The next morning soon arrived, and the rooster was the first to wake. His eyes gleamed with excitement, his mind feeling fresher than usual as he hopped upright, feathers fluffed and tail held high. Without a moment's hesitation, he called up his status panel. The familiar glow appeared before his eyes, and he focused eagerly on the line that mattered most.
Talent: Yet to awaken (95.5%)
The excitement drained from his face almost instantly."Only… 95.5%?!"
His beak twitched in disbelief. It had risen by a mere half percent overnight, a measly 0.5%! He slumped slightly. At this pace, it would take nine full days to reach 100%. Still, that wasn't so bad. His confidence soon returned as he quickly cheered up; slow progress was still progress!
Then something unexpected caught his eye. "…Wait a second," he muttered, leaning closer. His Mind stat had increased from E- to E.
He blinked several times. Just yesterday, it had been E-. "Why did it suddenly increase?" he murmured, pacing as he tried to find the reason. What had changed between yesterday and today?
As confusion furrowed his feathery brow, a sudden pulse of information washed over him. It was the familiar feedback from the status panel, explaining that the Mind tier could increase through understanding, knowledge, meditation, or certain triggers.
He tilted his head, absorbing the explanation. "Ohhh… makes sense," he said, nodding sagely as if he had known it all along. The surge in knowledge he'd absorbed yesterday must have caused the increase. Realizing this, he nodded again, satisfied.
Then curiosity struck again. "What about Body and Soul? How do I increase their tier?"
As if expecting the question, more information flowed into his mind. The Body tier could be raised through physical training and absorption of life energy. The Soul tier, however, could improve only through feats, achievements, and acts recognized by the will of the world.
Satisfied with this newfound knowledge, he closed his status panel and leapt gracefully from the pond's center to the grassy shore.
Standing atop the hill, he gazed at the distant horizon. As if in response to his presence, the first glimmer of sunlight peeked over the edge of the world, spilling across the flower field. Petals blushed gold, dew droplets sparkled like scattered gems, and a soft haze hovered over the grass, giving the hilltop an almost magical glow. Even the trees seemed to stretch their branches toward the light, welcoming the day.
He drew in a deep breath, feathers bristling as he released his signature cry."KUUUUU-KA-KIEAAA-KUUUU!"
His crow echoed across the flower field and into the surrounding forest, a clear declaration of his rule. Rabbits bolted from their burrows. Chickens shivered awake. Lizards and snakes stirred beneath rustling leaves.
One particular black lizard, sprawled at the bottom of the hill, blinked awake, its scales dusty and tail crooked as if it had spent the night rolling downhill like a living bowling ball. With a startled grunt, it scrambled upright and dashed upward the hill.
…
Meanwhile, at the top of the hill, Shivaya slowly opened her eyes. She exhaled softly, her gaze drifting briefly toward the crowing rooster before turning to her own status panel.
Talent: Yet to awaken (50%)
"Fifty percent," she murmured with a pleased hum. "A five percent increase in one night, not bad at all."
For a land so poor in life energy, it was an impressive result. If she had relied solely on passive absorption of life energy, the growth would have been far slower. And much to her delight, her Body stat had also risen from F- to F, causing her beak to tilt up slightly.
With a satisfied nod, she stood and stretched lazily. Absorbing life energy for hours on end was mentally exhausting, and she intended to take a a short break, a nap, perhaps sounded enticing.
Deep in thought, she didn't notice the rooster hopping closer after his morning crow, his eyes bright with affection.
"Ah, my beautiful hen! Slept well?" he clucked, voice dripping with adoration as he nuzzled against her.
The sudden touch made her tense. She snapped her head toward him, eyes widening in anger. 'How dare this stupid rooster touch me… again!' she thought, trembling with suppressed fury.
With a forced calm she forced herself to step back, creating distance. 'Calm down, Shivaya. Don't provoke him. What if he gets angry and decides to end your life this time? Ten days… just ten more days. Awaken your talent first. Don't lash out. Just ignore him'
Repeating the "mantra" silently, she plopped down again, turning her head. Her exhaustion melted away as she resumed absorbing life energy with renewed determination.
The rooster froze mid-motion, rubbing his face awkwardly against thin air before stumbling. A big question mark might as well have appeared above his head."???"
He blinked, bewildered and confused by her sudden coldness and the lack of her usual cluck as a response. 'Did… did she not hear me? Maybe she didn't understand my intent this time?'
Puzzled but unwilling to press further, he sighed. His feathers drooped slightly. "Maybe she's just in a bad mood today," he muttered, consoling himself. With a resigned cluck, he turned away and began his usual patrol.
…
Halfway down the hill, he paused and shouted, "LIZARD!"
A hurried scuttling followed. "Boss, I'm here!" The black lizard appeared before him, panting slightly.
The rooster's gaze softened. This lizard was, after all, his long time rival and the only creature (alive) in his territory he could properly converse with. Others could sense his intent and he theirs, sure, but understanding each other's words or full sentences? That was far too advanced. Even his beloved hen only understood the meaning he wanted to convey, not full sentences.
"Like usual," he said, straightening up. "Don't let anyone set foot on top of the hill. And I'd better not catch you sleeping on duty again."
The lizard nodded vigorously. "Yes, Boss!"
Of course, the moment the rooster turned his back, the lizard was already scheming about its favorite napping spots. No creature outside the hen ever dared approach the hill anyway, surely a short nap wouldn't hurt.
The rooster knew exactly what went through the lizard's head. He sighed but didn't scold it further.
Looking at it, he recalled the past. Once, this lazy black lizard had been his fiercest rival, fighting tooth and claw for control of the flower field. Back then, it had been a creature of unmatched skill and ferocity. Its scales still bore the marks of countless battles. Ruthlessness had been its only option if it wanted to protect its weak kin from predators and rivals.
During that time, it had defeated the other contender for the territory; the leader of snake faction, that slippery snake was clawed into pieces, and was eaten on the spot by this very lizard. It had spared none of its enemies; mercy was a luxury a leader of the weakest faction could not afford.
Even after losing the final battle against the rooster, it had refused to give up, fearing its kin would revert to being mere prey. Every day, it challenged him, striving to grow stronger, hoping that one day it could reclaim its lost territory. Its ambition was not fueled by pride but by duty and the instinctual drive to secure a safe environment for those under its protection.
Despite repeated defeats, it never gave up. The constant challenges had even made the rooster consider ending its life back then. Yet as weeks became months, the lizard noticed a change under the rooster's rule. The flower field was no longer a battleground. The chickens, smaller lizards, rabbits, even the snakes who had once preyed on them, all lived in peace. Their main food source shifted from lizards to insects, fish, and worms, sparing their lives from the harsh fights and constant threats that had defined the lizard's early years.
Witnessing this, the lizard's ferocity softened into the lazy contentment it held today.
With a resigned sigh, the rooster snapped out of his reminiscence and looked toward the horizon.
Soon, the otherwolders would arrive. He didn't know exactly when, but they would not come in peace. Reviewing what he knew of them, he was certain they would turn not only his, but his subjects little world upside down.
He glanced at the lizard, a silly grin on its face as it daydreamed about naps. If he could, he would let it enjoy life in peace… but with the players looming, he needed someone strong by his side to protect his subjects. For now, he let it rest.
With a thoughtful sigh, the proud rooster resumed his patrol.