First Encounter with Phinia (Revised)

The winter in the North is a severe trial for all life. Whether human, animal, or monster, the low temperatures, hunger, and the threat of apex predators can extinguish the fragile flame of life in the weak at any moment.

The heavy snow has ceased for several days, yet the animals in the forest are becoming increasingly difficult to track. The weak prey have either frozen or starved to death, or have been hunted down to serve as sustenance for others. The strong that have managed to survive are migrating deeper into the forest, either in search of food or to escape predators, though it is no safer there than on the outskirts of the Hidden Forest.

William soon noticed this change. He had returned almost empty-handed all morning, yet he did not feel discouraged, for he had already captured plenty of prey. In the stables alone, there were seven swollen-bone deer, five muntjacs, and several gazelles—and those were only the ones William had captured alive. He had also killed quite a few; just the day before, he had hunted a massive bull. He had originally intended to capture it alive, but the enraged beast resisted with all its might, refusing to be led back quietly. William had no choice but to snap its neck with his bare hands and send it to its rest.

Currently, William was tracking a herd of elk, though the tracks in the snow were growing faint due to the passage of time.

Of course, William no longer cared much about how many animals he killed or captured; he was merely looking for something to do to distract himself. Recently, he had reduced his training time because the accumulation of toxic fire within his body was fueling increasingly intense, lascivious thoughts that tormented his reason. William was certain that if he did not find a way to resolve this trouble, he would eventually become a pervert and a madman governed solely by instinct.

William felt he had ventured deep into the Hidden Forest, a strange region he had never stepped foot in before. Along the way, he encountered many peculiar animals, but William did not strike, remaining steadfast in his goal. Neither the cold nor his curiosity could dampen the restless fire in his heart; only the will to focus on his actions could keep it under control.

The tracks on the ground became clearer; the herd was not far off. William, moving quickly across the snow, could not help but sigh. Today's hunt might have to end here. He adjusted his gear, then pulled a small piece of Frozen Blue Lettuce from his pack and began to chew it slowly.

The crisp, icy Frozen Blue Lettuce carried a cold sweetness that made his whole body shiver. A refreshing chill surged straight into his heart, a sensation so crisp it left him intoxicated—it would have been even better if not for the even more intense heat that followed the cooling sensation.

William gripped his lasso and quickened his pace, preparing to end this tedious pursuit.

After traveling a distance, Chen Jinyang noticed the tracks in the snow becoming chaotic, joined by the footprints of a humanoid creature. The prints were long and slender; judging by their depth and stride, the creature was not as massive as an Ogre, but still larger than himself. An uninvited guest had disturbed his prey.

William's temper had grown somewhat violent without him realizing it, and he decided to teach this interloper who had snatched his prey a small lesson. William did not harbor hopes of a satisfying duel; if it were a life-or-death struggle against an equal, perhaps he could vent the restlessness in his heart—well, one could dream.

Since the last Ogre had been scared off by a single javelin, William prepared to fight empty-handed this time, engaging his opponent in a pure test of strength. He followed the large footprints at a run, a savage smile on his face.

After tracking for several hundred meters, William found a pool of congealed blood on the ground. The tracks then veered away from the elk herd and turned into a small slope. As he climbed the slope, he saw a tall figure sitting by a campfire, dressing a piece of venison. When William saw the general appearance of the stranger, he felt the fire-toxin in his body explode as if ignited. He completely lost his reason; like a great ape, he beat his chest twice, let out a provocative roar, and charged straight at her.

The father of Phinia Omuersort was once a strong Uthgardt barbarian. This unlucky Champion had been captured by Frost Giants during a battle and became a slave to the giants.

During his six years of slavery, the most humiliating part was not the enslavement itself, but the fact that he had been conquered countless times by a stronger female Frost Giant. Of course, the reason this shameful secret spread was due to a drunken slip of the tongue. Although he would always blush and vehemently deny it whenever it was mentioned later, people always loved to tease him about it.

After Phinia was born, her Frost Giant mother handed her over to the barbarian and set him free. Thus, the barbarian returned to the Griffin Nest with the child.

From a young age, Phinia was stronger than the surrounding barbarian children. When she grew up, she stood eight feet tall, inheriting her mother's skin—as white as goat's milk but smoother—and a head of light blue hair and eyes, which made her distinctly different from the brown-haired, blue-eyed peers around her.

Facing the strange looks of those around her, and after her father—the only person who cared for her—drank himself to death, Phinia exiled herself to wander near the Hidden Forest. Occasionally, in the summer, she would go to live for a while in the Frost Giant tribes of the Spine of the World. The cool climate there made her feel comfortable, though the big guys there were not very friendly and always beat her up.

Today, Phinia was lucky enough to stumble upon a herd of elk and hunted one of them. Just as she started a fire to roast the meat, she suddenly heard a loud roar, and a small, red-haired human rushed out from behind her. The disturbed giantess did not care about these small humans; she had knocked down similar opponents countless times. Phinia turned around unhurriedly, picked up her Frost Giant Axe, and swung it casually at the human charging toward her.

As the giant axe was about to fall, she saw the human's face—a face that was still somewhat handsome and boyish. The "small one" also saw her appearance; in those wild eyes burned an unsettling madness, and in his crimson pupils, a surging fire seemed to blaze. The human let out a muffled grunt like a beast, his speed suddenly increasing as he slammed into Phinia's chest. A pair of hands, like steel claws, grabbed her leather armor and threw her heavily to the ground. Then, the giantess discovered that her leather armor, which was tough enough to resist the biting of beasts, had been torn in two by unimaginable strength, and the Frost Giant Axe had slipped from her hand into the snow.

Phinia, who was preparing to rise and counterattack, looked in surprise at the "small one" who had pounced on her and ripped off her fur wrap. The giantess struggled to push away the human clinging to her, but she failed; the strength erupting from this human far exceeded her own. However, the giantess did not stop resisting; she fought back with her fists, slamming them one after another into the man's face.

It was a fierce battle where neither side gained the upper hand.

The sky had turned dark. When William woke up again, the campfire had nearly died out. Having regained some of his reason, he consciously picked up the venison that had fallen into the snow to roast it, stealing glances at the giantess opposite him from time to time. William had to admit that she was a woman of great charm. Her messy, light-blue hair half-covered a face as white as cold jade, and above her high-bridged nose, a pair of eyes like clear, light-blue springs gave her slightly delicate lips a hint of coldness.

Just looking at her, William felt a cool spring pouring into his heart, and his whole body was filled with an inexplicable joy, as if all the restlessness of the past had dissipated.

He stole a few more glances. The venison in his hand began to drip grease. William found his torn pack and rummaged for some salt to rub onto the meat. The rich aroma of the meat made both of them swallow hard, their stomachs growling.

William tore off a piece of roasted deer leg and handed it to the giantess. Phinia hummed, but she did not resist as she took the meat. She took a light bite first, then began to tear into it ravenously; she hadn't eaten salted food in a long time. Phinia ate with great gusto, her wild temperament making William's heart flutter. He tore off a piece of venison for himself and took a bite, only to find that the muscles in his cheek hurt too much to chew—this woman had a heavy hand. Thus, William could only chew and swallow with difficulty, his face contorted in pain; he was certain his face must look like a pig's head by now.

"Who are you? My name is William!"

"I am Phinia Omuersort, a half-giant. Why did you ambush me? Small one, you don't know how to fight at all; you only know how to poke me with things, and it didn't even hurt!" Phinia, naive to the ways of the world, spoke with a lingering aftertaste on her pure, holy face.

"So, she's just a silly girl who knows nothing!" William felt like a wicked big bad wolf. He asked with a different intent: "Phinia, do you want to try that feeling again?"

Phinia nodded foolishly, and then she saw the small human shout with joy and bury himself in the boundless waves. William could clearly feel a taste beyond words; a mysterious, cooling sensation merged into his blood, dissolving the heat-toxin brought on by his training, making his consciousness clearer and his mind sharper than ever before.

He had finally found a way to resolve the side effects of his training. Although William did not know the true reason why this giantess could resolve his trouble, he decided to have this woman go back with him. After all, apart from being a bit tall, this woman was perfect in every other way.

When William shyly suggested that Phinia come home with him, he did not expect the giantess to agree without any hesitation, which took the man by surprise.

William looked for his torn clothes; Phinia's fur armor was only ripped and could be mended. However, his own clothes were all shredded. Thus, William, who could only wrap himself in a blanket, was nearly frozen into an icicle by the time he returned to the village.

Alos and Mishaer had been waiting in anxiety for their brother's return. The sudden appearance of the giantess nearly terrified the two little ones. Even though William explained repeatedly that Phinia would be a future member of the family, it could not keep the little siblings from their fear, and his pig-headed appearance only exacerbated the situation.