Kenji’s days in the ogre village had settled into a rhythm—one filled with relentless training, quiet observation, and steady progress. Under the watchful eyes of the Queen and the combat instructor, Grokk, Kenji honed his physical abilities. His training regimen pushed his young body to its limits, but the strain was beginning to show results.

  Despite his small stature, Kenji was growing stronger. His stats, displayed on the glowing blue system screen, increased incrementally each day. He’d even begun to feel the faint stirrings of mana coursing through his body—a tingling warmth that pooled in his chest and surged when he focused.

  Still, the tension in the village was palpable. Kenji often caught snippets of hushed conversations, ogres whispering about the human child. Many still viewed him with suspicion.

  “Kenji!” The Queen’s deep yet gentle voice called out one evening.

  Kenji turned from his sparring with Grokk, his small hands wrapped tightly around a crude wooden staff. The towering ogre queen stood at the edge of the training grounds, her expression a mix of pride and contemplation.

  “Yes, Mother?” Kenji replied, lowering the staff. Despite the formality, his voice carried an unmistakable warmth.

  The Queen gestured for him to follow, leading him to a secluded spot near the edge of the village. Massive trees loomed overhead, their gnarled roots forming natural seats. Kenji climbed onto one while the Queen lowered herself gracefully onto another.

  “Do you understand why you train so hard?” she asked after a moment of silence.

  Kenji blinked, caught off guard by the sudden seriousness in her tone. He nodded slowly. “To protect myself… and the village.”

  The Queen’s lips curved into a faint smile. “Yes. But there’s more to it. You are not just a member of this village, Kenji—you are its hope.”

  Kenji frowned, confusion flickering across his face. “Hope?”

  The Queen’s gaze softened as she reached out, brushing a strand of blonde hair from his forehead. “For years, we ogres have hidden, stagnant and weak. Our kind was once powerful, but now… we are hunted like beasts. No one here has evolved in decades, not since I became queen. Without evolution, we cannot thrive.”

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  Kenji’s eyes widened as he realized the full weight of her words.

  “But you… you are different,” she continued. “You bring something new to us—your intelligence, your potential. Already, I see how the others are beginning to change, inspired by your determination. If you grow strong, Kenji, so will the village.”

  Her words ignited something in Kenji—a flicker of responsibility he hadn’t fully grasped before. He looked down at his small hands, his mind racing.

  “I’ll do whatever it takes,” he said quietly, his voice steady despite the weight of the promise.

  The Queen’s smile grew. “Good. Because there will come a time when you must choose how to wield your power. Remember this, Kenji: strength is not just for yourself. It is for those you care about.”

  That night, Kenji sat cross-legged in his small hut, his breathing steady as he practiced circulating mana through his body. The system screen hovered before him, faintly illuminating the dark room.

  

  

  He closed the notification with a swipe of his hand. These small gains were satisfying, but his mind lingered on the Queen’s words.

  Strength was for those you care about.

  Kenji’s thoughts drifted to the ogres he’d come to know. The gruff but patient Grokk, the kind-hearted librarian who taught him to read, the new group young ogre friends he made recently during training, even his rowdy adoptive brother, Gorruk. They were not just monsters—they were his tribe, his family.

  Later that evening, the Queen gave Kenji his first big mission. He became lost in thought thinking about if he would be able to complete this mission on his own.

  Then a sudden chime pulled him from his thoughts.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  Kenji’s eyes narrowed at the screen. He had learned about kobolds during his lessons—a primitive, wolf-like race known for their cunning and aggression. They were weak individually, but in packs, they were dangerous.

  This was his first real test.

  Kenji stood, gripping his crude dagger. His heart raced, but he didn’t hesitate. If he was to protect the village and prove his worth, there was no time to waste.

  He stepped out into the night, the system screen lighting his path.

  “Strength isn’t just for myself,” he murmured, determination hardening his features. “It’s for them, too.”