The one-eyed crow's story was simple, yet rather bizarre.
It had once been an Ogre, and the sole shaman elder of this Ogre Tribe—"once" because, five evenings ago, the Two-headed Ogre had challenged it.
As everyone knew, due to their innate curse and their teeth, ordinary Ogres suffered a rapid decline in physical condition after the age of forty. Only by mastering ancient shamanic sorcery could elderly Ogres ensure their survival within the tribe. Two-headed Ogres, on the other hand, were born able to wield shamanic sorcery.
Under normal circumstances, shamanic sorcery was enough to make ordinary Ogres show proper respect toward an Ogre Shaman. But five evenings ago, the one challenging the old shaman had been a Two-headed Ogre.
In terms of sorcery, the two had been evenly matched. The old shaman might have had greater experience and deeper attainments in brewing potions or divination, but those skills had not been much use against the Two-headed Ogre's challenge.
In terms of physical strength, the Two-headed Ogre, whose body had remained at its peak, had utterly overwhelmed the aged and frail old shaman.
"...It succeeded in its challenge and became the tribe's only leader."
At that point, the one-eyed crow turned its head and used its pointed beak to preen the feathers on its back. It let out a deep sigh. "And I was forcibly turned into a crow by its sorcery... If I'd known, I never would have brought it back to the tribe."
"Didn't it turn people into frogs?" Xiao Xiao, who had just been hit by a spell, interrupted the old crow's tale, his face full of lingering resentment.
"Frogs, crows, toads, rabbits, and so on. Any of those little creatures will do." The one-eyed crow did not get angry at being interrupted and explained patiently, "It's