I squinted and stared at my hands.
They were completely different—smaller, darker, rougher in a way they’d never been before. For a moment, all I could do was gape at them in disbelief.
So this is Morph...
RAGNA POV...
Astonishment threatened to steal my attention, but the floating numbers in my vision snapped me back to reality.
[Time left: 1:58]
"Tch." I clicked my tongue softly. No time to admire myself.
After one last glance at the countdown, I clenched my fists and moved.
Time to go do some money shopping.
I grinned and headed out.
Even though I had spent four years living in this village, I was still unfamiliar with most of it. Normally that would have worried me—but with my senses enhanced, I could already feel the signs of life and movement ahead of me like faint ripples in the air.
I ran past a few small shops and a noisy tavern before arriving at a wider street. Stalls lined both sides, left and right, packed tightly together.
The local trading market square.
Despite the evening hour, people still moved about. Some vendors were already closing, while others—clearly desperate—were sweet-talking passersby, trying to squeeze out a last sale before nightfall.
My eyes scanned the area until I spotted what I was looking for.
A vegetable stall.
Cabbages. Root crops. Local produce.
I smiled and jogged toward it. The stall didn’t seem very busy—actually, it was almost empty.
Rows of vegetables and fruits were neatly arranged on wooden cabinets, but even from a distance I could tell they weren’t fresh. Some were wilted, others showed signs of pest bites.
’No wonder business is bad,’ I thought.
I didn’t waste time and stepped forward.
"What do you want to buy, little lad?" the shop owner asked with a polite smile.
He was a middle-aged man, about one-point-seven meters tall. His tanned skin was creased from age and labor, and his hair was tied back into a rough ponytail. He wore simple farmer clothes—a plain shirt, loose black pants, and sandals.
He would’ve seemed perfectly nice... if not for the fact that he only had one arm.
That, combined with his sharp eyes and excessive politeness, made him feel strangely unsettling.
"Excuse me, sir," I said, forcing my voice to sound meek. "If you don’t mind, I would d like to sell my vegetables."
"I see," he replied, nodding as his gaze shifted to the sack by my side.
There was a reason I hadn’t harvested every single stalk from the forest. Selling to Aunt Lilith had been a loss—but the market square was where real profit was made.
Morph leveling up had pushed my plan into motion.
Back in my previous life, I was a city kid. I knew nothing about markets or selling produce. I needed practice—experience. And that cheapskate aunt had been the perfect tutorial, even if it meant shooting myself in the foot at first.
[1:20]
I kept smiling, but my insides were tied in knots. My heartbeat quickened, half from nerves and half from the relentless countdown ticking away in my vision.
"Sir... don’t you like them?" I asked carefully, watching his expression like a hawk.
[1:19]
"No, no, child—you misunderstand," he said, his smile widening slightly. "Your parents probably sent you to sell these, yes? Should I wait for them, or will you do the bidding yourself?"
"How much are you willing to sell them for?" he continued. "Don’t worry, I won’t cheat you. They’re quite fresh, and business has been slow all day."
I swallowed and pushed the sack forward, pretending it was heavier than it really was.
"Three gold coins," I said, forcing myself to sound brave.
The man squinted, scratching his chin as he considered. I could almost see the gears turning in his head. He clearly hadn’t expected a child to show up with produce this fresh—especially on a day his business was nearly dead.
"If you want me to buy them," he finally said, "then two gold coins."
’Guess you really can’t judge people by appearances, huh’ I thought.
"Thank you, sir," I said quickly. "I’ll take it."
"Good," he replied with a satisfied smile.
[00:30]
The moment the two gold coins hit my palm, my eyes flicked back to the countdown.
My blood ran cold.
I turned around, sweat practically soaking my pants as the numbers dropped faster than I liked.
The shop owner tried to walk after me. "Should I take you to your parents? You said they were—"
"No, thank you, sir!" I said quickly, bowing slightly. "I can find them myself."
Before he could insist, I slipped into the crowd.
When he finally looked around again, the boy was gone.
[Time left before ’Morph’ deactivates: 00:01]
I ran.
As fast as my legs could carry me.
The instant I reached my street, the notification popped up.
[’Morph’ has been deactivated]
My body reverted, but the rush didn’t fade.
If anything, it intensified.
By the time I reached the front of my house, my chest was heaving—not just from running, but from exhilaration.
I had risked my ass, not just that I had also used my ability.
And alsoFa made real money.
Yet beneath that thrill... there was nervousness.
I pushed the door open.
And froze.
Mother. Father. My sisters.
All of them were there, faces tight with worry. My father’s eyes were red—crying.
Not because my sister was ill.
Because of me.
Something clenched painfully in my chest. Guilt surged through me as I stared at them, at the people who had been waiting, fearing.
I knew they loved me—but seeing it like this, so raw and desperate, made it real in a way I hadn’t understood before.
Is this... what having a loving family feels like?
[Author Notes: I would like to say a big thank you to everyone for reading this novel, and our top fans,I appreciate every comment, review, powerstones, golden tickets you guys give the book. But we need more.]
[Our hunger grows!]
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