Zen never imagined his life would end like this: as a soldier in a monster army.
He stood at the very back of a pack of a hundred Ogres. His heart hammered against his ribs; his group's turn to charge was only moments away. Armed with nothing but a single "Fireball" skill—a gift from the System—Zen had to use every bit of his wits just to stay alive.
His thin, frail frame stood in sharp contrast to the muscular giants surrounding him. Yet, strangely, the Ogres seemed completely oblivious to the fact that a human was standing right in their midst.
Suddenly, the Ogre next to him nudged his arm. "Hey, friend. Did you 'say goodbye' to your wife before we set off?"
Zen stared at him blankly. He was shocked that he could understand the monster's language, and even more confused about how to respond.
"Uh… you mean…?" Zen stammered.
The Ogre grinned widely, nodding knowingly. "Don't be shy, it's only natural for a youngster. I did it for two full days straight before coming here," he said proudly. "I won't have any regrets, even if I die in this wave."
Zen's heart wavered. As ridiculous as it sounded, those words stung. It was the voice of a soldier's soul, one who had already accepted his death.
Zen shifted his gaze forward. A portal as tall as a ten-story building stood firm—a gateway to another world. Their mission was simple: destroy and kill.
'SYSTEM!' Zen shouted in his mind. His courage was beginning to fail him.
[Yes, Master. How may I help you?]
'You idiot! With just this one fireball skill, what are my chances of survival?!' Zen cursed internally.
Initially, he felt lucky to have magic powers like the protagonists in novels. But looking at the massive Ogres beside him, he realized their enemies wouldn't be cute little slimes that were easy to defeat.
[Calm down, Master. Your spawn location behind the portal is not determined by your group, but by your individual power level.]
[Have faith, Master.]
The blue panel seemed to be cheering him on with a suspiciously insincere tone. Zen snorted. He opened his status window, hoping he had missed some sort of miracle.
[Zen]
Level: Beginner
Race: Human
Attributes: -
Skill (1): [Fireball]
That was it. Even a 90s console game had a more detailed status than this.
Just as Zen was sinking into his anxiety, a deep, soul-shaking voice echoed throughout the massive cavern.
"My warriors…"
Fuss…
The air grew cold. Zen's body trembled violently. Beside him, the Ogres immediately straightened into a salute.
"Glory to the Emperor! Annihilate the enemy! Return!"
As soon as the command ended, the entire legion of monsters began to march in unison.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Zen was forced to keep pace. He had to take three quick steps just to match a single stride of the Ogres. Every footfall of the thousands of soldiers made the cavern floor vibrate. Strangely, Zen felt himself being swept up in the moment—as if he truly belonged to their race.
"ARGH!!!" Zen roared, trying to ignite his own fighting spirit.
[DING! Obtained Emperor's Buff: (Ogre Soul)]
Instantly, Zen's body began to heat up. A faint steam drifted from his pores as his muscles writhed and hardened. In a flash, Zen's physique transformed—he became lean and powerful, like a bodybuilder with near-zero body fat.
Staring at the portal ahead, Zen's fear evaporated. Now, all he felt was a surging rush of adrenaline. He couldn't wait to test his new strength.
In another dimension, an Elven village lay in peace. Beside lush green vegetable gardens, Elven families sat together on white mats. Their silver hair shimmered in the light, making them look like celestial beings.
The wives were busy preparing meals, while the men watered the gardens and chased away birds. The joyful laughter of children playing in the eastern flower garden drifted on the cool afternoon breeze.
"Hahaha…"
"Hey, did you hear? Fian, Veyron's son, was accepted into the academy last week," one Elven woman said with a smile.
"Really? That boy has been talented since he was small," her friend replied.
Gossip was their constant companion during breaks. However, the conversation slowly turned serious.
"By the way… the beast invasions have been increasing lately, haven't they?"
"Yes, that's why the village chief stationed a patrol team in the eastern forest."
They all turned toward the forest, where a wooden guard post was visible in the distance.
"Thank goodness… at least we can farm in pea—"
The Elf's sentence cut off. Her eyes widened, her mouth hanging open in horror. At the edge of the forest, a nightmare was unfolding.
"RUN! MONSTER INVASION!"
The frantic screams of the men shattered the peace. They dropped their farming tools, grabbed their children, and bolted away from the forest border.
At the forest's edge, battle erupted instantly.
"For the King!"
A portal three meters in diameter floated in the air, vomiting an Ogre every ten seconds. Five Elven scouts moved with agility, firing arrows while retreating in formation. Their arrows flew with lethal speed, piercing the thick hides of the monsters.
One of them, an Elven Captain with wings on his back, hovered in the air, observing the battlefield and coordinating the defense.
"Fire while retreating! Their leader hasn't appeared yet!" the Captain commanded.
He raised his palm, and a glowing magic circle formed instantly.
"Teboka!"
The chant triggered a massive magic circle above the Ogre group. Energy condensed, and dozens of light arrows rained down, pelting the area. Every explosion of light tore through the Ogres who lacked magical protection.
In the middle of this one-sided slaughter, a strange figure tumbled out of the portal.
The creature was small, with tan skin, and lacked the tusks of the other Ogres.
"ARGHHH!" Zen's scream echoed across the battlefield. He really hated heights.
Thud!
He hit the ground hard but scrambled up immediately, fueled by the buff in his veins.
"Damn it… this portal placement is terrible," Zen cursed, glaring at the portal still hovering above him.
"Where's the enemy?" Zen stayed alert. He was surrounded by tall trees and wild grass. He didn't see any opponents immediately, until his eyes caught a bright light in the sky.
"Uh… is that a magic circle?" Zen murmured, mesmerized. He was about to admire its beauty when he remembered he was in the middle of a war zone.
Suddenly, a blue panel appeared before his eyes.
[Main Quest: Kill 2 Elves]
[Side Quest: Destroy the gardens]
[Side Quest: Destroy the houses]