried either. He could earn the money himself.
When he first entered Gilbert's workshop and was forced to swing a hammer a thousand times until his arms felt as though they would shatter, he still didn't cry. He endured, persevered, and passed the test. Hope remained.
For three long years, he had hammered metal day after day, shedding sweat while others played.
He meditated longer than his peers, pushed himself harder, and bore pain without complaint. No matter how exhausted he was, he smiled, reassuring his parents and telling them not to worry.
But now, he cried.
Three years of effort.
Thirty thousand Federation Coins, condensed from endless sweat and aching muscles.
Just as he reached the finish line, everything collapsed. In the blink of an eye, all that effort turned into this tiny, worthless Grass Snake spirit soul.
All his toughness, all his resolve, all his perseverance were crushed into nothing but tears.
They dripped one after another onto the spirit soul ball, soaking the tiny Grass Snake inside. The creature squirmed faintly, almost as if it were enjoying the warmth and salt of his tears.
A small hand reached out hesitantly. Vivienne stood before him, her eyes swollen and red, her own tears trembling on the verge of falling.
In that moment, it felt as though their hearts were connected. She felt his despair as clearly as if it were her own.
Hopelessness, sorrow, and countless dark emotions flooded Ray's chest, suffocating him.
He wanted to scream, to curse the world, but he no longer had the strength.
"Big brother… don't cry," Vivienne whispered. Instead of wiping his tears away, she pulled him into her arms and held his head tightly against her chest.
Ray sobbed uncontrollably, his voice breaking. "Why… why is the world so unfair? Even after everything I've done, there's nothing for me to hold onto. I want to become a Soul Master. I want to become strong… I want to become a powerful Soul Master!"
Crying truly was the most direct way to vent one's emotions.
After soaking Vivienne's shoulder with his tears, Ray's sobs gradually weakened, until only shallow breaths remained.
The tight knot in his chest loosened a little, leaving behind an aching emptiness rather than suffocating despair.
"Vivi… am I really worthless?" Ray asked quietly as he lifted his head and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.
Vivienne shook her head with all her strength, silver hair swaying as she did so, her denial firm and unquestioning.
Ray lowered his gaze to the spirit soul resting in his palm. Inside the translucent shell, the tiny Grass Snake wriggled lazily, unaware of the significance of the choice about to be made.
Its movements were carefree, almost innocent, as if the sorrow weighing down Ray's heart had nothing to do with it.
"You can go first, Vivi," Ray said softly, his voice carrying a hint of bitterness. "I want to fuse with this spirit soul."
Vivienne hesitated, her fingers curling slightly. "But… this one isn't good."
Ray forced a smile, one that looked natural at first glance but felt heavy on his face.
"Mom and Dad already work so hard just to support us. I can't add more burden to them. Dad said he'd help me earn more money to buy another spirit soul, but our family doesn't have much to begin with. I can't let them suffer more because of me. Even if it's weak, it's still a spirit soul. It'll still let me become an official Soul Master. And once I fuse with it, Dad won't have to push himself so hard anymore."
Vivienne stared at him in silence, her lips trembling slightly. "Big brother…"
Ray smiled at her again, this time wider. "I'm really fine. Becoming a powerful Soul Master was only a dream anyway. Maybe… becoming a master forger suits me better after all."
That smile, gentle yet full of resignation, carved itself deeply into Vivienne's heart. It was an optimistic smile meant to comfort others, hiding sorrow so profound that even words could not reach it.
She slowly left the room, glancing back at him one last time before closing the door.
Ray remained seated on his bed. Once he was alone, he bit down on his lower lip and turned his attention back to the Grass Snake spirit soul. Countless emotions surged within him at once, colliding and tearing at his heart.
He knew very well that once he fused with this spirit soul, his chances of becoming a powerful Soul Master would be all but extinguished. Yet, what choice did he truly have?
He gently touched the spirit soul ball. A spirit soul had no true physical form, and a low-grade one like this was even more insubstantial. His finger passed through the Grass Snake's body as if through mist.
The tiny creature reacted instinctively, loosening its coils and then wrapping itself around his finger, sticking out its little forked tongue as though licking him affectionately.
Ray raised his hand to eye level and gazed into the Grass Snake's small, brown eyes. They were unfocused and cloudy, carrying confusion and a faint trace of fear.
It, too, was a living existence. If he did not fuse with it within twenty-four hours, it would completely dissipate.
"A trash martial soul paired with a defective spirit soul… that really fits me," Ray mocked himself quietly.