A Trash Mob's Rise

by Pastafied

Reborn as a Quilboar in a ruthless magical world, Kapros fights for survival with only his raw determination and newfound gamer powers. In a brutal struggle against fierce creatures and dark powers, he must claw his way from trash mob to unrivaled power, proving that even the lowest can forge their own path to dominance. MC with a Gamer System.

1. Chapter 1

A white expanse of nothingness was there. It wasn't particularly bright or blinding as there was no visible light yet somehow there was also no darkness. It simply was.

A single solitary man stood in the white space. Words scrawled themselves in the white space before the man's eyes.

{YOU HAVE DIED}

{START NEW LIFE?}

It was at this point that the serene and ultimate silence of this impossible realm was destroyed.

"There's, no fucking way!" I pinched myself to no effect. "Uh uh this is ridiculous. Is this some kind of illusion room, or VR or something? Hey, someone let me out of here!

There was no echo or anything. When I shut my mouth, noise ceased to exist. It was eerie.

I ran in one direction as long as I could, eyes clenched shut hard enough that I could see spots, when I opened them again there was still no wall in sight, and the words remained.

"What is this place?" I asked aloud. There was no outward answer other than the words in front of him. "Am I r-really dead?"

I sat down, which was an odd experience as it didn't look like there was a floor. Memories flowed in like a dam had broken.

I had been on a solo hike in the wilderness and stopped to tie my shoes. Then there'd been an angry moose, a significant amount of running for my life, and a fall from a ridiculous height as a cliffside crumbled beneath me.

I played with the idea that this might be a coma delusion for a moment before discarding it. There was no surviving a fall from that high up. And I remembered the ground approaching with stunning clarity.

"So I'm dead then. Huh." You'd think that would hit harder but honestly my life had sucked.

I focused back on the words.

{START NEW LIFE?}

I'd never actually answered. "Yeah…sure."

{THE WORLD HAS BEEN PRESELECTED}

What?

Color whooshed in from all angles to create a scene of a battlefield around him.

"Holy shit! It's fucking WoW!"

In the scene around me soldiers of different races were battling one another. Races that I recognized from the game that had played for the vast majority of my teen years and into my adult life. They looked hyper-realistic like someone had redone the entire game in a gritty 3D style, but I'd recognize this anywhere.

{CALCULATING ACCUMULATED EXPERIENCES…}

What the hell does that mean?

{YOUR PRIOR LIFE HAS EARNED YOU 10 LIFE POINTS (LP) TO BE SPENT}

Is that a little or a lot?

{CHOOSE YOUR FACTION}

{ALLIANCE}

Start with a friendly relationship with all Alliance races and an unfriendly one with all Horde races. Starting as a member of the Alliance allows you to choose from Humans, Gnomes, Dwarves, Night Elves, Worgen, and Draenei as your native race. (-5 LP)

{HORDE}

Start with a friendly relationship with all Horde races and an unfriendly one with all Alliance races. Starting as a member of the Horde allows you to choose from Orcs, Trolls, Tauren, Forsaken, Blood Elves, or Goblins as your native race. (-5 LP)

{NEUTRAL}

Start with a neutral relationship with the factions of the world. Depending on what race you choose, several things may differ, such as starting location and initial reactions to your presence. Neutral allows you to begin as any of the unaffiliated humanoid races of Azeroth, including but not limited to: Furbolgs, Ogres, Quilboar, Naga, Murlocs, and Kobolds. (0 LP)

Right so 10 LP is not a lot at all.

I guess a life spent in a dead end office job interspersed with a few outings and the majority of my earnings spent on video games didn't net me much.

So I guess I had a choice to make between the least of a few evils because there was no way I was spending half of those points on one of these first two options, despite how much I loved the Horde, I'd have to go neutral. I'd done enough CYOAs to know there would be options that were too good to pass up later on, ones that I might not have points for otherwise.

I tapped on the neutral option prompting a tremendously long list of races to appear, some of which I'd never even heard of. Those caught my attention for a moment before I moved past them to view the ones I knew more about.

I narrowed down my options to the races I actually knew of, and began working through them.

Naga were definitely out, no Old God mutation fuckery for me thanks.

Murlocs were also out due to being as smelly as they were dumb.

Kobolds were lame as hell and obsessed with candles for some reason.

Ogres were a tossup, it entirely depended on whether I could do magic without having a second head or not, I don't really remember the lore on that.

So that leaves me with Gnolls, Furbolgs, and Quilboar.

Gnolls were out. They were too savage and primitive, not to mention I couldn't think of any lore examples of a gnoll being more than a brute.

Furbolgs were a decent choice in comparison to a host of bad options. They were naturally physically imposing due to being bear-people, and there were several examples of them working alongside Night Elves. They were also naturally predisposed to druidic magic.

Quilboar were an interesting choice as well. They weren't as physically powerful as Furbolgs given they were based on boars rather than bears, but they made up for it by having access to broader magic schools rather than the Furbolgs single-minded pursuit of druidism. The only downside was that pretty much everybody hated the Quilboar as they were an insular species of scavengers who struck out at all races.

Sounds fun.

I tapped on Quilboar.

The scene of the battle faded back into the white expanse and my body was transformed to reveal a Quilboar.

The creature I had become was moderately muscular, with smooth white tusks protruding just past my snout that I felt out with dexterous three-fingered hands. I had a coarse hide adorned with blue tribal markings. I marveled at the lifelike detail; it looked substantially more real than anything I had ever seen in the game.

{QUILBOAR SELECTED}

{ASSIGN YOUR ATTRIBUTES}

A new set of words appeared before me, listing various attributes:

Strength: 8

(Strength determines physical power and ability to exert force.)

Agility: 6

(Agility enhances movement speed, coordination, and reflexes.)

Intelligence: 4

(Intelligence increases reasoning, and memory, as well as increasing spell potency.)

Stamina: 5

(Stamina increases resistance to fatigue and maximum health.)

Spirit: 5

(Spirit enhances mana capacity and mana regeneration rate.)

I had 10 points to distribute as I saw fit.

I pondered my choices. Quilboar were already strong and tough, so maybe boosting Intelligence and Spirit would give me an edge with magic.

I placed 3 points into Intelligence, raising it to 7, and another 3 into Spirit, also raising it to 8. The remaining 4 points I split between Strength and Stamina, giving me a little extra physical prowess.

Strength: 10

Agility: 6

Intelligence: 7

Stamina: 7

Spirit: 8

I entered the last point, and the words shifted again.

{CHOOSE YOUR INITIAL SKILLS AND PERKS}

The list was expansive and there were a number of ridiculously powerful things that were impossible to get unless I had literal hundreds of LP laying around but I eventually settled on a few things to get the most bang for my buck.

{Observe}

Evaluates the quality of objects or the power of beings in your view. Can be improved through repetitive use. (-1 LP)

{Coinspace}

Grants you an undetectable inventory only for your money. Can be improved by buying upgrades. (-1 LP)

{Fictile Affinity}

Earth spells cost 20% less mana. Classes that utilize earth magic level up faster. (-3 LP)

{Spell Crafter}

You can create spells that are thematic to your class through meditation rather than having to rely on learning from other sources. Spells that are beyond your current skill will fail to be created. Limit 2 spells created per 5 class levels. (-5 LP)

{FINALIZE SELECTION?}

I confirmed, and the words shifted one more time.

{WELCOME TO YOUR NEW LIFE. YOUR JOURNEY BEGINS NOW.}

I took a deep breath, feeling the reality of the world around me. This was no illusion or VR simulation. This was real. My adventure in Azeroth had begun.

Wait! Something had slipped my mind, something of vital importance. I might have just made a huge mistake!

Boars had weird shaped dicks. Did I?

I reached for the only clothes on my new body with trepidation, pulling the loincloth and peeking in. It was normal, and decently large too. I sighed with relief, disaster averted.

I was standing at a cave entrance, and there were sounds of fighting within, I also wasn't alone as a constant stream of Quilboar, dressed just as minimally as me, were filing into the cave.

One of them shoved me forward.

"Move it, boarlet! Some of us wanna win our names today!" He sneered at me.

I glared at him balefully.

"Observe."

{Male Quilboar Youth

Level 1 Brawler

HP: 100}

That's all the info I get? Gonna have to improve it by spamming it on everything I saw later.

Quest Added

{Earning Your Name}

Young quilboar fight in ritual combat to choose their own names.

Objective: Win a fight against one of the other quilboar.

Rewards: Choosing your name, class options, common quality weapon

Failure: Assigned a random name

Oh shit! I was not gonna get saddled with some dumbass, unpronounceable name. I shoved my way through the other quilboar, forcing my way through the throng deeper into the cave until finally we came to a series of dugout fighting pits surrounded on all sides by quilboar.

Inside the fighting pits were chaotic, filled with grunts, yells, and the clash of primitive weapons. Quilboar of various sizes and markings were engaged in fierce combat, each one determined to earn a name that would grant them a sense of identity and status.

I hesitated at the edge of one pit, watching as two young Quilboar battled it out with crude wooden clubs. Blood and sweat flew as they exchanged blows, their eyes burning with primal intensity. It was clear that this was not just a ritual—it was a survival of the fittest, a test of strength and cunning.

Taking a deep breath, I steeled myself and stepped into a recently vacated pit. Almost immediately, another Quilboar, slightly larger than me and with a sneer on his face, jumped in after me. It was the same one who'd shoved me aside at the entrance. He brandished a jagged piece of bone, its edges sharpened into a makeshift blade.

I used Observe on it.

{Bone Knife

Quality: Poor}

"Fresh meat," he growled, circling me like a predator.

I focused, trying to remember any combat skills I might have learned from years of gaming. This wasn't a game, not anymore, but maybe some of those instincts could help. I eyed my opponent's movements, looking for an opening.

He lunged at me knife-first, and I dodged to the side, feeling the rush of air as his blade missed by inches. I retaliated with a swift punch to his snout, feeling a satisfying impact as his head snapped back. He staggered, but quickly recovered, his eyes now filled with rage.

"You're gonna pay for that, boarlet!" he spat, charging at me again.

This time, I met his charge head-on, grappling with him as we tumbled to the ground, forcing the hand that held the blade away from me. We rolled in the dirt, exchanging blows and trying to gain the upper hand. He managed to get on top of me, raising his blade for a winning strike.

Summoning all my strength, I grabbed his arm and twisted it, forcing him to drop the blade. With a grunt, I pushed him off me and scrambled to my feet, grabbing the fallen weapon. As he lunged at me again, I swung the blade, catching him across the chest. He yelped in pain and fell back, clutching his wound.

I stood over him, breathing heavily, the makeshift blade held firmly in my hand, it was mine now. I watched him to see if he'd attack again, but he didn't. The battles were only fought to first blood.

The surrounding Quilboar cheered and chanted, recognizing my victory. The wounded Quilboar glared at me but made no move to continue the fight. He knew he was beaten.

{Objective Complete: Earning Your Name}

As the words appeared before me, an elderly quilboar female, adorned with various tribal ornaments and scars, approached the pit. She raised her hands, silencing the crowd.

"You have fought well, young one," she said, her voice carrying the weight of authority. "You have earned the right to choose your name. Speak it now, and let it be known to all."

I took a moment to consider, wanting a name that would sound strong. Finally, I spoke clearly and confidently.

"Kapros," I declared. "My name is Kapros."

The elder nodded in approval. "Kapros, you have proven yourself today. Now, you must choose your path. What will you become?"

{CHOOSE YOUR PATH}

Note: Your path will determine the initial classes available to you, other paths, classes, and class upgrades can be made available through feats achieved.

{Path of Earth}
Focusing on the natural strength and resilience of the earth, you may choose from classes that harness earth-based magics and abilities. Choosing this path gives you an additional point in Spirit for every 5 class levels.

Initial Classes: Earthcaller, Geomancer

{Path of Thorns}
Embracing the power of nature and its protective and offensive capabilities, you may choose from classes that utilize plant-based magics and abilities. Choosing this path gives you an additional point in Intelligence for every 5 class levels.

Initial Classes: Thornweaver, Sporecaller

{Path of Fists}

Channeling physical prowess and brute strength, you may choose from classes that excel in martial combat and physical abilities. Choosing this path gives you an additional point in Strength for every 5 class levels.

Initial Classes: Brawler, Warrior

{Path of Stealth}

Mastering the art of subtlety and precision, you may choose from classes that specialize in stealth, agility, and cunning abilities. Choosing this path gives you an additional point in Agility for every 5 class levels.

Initial Classes: Scout, Spy

Considering the perk I'd chosen there was really only one choice to start off with.

{Path of Earth Selected}

You have chosen to utilize earthen magics to empower and defend yourself with, now choose a class.

{Earthcaller}

Learn to shape and mold the Stone around you in any way you choose. Initial spell: {Shape Stone}

{Geomancer}

Animate the earth around you to your will, creating golems and devastating terrain. Initial spell: {Earth Spike}

So Earthcaller made me a pseudo-earthbender and Geomancer made me an earth mage. Couldn't I just make a spike by shaping stone?

{Earthcaller Selected}

The elderly Quilboar nodded approvingly at my choice. "So you have chosen the path of the Earthcaller," she affirmed, her voice resonating with approval. "Your connection to earth and stone will serve you well in the trials ahead."

She gestured towards a nearby stone formation, and with a wave of her hand, a section of rock shifted and reshaped itself into a crude staff. She handed it to me, the weight of it feeling surprisingly natural in my hands.

{Spell Learned: Shape Stone}

{Shape Stone: Alter stone within 20 yards of you to your will. Costs 10 MP per cubic foot manipulated, more complex manipulations may increase cost.}

I stared at my new weapon, willing its blunt end to sharpen. "Shape Stone," I intoned. There was a draw on something inside me I'd not known existed until that moment, my mana, and the staff slowly became a spear, its end swirling into a rocky point. I observed it.

{Stone Spear

Quality: Common}

The elder looked on, leaning on her own stone staff. "You learn quickly, young one. Agamaggan smiles on you this day, you are ready now, venture out into the fen, take of the world what you will and return to the Kraul to give glory to Agamaggan."

Right. Quilboar were usually thieves.

Then she shuffled away to oversee the next pit over, I stared after her for a second. I guess I was free to do whatever I wanted now. Thing is, I had no idea what it was that I wanted to do, had I been incarnated as one of the more typical races I'd probably have some sort of quest or conflict to throw myself into.

What was a quilboar to do?

Quest Added

{Venture Forth}

Your time as an adolescent quilboar is ended, by the rites of your people you are now an adult, time to get out into the world and earn your place.

Objective: Leave Razorfen Kraul
Rewards: Beginner's Robes and 50 Class XP

I left the same way I came in, backtracking along the throng of quilboar still trying to squeeze their way into the overcrowded fighting pits.

Finally forcing my way out of the cave mouth after jabbing those who got too pushy with my new weapon, I took a deep breath of the fresh air, my newly porcine nostrils flaring with the infusion of scents. There were countless scents carried on the afternoon winds, the majority of which I couldn't begin to identify without seeing their source due to my utter inexperience.

There was a line of quilboar near the cave receiving the vestments of their chosen path. I got in line and waited for my turn, observing the process. The newly named quilboar ahead of me received various garbs and weapons suited to their paths. Brawlers were given crude, spiked gauntlets, while Scouts received lightweight leathers and short blades. Thornweavers donned robes adorned with woven vines, and their hands were stained with greenish sap from the plants they commanded.

When my turn finally came, an older quilboar with a stony expression and a staff of twisted roots handed me a bundle. "Earthcaller," he acknowledged, nodding at my stone spear. "May the earth guide your steps and strengthen your will."

I accepted the bundle and unwrapped it to find the beginner's robes: simple yet sturdy cloth adorned with small stone beads and earth-toned patterns. With the robes securely in place, I felt more ready to actually travel out on my own.

{Objective Complete: Leave Razorfen Kraul}

+100 Earthcaller XP

Earthcaller lvl. 2/20

As I wandered away from the cave mouth, the bustling throng of quilboar gradually diminished, replaced by the open expanse of the Barrens. The afternoon sun beat down on the cracked earth, casting long shadows from the sparse, scraggly trees that dotted the landscape. The air was dry, carrying with it the scent of dust and distant fires. The terrain was a mix of rocky outcrops and patches of dry grass, with occasional patches of thorny shrubs that looked like they could tear through flesh if one wasn't careful.

I paused on a small rise, looking out over the vast expanse before me. It was then that the full realization of my situation began to sink in. Razorfen Kraul wasn't just any location; it was situated in the Southern Barrens, a hot savannah that spanned the majority of central Kalimdor. In the game, this area was known for its harsh environment and the constant strife between the various factions vying for control. The realization hit me like a stone: I was in the heart of the Barrens, a place teeming with danger and opportunity. The familiarity of it all was both comforting and unsettling. I knew the lore and the basic geography, but experiencing it firsthand was a different matter entirely.

I walked aimlessly for a while, trying to take in the sights and sounds of this new world. My thoughts kept drifting back to Razorfen Kraul, the labyrinthine place I had just left. The Kraul was more than just a quilboar den; it was the heart of quilboar culture–what little we possessed–a sprawling maze of tunnels and pits where strength and cunning were the highest virtues. I remembered it from the game, how it was one of the dungeons players could delve into, fighting through hordes of quilboar to reach the dark rituals and secrets hidden within. How the spirit of the Wild God, Agamaggan, progenitor of the quilboar race was desperate to stop the quilboar leadership's unholy acts in regards to his blood, and enlisted adventurers to help him. I'd have to see if I could do something about that at some point.

Major Quest Added

{Saving Agamaggan's Legacy}

Objective: Investigate the dark rituals within Razorfen Kraul and put an end to the corrupt leadership's actions.

Rewards: Last Vestiges of the Great Boar, Reputation with Quilboar, and Legendary Crafting Materials.

Failure: The corruption within Razorfen Kraul will continue to spread, further desecrating Agamaggan's legacy. Your death and enslavement, in that order. The Horde will fall upon the entirety of the Quilboar race to quell the spreading corruption.

I couldn't help but chuckle nervously at the knowledge that failing in this would result in my new life being cut short, and a conceptual eternity as undead cannon fodder. "Well, isn't this a twist," I muttered to myself, feeling the weight of the quest settle on my broad shoulders. My new role as a Earthcaller, capable of manipulating the very earth around me, seemed oddly fitting for the task ahead. I could almost hear the game's familiar soundtrack echoing in my mind, the drums of battle and the rising crescendo of adventure. But this wasn't a game anymore; it was real, and the consequences would be real too.

Maybe Agamaggan could put in a good word for me with his fellow Wild Gods when I saved him. Because it wasn't a case of if I would or not, I was a quilboar, he was the god of quilboar, I'd do my best to save him for that alone without the rewards the quest offered, which were tempting on their own.

I salivated at the legendary crafting materials. Legendaries in WoW varied wildly, some were armor pieces, some were weapons, and some were trinkets or talismans but they were almost always ridiculously powerful.

I shook my head, forcing myself to focus on the present rather than getting overwhelmed by the grandeur of the task ahead. The magnitude of the quest was clear, but it was also apparent that I was nowhere near ready to tackle such a crazy challenge. I needed to grow stronger, to build my skills and gather resources before I could hope to make any meaningful impact.

I started moving with purpose, determined to make the most of my initial steps into the world. My focus shifted to practical concerns: finding resources, honing my skills, and building my strength. The beginner's robes and stone spear were a good start, but they were just the beginning. I needed to work on my spells, level up as a Earthcaller, and overall increase my personal power.

Quest Added

{Rocky Start}

Objective: Create an offensive spell and use it to defeat 3 enemies. Create a defensive spell and defend against 10 attacks.

Rewards: 100 Earthcaller XP

Easy enough, I already intended to do that.

As I wandered further, the landscape began to change subtly. The rocky terrain gave way to more open savannah, the grasses growing taller and the ground less cracked. I could see herds of wild kodo beasts in the distance, their massive forms moving slowly as they grazed. The area around me was empty and open, with nothing dangerous in sight.

I called up the details of the most expensive perk I had chosen.

{Spell Crafter}

You can create spells that are thematic to your class through meditation rather than having to rely on learning from other sources. Spells that are beyond your current skill will fail to be created. Limit 2 spells created per 5 class levels.

So whatever spells I made now would be all I had for a few more levels, no pressure.

Right, time to get to work. I sat down in the dirt and closed my eyes, reaching for the mana I knew was within me. The pool of warmth surged to meet me, and I projected my desire onto it. It was best to start with something that could defend me, as I was virtually defenseless at the moment. So I envisioned:

Protection.

A shield held up against all who seek to harm me.

Armor.

A knight in a full set of plate, completely covered in steel and fully protected from his assailants.

Mobility.

A hunter evading a wild beast and taking swipes to their leather armor.

Spell Created!

{Earthshell}

Draw the earth beneath you up and over your body as a second skin of hardened mineral, reducing damage taken. Lasts for 1 minute or until broken. Costs 50 MP.

Success! Now for the test run. "Earthshell," I intoned my newest magical spell, and felt my mana latch onto the ground around me, pulling a thin layer onto my skin and crawling up my body in an instant. Oh. That would take some getting used to…it was full coverage of only my body, as in…not at all concerned with my clothes.

"I guess you could say I'm rock hard," I quipped to my studio audience of no one.

I stood up, doing some very odd lunges and stretches to see if there was any strain on the shell, but nothing I did made it feel like it was in any danger of breaking, at least until the timer for the ability ran out and it all receded, climbing back down my body in an instant and joining the ground again.

I should probably check my mana, I had no real frame of reference for how much 50 mana was for me. "Status."

The list for all my statistics opened up and there at the top was my health and mana.

HP: 120/120

MP: 38/80

I only have 80 mana points, so I guess that's 10 points for every point in Spirit, and I'd regenerated 8 MP in the time between casting the spell and now. So it would take roughly ten minutes to hit full again, that's not too bad, but getting more points in spirit had just become my top priority. Being able to use my only defensive spell once before I had to wait for more mana seemed like a surefire way to get killed.

Feeling somewhat satisfied with my creation, I knew I needed an offensive spell next. Something versatile and capable of dealing damage in different situations. I sat down again, closed my eyes, and reached for the pool of mana within me. This time, I projected my desire for:

Destruction.

An unstoppable force, shattering everything in its path.

Precision.

A master archer, hitting the bullseye every time.

Power.

A titan, crushing its enemies underfoot.

I envisioned a mighty spell, a force of nature that could crush mountains and obliterate foes. A massive spike of earth, powerful enough to skewer a dragon. I could almost feel the mana coalescing, ready to surge forth in a burst of raw power.

Spell Creation Failed!

The pool of mana within me surged, but instead of forming a spell, it felt like it was slipping through my fingers. I strained, trying to hold onto it, but the power I was reaching for was beyond my grasp. My head pounded, and a wave of dizziness washed over me as the mana dissipated uselessly back into the earth.

I gasped, opening my eyes. I had gotten too greedy, trying to create something too over-the-top powerful for my current level. I needed to dial it back and focus on something else. Maybe if I couldn't have something crazy flashy like that I could at least make something really lethal to protect me. I kept my eyes closed and envisioned something closer to a bullet.

Precision.

A projectile that can strike true, finding its mark without fail.

Speed.

A spell that moves faster than the eye can follow, impossible to dodge.

Rotating.

A spiraling penetrating force that drills into the target, maximizing damage.

Spell Creation Failed!

"Gah!" I cried out gripping my head, the feedback was even worse this time. "Ok, ok! Lesson learned!"

This time, I focused on something simple and useful.

Simplicity.

Raw power channeled into a straightforward attack.

Control.

Aimed and direct, targeting enemies without unnecessary complexity, flying forth at a fast speed.

Impact.

A forceful strike capable of dealing noticeable damage.

Spell Created!

{Rockshot}

Launches a rock projectile at enemies from a distance. Costs 10 MP.

Kind of disappointing compared to what else I'd tried to make, but given that I was literally making magic spells out of thin air, I couldn't be too disappointed. Rockshot would serve me well until I could manage to learn or make something better.

I stood up, brushed the dirt off my robes, and started walking again. The landscape continued to shift, with the savannah stretching out endlessly before me. The tall grasses swayed in the wind, and the sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across the ground. I was lost in thought, planning my next steps, when I heard a rustle in the grass nearby.

Before I could react, an enormous ostrich-like creature burst out of the tall grass, charging straight at me.

{Deviate Plainstrider
Level 3 Beast
HP: 150}

Observe now reveals a target's special traits.

I barely had time to consider that before I had to focus on the beast in front of me. The creature was a twisted version of a plainstrider, its pink feathers matted and its eyes glowing with an unnatural light. It let out a shrill cry, and I instinctively raised my stone spear, preparing to defend myself.

The Plainstrider lunged at me, its beak snapping. I barely managed to dodge to the side, feeling the rush of air as it missed me by inches. I needed to act quickly.

"Earthshell!" I shouted, feeling the mana surge through me. The ground beneath my feet responded, forming a protective shell around my body. The Plainstrider's next attack struck the Earthshell, but the hardened mineral absorbed the blow.

1/10 attacks absorbed

With my defenses up, I focused on my offensive spell. "Rockshot!" I called out, channeling my mana. A large rock shot from the earth beside me at an angle, flying straight at the Plainstrider. It hit the creature on the side, and it let out an annoyed screech, but it wasn't enough to stop its assault.

The Plainstrider circled around, looking for an opening. I knew I had to keep my distance and use my spells wisely. I launched another Rockshot, aiming for the creature's black beak. The projectile struck true, dazing the beast momentarily.

Taking advantage of its disorientation, I thrust my spear forward, the stone tip piercing the Plainstrider's hide.

It screeched in pain and anger, raising a razor sharp talon larger than my forearm and brought it down on my spear, slicing it in half with a single stroke. The timer on my defensive spell was running out, and I needed to end the fight quickly.

I had the mana for one more Rockshot, or I could attempt something riskier.

I had to try it, I realized, as Rockshot hadn't proven to be particularly effective. I focused, feeling the mana coalesce. "Shape Stone!" I pictured the exact result I wanted in my mind, as I fended off the avian beast with arms sheathed in Earthshell.

8/10 attacks absorbed

I was ready, the landform I'd been preparing underground burst out and skewered the beast from the bottom, taking it right through its outstretched neck and lifting it up a good foot and a half into the air. Unable to make any more noise it twitched twice before the oversized ostrich finally went slack, its HP dropping to zero.

1/3 enemies defeated

All the XP from using my new spells hit at once.

+130 Earthcaller XP

Earthcaller lvl. 3/20

I stood there, panting, as the Earthshell crumbled away from my body, it had absorbed most of the damage but the twinges of pain in my arms let me know that I'd most likely have bruises come morning.

The sun was beginning to set, casting a warm glow over the savannah. It seemed like a convenient place to rest for the night, and I even had dinner already skewered and prepared to be roasted.

First things first, I needed to set up a makeshift camp. I found a relatively flat area nearby and gathered some rocks to form a fire pit. I struck a few sparks into the dry grass and kindling I had collected, quickly igniting a small fire. As the flames grew, I began to prepare the Deviate Plainstrider for cooking.

I inspected the beast, deciding to start with the breast meat. Using my spear's broken but still sharp tip, I carefully carved away feathers and skin, revealing the meat underneath. The creature was large so most of it I would probably leave behind for scavengers. I skewered the pieces of meat on a makeshift spit fashioned from a sturdy branch, positioning it over the fire to roast.

Skill Acquired!

{Cooking}

Rank: Novice 2/10

Your skill is meager, your food is bland, but at least you won't burn water.

I chuffed at the notification. "Yeah, that sounds about right," I said to myself. I had never been any type of chef before, but at least now I had a metric to tell me how good I am.

As if in response to the new skill, a flood of basic cooking knowledge filled my mind. Numerous recipes and methods of preparation for the meat danced in my thoughts. I now knew how to marinate, season, and even smoke the meat for added flavor. Unfortunately, it was too late to actually do anything with this newfound culinary knowledge. I had already started roasting the meat, and the tools and ingredients for those recipes were beyond my current means.

As the meat sizzled, I took the time to gather more firewood and ensure my camp was secure. I cleared away any debris and made a barrier of rocks around the fire pit to keep the flames contained. The herds of wild kodo beasts in the distance moved slowly, their massive forms grazing peacefully. It was a serene sight, and I felt a sense of calm wash over me.

After I had eaten my meal, which was, as it turned out, remarkably bland and had the same texture as chicken, I quenched the flames with dirt, and let my mind drift to sleep.

Tomorrow would bring new challenges, but for now, I was content. With a full stomach and a plan for the future, I closed my eyes, ready to let sleep take over. I was ready to face whatever came next, confident in my ability to overcome any obstacle, because I had an ambition, something that I would move mountains to achieve. See, I may be a Quilboar now, sure, but that wouldn't stop me from becoming the most powerful being in this world. It was I, Kapros of the Razorfen, who would one day become the most powerful magic user on this plane!

Major Quest Added!
{He Who Stands at the Pinnacle}
Objective: Reach maximum level on three different prestige magic classes.
Rewards: Massively Increased Respect with all Magic Users, +1000 Spirit, Global Recognition

Yes! YES!

I would become that powerful or die trying. The life before this one was a stream of meaninglessness, I would not allow that to be the case this time around, I would become powerful, seizing it for myself from all sources. I would stand at the pinnacle of this world as the strongest!

---

When I awoke it was to an angry-faced, musclebound, green man leaning over me with a menacingly large sword.

{Mankrik
Level 10 Blademaster
250 HP
Traits: Hatred of Quilboar}

Well fuck.

---

AN: New story, not to worry, I'm not abandoning Here's the Facts, but I really felt like writing an actual gamer fic, rather than Marty's power. Also WoW, and Quilboar. I love WoW, I'm ambivalent about Quilboar but I rolled a race wheel and that's what I landed on, still I'm gonna enjoy expanding a bit on their culture. In other news I have created something FFnet deems unforgiveable, a naughty p-word that I can't write here without some obfuscation. No exclusive content on there yet as I don't have enough of a backlog yet, but if for some reason you really like a broke college boy's writing feel free to throw me some change. I've also begun slowly crossposting on AO3, cuz I've lost faith in FFnet with last week's outages, but I'm lazy and have only put the first 2 chapters of HTF on there so far.

P atreon. com (slash) Pastafied