Chapter 3: Soul Chapter 3: Soul "I need to get stronger. Yes, thats the only way I can live the way I want. It was true in my previous life too, and more true in this world." Leo made it his goal to be the strongest so eventually no one is able to boss him around. "And I was also killed just because—!" Leo suddenly realised. "I have a family member?!... no wait, more like a cousin. Damn I was orphan in previous life and this life too. But unlike previously, a far relative adopted me. My uncle and aunt... I can feel the previous owner of this body cared for them deeply and they were fucking killed!!!" Leo’s rage flared as if they were his own and not the previous owner’s. He calmed himself down and thought carefully. Leo’s uncle and aunt were killed just because the lord of this town, Baron Zerek Milti, wanted his aunt as his concubine. When his aunt vehemently refused, he sent men to forcably take her away, but uncle was there when this happened and he resisted, he got himself killed and aunt also died when she too tried to fight back. Now only his cousin, Lily remained, but that darn Baron’s son, Zolton Milti wants her now! But she always slipped away as she worked in a restaurant of a retired intermediate 2-star Beast master, and he was a rare good man who protected his employees. And being a 2-star, he was in basically the same power level as that of Baron, who was an advanced 2-star Beast Master. The reason the restaurant owner runs a restaurant is that the majority of his beasts died and only 1 remained, there was also the fact that his wife cooks well, but only that 1 beast could give the baron trouble, and the baron wouldn’t risk it just so his unawakened son wanted a commoner girl. So, Zolton played his cards of making Lily helpless by killing Leo, who was the only support that remained for her. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶 "Fuck you Baron and your entire line... Shit. In both worlds I died just because of freaking dicks!" Leo said with clenched teeth as his resolve to get stronger only Increased. It was already nighttime and Leo unconsciously started walking his way back to home while contemplating his next actions. "So... tomorrow is my awakening trail." he checked his pockets. "Fuckers even took my money. Thank god that I kept the trail hall pass in the house. That freaking pass costs 50 Bronze Coins! Didn’t they say they need beast masters? which commoner would be able to save that much, damn, it was only thanks to Lily that I managed to get the pass... I need to awaken, thats the only way" Leo’s thinking was in correct direction; it was all the nobles’ ploy that the cost was this high, being already established in good position, they didn’t want any more competitors to appear. Also the fact the introduction of mana increased life span, they planned to rule unhindered for a long time. Its said that the Emperor has been alive of more than 200 years and still young! One legitimate reason was that, if no cost had been added, every year the whole town would try their luck, even the ones that failed once. But nonetheless, the cost was still high. 100 coppers equalled 1 bronze coin, 100 bronze coins equalled 1 silver coin, 100 silver coins equalled 1 gold coin, and finally 1000 gold coins equalled 1 platinum coin. 50 Bronze coins may not seem much, but only that much could fill the stomachs of a 5-member family for nearly a month! Lily only earned 20 Bronze coins per month working at the restaurant, and Leo did some odd jobs here and there, making around 5 bronze coins. Not to mention the expenses on clothes and daily necessities. They had barely managed to scrape 50 Bronze in the course of a year so that Leo could participate in the awakening ceremony. "Lily... " Lily was a bit older than Leo, 24 while he was 22, making her play the big sister role which she naturally assumed was her responsibility. When her parents died 5 years ago, just so Leo would not worry, she presented herself as strong in front of him. She too had tried for awakening, but even though her soul rank came out to be Rare, she didn’t awaken the taming talent. Yes, Soul rank, this was a measure of the strength of one’s soul. It decided how many beasts a Beast Master could tame maximum and how much ability he could share with their beasts. There were 10 soul ranks, from weakest to strongest—Common, Uncommon, Rare, Super Rare, Epic, Legendary, Mythical, Transcendent, Divine and Eternal. With a formula deciding how many beasts they could tame at maximum, that is–(2x+5), with common having a value of x=1. Common - 7 Uncommon - 9 Rare - 11 Super Rare - 13 Epic - 15 Legendary - 17 Mythical - 19 Transcendent - 21 Divine - 23 Eternal - 25 But there is another perk to Soul Rank. The number of abilities they can use of each beast they have contracted. With common rank only one shared ability, and another ability is added with each higher rank. That is— Common[1], Uncommon[2], Rare[3]... Legendary[6], Mythical[7]...Eternal[10]. High Soul Rank even meant how easily you could get stronger. So basically, you can be individually more stronger even without your beasts not summoned if you have high soul rank, with common souls relying on beasts to fight for them. So lets say a Rare Soul Rank awakener tames the maximum beast allowed to him, then he can have an arsenal of 33 abilities! But it had to be mentioned that taming the potentially maximum amount of beasts was rarely seen, and more difficult the higher the rank. With most common and uncommon rank souls only able to tame 1 to 2 beasts. Even the Emperor, who is said to have a Legendary Rank soul has only 10 beasts. It was the same for abilities, some common rank souls couldn’t even handle a single ability before their souls collapsed. --- "Shit... I am pathetic in this life. A man’s greatest ability is to make money, and I even fail in that here." Leo muttered quietly as he cursed himself. Somehow he felt it was he who was in the wrong.