In a corner of Stormwind Highlands, in Ogre Valley, over a dozen Ogres were having a gluttonous feast around a charred wild boar, excitedly tearing at the meat and making a mess everywhere.
“Mine, all mine!”
“You fool, you dare to snatch it from me?”
The tallest and fattest Ogre among them knocked out his companion with a club, snatched the boar leg from his hand, swallowed it whole, and licked his fingers, still wanting more.
His name was Lang Pu, the leader of the Ogre tribe.
Lang Pu found himself becoming increasingly intelligent, and his subordinates often said so too, though they didn't use such advanced vocabulary, only saying he was “good at finding food.”
But the clever Lang Pu understood their meaning and was quite pleased by it.
In the Ogre's dictionary, “good at finding food” was the highest praise, whether achieved with a sturdy club or a clever mind.
Besides overeating, Lang Pu would also read books he had snatched from “little snacks” before, finding them fascinating and learning many useful things from them:
For example, he learned from the book “Sheen's Adventure Diary” that if you place a treasure chest or scatter some gold coins on the road, then dig a deep pit in front and cover it with straw, you can quickly get more “little people.” The book called this behavior “trapping,” and Lang Pu liked this elegant term very much.
What fascinated him most was something called “spell” in “Foolproof Fireball Analysis,” which allowed him to cast Fireballs larger than a wild boar's head, easily turning a mammoth into roasted meat.
Lang Pu used this method to acquire a large amount of food and integrate the nearby Ogres, who usually gathered in groups of two or three, into a tribe of over twenty. After all, those who refused to join were turned into roasted meat by Lang Pu and were now in everyone's stomachs.
This was a groundbreaking achievement that could be recorded in Ogre history—at least in Lang Pu's view—so he named the tribe “New Era,” a term he also learned from a book.
Unfortunately, no one in the Ogre tribe understood this name, and a subordinate even asked why it wasn't called the “Big Meat Chunk” tribe, resulting in him being severely clubbed by Lang Pu.
Lang Pu always felt a sense of “disappointment” towards his Ogre subordinates.
Every time he tried to make his subordinates form formations to ambush enemies according to the “Complete Military Drills” book, those Ogres would always shout “Meat! Meat!” and then rush forward chaotically, waving their clubs.
He wanted to teach his subordinates general language, hoping to extort more food from humans, but the Ogres learned nothing except the three words “eat,” “meat,” and “food.”
“Sigh…”
“There are too few smart people in the tribe.”
While eating, Lang Pu often thought and sighed.
However, other Ogres did not have such worries; after eating, they were already snoring loudly and fast asleep.
He had recently been focusing on training an Ogre named Big Head. This fellow, true to his name, had a very large head, worth two, and Lang Pu believed that a big-headed guy might be smarter.
“Boss, there's food over there!”
The “scout” Lang Pu arranged said excitedly from the hilltop.
“Big Head, what's coming?”
Lang Pu happily spat out a bone and climbed the hill, as Ogres are never full.
“It's a big lizard, with lots of meat!”
The Ogre called Big Head gesticulated wildly, waving the spiked club in his hand.
Is it a Fire Lizard?
Or a Wyvern?
Several images flashed through Lang Pu's mind, but none of them were easy to deal with.
“Describe what it looks like.”
“Let me see—it's the color of fresh meat, red, four legs, two wings, one tail…”
The more Lang Pu listened, the more something felt off. He personally climbed the hill and saw the “big lizard” on the opposite side.
His face instantly changed drastically, and he fiercely clubbed Big Head, making that already massive head swell even larger.
“You idiot!”
“That's a damn Dragon! A true Dragon!”
After saying that, Lang Pu was still angry and chased after the dazed Ogre, beating him severely, making him wail repeatedly.
Big Head said aggrievedly, “Boss, why are you hitting me? What did I say wrong?”
“Isn't that just a big lizard?”
Indeed, compared to most of his kin, he was already considered smart, able to recognize it as a lizard instead of shouting “Meat!” “Meat!” This was already difficult.
“You're still talking!”
“I'll let you talk!”
“Stop hitting, Boss, that… uh… Dragon is coming over.”
Big Head cried out, covering his swollen head.
Lang Pu put down his club and looked up grumpily.
He saw the Red Dragon already flying above him, its wings spread, and its shadow enveloping him.
Lang Pu organized his thoughts with his clever mind, hesitated for a moment, then spoke:
“Uh… Esteemed, noble, and mighty Red Dragon, Big Head is an ignorant person who doesn't know etiquette. I will discipline him well, and I hope you will not stoop to his level.”
Considering that the arrogant Dragon was in the sky, Lang Pu's choice of words specifically referenced the phrasing in “Noble Etiquette Records.”
As soon as he spoke, this strong bard-like aura almost made Ke Xiu Si fall from mid-air.
But the Red Dragon did not reply, only looked down from above, observing this seemingly clever Ogre.
Only a hint of undeniable surprise showed in his vertical pupils.
【Based on your strength, you can observe the following information】
【Ogre Mage】
Name: Lang Pu
Category: Large Giant, Neutral Evil
Race: Ogre
Ac: 12 (hide armor)
Attributes:
Strength—18
Dexterity—8
Constitution—16
Intelligence—17
Perception—8
Charisma—12
Proficiencies: Arcana +3, Hunting +4, Trapping +3, Reading +6, Military +2, Ruling +4, Herbalism +2, Persuasion +2, Deception +2
Senses: Passive Perception 14 ft.
Languages: general language, dragon language, Giant Language
Actions: Slam, Bite, Club
Combat Equipment:
【Ring of Wisdom Research】: A headband painstakingly crafted by a Grand Mage for a foolish noble student, capable of locking Intelligence at 17.
【Arcane Ring】: Arcana +1, Reading +4
【Albert's Mithril Bracelet】: Daily save once from a 4th-level spell.
Class Level: 5th-level Mage
Caster Level: 5
Spells:
1st-level - None
2nd-level - None
3rd-level - Fireball
Challenge Rating: 6 (2,100 xp)
Appraisal: “This is a rare Ogre Mage. He is truly intelligent. Never underestimate him, or he will use a Fireball to make you taste the consequences of despising a Mage.”
“Arcana, military, ruling, herbalism… he's skilled in both martial and scholarly arts, and he can use magic. This guy is a talent…”
Ke Xiu Si couldn't help but exclaim in his heart.
17 Intelligence, in a human city, would make him an undeniable sage. In an Orc tribe, he might be crowned with the title of “Prophet.”
Unfortunately, in an Ogre tribe where they do nothing but eat and sleep, he would only become a hardworking leader who finds food for his subordinates.
An Intelligence headband could be considered a divine artifact in the early stages.
If Ke Xiu Si were currently a Mage, he would definitely try every means to acquire it, but unfortunately, he had already chosen the path of a Sorcerer and did not plan to multiclass for now.
For now, it would be better to take on a Mage subordinate.
The Multiverse is vast, with infinite possibilities.
If even an Ogre can become a Mage, what else is impossible?
The air was somewhat stagnant at this moment.
The Red Dragon and the Ogre, one high and one low, stared at each other.
Lang Pu watched the seemingly contemplative Red Dragon, gripped his club tightly, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead, already preparing to construct a spell model in his mind.