(Page 4, Section 5)
Why are giant humanoids so often prone to madness and instability? Biologists suggest that excessive growth hormone disrupts cognitive function—a theory seemingly supported by the relative stability of female giants, who produce less of it. Yet the existence of particularly large male giants who remain mentally sound challenges this explanation. I believe the true cause lies deeper, rooted in the unique talents woven into their minds and souls. These innate gifts—or perhaps curses—may heighten emotion, especially rage, acting as a defensive mechanism to shield their inner selves from external threats.
Source: The Mad Giants – Scholar Tarve
Excerpt 3 End
Hassan’s body trembled slightly as he stirred, slowly opening his eyes—only to recoil in shock at the caregiver’s intimidating face looming just inches away.
“Ah—!”
It took him a few moments to regain his composure, heart pounding in his chest. He definitely wasn’t going to get used to that. A dull ache throbbed in his head, and he instinctively raised a hand to it. The caregiver, apparently concerned, lifted him gently and began to sway him back and forth in a soothing rhythm.
Embarrassed by the sudden attention, Hassan gave a light push to signal he was fine. The caregiver caught on quickly and set him down without protest.
Once back on the ground, Hassan quickly recalled the key points from the Basic Physique Manual he’d absorbed earlier.
First, the Zamongarai were indeed a subspecies of Minotaur, which explained their distinctive bull-like heads.
Second, beginning physical training at a young age significantly impacted long-term potential—particularly in balance, stability, and flexibility, traits notoriously difficult to develop later in life.
Third, the manual repeatedly emphasized the Zamongarai’s limited intelligence, presumably tied to the lack of a corresponding talent.
Lastly—and perhaps most importantly—as physical strength and size increased, they directly enhanced the body’s base physique attributes, expanding its capacity to store and channel vireth energy. Pushing that capacity to its limit—right before reaching energy overload—would ultimately set the multiplier for future growth.
It was unfortunate there was still no mention of how to control vireth energy, unlock magic, or find a way back to Earth—but at least he now understood more about this world, the Zamongarai, and how manual transferring functioned.
As he mentally reviewed what he’d learned, his caregiver began preparing food. To his surprise, Hassan recognized several herbs from the manual—specifically ones noted for promoting muscle growth.
He also understood why he hadn’t been given water—another herb, waterisus, had been prepared, one known for providing long-term hydration.
Looks like the dietary section might be useful a lot sooner than I thought, Hassan mused.
After finishing his meal, he paused.
I’ve never seen the caregiver eat... Strange.
Once he was set down again, he turned his attention to movement drills.
Time to push my mobility beyond just walking. This tent won’t contain me forever.
Despite the comfort of the space, it reminded him of a hospital—clean, quiet, and quietly suffocating. He needed out.
But theory was far easier than execution. The entry level drills were simple—balance holds, single-leg stands, weight shifts—but his body wasn’t cooperating. Every attempt at standing on one leg ended in a clumsy fall.
Memorizing isn’t the same as mastering.
Still, he pressed on, cycling through the techniques and adjusting his form to explore his limits. Until a creeping thought halted him mid-motion.
Doesn’t this look weird to the caregiver?
He stole a glance at the looming figure. It remained seated, utterly still, its expression unreadable.
Assuming Zamongarai expressions even match human ones...
But the being made no move—no confusion, no suspicion. Just calm observation.
It probably thinks I’m just playing...
That thought eased his nerves, though a trace of caution lingered.
Then it hit him—he still hadn’t explored the training space.
He remembered there had been a countdown—but he still wasn’t sure what would happen when it finally reset. And with his current physique, was entering even a good idea?
Still, he wanted answers. A tutorial sounded like the kind of place that might provide them… or at least something.
How much time do I even have left before it resets? And more importantly, did I gain any attributes or skill progress yet?
Curious, he mentally summoned the system, focusing on any changes—especially to his attributes.
#####
Name: None
Race: Zamongarai
Age: 14 days
Tier: 0
Attributes:
Physique: 0.10 → 0.11
Mind: 10.45 → 10.47
Soul: 9.13 → 9.33
Talents:
Human Intelligence (Rank 3: 13%) – Expand
Human Soul (Rank 2: 73% → 79%) – Expand
Zamongarai’s Physique (Rank 0: 10% → 11%) – Expand
Zamongarai’s Sense (Rank 1: 83% → 87%) – Expand
Zamongarai’s Soul (Rank 0: 1% → 12%) – Expand
Vessel Control (Rank Unknown) – Expand
Skills: Physique Manual (Basic: 0%)
System Training Space – Time remaining until reset: 3 hours, 43 minutes, 2 seconds – Current Mode: Tutorial
Note: You possess two gifted training manuals: Basic Mind and Basic Soul Manuals. You may access the knowledge contained within these manuals at any time.
#####
As Hassan scanned the panel, one change stood out—the talent descriptions were collapsed now, making the interface cleaner and easier to read.
More importantly, some numbers had changed.
My physique increased by 0.01... and the corresponding talent rose by 1 percent.
His mind had ticked up by 0.02, but oddly, Human Intelligence hadn’t moved at all.
Weird. Why would an attribute grow without affecting the talent tied to it?
His soul attribute had experienced the most notable increase—a significant 0.20 jump. The Human Soul talent had improved by 6 percent, while the Zamongarai Soul talent had surged by 11 percent. Although the growth didn’t follow a direct 1-to-1 ratio between attributes and skill percentages, the overall increase was undeniably substantial.
Could the boost in his Soul stat and talents have been triggered by reading the Basic Physique Manual? He wasn’t sure.
Despite the enhancements, he felt no different—no newfound clarity, no shift in perception. Whatever it meant to possess a “stronger soul,” its effects were anything but apparent.
Zamongarai Sense had climbed by 4 percent too, probably thanks to the combined boost in physique and soul. But again—no difference he could perceive.
How do these even interact? Do talents improve attributes, or do attributes raise the talent values? Maybe it’s something else entirely—something more complicated that I haven’t figured out yet.
He frowned at the mind attribute. It had increased... but Human Intelligence talent stayed the same.
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Why?
The lack of a clear pattern frustrated him. This isn’t like a typical RPG system. I need a better model for how it works.
He noticed something entirely unexpected—the Physique Manual was listed as a skill. Did that mean only system-provided manuals counted as skills, or was there another explanation?
Letting out a quiet sigh, he glanced at the system training space timer—just under four hours remaining.
Did I really sleep for nine hours? Or did absorbing the manual eat that much time?
Another question for his growing mental checklist. But with his head still aching, pushing further now would get him nowhere.
With nearly four hours left, Hassan decided to wait. Maybe the caregiver would leave again—or sleep. Though now that I think about it... I’ve never seen a bed. Does it even sleep?
He went back to practicing drills—balance, flexibility, stability—cycling through every basic movement he could remember. Over and over.
If the manual was right, and the Zamongarai were slow-witted, maybe his training would just look like a baby wobbling around. Nothing suspicious.
Three long, frustrating hours passed.
Nothing changed.
He’d repeated every drill he could think of, but his attributes and skill remained stubbornly still. No progress. No notifications. Just clumsy repetition and growing irritation.
Am I really expecting results already? He sighed. Back on Earth, it took me months to see progress when I started working out...
He had let those flashy cultivation stories distort his expectations—where meditating for five minutes could earn someone a hundred years of power. But this world wasn’t like that. It was slower. Harsher. Real.
Still, one positive: the caregiver hadn’t interfered much. After one particularly bad fall, it had approached, checked that he wasn’t injured, then returned to its seat—watching. Always watching. Silent. Still.
Unsettling.
As the air cooled and gusts began to batter the tent walls, Hassan figured it must be night—assuming this world followed anything like Earth’s day-night cycle.
Moments later, he yawned.
Instantly, the caregiver rose, crossed the room, and gently lifted him into its arms before placing him on the bed. No hesitation. No signal. Nothing at all.
All it took was a yawn? he thought, mildly annoyed. Could’ve saved myself the effort earlier.
The bed, as always, was perfectly clean. And yet I’ve never seen it cleaned... Another quiet sign of magic. One more reason to learn it.
Without a word, the caregiver made its way to the tent’s exit. A soft incantation escaped its lips, dimming the glow of the central plant. Another phrase followed, and a wall of earth rose and sealed the entrance shut.
Gone again. No explanation. No glance back.
Who just leaves a baby alone at night? Hassan shook his head.
Just as before, he suspected that his caregiver had used magic to command the plant, forcing him to remain in bed.
Still, he was grateful for the solitude. The training space awaited—and this time, he’d be ready.
Mentally, he requested access to the system training space. A countdown appeared in his vision almost immediately.
#####
Countdown until transported to system space: 30, 29, 28…
#####
The countdown puzzled him, but thirty seconds wasn’t too long to wait.
As it reached zero, the world around him froze.
In the blink of an eye, Hassan found himself standing in a vast grassy clearing. Tall blades of green brushed against his chest, and vibrant trees dotted the distant horizon. Directly overhead, a brilliant star bathed the land in clear light—it resembled the sun, but it was larger, closer, and cast a sharper glow that left no doubt: it was noon. Nearby, a towering pillar of light surged into the sky, piercing the bright, cloudless expanse.
His fatigue also vanished instantly—gone like it had never existed. Before he could fully process what had just happened, a glowing prompt materialized before him.
#####
Welcome to the System Training Space
Currently in Tutorial Mode
Before Entry:
- Items designated during the 30-second countdown can be brought in but revert upon exit.
- Real-world time will pause.
- Upon entry, negative effects such as injuries, fatigue, and low energy are alleviated entirely. However, these conditions will return immediately upon exit.
While Inside:
- You may remain for one day or exit anytime. Reentry is unavailable until the next reset.
- You will not age physically, mentally, or spiritually.
- Attributes, talents, and skills earned here will carry into reality. Attribute-boosting items or consumables will not.
- Damage or death here will not affect your real-world body.
- Death will immediately end your current session.
- Defeating creatures and completing quests grants rewards.
- Creatures here are perfect replicas of their real-world counterparts but are not truly alive.
- If you survive but the allotted time ends, reentry will place you in the same area as before.
#####
Hassan read through the prompt, exhaling slowly—part relief, part confusion. How does the system pause real-world time? And how can it freeze aging while still allowing progress to transfer? If time doesn’t pass, could I effectively live twice as long just by reentering the tutorial? Would that also double my peak growth window?
The idea of dying here without real consequences sounded convenient… but also suspicious. No damage carried over, either. So if I overtrained and tore my muscles past repair, would I just heal instantly and gain stats for it anyway when I return?
And what about creatures? What kind would he face? In his current state, he could barely walk. Hopefully nothing too serious—it’s just a tutorial. Even if something did happen, I’ll just return.
Then there were the quests. Where am I supposed to find them? Will the system assign them directly, or do I need to find some NPC to hand them out?
Each new detail pushed the experience further into game territory. Hassan couldn’t tell whether to feel excited or unnerved. The questions were endless—and so far, the answers were infuriatingly vague.
Just as he began to settle, another prompt appeared.
#####
Tutorial Quest: Bug Extermination (I)
Information: Delroaches are irritating pests—capable of flight and resistant to most physical attacks. Their bites are painful but non-lethal.
Objective: Eliminate 20 Delroaches
Reward: Basic Tracking Manual
Accept Quest? [Yes / No]
#####
Hassan narrowed his eyes and scanned the tall grass swaying around him. No bugs. No sign of anything crawling or flying. So... where are they?
His gaze drifted back to the reward—a Basic Tracking Manual. If that was being offered through a quest, maybe this was how he’d earn higher-level manuals for physique, mind, and soul too.
But what if I can’t find enough before the reset? Would quests carry over to the next session—or vanish completely? Can I accept more than one quest at a time? He had no answers, and the system wasn’t offering any.
One way or another, he’d have to figure it out through trial and error. For now, there was no need to rush.
At least one thing was clear—the system handled quests here in the tutorial. But maybe NPCs could offer them too... assuming they even existed. Something to test later.
The pillar of light in the distance caught his attention again. Its presence felt deliberate—like it was marking something important. Hidden treasure? A dungeon? A special reward? If nothing else, making his way toward it might bring him across some delroaches.
Pushing through the thick grass was harder than it looked—each step felt like a minor workout, especially when he had to stand back up after a fall. Fortunately, falling didn’t hurt much; the dense grass provided a soft enough cushion to break his tumbles.
He scanned the terrain carefully, eyes sharp for any sign of insects—especially delroaches. But there was nothing. Not even a grasshopper… assuming those even existed in this world.
Barely a minute had passed before fatigue forced him to sit down and catch his breath.
That was a mistake.
A sharp, searing pain shot through his backside.
“Agh—!”
Hassan yelped and leapt to his feet, flailing instinctively as he swatted at the invisible attacker. After a few frantic slaps, something dislodged. His eyes darted around the grass, narrowed and furious.
There. A tiny, camouflaged, greenish insect—its shape like a cockroach crossed with a beetle. Wings, armored shell, fast.
That has to be a delroach—unless something else shares its peculiar resemblance to a cockroach and could have bitten him so painfully.
He lunged forward in an awkward attempt to catch it, but the delroach fluttered effortlessly out of reach, vanishing into the grass. Its speed was startling—far beyond what he’d expected—and it was clear he'd need to sharpen his movement and stealth skills if he hoped to succeed next time.
Frustrating as it was, at least now he had proof they existed—which meant the quest could actually be completed.
Mentally, he gave the system his answer.
#####
Accepted Tutorial Quest: Bug Extermination (I)
#####
As soon as he accepted the quest, a new concern surfaced—how much time do I actually have left here? Could he check that? He focused on the thought, and almost immediately, the system answered.
#####
System Training Space time remaining: 23 hours 56 minutes 12 seconds
#####
Convenient, he noted.
Glancing around cautiously—he wasn’t about to sit on another delroach—Hassan lowered himself into the grass to rest. Within a minute, his entire body felt... fine. The tension and aches had mostly faded, leaving him feeling refreshed. It was as though the pain and exhaustion had only ever been a fleeting memory, now nearly completely wiped away.
That’s not normal. Even in his past life, recovery had taken far longer than a few breaths. Then it clicked—Zamongarai Physique. Could the talent enhance recovery speed this much, even at its lowest tier? If so, investing in it might be far more valuable than he’d originally thought.
Still, now wasn’t the time to get sidetracked. The pillar of light was only a few paces away, and it still demanded his attention.
He stepped closer and reached out toward the beam—nothing. His fingers slipped through it effortlessly, meeting no resistance. There was no system prompt, no reaction, no noticeable change.
Disappointed, he lingered for a moment, then stepped fully inside.
A wave of relief washed over him.
Every trace of fatigue, every flicker of lingering pain vanished without a whisper. He stood there, blinking.
It’s a recovery zone.
Useful—very useful. Though the brightness was a bit much. From inside, the light obscured his view of the outside world, making it hard to see anything beyond the glow.
Still, an idea came to him. I could use this after every training set. Just recover instantly and repeat...
But the moment that thought took shape, the light began to shrink.
Roughly a half of its size vanished before his eyes.
Of course it’s limited. So much for infinite recovery loops.
The best he could hope for now was that it reset each time he reentered.
For now, at least one use remained—though the first had already been burned on a bug bite and the exhaustion from walking too long.
Well—not completely wasted, he corrected himself, but still. I need to be smarter about when I use it.
Then a new idea struck him. Why not use it now? If it removes all fatigue, I could learn one of the remaining manuals and recover right after. Easy.
Sleeping too long in the real world would raise suspicion, after all.
And before the tutorial ends... couldn’t I just learn the other manual too, then use the recovery effect again right at the end?
Deciding on his next move, Hassan turned his attention to the manuals. He only had one recovery left, which meant choosing which one to read first.
His current goal was to learn magic—and based on the novels he’d read, magic usually tied to the mind, while the soul was often linked to stranger, more mysterious powers. Not always, but most of the time.
Either way, he planned to learn both manuals soon. Getting a head start on the one more likely tied to magic couldn’t hurt.
First, the Basic Mind Manual... then the Soul Manual. Hopefully, one of them held the key to unlocking the mysteries of magic.