Cold winds swept across Frostridge Village as the moon hung low in the sky, glowing like a pale lantern above the roofs. Frost covered the small houses, shining silver in the night. Most villagers were already asleep, resting after a long day of hard work.
But one girl was still outside.
Alina Frost walked slowly along the narrow forest path that led back to the village. Her thin cloak fluttered weakly in the wind, but she didn't shiver. She rarely did. Her body was always cold — colder than anyone else's.
Some called it abnormal.Some called it a curse.
Alina simply called it normal.
Her basket of herbs pressed against her hip as she stepped over roots and stones. She knew this path by heart. She walked it almost every day, gathering herbs that could be sold or traded.
She didn't cultivate.She couldn't.
Her Frozen Spirit Root made sure of that.
It was a dormant spiritual root — one that refused to gather Qi. It didn't matter how hard she tried, how long she sat in meditation, or how much she prayed. Nothing changed.
In a world where strength decided fate, that meant only one thing:
She was powerless.
"Talentless," people often whispered as she passed.
"Poor girl. She'll be a herb gatherer forever."
"She should marry early. There's no future for a girl who can't cultivate."
Alina used to fight those words. Now, she simply ignored them.
She kept walking, watching the soft moonlight spill between tree branches. The cold air felt familiar, almost comforting. But tonight, something felt different — heavier, sharper, like invisible eyes watching her from the shadows.
The forest was too quiet.
Normally, crickets would chirp, owls would hoot, and small animals would rustle through the bushes. But tonight? Nothing.
Alina slowed her steps and glanced around.
"Strange…" she murmured.
A faint uneasiness settled in her stomach. She tightened her grip on her basket and walked a little faster.
She was only a few steps away from the village gate when the ground suddenly shook.
BOOM.
Alina stopped in horror as the vibration ran up her legs.
Another BOOM followed, closer this time. Birds burst from the treetops, crying loudly before disappearing into the night.
Her heart began to pound.
That sound… she had heard it before, during stories told by hunters around the fire.
It was the footsteps of a Spirit Beast.
"Alina? Is that you?" a guard called from the gate.
She opened her mouth to respond — and froze as a deep, vicious roar tore through the night.
The guard's face turned pale.
"Spirit Beast!" he shouted. "Everyone, get inside! NOW!"
Villagers rushed from their homes, screaming and running for cover. Children cried. Doors slammed shut.
Alina couldn't move.
Fear gripped her chest so tightly that she could barely breathe. Every instinct screamed at her to run, to hide, to move —
But her legs refused.
The forest in front of her exploded.
Trees cracked, branches snapped, and a massive white beast burst into view. Snow dust scattered everywhere as the creature stomped onto the path, its heavy breath sending clouds of cold mist into the air.
A Frostfang Boar.
A Spirit-Rank beast known for its anger and power. It should have been deep in the mountains — far, far away from any human village.
But here it was.And its glowing red eyes locked directly onto her.
"No…" Alina whispered. "Why me—?"
The beast roared, lowering its body. Its long icy tusks glinted under the moonlight. Each breath froze the ground beneath it.
Then it charged.
The entire forest shook with its steps. Frost spread where its hooves struck. The air cracked with power.
Alina's breath caught in her throat.
Move. Move… please, move!
Her mind screamed, but her limbs felt heavy, useless. Fear pinned her in place like chains.
The boar thundered closer.
Twenty meters.Ten.Five.
Its presence pressed against her chest, stealing the air from her lungs.
"I… don't want to die…" she whispered.
Her vision blurred.Her heartbeat pounded in her ears.
And then —
The world froze.
The wind halted mid-gust.Falling snowflakes stopped in the air.The roar of the beast silenced.
Everything turned still.
A light appeared before Alina — soft at first, then bright enough to paint the world in white. A shimmering square of light hovered in front of her eyes.
Words began forming on it, made of glowing symbols she somehow understood instantly.
[Soul Resonance Detected.]
Alina stared, confused and trembling.
The words shifted.
[User Compatible.]
[GODDESS CREATION SYSTEM — ACTIVATING.]
Her lips parted slightly.
"W-What… what is happening?"
The glowing panel pulsed gently.
[Initialization Complete.][Welcome, Alina Frost.][Designation: Future Goddess Candidate.]
Her mind spun in circles.A system? Her?She was the most talentless girl in the entire village.
Why would a system choose her?
Why would anything choose her?
Time suddenly lurched forward again.
The frozen world cracked back to life.
The Frostfang Boar surged forward, its tusks just inches from piercing her heart.
Another line of text flashed urgently:
[Directive One: SURVIVE.]
A burst of cold exploded from deep within her chest — a force she had never felt before. It rushed through her veins like liquid ice, sharp and clear.
The ground around her froze instantly, forming a perfect circle of frost.
The air turned white.
The boar slowed, struggling against the invisible pressure pressing it back.
Alina gasped as her body filled with power. Her fingertips tingled. Frost formed around them, gathering in small sharp crystals that clung together.
Her instincts took over.
She lifted her hand.
Ice swirled and shaped itself into a long spear — clear, dangerous, beautiful.
The beast roared and pushed harder.
Alina stepped back and thrust her hand forward.
The spear shot through the air.
CRACK!
The Frostfang Boar froze solid in an instant, its whole body turned into a statue of pure ice. Frost raced across the ground, spreading around the beast like a growing flower.
Silence returned.
Villagers peeked from behind doors, staring in shock.
Alina stared at her own shaking hands, her breath forming circles of white mist.
"Did... I just do that?"
Another soft glow shimmered in front of her eyes.
[Evolution Beginning.][Path to Goddesshood Initiated.]
She swallowed hard.
"What… am I becoming?"
The system responded with calm, cold certainty.
[The World Will Know Your Name, Alina Frost.][You Are Chosen To Become A Goddess.]
Alina stood alone in the moonlit frost, her heart pounding, her fate forever changed.
Tonight, she had awakened a power that would shake the heavens.
And she was only getting started.