Silver Tier

Zarin’s pulse quickened as he cautiously moved ahead of the cart, sword drawn, his eyes scanning the path for any sign of trouble. His heart leaped when he spotted a figure lurking just off the road, dressed in ragged clothes that made him look every bit the bandit. ‘Finally, some action,’ Zarin thought, a grin spreading across his face.

He stopped, gripping his sword tighter, and focused on his Fate Dice skill. The spectral die appeared before him, tumbling through the air, spinning as it rolled. Zarin observed it, holding his breath. ‘Come on, give me something good this time,’ he silently pleaded.

The die’s roll slowed down and finally came to a stop. Light particles danced around it as the result of the roll took shape.

A low growl echoed from the shadows, and suddenly, a large, snarling, dire wolf materialized from the glowing particles before Zarin. Its fur was matted and its fangs gleamed as it sized up its surroundings. Zarin’s heart skipped a beat—he hadn’t expected to summon something this dangerous. He had learned from previous encounters that when a wild beast or monster got summoned; he had no control over it. There was always the risk it could attack him just as easily as it might go after his enemies. That made it even less beneficial unless he was ready for it.

Before Zarin could react, the wolf’s eyes locked onto the figure ahead, and it lunged forward with terrifying speed.

Zarin barely had time to process what was happening. ‘Well, at least it’s not attacking me.’

The supposed bandit turned just in time to see the dire wolf barreling toward him. His eyes widened in panic, and to Zarin’s utter shock, the man let out a high-pitched scream, more like a terrified child than a hardened criminal. The man spun on his heels and ran, arms flailing, as he tried to escape the charging wolf.

Zarin’s jaw dropped. ‘Is he serious?’

The dire wolf pounced, its enormous weight knocking the man off his feet. For a moment, it looked like the man was done for. But in a surprising twist, the man reached up, grabbed the wolf by the scruff of its neck, and hurled it several meters through the air with seemingly inhuman strength. The wolf crashed into a tree with a sickening thud; the trunk cracking under the impact. The tree fell to the ground with a heavy crash, sending leaves and branches flying everywhere.

Zarin stood dumbfounded. ‘What in the world... that guy is insanely strong.’

It wasn’t just the man’s strength that shocked Zarin—it was his size. As the dire wolf flew, Zarin realized that the difference in size between the man and the dire wolf was almost the same as Zarin’s difference with a small dog. The dire wolf was easily twice the size of a normal wolf, yet this man, now standing there trembling, dwarfed the creature like Zarin would tower over a much smaller one. ‘He’s way bigger than I thought.’

Instead of attacking the now-dazed wolf, the man scrambled to his feet and bolted toward the nearest tree, hiding behind it like a frightened child. He peeked out from behind the trunk, his eyes wide with fear.

Zarin stood frozen, unsure of what to do. The dire wolf was still on the ground, dazed from the impact, and the “bandit” was cowering behind a tree. ‘This… isn’t exactly what I expected.’

Realizing that the wolf was no longer a threat, Zarin approached it cautiously. With a swift blow from his sword, he dispatched the creature quickly in its weakened state. The wolf let out a low whine before collapsing to the ground, dead.

‘Well, that was anticlimactic,’ Zarin thought, sheathing his sword. Killing the wolf gave him no satisfaction—no experience points, either, since it was something he had summoned himself. He had found out he couldn’t farm his summons for experience in his past month’s training. ‘What’s the point of summoning these things if they don’t benefit me?’

With the wolf taken care of, Zarin turned his attention back to the trembling figure hiding behind the tree. He approached cautiously. “Hey,” Zarin called out. “You can come out now. The wolf’s dead.”

The man peeked out from behind the tree, his eyes still wide with fear. Slowly, he stepped forward, his large hands trembling slightly. Up close, Zarin realized the man’s tattered clothes weren’t typical bandit gear. He was huge, towering over Zarin with broad shoulders and massive arms, but something was off. Despite his intimidating size, he looked more like a frightened animal than a dangerous criminal.

“Uh… thanks,” the man mumbled, scratching his head awkwardly. His voice was surprisingly soft for someone his size. “I didn’t think there’d be wolves around here.”

Zarin raised an eyebrow. “I thought you were a bandit.”

The man blinked, then looked down at his clothes and grinned sheepishly. “Oh, no. I just look like one, I guess. People assume things because of… well, my size.”

Zarin studied him for a moment. The man’s deep scar running across his face made him appear even more intimidating, but his posture and demeanor didn’t match his rough appearance. There was something almost innocent about him.

“What’s your deal, then?” Zarin asked, crossing his arms. “You’re ridiculously strong, but you scream and run from a wolf? Not exactly what I expected.”

The man sighed, rubbing the scar on his face absentmindedly. “This? Oh, it’s not from fighting or anything like that. I was chopping wood once, and… well, I accidentally swung the axe backward. Hit me in the face. Pretty dumb, right?”

Zarin stared. “You… gave yourself that scar? Chopping wood?”

The man nodded, looking embarrassed. “Yeah… not my finest moment. I guess I’m not as tough as I look.”

Zarin wasn’t sure if he wanted to laugh or feel sorry for the guy. “So… what are you, then? You’ve got the strength of a giant, and you are big, but not that big.”

The man shifted awkwardly. “Well… that’s because I’m half-giant. My mom’s the giant part of the family. I got the size and strength, but…” He shrugged helplessly. “I’m not exactly what you’d call ‘brave.’”

Zarin raised an eyebrow. “A half-giant? That explains the strength. So, what are you doing out here if you’re not a bandit?”

The man sighed deeply. “I am exiled. My mother’s clan didn’t think I was strong—or brave—enough. They saw me as weak because I wasn’t like the others. I’m smaller than a full giant, and they thought I was a coward because I don’t enjoy fighting.”

Zarin scratched his chin, trying to process the situation. ‘A half-giant who’s terrified of wolves but can toss them across the forest like they’re nothing. This is… not what I expected.’

“So, what now?” Zarin asked, feeling more sympathetic toward the guy. “If you’re not a bandit, what are you doing wandering around here?”

The half-giant looked sheepish. “I’m just trying to find a place where I fit in. Somewhere, I can live without everyone expecting me to be some big, scary monster. I was just passing through, looking for work, but… well, I guess I spooked a few people.”

Zarin chuckled. “Yeah, I bet you did.”

After a pause, Zarin considered the situation. ‘I didn’t sign up for this, but maybe there’s more to this guy. He’s not dangerous and doesn’t seem like the type to cause trouble. But with that strength, he could be useful...’

Scratching his head, Zarin said, “Tell you what, why don’t we head back to the caravan? I’m escorting it to Ridgeview. You can tag along and see if you have work in the city. Maybe they won’t judge you for your size there.”

The half-giant’s eyes lit up. “Really? You’d let me come along?”

“Sure,” Zarin said with a shrug. “As long as you don’t throw any wolves into trees. Unless I tell you to, at least.”

The half-giant laughed nervously. “I’ll do my best.”