Rio returned to the top of the tree, but before reaching the very top, he noticed something strange on one of the leaves.
There was a soul.
"What is that?!"
Rio did not understand. He was extremely confused. He approached it, trying to see what it was.
As he got closer, he noticed a newborn child lying on the leaf.
The leaf itself was displaying the child's life from the moment of birth.
Rio did not pay much attention and continued upward.
As Rio ascended, he saw countless leaves on the tree, each one displaying the life of a human, a monster, or any other creature—from birth onward.
He even discovered that when a leaf was torn away, the person linked to it died immediately. Their life was bound to that leaf.
Rio continued moving and noticed a leaf falling.
He went to it and found a dead man. After that, scenes from the man's life began to play—from the moment he was born, everything he had learned, everything about him…
"Seriously… what is happening?!
These things were not here before!"
Rio grew even more confused. Millions of questions flooded his mind.
He continued flying upward and finally reached the small dragon. He told him everything that had happened.
After that, Rio gave him a name.
"Ren… that will be your name from today onward."
The small dragon began flying happily around Rio.
Rio smiled, but his thoughts were still tangled with those strange events.
Night fell.
Ren fell asleep, but Rio could not.
"I can't sleep…
I really want to understand what those things are. I'll go now."
Rio decided to go back down and check again.
He descended and stopped in front of one of the tree's leaves. He asked the system to analyze and explain it.
The system replied:
"It appears that the leaves of this tree have become embodiments of the lives of all creations—from their birth to their death. These leaves are connected to the life of every being in this world. If a leaf falls, that person dies. You may consider it equivalent to their soul."
Rio was shocked and could no longer understand anything.
He turned cautiously, gripping his sword and taking a defensive stance.
Rio felt a powerful aura coming from one of the leaves.
He rushed toward it and found a man there.
"That person… he must be extremely strong."
Rio began to sweat from the sheer intensity of the man's aura and terrifying presence.
Rio started secretly observing him, watching everything the man did.
The man was forging a sword—but not an ordinary sword.
The blade emitted a hidden and terrifying power. Its black color and razor-sharp edges gave it a dreadful beauty, as if it were crafted from the blood-soaked fangs of a vampire.
Rio felt even more curiosity toward him.
For an entire week, he observed the man without getting bored.
Months passed, and Rio learned some things from him.
"Thank you… unknown man."
Rio truly felt grateful.
He thought for a moment, and an idea came to his mind.
If he continued observing people through these leaves, wouldn't he be able to learn countless things—abilities, knowledge, and sciences?
He began imagining it.
He imagined fruits growing from the branches of that tree, each fruit representing knowledge, abilities, and the power of all beings—from birth until death.
If someone were to eat such a fruit, they would gain immense knowledge, abilities, power, and energy.
Rio thought it was just a joke.
But he forgot something important—
His power lies in his imagination.
The next day, Rio woke up feeling energetic.
He found the dragon standing near an apple, eating it.
"Ren… what are you eating?
Is that an apple?"
Rio was surprised. There had never been apples where they lived.
But he did not think much of it.
As usual, he flew toward one of the nearby human cities.
He changed his appearance, since his real form looked frightening—like a vampire or a demon.
Rio entered the city. It was lively, full of people and markets everywhere.
He went to one of the sword markets and entered a shop.
"Welcome… how may I help you, sir?"
A young man greeted Rio inside the store.
"I want the best sword you have."
Rio wanted an exceptional sword.
The seller was surprised and assumed Rio was wealthy—though in reality, Rio had nothing.
The seller presented the finest sword they had, but Rio did not like it.
He left the shop.
Rio flew back to the forest and returned to the tree.
But something strange awaited him.
There was a human sitting there… with wings similar to Ren's.
Rio thought this person had killed Ren.
Enraged, he attacked, releasing a strike that shattered the silence.
The man remained seated calmly.
Then he turned back with a sharp gaze and caught Rio's sword using only two fingers.
"What?!"
Rio was shocked. He jumped back quickly and began sweating.
The man spoke:
"Rio, what's wrong with you?
Didn't you recognize me?
It's me… Ren."
Rio was stunned.
"Ren?!?!
What?!
What happened to you?"
To be continued…