-----
In the far mountains of the western snow lands, where bitter cold and endless snow reigned supreme, a large group of orcs had been silently raised by unseen forces. Green-skinned, wild, and generally twice as tall and three times as strong as most barbarian races, orcs were a powerful nomadic people that lived—at least on the Green Plains—by pillaging and hunting. To survive, they would sometimes descend from their frozen peaks and raid smaller, defenseless tribes.
Unlike humans, who usually recoiled from cannibalism, orcs had no qualms about eating humans for sustenance. They viewed them as nothing more than food when the great magical beasts of the mountains were insufficient or grew too scarce.
This tribe, however, was unlike the rest. They had been raised by a powerful "Lord" who oversaw not only them but many other tribes, nurturing them with strange and potent magical energies. He had been cultivating a group of goblins in a mist-covered forest and several undead forces in scattered locations, steadily expanding his dominion over the land. His ultimate goal was to one day rule the Green Plains and crush everything else beneath his heel, all while building his army in secret.
But ten years ago, disaster struck. Every stronghold he had carefully nurtured was destroyed. The treasures he had stored there to empower his forces were plundered, and most of his soldiers were slaughtered by a band of hardy barbarians who seemed to know far too much about The Game.
"My lord…"
A tall, muscular orc—the chieftain of the Wilders Gang—knelt before a floating, phantasmal orb. Dark, ghostly energies surged through the shadowy tent as the orb hovered, watching over everything.
From within the ghostly orb, a pair of glowing red eyes materialized, staring down at the orc chieftain.
"We've received reports that the Abandoned Temple where you were developing those undead… it was destroyed."
"…By the same barbarians again?"
"Yes."
The chieftain lowered his gaze. He was the strongest orc in the tribe, yet he showed profound respect toward his Lord—a being whose power far surpassed his understanding, a monster who defied the laws that bound all others, a creature that stood above death itself.
"Ridiculous. How does that small tribe of humans know the location of every single one of my fortresses? And how do they always know the best ways to infiltrate each one?! They even plundered the treasures…"
"Honestly, you should have seized them before they were stolen, my Lord—"
"Shut up! I didn't ask for your opinion!"
"My apologies."
The orc sighed and lowered his head further. Burning frustration churned inside him, but he knew better than to defy his lord.
"The reason I didn't take those treasures immediately was because I wanted to use them to strengthen my troops. Eventually, I planned to raise a Hero in each area—a Goblin Hero and various Undead Heroes. Each would wield one of those relics and fight for me. I suppose I was foolish. Still, I am not one to fight personally, so they were useless to me at the time."
"…"
"That tribe—was it confirmed as the Red Fang Tribe?! Are you certain?"
"Yes, their banner bears the mark. They are the Red Fangs. Half have red hair, the other half white. There is no doubt."
"Huh… this is strange. That tribe was supposed to be mere cannon fodder, doomed to die once the First War began—which should be in about four or five years."
"…"
"The only thing that could have changed things so drastically is that… the events I remember are not the same here because this world is no longer… that. Or perhaps… there is someone like me among them."
"L-Like my lord? That's impossible!"
"No, it's possible. The god who sent me here said he was sending everyone who had reached Rank 1. Two others were sent before me."
"...?"
The orc chieftain's confusion deepened as he realized his lord had been sent by a god. His admiration and respect only grew stronger.
"Well, they've stolen all my relics, so we're taking them back! You—gather the Orc Tribes from the Winter Fang Mountains. All of them!"
"A-All five?!"
"Yes, all five. That should give us around five hundred soldiers. Overwhelm the Red Fangs, devour them, and bring me my relics. If you find a Hero, a Hero in training, or anyone with abilities similar to mine, bring them to me alive. Or at least bring their corpse and seal their soul in the Soul Orb. Understood?"
"Yes…! Very well! It is war—and a feast! It's a shame they're such a small tribe. They will pay for daring to rob our lord!"
"How long will it take to gather the tribes?"
"Gathering all five is no easy task, my lord. It would take over a year due to the distances involved. Then we must march to the Green Plains and locate them. It could stretch to two or three years."
"Damn it! Why did I spread my forces so thin? In the game, all of this happened instantly, but here I must wait in real time—so frustrating!"
"W-What?"
"Nothing! Then gather the tribes closest to you—at least one or two. I will send scouts to find where they are moving and their route. I will reclaim my relics!"
"Yes!"
As the orc departed, his Lord reclined on his throne and sighed, gazing at the holographic panel before him. A vast map showed the territories he had claimed, now glowing red—every location assaulted while his forces were still developing.
"I never imagined I would have to fight one of them so soon… though it has been a decade. I admit it was my mistake to think no one would dare touch those relics. It took them ten years. But if they truly belong to that tribe, could they have been reborn as children? Hah… then it shouldn't be too hard to crush them."
He rose and walked through his dark castle into a vast chamber. A massive cauldron bubbled endlessly with deep, inky black water, releasing green, noxious gases thick with the stench of death and decay.
He stirred the giant cauldron with his phantasmal powers. Hundreds of corpses rose, wailing and screaming, merging together, separating, and fusing once more.
A black grimoire materialized beside him. Its pages flipped open, revealing dozens of cursed runes that floated into the air.
He moved his hands, beginning the summoning of his new units.
"I have gathered all the materials and the conditions are perfect. The only thing missing is this."
From empty space, he retrieved dozens of Soul Orbs containing the souls of his troops' victims and weaklings sacrificed after birth because they could not grow strong enough.
One by one, the Soul Orbs dropped into the cauldron, dissolving into the wailing spirits of children and innocents killed in his name.
His empty eyes gleamed with ghostly flames as the hundreds of corpses fused into large, singular monstrosities dozens of meters tall. One by one, they stepped out of the massive cauldron.
"Hahah… Heheh… Perfect! Yes! At last, my first Tier 4 Units—Rotten Sentinels! Now let's continue. Let's make as many as possible!"
As he laughed, in another part of his castle, another of his bodies finished assembling three large Bone Wyverns. He sent them soaring into the skies to locate the Red Fangs—and to test their strength. If these Tier 3 Bone Wyverns could destroy them easily, he might not even need hundreds of orc soldiers.
"Bone Wyverns are expensive to create, so I cannot afford an entire army—even against a small clan of cannon fodder like the damn Red Fangs… but this will do. Let's see if they're strong enough to back up their theft, or stupid enough to rob the possessions of a Lich of my caliber… Hahah."
♢♢♢♢
[You have received your first quest as a War Goddess]:
[Hunt a Tier 1 Magic Beast: 0/1]
Congratulations on finally awakening the War Goddess System. Your path toward Ascension has begun on the Green Plains. To forge yourself into the perfect War Goddess, you must start from the beginning and hunt a ferocious critter!
[Reward]: +10 Strength and the Talent: [War Spirit Physique (C Rank)]
Huh? But haven't I already completed this quest?
[Master, I think there might be a small problem with my systems…]
I looked at the system in surprise, realizing something was wrong. The System's response only confirmed it. There seemed to be a strange glitch.
"Is this a glitch?" I asked mentally, using telepathy. She could hear me because she was connected to my soul.
[Yes… it's part of the many errors in my synapsis. I'm so sorry for never telling you! I… I was afraid you would try to abandon me if I told you. The other functions work just fine. It's just that this—and maybe a few others you haven't obtained yet—might have problems.]
"Huh, so that's it? Well, it's not so bad. What was the next quest about?" I wondered.
[You would be tasked with hunting five more Tier 1 monsters and receive additional strength and a random skill ticket…]
"Ah, I wish I could have that… but this isn't bad either. So I just have to complete it again? Can I?"
[Yes, I think that once you complete it enough times, it will be fixed. I am working on it myself, but I need EXP to continue.]
"Oh, so you can't do it alone?"
[As I said before, I am greatly flawed. My master… well, he created me carelessly and left me with many problems I cannot fix easily on my own. This is one of them.]
"So I suppose we're in this together? Well, it's already better than I ever imagined. A glitched quest isn't the end of the world… and isn't it easy? What happens if I get the same Physique again?"
[Not even I know what might happen…]
"Heh, then why don't we go find out tomorrow?"
After dinner with my family, I went to sleep and woke early the next morning. We weren't moving until tomorrow anyway, so I still had time to hunt.
After feeding Fenrir some meat and sheep milk, he quickly followed me. We slipped quietly into the forest, searching for more horned rabbits.
With my new strength, sharper senses, and the Goblin Ring equipped, things should be easier than before.
"Graarr!"
Fenrir let out a cute groan and pointed into the distance. His sense of smell was far superior to mine, so he guided me toward whatever he had detected.
I spread my Mana Aura and forced myself to maintain it constantly, despite the exhaustion. This was how I would slowly improve and expand it.
The strongest warriors in my clan could extend their Mana Aura dozens of meters around them. My grandfather, the chief, could cover the entire clan grounds.
I needed to reach their level. A Mana Aura didn't just strengthen the body—when expanded, it sharpened the senses, letting me detect approaching enemies, sense nearby danger, and locate prey with ease, just as Fenrir was doing now.
"Is it over here?"
I moved carefully through the forest, gently parting bushes and trying to stay silent. In the distance, I spotted three Horned Rabbits digging up and eating tubers from the soil.
Honestly, they were adorable. I wondered if I could tame one. My brother had said my soul could only hold Fenrir for now… but maybe things had changed since the System awakened.
Still, I wasn't a Beast Tamer. I would need to ask my brother for help with that.
Now…
"Fen, just like before."
Fenrir quickly moved to the other side and waited. I only needed one, so I would let the others flee if they chose to.
With the Goblin Ring equipped, I steadied my breathing and gripped the axe my father had given me. I watched the small magic beasts eat, completely unaware.
Then…
I jumped.
I reached the nearest rabbit in a single second. The other two reacted instantly, bolting away at breakneck speed, their legs kicking up dirt as if their lives depended on it—because they did.
But the third one, the one I had targeted?
It was already dead.
"Uh… brutal."
My axe had struck faster than it could escape. What remained was a messy pile of meat and fur. A little too brutal.
Maybe next time I should just impale them with my spear. Damn it, I hadn't brought it today. I'd have to try that later.
Still, quest complete.
[You have completed the Novice War Goddess Quest: [Hunt a Tier 1 Magic Beast: 1/1]]
[Reward]: +10 Strength and the Talent: [War Spirit Physique (C Rank)]
[Do you wish to accept the rewards?]
[Yes] [No]
"Nice. I didn't level up, though. Guess I need more rabbits… but first, let's claim my daily reward."
I pressed [Yes]. A surge of crimson energy flooded my body. My muscles swelled with sudden power as the same red runic patterns appeared again, layering over the existing ones.
At the same time, a giant figure made of crimson flames engulfed me. This time, I didn't nearly collapse from the pain. I endured it, absorbing the power of the War Spirit Physique completely.
When the energy finally receded, I felt markedly stronger. Had I grown taller again? My perspective had definitely shifted; I stood noticeably farther from the ground.
The runes burned an even deeper red now, and my Mana Aura carried a faint crimson tint. When I focused, a large fist made of Aura emerged, mixing Mana with what I assumed was Spirit Energy.
"Cool. It worked!"
[Complete! You have gained +10 Strength and the Talent: [War Spirit Physique (C Rank)]!]
[Your compatible Physiques have merged; you obtained the [Great War Spirit Physique (B Rank)]!]
"Woow! No way! It evolved?! B Rank?! System! Did you see that?"
[I did! I-I didn't expect that at all! W-Well, I'm glad it was useful, I suppose?]
"Don't you get it? This is a glitch—one I can abuse to my heart's content…!" I laughed. "Okay, I feel like I gained something else too. Let me check my status…"
-----
[System Owner]: [Brunhild Skadi]
[Titles]: [Red Fang's Young Seer]
[Level]: [2/10]
[Elemental Spirit Root]: [None]
[Spirit Beast Tattoo]: [None]
[Talents]: [Great War Spirit Physique – Tier 2 (B Rank)]
[Traits]: [None]
[Vitality]: [830] -> [1230]
[Mana]: [1040] -> [1240]
[Strength]: [410] -> [820]
[Endurance]: [390] -> [790]
[Spirit]: [360] -> [660]
[Resistance]: [380] -> [580]
[Agility]: [400] -> [600]
[Luck]: [65] -> [105]
[Charm]: [520] -> [720]
[Bonded Familiars]:
[Adult Gray Wolf: Fenrir – Tier 1: Rank 10]
[War Spirit of Strength: ??? – Tier 2: Rank 3]
[Skills]:
[Mana Manipulation – Tier 1: Level 9/10]
[Mana Aura – Tier 1: Level 3/10]
[Mana Reinforcement – Tier 1: Level 3/10]
[Weapon Talent: Axe – Tier 1: Level 2/10]
[War Spirit Aura Embodiment – Tier 1: Level 1/10]
-----
"Hm?!"
My eyes narrowed at the massive stat jumps. These climbing numbers were addictive. Every increase made my body burn as it grew tougher and stronger. But that wasn't all. The new Physique had also brought a new Skill.
War Spirit Aura Embodiment.
And as if that weren't enough, the nameless spirit had risen to Tier 2.
Several of my existing skills had also gained levels. This was new. Did stacking and fusing physiques upgrade everything each time, or only when the rank evolved?
Could my Physique evolve indefinitely if I kept adding more? Probably not. It couldn't be that simple. It likely required accumulating multiple physiques first.
I still lacked a Trait, another Talent, or any awakened Spiritual Root or Spirit Beast Tattoo. But this was more than enough for now.
"Well, I feel a lot stronger now," I said. "Thanks for the help, System. When's the next quest coming? Right now?"
[No, it has a cooldown,] she replied. [Usually between 12 to 24 hours. Sometimes longer than a day. It's random, and even I can't predict the exact time. Most likely sometime tonight or tomorrow.]
"Got it." I nodded. "Alright, Fen. Let's go hunt some more. I want to level up."
Even though normal leveling gave smaller stat gains, it remained my main path to power aside from exploiting the glitched quest system. I also wanted to test my new abilities properly.
Following Fenrir's sharp nose, I practiced my enhanced Aura and Spirit Embodiment while repeatedly trying to call forth my War Spirit of Strength. I received no response beyond the Aura itself.
[I think the War Spirit isn't a spirit in the way we understand them,] the System explained. [It is an embodiment of your strength and your body's power, Brunhild. You cannot summon it as a separate entity—it is already merged with you.]
"Oh, so the stronger it grows, the stronger I become too?"
[Yes, that explains it. And… there may be more to it. If your Physique grows powerful enough, you might be able to do even more.]
"Hm. Alright. For now, let's hunt."
We soon found another target, a Gray Wolf, similar to Fenrir but smaller and older. Compared to him, it looked weak. Probably because wild beasts often went hungry.
"Let's take it down."
Without hesitation, I stepped forward while Fenrir circled around. The wolf growled, paused to drink from the river, then lunged the moment it saw me charging.
Brave, aren't you?
CRASH!
A single sharp swing of my axe cleaved straight through its body. It died instantly, its remains smashing against the stones.
"Ah…"
I looked down at my bulging arm muscles and realized just how strong I had become. This was a proper Tier 1 monster—much stronger than the Horned Rabbits—and yet it had fallen so easily.
"Well, let's keep going."
I stored the Monster Core and left the ruined corpse behind. Fenrir snatched a quick snack before trotting after me.
"Hey, you don't even feel bad about eating your own kind? That's cannibalism, Fenrir!" I teased.
"Grr?" He tilted his head, clearly confused.
"Hah, never mind." I shrugged. "Hm?"
Deeper in the forest, a familiar scent caught my attention. I crept forward, leaped across the river, and discovered a beautiful natural garden filled with dozens of little white rabbits.
"Perfect. This might get me a level…"
I steadied my breath, let the energy around my body fluctuate, and—with Fenrir in position—leaped from the small cliff toward the rabbits.
"Fenrir, kill as many as you can!"
The rabbits' red eyes locked onto me mid-fall. Their powerful legs kicked into motion, scattering in every direction.
But I was faster.
"War Spirit Aura Embodiment!"
I fused my Axe Talent with the War Spirit Aura and swung with everything I had in a wide horizontal arc.
SLASH!
A wave of crimson cutting energy tore through three rabbits at once, reducing them to minced meat. The rest tried to flee. Fenrir caught two, but the final pair escaped.
"Well, that did it!"
[You have slain a [Horned Rabbit – Tier 1: Rank 3] x3. You have earned Experience Points.]
[Level Up!]
[You have reached Level 3. Stat Points have been allocated; you gained 1 Free Stat Point.]
"Alright. And Stat Points—what exactly do these do?" I wondered, rubbing my chin. "Like in the game, System?"
[Yes. Please check your status. There are stat points in the left corner. You can use them to increase any stat by 10.]
"Only by 10, huh? Yeah, just like the game." I nodded. "I'll save them for now. Maybe add them to Agility later."
Fenrir happily ate two of the rabbits while I stored the horns. The rest of the bodies were too crushed to use, so I left them. Nature would take care of the rest.
As we continued searching for more prey, I decided to chat with the System to get to know her better.
"So what's your real name? It's not just 'System,' right?"
[I don't really have one besides War Goddess System, master.]
"Then let's give you one. Hmm… what's a cool name?"
[You don't need to bother. I am merely your tool to help you grow stronger. Please don't treat me any differently.]
"What? That's boring. I don't like that trope where the System is just ignored. I already know where you come from, and you're literally another person living inside my soul. What's wrong with being friends?"
[…]
"Hello? Okay, I'll call you… Ah! Freyja! Isn't that nice?"
[F-Freyja?! Isn't that too grand a name for something like me?]
"Nah, why not? You're Freyja now."
[Aahh… Master, please…]
"From now on, that's your name! And you're a person, so stop acting like you're just a tool. That's honestly kind of creepy."
[Eh?!]
"You're not a tool—you're my friend now. Or partner. Maybe even sister? We're stuck together forever anyway, so we might as well get comfortable, right?"
[I… haha… hahah…]
"What's with the creepy laughter?"
[It's not creepy. I'm laughing because you're such an endearing person, master.]
"Endearing? You really don't know the real me yet. I'm a freak."
[Hahaha, well, I don't think a true freak would admit it so openly…]
"You really don't know, huh?"
[You're too humble, master.]
"Call me Brunhild."
[Huh?]
"I don't like the whole 'master' thing. It feels weird. Just call me Brunhild, Brun, Hild—whatever feels natural."
[Oh… but… it feels strange. You are my master.]
"I'm your friend now. So stop. Look, there are some gray wolves over there… eating something. What the hell is that thing?"
I hid behind a tree with Fenrir and peered into the distance. The wolves were feasting on the corpse of a large, eel-like beast with beautiful white fur.
"Did those guys actually take that thing down themselves? No way…"
Then I noticed Fenrir growing tense. I followed his gaze and my eyes widened.
"Grrr…!"
A giant wolf stood among them—gray and red fur, glowing crimson eyes.
That was the evolved form of a Gray Wolf. I remembered it clearly.
A Demon Wolf—Tier 3.
A dangerous monster that could easily slaughter low-level adventurers who wandered too deep.
Huh…
Hey, isn't this perfect for me?
"Fenrir, handle the smaller wolves. I'll take the big one."
"…?!"
He looked confused and afraid, clearly wanting to run.
But how else was I supposed to test my true strength if I only hunted weak prey?
I needed to know how strong I had become.
"Leave it to me. Go."
Fenrir charged the three gray wolves and overpowered them quickly. The Demon Wolf noticed immediately. It glared at him and let out a thunderous howl.
"AWOOOOO!"
Its eyes flared bright red as its oppressive Aura exploded outward, covering more than ten meters.
Strong.
[Wait, Mast—Brunhild! It's still a bit too—]
"Is it? Hey!"
"Grrr…?!"
As it prepared to pounce on Fenrir, my fist slammed into its forehead. Its chin smashed into the ground.
CRASH!
"Oh, nice."
"RAAARR!"
It reacted fast, but my reflexes were faster. I dodged a deadly bite, then kicked upward, smashing its chin and making it bite its own tongue.
"GRYAR!"
The beast let out a pained roar and lunged again with its massive claws. I stepped back and ducked, letting it crash into the dirt.
"Here!"
I swung my axe. The wolf dodged the crimson wave and pounced once more, sinking its fangs into my arm.
"Ouch! Ouch! Huh? Wait…"
It wasn't tearing through my skin. The fangs pierced and drew blood, but the harder it bit, the less damage it seemed to do.
"Heh. What's wrong?"
"…!!!"
The Demon Wolf realized its mistake too late. My fists hammered its face dozens of times in a brutal flurry. I lifted the beast and suplexed it into the ground.
BAAAM!
"Gryaarrr!"
While it screamed in agony, bones cracking, I swung my axe toward its throat. The wolf slapped my face with its tail and kicked my stomach with its hind legs, launching me into a tree.
The tree shattered on impact. The Demon Wolf roared and charged again, jaws wide open, drooling blood like a maniac.
Its aura surged with red energy.
Berserk Mode—its signature ability.
"Alright. Let's test this."
I activated War Spirit Aura Embodiment alongside my Axe Talent and conjured a second axe made of red energy. It grew to three times its normal size.
"Eat this!"
CRASH!
The wolf caught the giant energy axe in its mouth, but it couldn't stop it. Its red eyes widened in panic as my real axe cleaved through its mandibles and neck, beheading it in one clean stroke.
The headless body collapsed. The severed head rolled across the ground, eyes still glaring furiously.
I gasped for breath, staring at the demonic head.
Damn. Way creepier than in the game.
"Rest in peace."
I cut open its belly and retrieved a large Monster Core the size of an apple.
"Ooh, nice. I'll take the whole body this time. I managed to just behead it—clean." I hummed. "You're going to make a great new coat."
Fenrir brought me the three smaller wolf corpses. After storing their cores, we went to check the white stag-like creature.
"It's beautiful. What a shame. My brother would have loved this one."
[You have slain a [Demon Wolf – Tier 3]. You have earned Bonus Experience Points from slaying a stronger foe.]
[Level Up!]
[Level Up!]
[Level Up!]
[Level Up!]
[Level Up!]
[Level Up!]
[Level Up!]
[You have reached Level 10. Stat Points have been allocated; you gained 10 Free Stat Points.]
"Level 10 already?! This thing really was strong, huh? Tier 3 and… I'm still technically Tier 1, but my stats are way higher. At least Tier 2 by now. Still wasn't easy, though."
[You have reached Level 10/10, your current Level Cap. You can now choose a Class.]
[Do you wish to go to Class Selection?]
"I can choose a Class, just like in the game…!" I grinned. "Alright, show me what I can get!"
[Displaying Available Classes: 5]
-----