บท 51: Pure Soul

As he was thinking what Kragnas meant under his sentence, suddenly an intense pain struck his head.

It was like someone opened up his head and with an iron hammer started to hit his brain mercilessly. It was unbearably painful.

As Joe and the others saw that the scenery around them changed back where they entered and the gate started to disappear slowly, they sighed up with relief.

However, their calmness didn't last for too long, because suddenly Greg on the side screamed up loudly while clenching his head in pain.

Kyle ran next to him and put his hand on his body, but as his palm touched his shoulder he felt intense heat coming from his skin, resulting in him unable to touch him.

"What is happening?", asked Joe on the side a bit worriedly as he looked at Greg's suffering figure.

"Rose, help!", said Kyle without answering as he looked at Rose.

Following Kyle's order, Rose kneeled down and put her hands out. In an instant, flowers appeared all around Greg's body with a dim green light.

Just as they thought this would help him, suddenly Greg started to twist and twitch, while the bones, muscles, and skin on his body started to move intensely.

As this happened Kyle and the others looked shocked and stepped back a few steps because they didn't know what will happen.

Time went by second after second and after a while, Greg's body stopped twitching and fell unconsciously onto the ground.

Watching all of this happening, Kyle and the others looked at each other and all of them saw the shock and the confusion in the eyes of the other.

***

[Three days later]

Greg was sleeping soundlessly in bed when suddenly his eyes shot open and sat up.

He looked around, only to see that he was in one of the Dia Family's room. As always, it was luxurious. Comfortable bed, golden lamps on the ceiling, and beautiful pictures on the jade walls.

As he was looking around, a familiar voice sounded in his ear.

"Ah, you are finally awake, nice. How are you feeling?"

Greg looked around but didn't see anyone, so in the end, he looked at his hands and said, "I feel refreshed and also somewhat... powerful? Strange. Never felt like this."

"Hehe, of course, you feel that way. It's because you unlocked the limiter, your body reached the first grade."

Hearing the unfamiliar words Greg looked confused and asked, "Limiter? First grade? What are these about?"

Instead of answering, suddenly Alice appeared on his lap and looked at him with her cute eyes.

"So this is the Guardian that chose you yes?"

Hearing the question Greg nodded and as he did a black stone appeared before him.

"And this is your Soul Stone, yes?"

Greg hearing all of this, raised his eyebrow and asked, "Yes, but what about them?"

"Did you ever heard the definition of Pure Soul Stone?"

Greg hearing that just shook his head and said no.

"Pure Soul Stones. These things only appear, when one with a Pure Soul appears, that's why they called that way."

"And what's their use?", asked Greg after hearing what the voice said. He remembered that back then, the same voice said that he had a unique soul, but that time he didn't understand what that meant.

But now, it seems he had that so-called pure soul, which the voice talks about.

"As you may know, normal Soul Stones makes a connection with a creature, which is real or just a legend from the past. With them, humans could get powers that before they never could. However, they need the rank up with cultivating their talent, while consuming energy crystals."

"Yeah, I know that already.", said Greg calmly.

"If you know that, well just forget those things in an instant, because from now on, none of them will matter."

Hearing this Greg looked shocked and asked, "What do you mean to forget?"

"Well, those with Pure Soul Stone cultivate differently. While normally you gain power through your Guardian, until then with a Pure Soul Stone you not just get that, but also refine your body, soul, and mind. Each has a different grade. As I said, you reached the Body Grade and now you are currently in the first level out of the five levels. Only after getting into the fifth level, consuming enough crystals, and cultivating your Guardian's talent can you, in the end, rank up into the Soul Grade."

Hearing this much informations at once, made Greg quite confused, so in the end, he sighed and asked, "Okay, okay. Before we start over again and tell me everything slowly and normally, who are you, to begin with?"

Hearing his question, the voice sounded proud and said, "I'm everything and nothing. I'm the beginning and the end. They called me the Creator, but well... you can just call me Alice."

Listening to what the voice just said, Greg, looked even more confused and looked at the rabbit before him.

"So is she you?"

Hearing the question the voice chuckled and said, "She is a fragment of me, so yes you can say that."

Greg nodded and wanted to ask another thing but suddenly the door on the side opened, while Joe with his father, and Scott slowly walked in.

Looking at them he put away his stone and Alice while trying to get up.

"No, just stay there. You deserve to rest.", said Joe's father as he stopped Greg to stand up.

Hearing this, Greg sat back slowly and looked at the three quietly.

"I heard everything you did and I can only thank you. If it wasn't for you, we don't know what would have happened."

Greg hearing Joe's father thanks, shook his head and said, "It wasn't just me. All of us helped each other and also we couldn't save Jake and David in the end."

Saying their names, Greg looked incredibly sad. Even though he didn't know them, he didn't like to see others be killed that cruelly as they were. It was unforgivable.

"As for them, we have already made a burial and sent help for their left alone family members. But unfortunately, we can't change the past. As for why we are here, is because we want to confirm that you right. We heard what happened, so please let Scott examine you."

Greg nodded and let Scott examine his body.

10 minutes later, Scott stood up and looked somewhat shocked.

Seeing his expression Joe's father stepped closer.

"What happened?"

Scott hearing the question cleared his throat and said, while looking at Greg, "Umm... How should I say it. His body changed."

Joe and his father after hearing this looked confused and looked at Greg.

"I mean his body changed in a good way. It looks like his bones got extremely strong, while he gained a few muscles that only on people with a body system appears, but the strange thing is that he doesn't fall into among them. And what is more strange is... well to show, what I mean, I need you to stand up, so please."

Following Scott's favor, Greg stood up, but in an instant as he did that he looked before him with a shocked expression.

It wasn't because he saw something incredible, but because he felt somewhat strange. He looked down to Scott, Joe, and his father.

In the past, Joe was higher than him with a few centimeters, but now he was half a head higher, reaching almost 6'44".

"But how?", asked Greg as he looked at his body. It was like he wasn't looking at himself, but another guy's body. It felt incredibly strange.

Joe's father looked at him with a strange look, but in the end, he asked, "Do you know what happened?"

Greg started to think for a while, but in the end, decided not to tell anyone about Alice and his Pure Soul Stone. He doesn't know if he will end up as a laboratory rat or something worse.

Even if he wanted, he could say anything, because he too didn't understand what was happening with him at the moment.

"No, Sir. I don't know."

Joe's father looked somewhat deep in thought, but in the end, he shook his head and said, while turning around"Nevermind, just rest for a few days. As for everything else, let us deal with them."

Greg nodded and sat back down onto the bed and watched as the three walked out of the room.

***

As Scott and Joe's father walked in the hallway, suddenly Scott started to talk quietly.

"Sir, if I may. I think what you meant last time, I felt that too now."

Joe's father looked calm and nodded.

"Me too. But this time it was much stronger. This feeling... I don't know what is happening, but I will figure it out."

Scott nodded and continued to follow Joe's father quietly, while he was deep in thought.