Taehyung felt as if his mind had cleared up completely. It was akin to the relaxation one feels upon reaching the summit of a mountain.
His mind felt refreshed, as if he had just awoken from a deep slumber. Strangely enough, he even felt a sense of euphoria.
Taehyung realized that the feeling he was experiencing was a result of the growth of his Link Skill.
For a while, he savored the sensation of euphoria before calming his excited heart.
“I never imagined this skill would be so remarkable.”
Taehyung realized how simplistically he had been thinking. And he understood the significance of the Link Skill.
The Link Skill was not merely a conduit connecting summoner and summoned being; it was the epitome of all core skills, producing effects beyond imagination.
“To think I can make the experiences of summoned beings my own.”
What other skill in the world could yield such an effect?
Taehyung trembled with amazement, then quickly collected himself.
Enough pondering; it was time to see what had changed.
“Nothing seems to have changed in terms of additional functionalities or an increase in the number of summonable entities.”
At first glance, it seemed like nothing had changed, but Taehyung felt it—the change within himself.
It wasn’t a quantitative change; it was qualitative. It was an enhancement of the essential core function.
As the Link Skill grew, the invisible bond between him and his summoned beings became thicker and stronger.
If that bond was like a thread before, now it was an unbreakable adamantium cord, impervious even to the sharpest blade.
The effect was tremendous.
“Now I can feel them much more vividly.”
The world perceived through Gloki and Karim’s bodies became clearer.
“How do I express this?”
Taehyung pondered for a moment before finding the right word.
“Resonance rate seems appropriate.”
Yes, the resonance rate had significantly increased. If the previous level was akin to VR experiences, now it was truly reality itself.
It wasn’t merely about ‘sharing sensations’ with summoned beings anymore.
It was about becoming Karim, becoming Gloki.
But why?
Taehyung realized that something he hadn’t felt before was now palpable.
It was a sensation both chilling and comforting, soothing yet electrifying. It permeated his surroundings.
“This is…”
He knew what it was.
Though invisible and intangible, it was unmistakably perceptible.
The fundamental energy existing everywhere in the world. The catalyst for transcendent power.
Mana.
It was said that mana felt different to each hunter.
Some described it as a warm spring breeze, others as cold frost, and some even as spherical iridescent beads floating in the sky.
To Taehyung, mana felt like clouds.
Soft, fluffy clouds that seemed warm and comforting to touch.
“I think I can do it too.”
Taehyung closed his eyes and concentrated, striving to sense mana more keenly.
Though he could sense its presence, he struggled to become consciously aware of it.
“Mana must be abundant around me.”
He remembered seeing it on a TV educational program once.
In the past, before the Great Connection, mana was scarce on Earth, almost non-existent.
But everything changed after the dimensions merged. Through dimensional gates, vast amounts of mana flowed in, transforming Earth from a barren land into a dimension as rich in mana as any other.
“So, I should be able to do it.”
Karim described mana as a warm heat. He said that by dealing with that heat, one could manipulate mana.
“If that’s the case…”
Taehyung imagined himself. In his imagination, he was flying in the sky, surrounded by countless clouds. Some were pure white clouds, while others were ominous storm clouds. There were fiery clouds and icy clouds emitting cold.
Taehyung reached out for the white clouds, but they slipped through his fingers each time he tried to grasp them.
Yet he didn’t give up. He repeated the process, trying different approaches each time.
In the midst of this, a realization flashed through his mind.
“I shouldn’t be trying to grasp it.”
Mana was indeed a master of push and pull. Trying to grasp it forcibly only made it slip away. Perhaps he should just go with the flow.
Taehyung relaxed his body and mind, allowing himself to float effortlessly among the clouds, closing his eyes in serene surrender.
Then, something remarkable happened. The clouds, which had been drifting gently like a tranquil stream, began to cling to Taehyung.
Before he knew it, he was surrounded by clouds. He couldn’t tell whether he was the cloud or the cloud was him. In that moment, almost absentmindedly, he reached out his hand.
And he caught a cloud. It was a white cloud and a storm cloud. The white one was soft and fluffy, while the storm cloud was dense and moist, like jelly.
In that moment…
Taehyung snapped out of his reverie and opened his eyes.
“Huh?”
Taehyung blinked.
“I caught… mana?”
Taehyung felt a handful of mana conglomerate in his right hand, though he hadn’t consciously grabbed anything.
He applied a bit of pressure instinctively, and the unseen mass of mana began to take shape, emitting a faint blue light.
“I did it!”
[You have awakened the skill “Mana Mastery”!]
[Astonishing Achievement! You have independently learned to manipulate mana without any assistance or system adjustments! You are rewarded with 30,000 points in the store!]
“Insane.”
30,000 points?
Not 3,000?
*
Meanwhile, led by Karim, the Blue Axe Orc Tribe advanced with great momentum.
The achievements were immense. They had rallied over ten orc tribes, numbering more than four thousand. What used to be just over a thousand when they sent warriors to the free city of Aren had now surpassed four thousand.
One might say it was only four thousand, but increasing from one to four thousand was a fourfold growth.
And all this happened in just about two weeks.
As the number of tribe members increased, their growth surged like a snowball rolling down a hill.
Thanks to Taehyung’s influence buff, “Blessing of the Forest,” the orcs who joined began to comprehend mana, and with a 50% increase in all growth rates, their abilities improved rapidly.
Those two combinations produced an incredible synergy, and the joined orcs immediately became a force to be reckoned with as they surged northward.
In the process, the distinctive characteristics of the orc race came to light.
Orcs, born with robust physiques, allowed both men and women to participate in warfare unless they were children or infirm. Thus, as the population of the tribe increased, so did the available military forces exponentially.
Everything was going well. The morale of the orcs soared, their warriors were powerful, and there was no one to stop them in the forests.
But that wasn’t all. With a significant decrease in the number of monsters threatening the orcs, the population growth rate of the orcs noticeably increased.
The increase in population by 50% also meant more orcs being born. In other words, it was a clear sign that the orcs were rapidly multiplying.
It seemed like they would swallow everything in their path. However, Karim felt a limit to this expansion.
“We’ll eventually hit a limit if we continue like this.”
Before he knew it, the influence of the faction led by Karim encompassed the entire southern region of the Kaizen Forest, but that was only superficial.
There were several unseen problems awaiting them.
Karim remembered the warning Taehyung had given him a few days ago.
“Your faction is currently in a state no different from an empty shell.”
An empty shell. The lord described it as a bread that looks very full on the outside but is completely empty inside.
In other words, it meant there was no substance at all.
“Strength? Of course, it’s good. But strength alone won’t feed you. Your substance is sorely lacking. Speed is important, but you need to strengthen your substance in advance. That way, you can minimize the side effects when problems arise later.”
Substance. The lord emphasized that word greatly.
“From my perspective, the most important thing is securing a source of food. If you keep expanding blindly like this, what will you do when food becomes scarce later? Oh, of course, the Kaizen Forest is so vast that you might not run out of food. But judging by your population growth rate, won’t you eventually hit a limit? So, you need to think ahead.”
“But that’s not the only problem. There are many to talk about. They’re currently in a situation no different from the nomadic tribes that once dominated Central Asia. The land is vast, but they’re not utilizing it. Well, of course, Central Asia is a land full of nothingness, so nomadism is essential there, but… Oh, what’s Central Asia, you ask? It’s… well…”
“Ugh.”
Karim shook his head to clear his thoughts.
“That was too painful.”
That day, every word the lord spoke was true. And painfully true.
In reality, he had only been thinking about battles. Gathering orcs and expanding his power were his only thoughts.
But that couldn’t continue. He was a ruler. He held the responsibility for the lives of thousands of orcs. He had to ensure they lived well.
Karim immediately conveyed his fears to the tribespeople.
“Our conquests and liberation activities are temporarily halted!”
Then, he went to his father, Karik.
“Father. Do you remember that?”
“What are you talking about?”
“When I was young, do you remember what you always told me?”
“What about it?”
“You said that deep within the central area of the Kaizen Forest, our ancestors’ legacy sleeps.”
“Oh, I remember now.”
Karik nodded.
“I remembered that. I heard it from my father too. He heard it from his father as well.”
It was like a legend passed down through generations among them.
The central area of the Kaizen Forest. Somewhere in that dangerous place teeming with high-level monsters like ogres, the legacy left by the high orcs slumbers!
“I heard that our orcs settled in Kaizen Forest because of that. They wanted to reclaim the glory of finding and restoring the legacy of our ancestors. Well, nobody achieved that goal, but that’s what they aimed for.”
“Father, do you really think it’s there?”
“Me? Hmm… I honestly don’t know. I haven’t thought deeply about it. Why do you ask?”
Karik paused, then continued.
“Do you think what I’m thinking is correct?”
“Correct. If not, I wouldn’t have asked.”
Karim asserted.
“I intend to find out for myself. About that legacy of our ancestors.”
Karim didn’t make this decision on a whim.
It was a decision made after careful consideration.
It had been on his mind for a long time. He had just postponed it because the time wasn’t right yet.
But now, that time had come. It was the perfect moment.
“Father. I’ll be leaving for a while. I hope you’ll take care of the tribespeople in my absence.”
“It’s dangerous. Even if you can guarantee safety, there’s no telling whether the legacy of our ancestors exists or not. You might come back empty-handed without any trace.”
“I know. But it’s worth a try.”
Given that many orcs had tried over the years but failed to find the legacy of their ancestors, it was undoubtedly going to be difficult to find.
However, not attempting it was not an option for Karim.
“If you’re going, take the warriors with you.”
“No, it’s best if I go alone.”
Karim shook his head.
Whether it was his determined expression or his resolve, Karik reluctantly nodded.
“If that’s your wish, so be it. Well, it’s kind of funny for me to tell you not to go. You’re the chief, and you’re the top warrior of the tribe.”
“Thank you. I trust only you, Father.”
Karik patted Karim’s shoulder as if to encourage him. Karim quietly accepted his father’s gesture.
“Be careful.”
“Don’t worry. I’m strong.”
With a brief farewell, Karim set off from the village.
“Let’s go, friend.”
“Ruff!”
The silver wolf carrying Karim dashed through the forest.
Taehyung felt as if his mind had cleared up completely. It was akin to the relaxation one feels upon reaching the summit of a mountain.
His mind felt refreshed, as if he had just awoken from a deep slumber. Strangely enough, he even felt a sense of euphoria.
Taehyung realized that the feeling he was experiencing was a result of the growth of his Link Skill.
For a while, he savored the sensation of euphoria before calming his excited heart.
“I never imagined this skill would be so remarkable.”
Taehyung realized how simplistically he had been thinking. And he understood the significance of the Link Skill.
The Link Skill was not merely a conduit connecting summoner and summoned being; it was the epitome of all core skills, producing effects beyond imagination.
“To think I can make the experiences of summoned beings my own.”
What other skill in the world could yield such an effect?
Taehyung trembled with amazement, then quickly collected himself.
Enough pondering; it was time to see what had changed.
“Nothing seems to have changed in terms of additional functionalities or an increase in the number of summonable entities.”
At first glance, it seemed like nothing had changed, but Taehyung felt it—the change within himself.
It wasn’t a quantitative change; it was qualitative. It was an enhancement of the essential core function.
As the Link Skill grew, the invisible bond between him and his summoned beings became thicker and stronger.
If that bond was like a thread before, now it was an unbreakable adamantium cord, impervious even to the sharpest blade.
The effect was tremendous.
“Now I can feel them much more vividly.”
The world perceived through Gloki and Karim’s bodies became clearer.
“How do I express this?”
Taehyung pondered for a moment before finding the right word.
“Resonance rate seems appropriate.”
Yes, the resonance rate had significantly increased. If the previous level was akin to VR experiences, now it was truly reality itself.
It wasn’t merely about ‘sharing sensations’ with summoned beings anymore.
It was about becoming Karim, becoming Gloki.
But why?
Taehyung realized that something he hadn’t felt before was now palpable.
It was a sensation both chilling and comforting, soothing yet electrifying. It permeated his surroundings.
“This is…”
He knew what it was.
Though invisible and intangible, it was unmistakably perceptible.
The fundamental energy existing everywhere in the world. The catalyst for transcendent power.
Mana.
It was said that mana felt different to each hunter.
Some described it as a warm spring breeze, others as cold frost, and some even as spherical iridescent beads floating in the sky.
To Taehyung, mana felt like clouds.
Soft, fluffy clouds that seemed warm and comforting to touch.
“I think I can do it too.”
Taehyung closed his eyes and concentrated, striving to sense mana more keenly.
Though he could sense its presence, he struggled to become consciously aware of it.
“Mana must be abundant around me.”
He remembered seeing it on a TV educational program once.
In the past, before the Great Connection, mana was scarce on Earth, almost non-existent.
But everything changed after the dimensions merged. Through dimensional gates, vast amounts of mana flowed in, transforming Earth from a barren land into a dimension as rich in mana as any other.
“So, I should be able to do it.”
Karim described mana as a warm heat. He said that by dealing with that heat, one could manipulate mana.
“If that’s the case…”
Taehyung imagined himself. In his imagination, he was flying in the sky, surrounded by countless clouds. Some were pure white clouds, while others were ominous storm clouds. There were fiery clouds and icy clouds emitting cold.
Taehyung reached out for the white clouds, but they slipped through his fingers each time he tried to grasp them.
Yet he didn’t give up. He repeated the process, trying different approaches each time.
In the midst of this, a realization flashed through his mind.
“I shouldn’t be trying to grasp it.”
Mana was indeed a master of push and pull. Trying to grasp it forcibly only made it slip away. Perhaps he should just go with the flow.
Taehyung relaxed his body and mind, allowing himself to float effortlessly among the clouds, closing his eyes in serene surrender.
Then, something remarkable happened. The clouds, which had been drifting gently like a tranquil stream, began to cling to Taehyung.
Before he knew it, he was surrounded by clouds. He couldn’t tell whether he was the cloud or the cloud was him. In that moment, almost absentmindedly, he reached out his hand.
And he caught a cloud. It was a white cloud and a storm cloud. The white one was soft and fluffy, while the storm cloud was dense and moist, like jelly.
In that moment…
Taehyung snapped out of his reverie and opened his eyes.
“Huh?”
Taehyung blinked.
“I caught… mana?”
Taehyung felt a handful of mana conglomerate in his right hand, though he hadn’t consciously grabbed anything.
He applied a bit of pressure instinctively, and the unseen mass of mana began to take shape, emitting a faint blue light.
“I did it!”
[You have awakened the skill “Mana Mastery”!]
[Astonishing Achievement! You have independently learned to manipulate mana without any assistance or system adjustments! You are rewarded with 30,000 points in the store!]
“Insane.”
30,000 points?
Not 3,000?
*
Meanwhile, led by Karim, the Blue Axe Orc Tribe advanced with great momentum.
The achievements were immense. They had rallied over ten orc tribes, numbering more than four thousand. What used to be just over a thousand when they sent warriors to the free city of Aren had now surpassed four thousand.
One might say it was only four thousand, but increasing from one to four thousand was a fourfold growth.
And all this happened in just about two weeks.
As the number of tribe members increased, their growth surged like a snowball rolling down a hill.
Thanks to Taehyung’s influence buff, “Blessing of the Forest,” the orcs who joined began to comprehend mana, and with a 50% increase in all growth rates, their abilities improved rapidly.
Those two combinations produced an incredible synergy, and the joined orcs immediately became a force to be reckoned with as they surged northward.
In the process, the distinctive characteristics of the orc race came to light.
Orcs, born with robust physiques, allowed both men and women to participate in warfare unless they were children or infirm. Thus, as the population of the tribe increased, so did the available military forces exponentially.
Everything was going well. The morale of the orcs soared, their warriors were powerful, and there was no one to stop them in the forests.
But that wasn’t all. With a significant decrease in the number of monsters threatening the orcs, the population growth rate of the orcs noticeably increased.
The increase in population by 50% also meant more orcs being born. In other words, it was a clear sign that the orcs were rapidly multiplying.
It seemed like they would swallow everything in their path. However, Karim felt a limit to this expansion.
“We’ll eventually hit a limit if we continue like this.”
Before he knew it, the influence of the faction led by Karim encompassed the entire southern region of the Kaizen Forest, but that was only superficial.
There were several unseen problems awaiting them.
Karim remembered the warning Taehyung had given him a few days ago.
“Your faction is currently in a state no different from an empty shell.”
An empty shell. The lord described it as a bread that looks very full on the outside but is completely empty inside.
In other words, it meant there was no substance at all.
“Strength? Of course, it’s good. But strength alone won’t feed you. Your substance is sorely lacking. Speed is important, but you need to strengthen your substance in advance. That way, you can minimize the side effects when problems arise later.”
Substance. The lord emphasized that word greatly.
“From my perspective, the most important thing is securing a source of food. If you keep expanding blindly like this, what will you do when food becomes scarce later? Oh, of course, the Kaizen Forest is so vast that you might not run out of food. But judging by your population growth rate, won’t you eventually hit a limit? So, you need to think ahead.”
“But that’s not the only problem. There are many to talk about. They’re currently in a situation no different from the nomadic tribes that once dominated Central Asia. The land is vast, but they’re not utilizing it. Well, of course, Central Asia is a land full of nothingness, so nomadism is essential there, but… Oh, what’s Central Asia, you ask? It’s… well…”
“Ugh.”
Karim shook his head to clear his thoughts.
“That was too painful.”
That day, every word the lord spoke was true. And painfully true.
In reality, he had only been thinking about battles. Gathering orcs and expanding his power were his only thoughts.
But that couldn’t continue. He was a ruler. He held the responsibility for the lives of thousands of orcs. He had to ensure they lived well.
Karim immediately conveyed his fears to the tribespeople.
“Our conquests and liberation activities are temporarily halted!”
Then, he went to his father, Karik.
“Father. Do you remember that?”
“What are you talking about?”
“When I was young, do you remember what you always told me?”
“What about it?”
“You said that deep within the central area of the Kaizen Forest, our ancestors’ legacy sleeps.”
“Oh, I remember now.”
Karik nodded.
“I remembered that. I heard it from my father too. He heard it from his father as well.”
It was like a legend passed down through generations among them.
The central area of the Kaizen Forest. Somewhere in that dangerous place teeming with high-level monsters like ogres, the legacy left by the high orcs slumbers!
“I heard that our orcs settled in Kaizen Forest because of that. They wanted to reclaim the glory of finding and restoring the legacy of our ancestors. Well, nobody achieved that goal, but that’s what they aimed for.”
“Father, do you really think it’s there?”
“Me? Hmm… I honestly don’t know. I haven’t thought deeply about it. Why do you ask?”
Karik paused, then continued.
“Do you think what I’m thinking is correct?”
“Correct. If not, I wouldn’t have asked.”
Karim asserted.
“I intend to find out for myself. About that legacy of our ancestors.”
Karim didn’t make this decision on a whim.
It was a decision made after careful consideration.
It had been on his mind for a long time. He had just postponed it because the time wasn’t right yet.
But now, that time had come. It was the perfect moment.
“Father. I’ll be leaving for a while. I hope you’ll take care of the tribespeople in my absence.”
“It’s dangerous. Even if you can guarantee safety, there’s no telling whether the legacy of our ancestors exists or not. You might come back empty-handed without any trace.”
“I know. But it’s worth a try.”
Given that many orcs had tried over the years but failed to find the legacy of their ancestors, it was undoubtedly going to be difficult to find.
However, not attempting it was not an option for Karim.
“If you’re going, take the warriors with you.”
“No, it’s best if I go alone.”
Karim shook his head.
Whether it was his determined expression or his resolve, Karik reluctantly nodded.
“If that’s your wish, so be it. Well, it’s kind of funny for me to tell you not to go. You’re the chief, and you’re the top warrior of the tribe.”
“Thank you. I trust only you, Father.”
Karik patted Karim’s shoulder as if to encourage him. Karim quietly accepted his father’s gesture.
“Be careful.”
“Don’t worry. I’m strong.”
With a brief farewell, Karim set off from the village.
“Let’s go, friend.”
“Ruff!”
The silver wolf carrying Karim dashed through the forest.
