After making a few such attempts, I more or less satisfied my hunger, but constantly eating fruit isn't an option. I thought I could try gathering them and selling them. This would not only provide me with money but also give me a supply of food for some time. But first, I needed to check yesterday's trap to make sure it was working properly.
There was no point in going down because I could easily sneak my way there by the trees and, in the process, practice using the fruit. I started carefully moving from tree to tree, feeling like a monkey. "I've always dreamed of doing this—and here it is, my moment," I thought as I stretched my arm to leap to the next tree.
While I was moving, my gaze happened to fall down, and I noticed a deer. It was standing alone, seemingly trying to do something with a tree, pushing its head against it. After a minute, I understood—it was trying to knock a fruit off the tree. It was curious, but at that moment, I wasn't planning on hunting.
"Maybe I should try attacking it? If I dive down and push off from the tree with that kind of force, I might be able to kill it," the thought crossed my mind. But I quickly dismissed it. I still didn't know how strong I could be, so I'd better leave that for later.
I made my way towards the trap, moving cautiously along the tree branches to avoid attracting the animal's attention. The deer was still trying to knock the fruit off the tree, unaware of me, which was for the best. My goal wasn't hunting it but checking how the trap I set up the day before was working.
Standing on a branch, looking down, a wave of anxiety rushed through me. Although I knew my abilities would keep me safe, 20 meters was still a significant height. My mind told me everything would be fine, but my instincts and rationality told me otherwise. A chill ran down my spine at the thought of falling. Yes, I could easily jump, but descending was a different story.
"Alright..." I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. "I'll try to grab a branch and descend like that."
I carefully extended my arm, turning it into a spring, as I had learned to do. Elastic waves coursed through it, and I felt all the strength concentrate in my fingers. Now, I needed to calculate the jump and descend properly. My gaze fell to the ground again, and I felt a slight unease but forced myself to focus on the task.
Slowly and cautiously, I extended my arm forward and aimed for the nearest branch. The spring in my arm worked, and it quickly shot up to the right spot. My fingers grabbed the strong branch, and I felt it bounce in my hands. It was like a catapult, except I was the catapult.
My arm held tightly onto the branch, and I started descending. But after just a few meters, the spring almost bent to its limit. I had to act. I quickly decided, "I'll turn my legs into springs."
Letting go of the branch, I felt the fall accelerate sharply. Instinctively, I gritted my teeth to avoid screaming and shut my mouth.
Focusing, I quickly tensed my leg muscles, squeezed them, and... with effort, pushed off. Instantly, the springs in my legs worked, and I shot up, leaping several meters into the air.
Now standing on the ground, I felt a pain in my arm. Apparently, when I was descending and stretching my arm, I had injured it—it was another reminder that damaging parts of my transformed body causes pain.
"Guess I won't be working with traps," I thought, looking at the destroyed structure. Apparently, some large animal had broken it. It was disappointing, but I didn't let it get me down. Instead, I shifted my focus to another plan—gathering fruit.
"If I can sell these fruits for a good price, I'll get money and food," I thought, glancing at the nearby branches.
I quickly switched to the new plan. Up! The tree branches concealed the fruits, but I needed to get to them. My legs and arms were working well, so it was quite achievable. I needed to gather myself and jump to the next branch, from where I could easily reach the fruits.
I tensed my muscles, activated the springs in my legs, and—with effort—pushed off. Instantly, I shot upward, soared into the air, and landed near the branch, grabbing onto it.
Now I truly felt like some kind of primate, jumping from tree to tree, just like in those movies where heroes effortlessly glide through the jungle. Every move felt even more confident, and the power in my legs gave me an incredible sense of lightness.
I gathered two fruits, but then realized it didn't solve the problem. I had nowhere else to put them. Holding more than two in my hands wasn't an option, and I could easily lose them while moving. The net! The one I had. It would be perfect for carrying fruits and everything else.
But first, I should check out the town. Maybe someone would want to trade. After all, fruits like these were unlikely to be found anywhere else, and if I could sell them or trade them for something useful, it would be a great way to earn money and make my life a bit easier.
As I moved through the forest, I climbed higher and higher. The trees, like giants, towered around me, but it didn't bother me anymore. The forest was huge, but when you're jumping from enormous trees, the distances shrink dramatically. There's no need to crawl through thickets, avoid rocks or bushes—I could easily leap over all that, not paying attention. Of course, a few branches crossed my path, but I simply blew off leaves and small twigs and effortlessly passed them.
And yet, at one point, as I jumped over another branch, it became clear to me: this was incredibly fast. I was moving through the forest faster than ever before. I could get to the town in just a few minutes, and that feeling of freedom and speed was exhilarating.
As soon as I emerged from the forest, the sun illuminated my face. I descended the same way as before, then ran straight to the market—there was no point in going home.
As soon as I left the forest, the sun shone on my face, and I felt a slight chill on my skin. Descending the same way as last time, I carefully straightened my arms and smoothly landed on the ground. I quickly looked around and realized there was no time to waste—I needed to head to the market urgently. There was no reason to go home, since I was focused on a more important task—selling the fruits.
The market of Notis City was located not far from the main streets, where vendors and buyers usually gathered. I knew the route, since it was in one of the alleys where I had eaten the Bané Bané fruit. A light breeze tousled my hair, and the scent of fresh air mixed with the smell of the city markets, creating a strange sense of freedom. I still felt the residue of the fruits I had gathered under my nails, and the anticipation of the deal stirred my thoughts.
I need to find a buyer, I thought. The best option would probably be to sell the fruits to a vegetable and fruit seller. I started carefully scanning the market, looking for the right person with whom I could make a deal.
After a couple of minutes of wandering, I finally spotted a seller standing by his stall, full of fresh fruits and vegetables. His expression immediately showed that he wasn't thrilled about me approaching. I noticed how his face subtly twisted in displeasure when he saw me.
"Hey, what are you wandering around for?" he said gruffly, not hiding his irritation. "Have you even seen how you look? Dirty, like some kind of beggar. Where are you even from? You don't belong here."
I felt his words strike a nerve. I didn't expect such a reaction. Of course, I didn't look like a city dweller, and after everything I'd been through in the forest, my appearance wasn't great. But I didn't panic. I tried to explain.
"Listen, I have something interesting to offer you," I said, trying to smooth things over. "These fruits are rare. Maybe they'll be useful for trade or as a delicacy. You could make some money."
But his expression didn't change. He even waved me off.
"Get out of here," he muttered. "I don't need people like you. And your fruits—I'm not interested in them either."
I felt my anger rising. Although I was untidy, I hadn't come empty-handed. Deciding it wasn't worth wasting any more time, I turned around and walked away. Thoughts raced in my head: I need to find someone else, someone more open to deals.
Realizing it was better not to waste time on those who rejected me right away, I headed toward another vendor, hoping I'd have more luck there.
The situation repeated itself several times: someone waved me off, someone grimaced at my appearance, and some even chased me away without wanting to listen. Just when I was about to lose hope and thought that nothing would work out today, I noticed a small stall with baskets full of fruits. Behind the counter was an old woman with a kind and welcoming face. She was carefully observing the buyers, but her gaze wasn't as cold as the others. I approached her and cautiously laid a few fruits on the counter.
"Wow, what do you have here?" the old woman asked, leaning over to take a closer look at the fruits. "They're so beautiful! Where did you find them?"
I quickly explained that I had gathered them in the forest. The old woman seemed interested.
"From what I understand, you want to sell them?" she asked, eyeing me closely.
"Yes," I replied quickly, a bit shy but confident.
"This fruit is called mango, and I can sell it for 200 belli," she added, narrowing her eyes slightly, "but I can buy it from you for 100."
I stood there, thinking, my gaze drifting over the fruit in my hand. The mango was indeed good—large, juicy—and I knew it was worth more. But this old woman clearly wasn't going to pay the full price.
"100 belli?" I asked, trying to hide my displeasure. "You do realize that's unfair. I gathered these fruits with difficulty, and they're worth much more."
She laughed, as if I'd said something funny.
"Dear, in our world, you need to know how to haggle," she said with a smile. "100 belli is a fair price for such fruits. And it seems like you don't know much about how the market works."
I gritted my teeth. The old woman was clearly an experienced trader, and her offer wasn't random. She probably thought I wouldn't be able to offer anything better and that she could easily take advantage of me. But I needed at least something so I wouldn't leave empty-handed.
"I can give you a discount, but not that big," I replied, trying to be patient. "Let's agree on 120 belli, and I'll only bring them to you."
She squinted at me again, evaluating. The pause stretched out. I could feel the tension rising. But then she seemed to decide that my mangoes were worth it after all.
"Alright, 120 belli. You're not such a bad seller as I thought," she said. She took two fruits, carefully placed them in her basket, and handed me the coins.
I felt a sense of relief when I held the handful of belli in my hands. It wasn't the best deal, but it was something. Now I had a little money.