The Bewildered Transmigrator

Solam Sakmi Sacklair Tomya was bewildered because he had transmigrated, but he quickly accepted it. After all, stranger things had happened. He knew perfectly well that he had transmigrated, yet he couldn't remember who he'd been before. He remembered everything about the world he'd come from: its customs and people, technology and supernatural abilities, history and culture—even all sorts of random things that might or might not be useful. But he couldn't remember a single thing about himself. In other words, he didn't even know whether he'd been a man or a woman in his previous life.

Yes, someone could actually not know who they were. Was anything more bewildering than that? Was he Solam? He knew he wasn't—or rather, that he hadn't been. He wasn't from this world. But he had no idea who he'd been before. He even wondered if he'd gone insane. Maybe his transmigration was just something he'd imagined because he was crazy. But there was no reason he should've been crazy from birth. That was even more bizarre than transmigration.

Just thinking about it gave him a headache. Solam scratched his head.

Oh, right. The world he'd come from had supernatural abilities. He could sense the abilities within his soul. Although he couldn't use them yet, he knew they were there. At least that proved he'd been a supernatural ability user in his previous life. Well, that was something.

Speaking of his previous life, it had been a world where technology and supernatural abilities coexisted. It still seemed pretty awesome when he thought about it. But because he was missing all information about himself, that world somehow felt less real than this one.

"Ram, hurry over! Granny Karom's Direwolf had pups today. If you're late, the others will have carried them all off!" Krum's voice pulled Solam out of his rambling thoughts.

"Damn, wait for me!" Solam scrambled up from the haystack. He'd been in this world for ten years, and his way of thinking had changed quite a bit. He'd adopted the Orc way of thinking: if you couldn't figure something out, don't bother; who cared? Although he was a half-Orc—or, to be precise, half-Orc and half-Elf—who knew how his late old man had managed to get together with an Elf? Orcs and Elves had always been sworn enemies. If they met and didn't immediately start fighting, that was already a courtesy. He just hoped it hadn't been rape. That would be too cliché. Solam had prayed about it more than once.

Solam leaped down from the tall haystack and caught up with the "kid" ahead of him, Krum. He called him a kid because Krum was only thirteen, a textbook troublemaker. But damn, he was 1.75 meters tall, with lean, solid muscles that would've made fitness coaches from Solam's old world jealous, and a face that looked prematurely aged. Based on what Solam knew from his previous life, Krum looked more like a burly, foot-scratching old man who'd say things like, "This old man..." But Krum really was a "kid" who hadn't reached adulthood yet. Damn, the average Avalon Orc stood 2.4 meters tall. They were supposedly much stronger than their kin in the outside world.

"Where's Solam?" Krum's father, Karut, asked, looking at his son.

"I'm here." Solam helplessly stepped out from behind Krum's massive body and raised his hand to answer. Damn, short people had no rights. Solam was practically weeping inside. At ten years old, he'd been only 1.4 meters tall, which was truly tiny for the tribe.

"Hahahaha! Ram, you really ought to let Granny fatten you up. Otherwise, once Krum and the others grow up, no one will be able to find you!" Karut teased with a hearty laugh. There was no getting around it: Solam really didn't look like an Avalon Orc. He didn't have the sharp tusks every Orc was proud of, nor an Orc's build. He looked more like a human.

"Come on, Ram might be skinny, but he's all muscle. Didn't he beat that kid Sukya until he was crying for his mommy last time they fought?" As he spoke, Solam lifted his shirt, raised an arm, and struck a bodybuilding pose. He looked pretty cocky.

"I have to admit, that's the one thing about you that's most Orc-like. You hit hard, too," Karut said with a laugh. Solam was small and pretty, so he'd been a natural target for other little Orc bullies since childhood. Even having the clan chief for a grandfather couldn't change that. Orcs raised their children with a rough, hands-off approach. Kids fighting was no big deal. Even if someone broke an arm or a leg, their parents wouldn't interfere. Otherwise, they'd be looked down on by everyone for picking on someone smaller.

Fortunately, our Solam had a cheat ability: supernatural powers. Actually, he'd awakened them because he was scared. He'd opened his eyes to a world of ice and snow, which had already left him dazed. Then that man had handed him over to these Orcs. Seeing a group of muscular brutes with tusks had nearly scared him to death. He'd never seen Orcs before, and at the time, he'd thought that thick-browed man was betraying the revolution and handing him over to monsters to eat. The shock had awakened his first ability: Toughness, which greatly increased his physical attributes and strength growth. So although little Ram never grew very tall, he was a terrific fighter. His strength wasn't much lower than that of the Orc children, and with his old-life martial arts training methods, beating up kids was ridiculously easy.

"I heard you knocked out one of Sukya's teeth again. How many times has that been? He was too embarrassed to come along and pick a Direwolf pup this time."

"It's not like I want to! That guy never learns. Every time I knock his tooth out, it grows back and he comes looking for trouble again. I'm sick of it, too." Would Solam tell them that he was jealous of Sukya's tusks? His knowledge from his previous life made him a little uncomfortable around all those huge protruding teeth. But seeing everyone else take pride in theirs made him want some, too. Yet he couldn't grow any, so he couldn't stand seeing others show theirs off. That just went to show how twisted little Solam's mind was.

"All right, enough about that. Let's go pick up the pups." With that, Karut led the group of boys toward Granny Karom's tent.

Direwolves had been the Orcs' best companions since ancient times. They were a branch of the dire wolf family, usually six feet long and four feet tall. They were also smarter than ordinary wolves and used tactics to hunt. It was said that all the Direwolves living in Avalon now were descendants of Griffin, the giant wolf who had once been the ancient prophet Thrall's companion. Griffin was a magical wolf said to have lived in the Void. So much time had passed that no one could say for sure what had really happened. Avalon's Direwolves were certainly huge, though—over five feet tall and seven feet long. The first time Solam saw one, he couldn't believe the damn thing was a wolf. It was almost as big as a water buffalo. But only a wolf that large could carry the massive frame of an Avalon Orc. Avalon Direwolves only gave birth twice in their lives, with just two or three pups each time. They also needed a great deal of meat to raise, and Avalon's nomadic herding economy meant that each clan had only a few. The Warsong clan was considered a large clan, yet it owned only a little over two hundred Direwolves. Every Avalon warrior dreamed of having one as a companion. They could carry loads and were excellent hunters, with incredible endurance that let them chase prey for a whole day and night. In battle, their claws and fangs could easily rip through a Cleft-hoof Rhino's tough hide. That was why Direwolves held such a high status among the Avalon Orcs. When one died, its body was buried, and people held a funeral as if a family member had passed away. Only elders or highly respected warriors were allowed to wear their teeth and pelts. In short, whenever someone's Direwolf had pups, everyone in the clan came to offer congratulations. The owner also hosted a choosing ceremony, where newborn Direwolves found their companions. According to Avalon custom, the pups didn't belong to their original owner. The Shamanic Doctrine held that no independent life belonged to anyone, so a choosing ceremony had to be held.

A group of children ran around, laughing and playing among tents woven from Thunder Beast hides. The name Thunder Beast sounded cool and impressive, but they were actually herbivores, like sheep or horses, and the most important livestock in Avalon. Most of the meat and hides came from them. They looked like furry rhinos, only without horns, and were exceptionally docile. Solam had no idea who had come up with the name. The first time he heard it, he'd been completely taken aback.

At last, the children reached the tent where Granny Karom lived. Many other members of the clan had already gathered there. People had brought Milk Wine and dried meat, and some had also brought hides and cheese. Granny Karom was a Shaman, a level-seventeen Spirit Shaman, and held a high position in the tribe. Shamans had great standing among the Orcs because, in a place with low levels of production, they usually doubled as doctors, veterinarians, wedding officiants, funeral hosts, and teachers. Female Shamans held an even higher position because they also served as midwives. In this world, where hygiene was poor, even strong, hardy Avalon Orcs faced frighteningly high maternal and infant mortality rates during childbirth. An experienced midwife was essential. Most of the tribe's young people had been delivered by Granny Karom or one of her apprentices, so it was easy to see how highly regarded she was.

By the way, Granny Karom's apprentice was Solam's aunt by marriage, Aunt Solari. A group of boys greeted Granny Karom's son, Uncle Ramk, then ducked into the tent. Ramk was a middle-aged man with a gentle, honest-looking nature. But you couldn't judge Orcs by their faces. They might all seem honest and mild-mannered, but once a fight started, they became vicious. They'd activate Berserk, grab their axes, and charge at the enemy, howling.

"Well, my little Ram, come over here to Granny." Granny Karom had much better eyesight than Karut. She spotted Solam at a glance, and a kind smile spread across her face, covered in painted designs. Solam immediately put on his cute act. In his still-unbroken child's voice, he unleashed a barrage of cuteness at the kind old woman. "Granny!" he cried, then hopped over to her. The other kids looked on with pained expressions as he shamelessly played cute.