The God Who Chose an Introvert

It was evening, and the sky had turned pitch-black. A harsh wind whipped through the air, carrying an eerie silence.

[ I hope you enjoyed the hunt, Master ]

'It was fun,' I thought, drawing in a deep breath.

'I don't have much time before that mage reaches the cliff… or the camp if it heard the commotion. Let's go meet the Orc Champion, Sebas.'

A foul stench lingered in the air.

'Ugh… this smell is horrific.'

I glanced down—no blood on me.

'Not a drop?'

[ It seems the field prevented any physical contact with orc blood, Master. ]

All around me lay… bodies. Orc corpses strewn in disarray.

Some skulls were crushed flat, others had weapons lodged in them, and a few had their entrails spilling onto the scorched earth.

I took it all in.

'I was going to scavenge weapons from those half-eaten bodies… but I don't need to anymore.' I muttered, glancing at the floating blue shop screen.

[ Shop: 1080 points ]

'Speaking of which… why did that skill cost 300 points, and this package is 999?' I asked, curiosity tinged with impatience.

[ You've received a latecomer's discount, Master—necessary traits tailored to you were reduced. ]

[ All other skills and traits remain at their normal cost, Master. ]

'Huh. Fair enough.'

I strode toward the settlement gate.

'There must be more orcs inside. I'll put these new traits to use.'

'Sebas, buy the package.'

[ I recommend equipping them one by one, Master. ]

[ The sudden influx of mana-related traits could cause intense mental pain—altering your perception and brain function. ]

'…That could knock me unconscious. Bad idea,' I thought, frowning.

'What if that mag—'

Suddenly, a thought struck.

'Sebas, could the Orc Champion wield a magically enchanted weapon? Like a flaming axe?' I asked, caution in my expression.

[ It's possible, Master. ]

'Good point. Remind me of these details sooner.'

[ Apologies, Master. I will be more vigilant. ]

I paused at the broken greatsword embedded in an orc's corpse.

'Sebas, scan this weapon.'

[ Apologies, Master. The info skill is currently unavailable. ]

'Isn't that a basic isekai skill?'

[ It was removed from your core system but added to the shop—1000 points to purchase. ]

'No thanks,' I sighed.

Thunder roared overhead.

'That fight was deafening. Why didn't the others rush in?' I wondered.

[ Only a limited number of orcs can exit at once. The rest hold position for strategic advantage, Master. ]

'Or they assumed it was a glory duel and kept their distance.'

The settlement entrance came into view.

'Hm? No guards on the gate? No door?' I murmured.

'Sebas, buy and equip the package now.'

[ Understood, Master. Purchasing… ]

[ Arcane Comprehension acquired ]

[ Adaptive Casting acquired ]

[ Fast Analysis acquired ]

[ One with the Veil acquired ]

[ Mana Sensitivity acquired ]

[ Theoretical Transmutation acquired ]

[ Multicasting Surge acquired ]

[ Split Mind acquired ]

[ 999 points deducted ]

[ Shop: 81 points ]

I reached the camp entrance and halted.

'You were right, Sebas.'

Every orc inside stood in tight formation, weapons at the ready.

From the back, a massive orc stepped forward—easily a meter taller than the rest, with a deep facial scar.

Thunder rattled the air. The wind howled through rustling leaves and whipping bushes.

The great orc approached, and the others parted respectfully.

He towered over the others, his hulking frame corded with muscle and covered in old battle marks. A jagged scar ran across his right eye, leaving it clouded and pale, while another deep gash stretched from his left shoulder down to the right side of his abdomen, like a twisted signature of countless battles survived. Unlike the others, he wore no shoulder guards—either by choice or as a sign of dominance—exposing the rough, weathered skin and sinew beneath. His expression was a snarl frozen in flesh, radiating menace with every step, as if daring the world to challenge him.

IKEWK, a guttural voice boomed, A puny human? He sneered in disgust.

HOW DID A WEAK RACE—UNARMED—COME HERE, KEWK? He spat out the words, eyes narrowing.

'Are you the Orc Champion?' I called out.

HM? The orc grunted, surprised.

'YOU SPEAK OUR LANGUAGE, KEWK!' he barked, astonishment mixing with fury.

I was standing right at the threshold—one step away from the battlefield.

The gate had no door. No guard. Just broken stone foundations that divided me from the orc settlement beyond. Across that invisible line stood the champion—Ballak.

Even at this distance, I could see the twisted rage etched into his scarred face. He loomed tall and broad, a beast carved from raw muscle and battle scars.

I didn't say a word. I just stared into his eyes—calm, unblinking.

HMM? NOTHING TO SAY? KEWK.

Tension thickened like fog between us. The wind whipped my cloak against my legs, brushing dirt across the blood-streaked earth.

TELL ME ABOUT THE ATTACKERS THAT CAME WITH YOU. THOSE WHO SLAUGHTERED MY KIND.

MAYBE YOU'RE TOO SCARED TO SPEAK, KEWK. PUNY HUMAN!

He laughed—loud and shrill. A disgusting, beastly howl that echoed across the trees like a warhorn covered in spit.

WHAHAHAHAHA! EVEN THE OTHER ORCS SH*T THEMSELVES IN FEAR BEFORE BALLAK, KEWK!

Ballak... There it was.

'So you finally said it. That's your name.'

'You're the Orc Champion.' I smiled.

But not just any smile. The kind of grin a starving wolf makes when it spots an injured deer limping away. The kind that makes sane men flinch.

The laughter in Ballak's face faded, replaced with confusion. Disgust. And just a flicker of fear.

'As for the attackers... there are none.'

'It was just me.'

'I massacred your people, Ballak.'

I stepped forward as I spoke, voice laced with venomous pride.

'Twenty-six orcs.'

'I turned the cliffside into an art gallery.'

I could see the twitch in his jaw, the tremor in his massive hands. But I wasn't finished.

'You should've seen their faces when I peeled the jaw off one and used it to bash in the skull of another.'

'That moment of realization in their eyes—when they saw they weren't fighting prey, but a monster.'

'And the mage… oh, the poor f**ker.'

'He'll return to the top of the cliff and find a masterpiece of death. A special seat just for him—to watch his entire tribe rot.'

I pointed at the cliff. Thunder cracked again, louder this time, as if nature itself reacted to the carnage I spoke of.

The champion's lips curled back. His face was twitching—conflict brewing in his bloodshot eyes.

Rage.

And beneath it... fear.

Real, raw, primitive fear.

'You're wondering, aren't you?'

'How a human can speak about your clan's death like a f**king artist showing off his work?'

Ballak clenched his fists. His teeth ground together. The wind picked up. Bushes thrashed violently. Thunder rolled again.

We were seconds away.

Just one spark.

I opened my arms wide, smiling like a demon waiting for the plunge.

'Maybe you're too scared to say anything now.'

Ballak let out a thunderous roar—an animal's scream, half war cry, half wounded pride—and charged.

No weapon. Just bare fists.

I planted my right foot deep into the dirt, channeling raw force, and launched myself forward like a missile.

We collided mid-charge, fists drawn.

Our knuckles cracked together with a sickening thud. The shockwave blasted wind and dust outward.

I landed. He skidded back.

Not broken. Not yet.

I grinned.

'This is gonna be fun.'

Ballak stared at his own trembling fist. Shock registered in his eyes.

And then… I saw it.

The weapons strapped to his back. I'd been too focused, too caught up in the madness to notice earlier.

He swung both hands up—double-headed axes, glinting with bloodstains and maybe more than just steel.

He charged again.

I didn't move. Not yet.

He jumped and brought both axes down in a savage vertical slash, aimed to split me in half.

At the last second, I backflipped—dust flying. His axes tore into the ground with a deep metallic crunch.

Perfect opening.

I swung my leg in a roundhouse kick toward his head.

He blocked it with one arm—but the impact sent him stumbling. One of his axes clattered to the ground.

His hand trembled violently.

He looked at it—then up—and saw his own axe flying back at his face.

He just barely deflected it with the other.

But then—

My fist was already there.

No time to react.

My punch landed straight into his jaw with a bone-snapping crunch.

He flew backward, crashing into the ground with a roar of pain.

The orcs around me… still didn't move.

They just watched. As if to say—"he's still standing. It's not over."

Ballak rose. Blood poured from one eye, which he couldn't seem to open anymore.

I thought it was gone—but…

'Huh? I'm sure I blasted that eye.'

He took a few steps forward, eyes burning.

Then, without warning, he hurled both weapons aside and let out a low growl.

His arms no longer trembled.

Ballak leapt—fist-first into the air.

I crouched, ready to intercept. Ready for another clash—

But the jump was off.

He landed not on me… but just short—1 or 2 meters away.

Both fists slammed into the ground.

A violent tremor surged beneath me.

The ground cracked—split.

I realized too late—I was standing on a section he just fractured.

With a monstrous roar, Ballak ripped the chunk of earth upward—me still on it—and hurled it skyward.

The air rushed around me as I soared into the storm-choked sky.

I was airborne.

The wind howled violently past my ears, but I felt nothing.

Maybe it was my field dulling it all.

I smiled—eyes wide, adrenaline spiking in my veins, heart pounding like a war drum.

'Does he think I'll die from free fall,' I thought, my grin widening.

'THINK AGAIN,' I shouted.

I had reached the peak… and now came the fall.

The moment the descent began, a flicker of distortion tore open beside me, like a wound in the air itself. I turned my eyes slowly to the left.

A familiar, detached voice echoed inside my mind.

[ All traits have been added, Master. ]

[ Please brace yourself. ]

Suddenly, a searing pain exploded in my skull—like someone had driven a molten blade into my brain and twisted it. My vision blurred. Blood started trickling from my nose and ears, caught in the wind and flung away like useless paint.

"AAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHHHHH... WHY NOWWWW!!" I screamed as I plummeted, my body writhing midair. Veins bulged against my skin, twitching with every surge of pain, like they were trying to crawl out.

'F**k… I can't… hold on…'

I was on the edge of blacking out. My breath hitched as my consciousness slipped.

Then—

[ Alert ]

[ Skill Reversal Field has been removed. ]

And just like that… everything fell quiet.

Too quiet.

The wind vanished. The chaos dulled. Time crawled.

My body still tumbled through the sky… but I was frozen inside, mind numb, heart silent.

'Huh?'

to be continued...