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Several projects have already begun; thanks to the opportunity I received to become the new chieftain. Although it would not happen for another two years, I planned to use my new position as secondary leader to accelerate the growth of the entire town—and my own power along with it.
First came lumber. We needed tons of it, so ninety percent of the village had started cutting wood with frantic energy. We were clearing the entire area of trees and using the timber to build a defensive wall and large communal houses for the families. For now, we have decided on big structures that could host three to four families each. Later, we would shift to individual homes.
Second, mapping. We needed to map the surrounding area as thoroughly as possible. If my memories of this place from the game were accurate, I could use that knowledge to our advantage.
Third, hunting. While mapping, I would hunt down as many creatures as possible with my friends and siblings, who now accompanied me as we ventured deeper into the forest.
To gauge our progress and scout ahead, my brother formed a bond with a crow after feeding it. He received the Bird's Eye Spell, which allowed him to see through the bird's eyes from high above.
Scaly remained wounded and rested in my brother's tent. He had received plenty of medicine and powerful healing magic, but he still needed a couple of weeks to recover fully. We left him with ample water and meat, so he would be fine.
He had become the village hero, and my brother earned tremendous praise for taming such a powerful wyvern. Some even began calling Scaly the "Clan's Guardian Beast," an idea that sparked several plans in my mind.
"Huh, it's quite vast."
My brother shared the spell with me by touching my head and transferring its power to my eyes. As I gazed through the crow's vision at the sprawling forest, I mapped it with Freyja's help, sketching every detail onto a large sheet of valuable rare paper.
"I see. So we're surrounded by a vast pine forest, then more woodlands beyond… hills, mountains, and an immense swamp. There's a river and a lake nearby. We can modify the land so the river splits and flows right past our new village," I said, nodding. "I recognize this place now."
I had not recalled it earlier but seeing it from above triggered the memory. This was a mid-level zone from the game, with some high-level content hidden in the mountains. It was called the Dark Forest, densely populated by strong Tier 3 and higher Magic Beasts and Spirit Beasts.
From what I remembered, three tribes lived deeper in the forest and nearby mountains: the Savage Lizardmen Tribe, the Mountain Kobolds, and the Swaplings. All were highly aggressive toward intruders, so it would be wise not to provoke them until we were ready for conflict.
They were savage tribes that terrorized humans without hesitation, hunting and devouring them. I would show them no mercy either. Once we grew strong enough, we would exterminate them and clear the area for the clan… though it might depend. If they surrendered, perhaps we could assimilate them. More villagers were always better, even if blending cultures would be difficult—something I rarely worried about in the game.
Anyway, four key landmarks stood out as critically important.
First, the Dark Swamp, home to the Swaplings. It also harbored plenty of Tier 3 Magic Beasts and a few higher Tier 4 to 5 Spirit Beasts—the Swamp Rulers, as they were called. Beneath an ancient tree lay a Hidden Dungeon filled with powerful monsters and a special item I wanted: the Swamp Ruler's Ring. It unleashed swamp-related spells—perfect for town building. Creating mud, water, and fertile soil was indispensable.
Second, the Misty Forest to the northwest—a perpetual fog-shrouded woodland where half the Savage Lizardmen tribe dwelled. They thrived in humid places and navigated by scent and hearing. The forest contained Mist Beasts that dropped valuable Elemental Cores when slain. Another Dungeon hid behind their village, holding the Mist Boots, which generated mist while walking to boost evasion and dodging.
Third, the Spirit Root Forest—an underground labyrinth beneath the forest roots, where mole monsters and spirits coexisted in harmony. Rich Spiritual Ores and Crystals grew abundantly there. Powerful Tier 4 to 5 monsters roamed, guarded by a terrifying Tier 6 Spirit Beast that protected a treasure chest containing a powerful set of armor.
And lastly, the Rocky Mountains, the closest mountain range to the forest. The Kobolds inhabited vast caves once dug by Dwarves, who were now mostly extinct in this region. Kobolds could evolve by developing draconic traits; their strongest reached near-dragon forms and became immensely powerful. The mountains held many Dungeons to explore, but the most valuable prizes were the blueprints from dwarven ruins that unlocked advanced building options.
I wrote everything down from memory and shared it with my friends and siblings. They gasped in disbelief.
"T-This is amazing! You know all this just from looking from above?!" Magnus asked.
"Your visions are incredible, little sis," Astrid said, beaming with admiration. "And so detailed! With this we can adapt properly and stay cautious of danger. I had no idea three dangerous tribes lived nearby. We'd better be careful. Is this area safe to hunt in?"
"Yeah, don't worry," I nodded. "What do you guys think?"
"Sounds good! Let's hunt already! I want to become stronger!" Sigrid grinned, bow and arrows at the ready. She had learned a few spells suited to her new Spiritual Roots of Water and Ice and channeled them into her archery.
"Yeah, me too!"
"Let's do it, Brunhild!"
Ulf and Kara, the red-haired twins, were eager as well. Clad in bone armor and wielding their preferred weapons, Ulf favored a lance while Kara preferred sword and shield. Both had awakened the same Fire Spiritual Root and gained Crimson Wolf Spirit Beast Tattoos on their left and right arms, respectively.
"Alright, I guess we can tell Fenrir to look for prey or something," I muttered, only for my brother to pat my shoulder.
"There's no need, Brunhild. I can do it," he said with a smile.
He closed his eyes and spread his Mana and Spiritual Aura outward, combining them around us. The energy connected to several common forest animals roaming nearby, forming temporary bonds.
Through their eyes, he glimpsed new areas and quickly located dangerous creatures worth hunting—or anything else of value.
"I've detected several promising spots," he sighed. "It's a shame to use my power like this, but… for the good of the village, I have to."
"Thank you, brother," I nodded. "Please guide us. Also, everyone—remember, I need to deliver the final kill, okay? That's the only rule I'm asking."
"Okay~" Sigrid chuckled, bouncing around while idly aiming her arrow.
"Sigrid, this isn't a game. Focus," my big sister scolded gently. Sigrid nodded nervously.
"S-Sorry!" she said.
"I guess she really is like ten years old," I shrugged. "Ulf, Kara, don't get distracted. Come on."
Unlike me, these children were truly children—easily distracted and prone to playing too much. Thank goodness I had brought my siblings; otherwise it would have been much harder to manage with only my younger friends.
Nonetheless, we soon found a meadow teeming with prey. A large group of Horned Rabbits grazed alongside their evolved leaders, Bicorn Rabbits—twice as large, with two horns, rough gray fur, and Tier 2 strength. A dozen of them dotted the open field in the heart of the forest.
Nearby stood majestic Forest Giraffes—tall creatures with green-and-brown fur and necks covered in hard bark for camouflage among the trees. They fed on vegetation, nuts, and fruit.
Finally, predators prowled: three Demon Wolves and a pack of Gray Wolves.
The plan was simple: take them all. Full murder-hobo mode.
But how could we prevent them from scattering? Only the major predators would likely stand and fight; the rest would probably flee.
My brother, though reluctant, was eventually convinced by my sister to help.
"You want me to distract the animals using the ones I've temporarily tamed?!" he asked in disbelief.
"Yeah," Astrid nodded. "What's wrong with that? Come on."
"B-But what if they die?!" he protested.
"Brother, we need the kills for the town!" I said firmly. "We have to do this. Look, in another world where society was stable and food and shelter were guaranteed, I would agree with your mindset. But in this world where the strong devour the weak, we cannot falter—not even for a second."
He looked at me with a slightly saddened expression. Despite his towering, muscular frame, my big brother had always been soft-hearted and kind. It pained me to force him to use his amazing powers this way. "F-For the family… I guess, yeah. Okay."
Fortunately, he wasn't foolish enough to value animal lives over his own family. He understood this was the law of the jungle—we had to do what must be done.
He nodded. "Okay, I'll send them… Let's pray they survive. But what's the rest of the plan?"
"We divide and conquer," I said. "Sigrid, Ulf, Kara—you three go after the rabbits. I'll support you from afar with magic."
To maximize my killing speed, I equipped the Winged Boots for short bursts of flight, the Goblin Ring for superhuman speed, the Fireball Necklace to spam fireballs, and even brought the Mana Diamond to rapidly recover Mana and keep casting without pause.
Yes—this was the ultimate newbie build I had abused in the game. This insane item combination turned any beginner into a force to be reckoned with, especially with a party of strong allies.
Once preparations were complete, we moved. My friends circled through the forest, hiding behind trees and sneaking toward the rabbits.
My brother summoned a dozen random birds he had temporarily befriended and directed them toward the rabbits, locking them in place the moment my friends charged.
The Bicorn Rabbits fought bravely to protect their kin, thrusting sharp horns. But my friends wore armor; they tanked the blows and endured, swinging their weapons.
Kara and Ulf, strong enough to repel Tier 2s, infused Mana and Spiritual Energy into their attacks, burning the Bicorns.
At the same time, Sigrid unleashed dozens of frost arrows, raining them down on the rabbits before targeting the giraffes and freezing parts of their bodies.
"Aim for the legs!"
From behind the giraffes, my sister burst forth, swinging her sword in a blazing rush attack that cleaved the legs from four of them. Her fiery aura surged.
The giraffes groaned in pain and retaliated with magic—sharp vines and wooden spears—but Astrid dodged effortlessly.
Meanwhile, my brother targeted the predators. He fired four arrows, striking the Demon Wolves and incapacitating them instantly.
He charged, using Beast Tamer spells to leave the Gray Wolves half-dead.
I leaped into action.
"Fireball!"
Channeling the necklace's power, a magic circle formed instantly. A massive blazing fireball crashed down, bombarding the rabbits and incinerating them.
The Bicorn Rabbits groaned but perished quickly in the inferno.
Without wasting a moment, I rushed to the giraffes. With my axe, I beheaded them before they could overwhelm my sister.
I kicked off the ground, reached the wolves, and combined Fireballs with Searing Cleaves—cutting and burning until nothing remained alive.
"Wow, that was fast…! Thank you, everyone."
"It wasn't supposed to be this fast. How strong are you?!" my brother asked in disbelief. "You sure aren't as strong as you look, haha…"
"I agree—you're a monster! Not many could behead four of those things in seconds," my sister said.
"Brunhild, you did it! No—we did it!" Sigrid cheered.
"It was awesome! Can we hunt more?" Ulf asked. "I feel stronger already."
"Me too! I feel all sparkly, like… brrrr!" Kara said, shaking her body. "Is this what you called Leveling?"
"It is!" I nodded. "Well done, everyone. Thanks a lot! We should hunt two or three more packs of this size and we'll be done."
"Three more?!" Their reactions were exactly what I expected. It wouldn't be easy.
Nonetheless, this hunt had been fruitful.
Though I couldn't level up yet, I had gained many Souls and absorbed every single one without waste.
"Wait a minute. I'll be right back."
I closed my eyes and sat on the grass. Everyone watched in confusion as I meditated.
When I entered my Soul Orb Sanctuary, dozens of souls floated everywhere.
"Wow, it sure is lively now…"
Freyja appeared beside me in a flash of red light. "Brunhild, you're back… I see you've obtained quite a lot of souls."
I nodded. "Yeah. Weren't you watching?"
"I was napping," she said nonchalantly. "I told you I'm a living being too—I rest and eat…"
"What do you eat anyway?" I asked.
"Soul Essence," she replied. "Or the EXP you earn. Since you can't level up right now, I'm consuming a bit and storing the rest. Once you Rank Up your Classes, you'll get the EXP back."
"Oooh! Nice!" I said. "Alright, let's go to the altar."
I approached the altar and touched it. With a single thought, all the souls gathered into dozens of spheres of varying sizes.
"Nice. Let's see how many Soul Points I can get from this."
I had considered consuming one or two, but for my brother's sake, I chose to let them reincarnate. He already felt guilty enough about the killing.
If they could at least have a second chance, perhaps their sacrifice wouldn't be entirely in vain.
"I pray you can have a better second life."
The souls drifted upward into the dark skies, fading through the void toward an endless garden of flowers.
And then…
[You have allowed a small soul to reincarnate peacefully.]
[You have allowed a small soul to reincarnate peacefully.]
[You have allowed a small soul to reincarnate peacefully.]
[You have allowed a small soul to reincarnate peacefully.]
[You have allowed a small soul to reincarnate peacefully.]
[…]
[You have allowed a strong soul to reincarnate peacefully.]
[You have allowed a strong soul to reincarnate peacefully.]
[You have allowed a strong soul to reincarnate peacefully.]
[…]
[You earned 195 Soul Points.]
"Wow, that much?!"
I was surprised, but the total made sense once I calculated it. Horned Rabbits gave 1 Soul Point each. Gray Wolves gave 5. Demon Wolves gave 15. Giraffes gave 15. Bicorn Rabbits gave 7. I had killed around twenty-two Horned Rabbits, eight Gray Wolves, three Demon Wolves, four Giraffes, and four Bicorn Rabbits.
"Yes! With this we can unlock the Town Building System and the Unit Summoning System," Freyja said. "Though with the remaining points, it'll only be enough for one or two buildings or a couple of weak units."
"Hmm, it's a start," I nodded. "Alright, how do I unlock them?"
"Like this."
[You have spent 100 Soul Points.]
[The Town Building System and the Unit Summoning System have been unlocked.]
[Please assign the area where you want your Territory to be established. Once it is established, you will become the Lord of the Territory.]
[By spending various resources and Soul Points, you can build a variety of buildings based on your faction, clan, tribe, and also your current level and classes.]
[To access the Unit Summoning System, please assign an area for your Territory and then build the "Summoning Sanctuary" first.]
"So there are requirements. Yeah, I remember the Sanctuary… Okay, let's hunt some more first."
I opened my eyes to find a new notification.
Ding!
[You have reincarnated over fifty different Souls.]
[Congratulations, you have unlocked the [Saintess of Reincarnation] Title.]
[As the Saintess of Reincarnation, you can now speak with the recently deceased, and the Soul Points and Soul Essence you gain from sending Souls to Reincarnation increase slightly.]
"I can speak with the dead now?" I murmured.
"What's wrong? Are you done meditating?" my sister asked. "It's been like ten minutes. Are we going to continue? Also, store the corpses in your magic bag, girl."
"Right, right!" I nodded. "Some of them look messy, but we can't waste them… Oh, these Demon Wolves still have mostly intact pelts. We could craft more coats with them."
After storing everything, my brother guided us to another open area—a large, nameless lake teeming with wild fish monsters and even a lake guardian spirit resting beneath the surface.
But those weren't our targets today. We focused on the creatures drinking or resting nearby: more rabbits (both horned and bicorn), gray and demon wolves, and new additions—giant pill bugs and a pitch-black spider.
"Wow, what are these monsties?" Sigrid wondered, tilting her head and resting it on my shoulder. "They look strong. Do we have to take them down too?"
"Yeah," I nodded. "Hmm, that spider seems strong. What Tier is it?"
"Tier 3," my brother said. "We haven't encountered a Tier 4 yet, thankfully. I don't think we could handle those yet. It's better to hunt these for now. Alright, same plan?"
"We'll go after the rabbits first—they're the ones that run the most," I said. "With my friends. Magnus and Astrid, can you distract the bugs and the wolves?"
"I can handle the bugs," Astrid nodded. "Magnus doesn't have good affinity with buggers."
"Yeah, I don't," my brother sighed. "Unless they're very small, it's hard to connect. They have a completely different level of mind and wavelengths. Same with fish, slugs, and the like."
"That's fine," I said. "Alright, let's begin."
We started with my friends sneaking behind the rabbits and attacking as before. Astrid fired five exploding ice arrows, leaving the horned rabbits half-dead.
The larger Bicorn Rabbits were flanked by Ulf and Kara, who unleashed flame attacks from their weapons and cornered them.
I leaped in to finish them, swinging my axe and unleashing wide cutting attacks that spread fire across the grass, burning the monsters while combining rapid Fireballs. They fell in seconds.
As for the wolves, my brother entertained them—running on all fours while they snapped and lunged. He leaped over their bodies, grabbed their snouts, and smashed them to the ground.
Wow, he was always amazing when I watched him fight!
"Fireball!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
I bombarded them from above. Fireballs exploded across the wolves' backs. The Demon Wolves roared in pain and tried to flee, but I infused Spiritual Energy into my axe and hurled it like a tomahawk, cleaving the two remaining Demon Wolves apart.
"Wow, it even returned?"
I hadn't realized I could do this, but by infusing Spiritual Embodiment into the axe, throwing it, and controlling it from afar with Spirit Power, I had turned my axes into boomerangs.
"New Technique? Tomahawk Boomerang? …Getter Tomahawk Boomerang?!"
"Brunhild! Help me out here! Hurry! What are you doing just standing there?!"
As I recalled a great anime from my childhood, my sister called out from the distance. I stepped forward, using Wild Cat Leap to reach her instantly.
"Shaaaahh!"
The bugs were aggressive—they didn't flee as I had expected. The Giant Pill Bugs, as large as cows, hissed and displayed massive mandibles while standing upright, towering three meters tall.
The Black Spider—an Onyx Spider—had a shiny black exoskeleton as hard as metal. It hissed and attacked my sister with sharp, scythe-like legs.
"Sorry!"
I swiftly reached her, throwing my axe in the same technique—striking the pill bugs and tearing through the wounds my sister had already opened.
At the same time, the spider charged, but I greeted it with dozens of fireballs straight to its face. Its eyes and mandibles burned; the creature hissed in agony, shaking its head and retreating.
I leaped, caught my returning axe, and swung.
"Searing Cleave!"
CLAAASH!
The Giant Onyx Spider's head split open. It died on the spot. Green blood oozed into the grass as the flames faded and ashes scattered on the wind.
"It's over… Phew."
I waved my hand. Dozens of souls flowed into my Soul Orb and were absorbed. I sighed in relief, feeling deeply satisfied.
"Alright, well done everyone," I said. "Let's rest by the lake. Maybe we can even fish for lunch."
I quickly gathered the corpses and stored them in my inventory. I decided to roast two Bicorn Rabbits—their meat was tender and delicious after all—and one of the giraffes out of curiosity about its flavor.
"I guess it all worked out," my brother sighed in relief. "Is this enough, or do we need to hunt more?"
"Let's call it a day for now," I said. "Let's eat and then return."
My brother nodded, leaped into the lake to swim, and submerged deeply before bursting out like a dolphin, carrying a big catfish in his mouth. He spat it onto the grass in front of me.
He repeated the feat four times, each time bringing a different species: gars, catfish, an eel, and something resembling salmon.
While I oversaw the cooking, my friends ran to play and swim in the lake.
"Brunhild, come play with us!"
"Eh? Ah, but I'm busy…"
"Come on! Let's play in the water!"
Sigrid grabbed my hand and dragged me along despite my protests. She was too cute to refuse, so I ended up leaping into the water against my will.
"Ugh, it's cold as hell," I sighed.
SPLASH!
"Hehehe, come on, cheer up! Let's relax doing something else!"
She splashed water in my face. I quickly grew annoyed and splashed back while Ulf and Kara swam around us, diving down to catch fish.
"You guys are way too wild sometimes."
"You're too serious sometimes!" Sigrid said. "Relax! Raar!" She playfully bit my shoulder. I chuckled, and we wrestled in the lake like barbarian children.
Perhaps she was right. I had been focusing too much on tasks. A nice break like this wasn't bad every now and then.
While swimming and peering into the crystal-clear water, Sigrid swam to my side and nudged me playfully.
"Hey Brunhild, what do you plan to do once you grow up?" she asked innocently.
"Me?" I wondered. "Umm, well, I'll become the chieftain."
"Eh? When? You will?" she asked, shocked.
"Yep," I nodded. "But besides that, I want to build a nice town here. Then… eventually, I'll explore."
"Explore?"
"Once I grow up and can be reasonably sure our home is safe, I'll go on an adventure outside. I'll explore the rest of the world—and even beyond that," I said, patting her head. "Did you know there are other worlds out there? And realms, and universes."
"Wow, what?!" she exclaimed. "Really?!"
"Yeah," I nodded. "And I'm going to explore all of them… It's what I live for—aside from my family and all of you."
"Wow… I don't even have that many aspirations myself…" Sigrid sighed. "I just… I don't know, I'll find a partner and have kids like every woman in the tribe…! I never thought there was something else we could do."
"Well, that's also fine. There's nothing wrong with it," I shrugged. "I just… I'm not that interested in doing that myself."
"Oooh…" She looked at me with bright blue eyes, as if I had planted an entirely new idea in her mind. Perhaps a new dream was forming in that little head. "That sounds cool. You're cool, Brunhild!"
"Hahah, and you scream too loudly!" I laughed, patting her head and ruffling her wet hair. "Let's go eat now. Are you hungry?"
"Yeah, but I'm tired…" she sighed.
"Alright, come on up," I said, letting her climb onto my back while I swam to the shore. I helped her warmup near the bonfire. "Feeling better?"
"Yeah, thanks," she smiled cutely. "Um, Brun?"
"Yes?" I answered halfheartedly while checking the roasting meat and the fish stew simmering in a big pot.
"Can I go on an adventure with you too?" Sigrid asked.
"You want to come? Ah, we're too young for that. I was mostly talking nonsense. You don't have to take it seriously," I said, slicing a large piece of giraffe meat. It was firm and surprisingly tasty. "Alright? So don't worry."
"But…" She looked a little sad. "I want to be with you…"
"Ugh…" I sighed, realizing she was the clingy type. "Okay… fine… whatever. You're free to follow me if you want to, Sigrid."
"Yaaaay!" Sigrid celebrated. "Ulf and Kara too! We will become a big and strong party! And we will hunt mighty beasts! And… um, slay evil… um, evil sorcerers?"
"Hahaha, sounds like a good plan!" I nodded. "Alright, it's done. Let's eat, everyone!"
As I called them back, we sat in a circle around the bonfire to enjoy our meal—mostly meat, with some cheese and bread. For drinks, I brought milk and wine, plus plenty of plain water.
"Phew, I'm full!" Ulf said, patting his belly. "Wow, that was just amazing. I haven't eaten this well in a while! I feel full of strength now."
"I feel like taking a nap right now…" Kara yawned, slowly closing her eyes and resting her head on her brother's shoulder.
"Hey Kara, don't fall asleep right now!" he said, annoyed, pushing her gently until she woke. "We have to get going. Come on!"
"Yeah, let's get going, children," my sister nodded. "We've had a fruitful hunt today! Brunhild, seeing the state of the village right now, we might have to share what we hunted with the rest. You don't mind?"
"Nah, everyone should eat together," I nodded. "And we hunted way too much, I agree. Let's go."
With my brother and Fenrir leading the way, we returned to the village. We found piles of lumber and felled trees stacked to the side, along with bonfires and torches lit to illuminate the growing dusk.
And the roars of people, accompanied by the sharp smell of blood.
"Don't let them get past the barricade!!!"
"Fight them!"
"Damn it, one sneaked inside!"
"It's aiming for the kids!"
"Kill it, quickly!!!"
"Damn fucking lizards! Get out of here!"
The warriors' roars echoed as we exchanged glances and rushed toward the village. We found our clan members battling a dozen humanoid creatures—lean, three-meter-tall figures covered in hard green scales, wielding spears and bows while riding Demon Wolves.
"Lizardmen?!" I gasped.
"When did they…?! Damn it! I forgot to check on the village!" my brother lamented.
"Fuck it! Get ready to fight!" my sister roared. "Magnus, don't have mercy either. It's them or us!"
Everything was happening too quickly. I hadn't expected Lizardmen to appear out of nowhere and attack, especially ones from the distant Mist Forests.
But there was no time to waste. Together with my siblings, and keeping my friends safely behind us, we charged forward, roaring in unison as our Mana Auras flared.
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