While her son was doing well, her daughter was on her knees. She was comparing Ragna to Draegan, and the former easily fell short. This must be why the barbarians from our hunting group had taunted her before, even though Venir was the leader.
Ragna bit her lip, lowering her head. I looked at her from the corner of my eyes. I could almost feel the tension in her, the frustration of not being able to match her mother’s expectations. I stayed quiet, observing the exchange.
“Stand up,” the chieftain commanded, withdrawing her aura. The pressure lifted, and we all rose slowly, still feeling the residual weight of her power. “You weak fools. I can’t believe the prophesied generation starts with you weaklings,” she spat. There was a murmur of confusion among the crowd, but she didn’t leave us hanging.
“Why the confusion? Disappointing. You fools have no idea what I’m talking about, do you? I told you to attend the shaman’s classes!” She growled, watching the barbarians squirm before she added more. “Useless… Anyhow, about three hundred years ago, an era called the ‘greatest generation’ passed. I’m sure even you idiots know about it—the time when the Divine Cult was created,” she continued, her voice carrying over the field.
The Divine Cult? I wondered, but she didn’t give me much time to think.
“According to the priests of the Twelve Gods and every spirit worshiper out there, we’re entering a similar era to that,” she said. “They’re calling it the Age of Ascension. There has been proof of that already. The System is changing. Evolving. It uses different terms now, and there are also better opportunities. That makes this coming-of-age ceremony special.”
The Age of Ascension... It sounded like an opportunity. I didn’t understand much, and from the looks of it, the barbarians my age understood even less. Their faces were stretched with grins, ready to face whatever she was discussing.
“Special in what way, chief?!” A barbarian shouted.
The chieftain raised her hand, slowly curling her fingers into a fist. The wind whipped around us as her aura flared again, though this time less oppressive. “I plan to send you lots… to the outside world this time. It’s a pilgrimage!” she roared, and the crowd cheered.
Even I found myself gaping at the sight.
A… pilgrimage? What news. A way to leave this isolated goddamned island! Hell yeah! By the grace of lady luck, there was light at the end of this tunnel. My grin widened.
“Kekek… I like the look in your eyes, you fools! And I hope you’ll make a name for yourselves worthy of it,” the chieftain continued, her voice dropping to a near growl, “enough that perhaps the Pillar of the Tribe bastard will come find you outside. No, you should dream bigger! You should dream of surpassing him yourself.”
The Pillar of the Tribe.
That was one hefty title for a man. My memories swirled again at the mention of him. I remembered the stories—he was a man who conquered the island. There was no beast here who could threaten him, so he left to find more challenges outside rather than taking the seat of the chieftain. He had left the island years ago, and yet his name still flew from the outside world, carried by whispers even to this remote volcanic land.
Gerholt, the Living Legend.
Before I could think any further, the chieftain raised her hand again, silencing the cheers. “However, not everyone will get to leave. The tribe needs its youth. So, only those who deserve to make a name for themselves may leave this place. Those who bring back the biggest game, the strongest beasts, will earn their place in the outside world!”
I frowned. Of course, there is a catch. It can’t be this easy.
It was a competition. Hunt or be stuck on this rock. The crowd's excitement shifted, and nervous energy replaced the earlier cheers. “Ah, and one more thing,” the chieftain added, her eyes narrowing. “Yell ‘Status’.”
Everyone around me started shouting, “Status!” So, I followed suit. The same page that I’d seen since I first came here appeared before me.
Oh, I am suddenly 18 years old now. Happy Birthday to me, I guess…
The chieftain's voice rang out again before I could dig deeper into my status. “Now that your coming of age is here, those of you who’ve crossed Level 20 are allowed to choose your Class. But not today. Don't do it until after the hunt unless necessary. If you score a good game, your Class options might improve! This is an opportunity to rise.”
The murmuring in the crowd grew louder, but the chieftain didn’t seem to care. “You have three days. Complete your hunt and gather back here. For Valteria!”
And just like that, she turned away and left us standing there with the weight of her words hanging over our heads.
Pilgrimage, huh? My lips twitched slowly and rose. If I played this right, I might find a way to make it off this island without pulling stunts to escape by myself.
Even if it meant I have got to risk it all, including my life.
****
Freedom often disguised itself as a trial, a choice that demanded risk. Yet, without risk, freedom was nothing more than an illusion.
I had an authorized chance to get off this damned island and see the outside world, to search for my… this body’s mother out there. Along with the extra benefit of not having to live in this backwater fuckland any longer. However, it did have a catch—because nothing ever came too easy. If I wanted to go, I’d have to hunt a big monster.
Not just any regular beast, but something that could kill me if I wasn’t careful. Monsters. More dangerous than tigers and bears from back on Earth. No pressure, right?
“Haah,” I let out a sigh. Letting the initial surprise pass, I sat down on a nearby rock to properly think things through. It was either this… or I had to do things my own way, which might not be the smarter choice.
Through this pilgrimage, when I leave for the outside world, other barbarians will leave with me. Even if they were dumb, as long as I was ‘Thorvyn,’ they’d protect me as their own in the outside world. I wouldn’t need backup plans to fall back into.
That was what it meant to be a tribe, I guess.
I had no idea about the outside world. It couldn’t be the heaven I was imagining it to be, and rather could be a land filled with beasts and monsters far more powerful than me. Or worse… people. Well, yes, I wanted it to be people, but humans weren’t as civilized as they claimed to be. We humans were always the uglier animals in the food pyramid.
I wouldn’t be too surprised if a human civilization hated foolish barbarians from an isolated island enough to hunt them actively. So I didn’t want to be alone.
There was power in numbers, and for better or worse, it might be easier to hunt a monster than make my own makeshift boat to leave this island.
I couldn’t help but feel slightly bothered by the threat of death from a beast stronger than anything I’ve known before, but then again, when I thought back to how I handled those direwolves, my fear decreased a little. They were huge, but out of pure survival instincts, this body’s strength, and some luck, I’d taken them down like they were nothing.
I wasn’t just some regular guy anymore. I was stronger, bigger… hell, that game system window said my [Race] was a damn barbarian now.
I think I can handle this.
I pulled myself out of my thoughts, allowing my surroundings to settle in.
Around me, people were already forming teams. Even Draegan, the chieftain’s son, was gathering a group. Which meant this task wasn’t something I could do on my own. I keep contradicting myself, but in my current exact situation, a team had its drawbacks too…
What should I do?
****
“Hah! You chose well!”
“Grako, you fool! Don’t slap me!”
I watched as the tribespeople paired up, grunting and slapping each other on the back as if this was just another day at the beach. It wasn’t. My headache was returning. This hunt could mean life or death and also my only safe ticket out.
Should I form a team? Going at it alone would be asking to get myself killed. But at the same time, from my previous experience working with a team with these barbarians…
“Ey, Thorvyn! Come join us!” Haldrek shouted at me, waving at me from a distance. I waved back, still sitting on my rock, as I looked at his group. Only he looked cheerful inviting me, the others frowned at him. Despite winning against Venir last night, my reputation as a weakling overall hadn’t improved much. It’d take some time.
I didn’t know how long. The chieftain praised me, but these younglings didn’t budge on their opinion. They were too hard headed and dumb. So I guess I’d need some more feats.
And I didn’t want to be pushed around during such an important test.
It seemed most of my group from yesterday had already teamed up, albeit differently. Following Haldrek, nobody else invited me, though. The chieftain’s son was looking in my direction every now and then, but I doubted he had any intention of inviting me.
As expected, when our eyes met, he scoffed and looked away. Stupid barbarians. I held back a chuckle. Did he already see me as an opponent because I was the only one besides him to have withstood the chieftain’s aura? At least he saw my worth.
Okay, whatever. I need to decide. Too many people in a group would make it a hassle, especially when deciding who gets the game. After all, one person would have to show one beast for themselves, not their entire team’s. Everyone here would obviously be reluctant to give me the credit, given my reputation.
Plus the level and experience, that’d be split too…
“Thorvyn! Will you come or not?” Haldrek called again.
…If there was one thing I learned in my previous life, it was that splitting spoils among a big group was a pain in the ass. The bigger the group, the smaller the cut. What a dilemma. In solitude, a man discovers his strength; in unity, he discovers his limits.
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On the other hand, I knew I could at least survive alone in that forest. I’d already done so.
Should I just go alone? It’s not as if this place’s totally new to me now that Thorvyn’s memories are clearer. But then, the chieftain’s son, Draegan, was far stronger than me. And he had a huge team. What could I do alone…?
I sighed, standing up and wondering if I should just join Haldrek. In the end… I decided to agree, hopping off the rock and walking to his team. That was when I heard footsteps behind me.
“Thorvyn,” a familiar voice called.
I turned, finding Ragna looking at me hesitantly. I was a little confused seeing her alone. She was strong, as proven by how she was one of the few who hadn’t been reduced to all fours when the chieftain released tried us. A strong barbarian with strong genes, being the daughter of the current chieftain. Why weren’t people falling over her?
“...You want team up?” she asked, her gaze steady. There was no hesitation in her voice anymore. At the same time, I felt a sharp glare at the back of my head.
For a moment I stared, wondering what was going on.
****
I glanced around. Most of the other teams were already set. I met Draegan’s gaze in the distance. He looked at me with clenched jaws, somehow more than before. Because I was talking to his sister…? Venir was beside him right now, part of his team.
Hmm… something’s going on. Maybe Draegan told others not to accept her. Because of Venir, perhaps? But isn’t Ragna his sister? Why’d he do that? Weird. Regardless, I didn’t want to get entangled in their family drama. Rather, this changed my options by a lot.
Ragna wasn’t a bad option.
She was strong, a Level 21 if I remembered right, and she was damn good with a club. Plus, she was one of the few who stood up for poor old me. So, a two-person team with her… While it wasn’t a big team, it didn’t have a big team’s disadvantages, either. Two was often better than one. I think I can trust her with my back, too.
I didn’t care about Draegan’s glare. If we teamed up, I figured we could take down something big enough for both of us to get through the pilgrimage. That was the only important thing for me.
I gave her a nod. “Sounds good. We’ll need two beasts, one for each of us.”
She brightened up hearing me, grinning from ear to ear. She looked immensely grateful and delighted that I had accepted her offer. “We hunt two, of course!” She cheered.
I watched Draegan click his tongue in the distance before he turned around with the rest of his group. Venir shot me a glare before whispering something to his boss, but I ignored them both. My attention remained on Ragna. “Let’s not waste any more time standing around, then. Let’s go.”
Weapons in hand, we left the village together, heading toward the dense forests deeper on the island. The Netherwood soon consumed us both. The air was thick with humidity, and the trees loomed overhead like silent watchers. My grip tightened on my ax.
If we were going to do this, we also needed a plan.
****
“So, what should we hunt?” Ragna asked as we walked, pushing through a thick tree branch that was too low. “I think Draegan’s group is aiming for a Flame Drake. His team’s huge, so it makes sense.”
A Flame Drake, huh? I considered her words. “How’s it gonna be decided who gets the Drake?”
“Draegan, of course,” she shrugged. “He promised his group that he’d hunt strong beasts for each of them if they helped him get the drake.”
“Figures,” I muttered. That guy had strength and authority, but still, putting your fate in someone else’s hands… It was not for me. I’d have believed that these barbarians would be the same, but I guess even they knew how to bargain for a potentially smarter deal.
As we kept walking, I wondered about her question. What monster should we hunt? I’ve hunted an Ogre before, it was hard, but it was still an ogre. Would another ogre count?
In the games I sometimes played during vacation, a character’s prior achievements often affected [Class] selections. If this was my life now, I had to aim for the best class I could get. Half-measures won’t be tolerated. In that case, an ogre wouldn’t do. I’ve already hunted one before. Should I go with something similarly strong… or even beyond?
“Should we hunt a drake too?” I asked, testing the waters.
Ragna flinched, letting out a nervous laugh while quickly shaking her head. “No, no! Hah, Thorvyn, you have courage! But just us two? That suicide! If you want hunt dragon-type thing… maybe Wyvern?”
A wyvern? That could work. Although calling a wyvern ‘a dragon subspecies’ to the face of a real dragon was apparently certain death, according to legends, it was true. A drake was the subspecies of a dragon, while a wyvern too was a subspecies of a dragon, but more far off.
Dragons were the apex of the food chain, even a subspecies of it should be more than enough merit for any hunt. Strangely enough, the idea of hunting a wyvern didn’t scare me as much as it should. Was it this body’s barbarian instincts taking over, or had I always craved this sort of thrill, secretly? A wyvern it is, then.
I nodded. “Yeah, a wyvern could fit the bill. We’d still need two, though.”
“Uh,” she stared at me. “You know, I was joking just now…” Ragna eyed me curiously, her gaze lingering on my axe. “Thorvyn… when you get so strong? You beat Venir. And now you talk hunt Wyverns like nothing. What… what happen when we left you?”
I shrugged. “I just beat some wolves on my own, got some confidence boost, and some levels. Guess people change faster than you think. You think I’m being overconfident?”
“I don’t know,” she said a moment later. “But if you’re serious on this decision… Then we can hunt young wyverns. But we must careful.”
Ragna didn’t seem too worried. She was strong enough to hold her own, and I’d seen her fight yesterday. She didn’t swing a club around randomly—there was a method to her madness. We might just surprise each other further with our show.
But before we went hunting, there was something I needed to check.
“Hold up a sec,” I said, opening my status panel. If I were going to hunt something dangerous to help my Class Selection, I wanted to see my current options at least. I wanted to know what I was working with.
Opening my Status, I clicked the [Choose Here] option. Not long after, four Class options appeared in front of me.
[Warrior] - Basic
Role: Melee Combatant
Description: The Warrior is a versatile melee fighter who specializes in using a wide range of weapons and combat techniques. They rely on physical strength, agility, and tactical prowess to excel in battle.
Abilities:
- Battle Cry
- Shield Bash
- Whirlwind Slash
- Weapon Mastery
[Berserker] - Advanced
Role: Frenzied Combatant
Description: The Berserker is a wild and relentless combatant who uses sheer rage to fuel their attacks. In the heat of battle, Berserkers become unstoppable forces of destruction.
Abilities:
- Bloodlust
- Rage Mode
- Frenzied Strikes
- Unstoppable Charge
[Beastmaster] - Advanced
Role: Commander of Beasts
Description: The Beastmaster is a warrior who forges a deep bond with the creatures of the wild, commanding beasts to fight by their side.
Abilities:
- Beast Bond
- Primal Roar
- Tactical Hunter
- Call of the Wild
[Giant Slayer] - Unique
Role: Slayer of Titans
Description: The Giant Slayer specializes in taking down massive foes, such as giants, dragons, and heavily armored opponents.
Abilities:
- Critical Strike
- Armorbreaker
- Titan’s Demise
- David’s Gambit
I whistled at Giant Slayer. That one stood out. My memories flashed to the time I’d taken down an Ogre a few years ago, who was much higher level than myself. I was extremely lucky during that incident, the creature was already injured. People didn’t believe it when I-... well, Thorvyn claimed he killed the ogre. It was simply outlandish.
That kill must’ve triggered this option.
“Not bad,” I muttered, closing the panel. But if we were about to hunt wyverns, maybe I could get something better. There was no harm in trying, right?
“Huh, what you doing with your Status?” Ragna asked, tilting her head.
“I was just going through the Class options,” I said, and she frowned, tilting her head further.
“Huh? What do you mean?” She looked at me in confusion. She was so confused that it made me confused. What was so confusing about this? “...Whatever. You ready?”
I hefted my ax onto my shoulder and nodded. “Let’s go hunt a wyvern.”
We pushed deeper into the island, the weight of the upcoming battle hanging over us like a storm cloud. But given the possible reward, this was something worth fighting for.
****
The forest was thick. Every step we took was followed by crunching leaves and snapping twigs underfoot. The trees towered above us, their branches heavy with foliage, making the light feel distant and the air dense. We pushed through the undergrowth, forcing leaves and vines aside, keeping an ear out for anything that might try to sneak up.
So far, we'd been lucky, but luck wouldn’t last forever.
“Stay sharp,” I muttered, eyes scanning the area. I had to be extremely cautious. No matter how strong this body was, I wasn’t used to fighting. I’d like to avoid a surprise attack. Plus, the monsters might be stronger than me.
Ragna walked beside me, her club slung over her shoulder like it weighed nothing. “You think I’m not?” she asked with a small grin. “They say I have better eyes than the tribe’s best archer!”
I snorted. “Right. Just saying, neither of us want to get shot in the back.”
She chuckled but didn’t say more. She was tense. So was I. The tension in the air was enough to kill conversations any longer than this. We moved through the plains at a steady pace, always alert, ears tuned to the slightest rustle of leaves.
It was quiet, but not the peaceful kind. This was the kind of quiet that made your skin crawl. It was then… that I heard it.
A soft rustle, different from the wind. My instincts kicked in, but before I could react, Ragna shouted, “Thorvyn!” and shoved me aside with surprising strength.
An arrow whizzed past my shoulder, close enough that I felt the wind of it against my skin. “Shit!” I growled, spinning on my heels and gripping my ax tighter. That could’ve ended badly.
“See?” she grinned. “Better eyes than the tribe’s best archer.”
“Not the time to brag, girl,” I told her, going full alert. She shrugged.
“It’s just goblins. Although… they’re all around us.” Ragna said, crouching low, scanning the area. I could see the shift in her, that same alertness I’d seen during the chieftain’s test.
I stayed low, too, my eyes darting around the dense underbrush. And then—there. My eyes narrowed as I observed a twitch in the leaves. I was already swinging my ax hard, feeling the familiar pull of my Skill, [Slam], activating instinctually. The blade cleaved through green flesh, followed by a splatter of red paint on the nearby leaves.
The little green creature barely had time to scream before it hit the ground, its split body falling to either side. I looked at the little humanoid thing briefly before looking at the screen that flashed before me.
[You’ve killed a Goblin – Level 19!]
Battle strips away pretense. It reveals not who we think we are but what we truly are. I was surprised at my actions. Perhaps I was better than what I gave myself credit for? It felt natural.
Another arrow came flying through the air. This time, I saw it coming and deflected it with the flat of my ax. It sparked a flame. My blood was pumping now, the heat of battle taking over. I found myself growling low, the thrill of the fight buzzing under my skin. It was a weird thing to do, but my body found it natural.
“What the fuck?! You’re pretty goo– right there, Thorvyn!” Ragna shouted, pointing at a tree branch. My eyes shot up, and I focused, kicking the ground and calling up that same sensation of using a Skill. I didn’t know how to actively call a Skill exactly, but I tried.
I gritted my teeth, focusing on the sensation I remembered from before. ‘Leap!’ Nothing happened at first, making me grow frustrated. But on the third try, something clicked. My body surged forward, almost faster than I could handle. [Leap] activated.
My body responded instantly. Everything blurred as I shot forward, faster than I expected. I landed on a tree branch, staring down into the wide eyes of a goblin archer.
“Too slow,” I said when it tried to pull an arrow before slamming my ax straight through its skull.
The thing let out a cry before crumpling, blood dripping from the branch as I jumped down.
[You’ve killed a Goblin – Level 18!]
On the ground, Ragna was suddenly caught in a mess of her own. A bunch of goblins had somehow surrounded her during the brief moment. She’d already crushed two goblins with her club, their broken bodies lying near her feet. But another one was coming at her from behind, and she hadn’t seen it yet.
I moved without thinking, my fist colliding with the goblin’s skull before it could even raise its weapon. The crunch of bone told me it wasn’t getting back up.
[You’ve killed a Goblin – Level 20!]
Ragna turned, surprised. “T-thanks. Damn…”
"It's alright. I think we should strategize before–" I started to say.
Ragna was already moving forward, club raised. "RAAAHHHH!"
"–Or we could just scream and run in. That works too," I muttered, rushing after her.
From the shadows of the forest, more goblins rushed toward us. I locked eyes with the running Ragna, and for a second, we just nodded at each other.
Then we got to work.
The forest exploded into chaos as we hacked and smashed our way through the goblin horde. I swung my ax in wide arcs, feeling [Slam] activate every time the blade met flesh. Rather than swinging an ax, I felt like I was swinging a hammer instead. And I was slowly getting used to it. The goblins screamed and screeched, but we were stronger. Faster. They didn’t stand a chance.
Ragna’s club cracked against skulls, sending goblins flying, while I buried my ax into anything that moved. The smell of blood filled the air, mixing with the earth and the leaves.
By the time the last goblin hit the ground, we were both panting, weapons dripping with blood. Ragna grinned, her bloody body looking like she’d just come back from a good workout. “I leveled up! Not bad, right?!”
I checked my Status but found nothing. I wiped blood from my face. “I didn’t.”
She let out a giggle, which somehow felt like an insult, but I didn’t comment.
“This is pretty dangerous,” I said, catching my breath.
She took that as a compliment. “I know, right? It’s fun! And we not even near the wyvern’s nest yet.”
I stared at her and then just shook my head. “Great.” Just great.
[You’ve leveled up!]
[You’ve reached Level 21.]
I didn’t complain, though. I too felt giddy. Then, something even more exciting flashed before my eyes. The world went grey, and everything stilled in time.
[You've killed multiple Goblins. You can choose your Source for Osmotic Evolution (X) for the next 24 hours.]
I grinned. I’d been looking forward to this!
My usual posting schedule is 9 AM Pacific Time, Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I'm posting this a few hours earlier than planned because we crossed 150 follows needed for Rising Star (excited at how quick that was!) but not 20k words yet. With this chapter, we're above 20k. I hope you're enjoying the story.