Ray's heart lifted at his teacher's earlier words. Even if he couldn't become a powerful Soul Master, becoming a formidable Mecha Master was still within reach.
"Brother Gilbert, what's wrong?" Wilheim noticed the change in Gilbert's expression and asked instinctively.
Gilbert did not reply. Instead, he gripped the Silverfalls Vine and pulled.
Given his background as a blacksmith, his physical strength was nothing to scoff at. Yet the slender vine did not snap. It only straightened under the force, showing no sign of tearing apart.
"What?" Gilbert's eyes narrowed. "Your Silverfalls Vine is… abnormal."
Ray asked hesitantly, "Teacher, what do you mean by abnormal?"
Gilbert replied, "First is its weight. I didn't notice it at first, but when it hit the floor, the sound was far heavier than it should have been. Despite being thin, its body is extremely dense. This is not something a Silverfalls Vine with only one soul ring should possess."
He paused, then said gravely, "Let me test it properly."
As his words fell, his aura suddenly surged.
Four soul rings appeared around Gilbert's body in a dazzling display: one white, two yellow, and one purple. Their radiance instantly filled the room. The oppressive pressure made Ray instinctively retreat a step.
Shock seized him.
By Soul Master standards, ranks 0 to 10 were Soul Scholars, 11 to 20 were Soul Masters, and every ten ranks afterward brought a new title. After Soul Master came Soul Grandmaster, then Soul Elder, and then Soul Ancestor.
Four soul rings.
Gilbert was a Soul Ancestor.
As his soul rings appeared, three spirit souls manifested upon his shoulders.
The first was small and faint, a tiny white rabbit crawling along his body, surrounded by a soft white glow.
The second, glowing yellow, was a pair of hammers radiating a metallic brilliance. Tool-type spirit souls were artificial creations, something that could never occur naturally.
The third was purple. A massive brown bear, nearly a meter tall, with thick, powerful arms. It bared its fangs fiercely as it leapt down from Gilbert's shoulders, exuding a savage aura.
At the same time, Gilbert's martial soul revealed itself.
A hammer.
It glowed with a dim white light, its shape almost identical to a forging hammer, with deep brown vein-like patterns running across its surface.
The Earth Hammer.
With his martial soul released, Gilbert's presence became overwhelmingly imposing.
His first spirit soul flashed, and the tiny white rabbit dissolved into a layer of white light that spread across his body.
First soul skill. Ten-year soul ability.
Tenacity.
His muscles visibly tensed, becoming more flexible and powerful.
With soul power surging and his soul skill activated, Gilbert grasped the Silverfalls Vine and pulled with full force.
Everyone present expected the fragile-looking vine to snap instantly.
Instead, under the tremendous opposing forces, the dim body of the Silverfalls Vine began to glow.
A strange, almost breathtaking light shimmered across its surface.
A faint blue shimmer rippled along the vine as it gradually turned translucent. Within its body, dim golden veins surfaced, glowing softly like buried threads of sunlight.
No matter how Gilbert pulled, the Silverfalls Vine showed not the slightest sign of snapping.
But at the same moment, Ray felt his soul power pulse sharply before dropping all at once.
"Aiyo!" He cried out, staggering slightly.
Gilbert immediately turned toward him. "You felt something?"
Ray nodded honestly. "My soul power… it feels like it was drained."
Gilbert's expression grew complicated. He released his grip on the vine, withdrew his martial soul and spirit souls, and let the Silverfalls Vine fall back into Ray's hand.
Wilheim stepped forward anxiously. "Brother Gilbert, what's going on?"
Gilbert let out a slow breath, then smiled faintly. "It seems the Heavens haven't abandoned this child after all. I'm confident now. His martial soul has undergone a mutation. And not a bad one."
"Mutation?" Ray was momentarily stunned. This was a term he had never heard in class.
Gilbert explained patiently, "Under certain conditions, a martial soul can mutate into a variant type. Fusion with a highly compatible or highly incompatible spirit soul, intense external stimulation, or even innate circumstances can all trigger variation. Some people are born with variant martial souls. Others develop them later."
"There are good variations and bad ones. A powerful martial soul can weaken after mutation, while a weak one can become far stronger."
His gaze settled firmly on Ray. "Everyone knows Silverfalls Vine is considered trash. A snake-type spirit soul is actually quite compatible with it, which is why it often evolves into a vine. I once knew someone with Silverfalls Vine who fused with a snake spirit soul. His grass became thicker than yours, but it was still fragile. I could tear it apart with my bare hands."
"But yours?" Gilbert shook his head slowly. "Even with my first soul skill active, I couldn't break it. That defies common sense. The only explanation is this. Your martial soul's toughness scales directly with your soul power. As long as you still have soul power, it cannot be torn apart."
He paused, then said decisively, "That's a true variation."
Ray stared at him blankly. "Teacher… does that mean this is a good thing?"
Gilbert nodded. "Of course it's good. Though not without risks. Everything depends on how you use it. Logically, vine-type Silverfalls Vine develops toward control. Entanglement, restraint, harassment. But against someone with higher soul power, they'll simply break free while draining yours. It becomes a battle of attrition you're unlikely to win."
He continued, "Instead, using it more like a whip may suit you better. And who knows? Your second soul ring might trigger another mutation. I can't predict your future, but one thing is certain."
He looked Ray straight in the eyes. "This is no longer a trash martial soul."
Ray's breath caught. His chest felt tight, as if something long suppressed had finally cracked open.
"Really?" he asked quietly, disbelief still clinging to his voice.
Gilbert replied calmly, "My first soul ring was also white. Just as weak. But I worked for the next one. Then the next. As a blacksmith, I earned the spirit souls I needed. You're more talented at forging than I ever was. If I could do it, so can you."
Those words struck deeper than any praise.
The heavy gloom in Ray's heart dissolved in an instant. His martial soul wasn't trash. His teacher stood as living proof that effort could overcome beginnings. Hope reignited like a spark finding dry tinder.
Before he could speak, Gilbert turned and added flatly, "You skipped work today without notice. One day's wages will be deducted."
He left immediately after saying that.
Ray didn't care in the slightest. He rushed forward and wrapped Gilbert in a hug.
"You're light," Gilbert muttered in surprise. Yet his eyes flickered. This child's strength…
Once Gilbert departed, the dark cloud that had hung over the Tang household finally dispersed.
"I'm sorry, mom, dad," Ray said softly. "I made you worry."
Selina pulled him into her arms once more, holding him tightly. "It's us who should be sorry. You're still a child, yet you've carried so much already."
Wilheim lowered his head, lost in thought.
Vivienne stood quietly nearby, her lips trembling slightly as if she wanted to say something, yet no words came.
That night passed peacefully.
Wilheim and Selina went to bed early. Vivienne soon followed, exhaustion finally claiming her.
Only Ray remained awake.
He slipped out of the house and returned to the small garden where everything had begun. Sitting beneath the moonlight, he looked up at the bright sky, his emotions gently settling.
Joy, despair, hope. This single day had reshaped him more than the past three years combined.
With a thought, the little Grass Snake appeared in his palm.
"Thank you," Ray whispered. "You gave me hope… and I nearly rejected you. I'm sorry."
The tiny snake lifted its head and flicked its tongue softly.
Ray smiled. "I'll give you a name, alright? We're partners now."
The Grass Snake wiggled faintly, as if agreeing.
"What should I call you…"
Suddenly, its body shimmered. The small scale on its forehead flashed with golden light.