The darkness of the cave began to dissolve as the reddish-orange light of dawn slipped through the cracks in the stones. The cold air still bit sharply, but inside Kenji, a burning fire stirred — the flame of a plan ready to be set in motion.
It had been more than a week since the queen's death and the winds of chaos started blowing through the Orc clan. The bloodthirsty adult Orcs were beginning to show their most brutal instincts, scheming and killing each other to seize power. Amid the chaos, Kenji knew one thing: if he wanted to survive — even lead — he could not act like an ordinary Orc.
He had to act like a human.
The Theft Plan
Kenji sat in a rarely used corner of the cave, observing. In front of him, a group of adult Orcs were stacking piles of meat and hunted game. This was the clan's main food supply, painstakingly gathered from hunting in the wild forests.
"They keep the food too exposed," Kenji thought. "That's an opportunity."
He frowned. He knew stealing in a clan in turmoil wasn't easy. If caught, his life could be on the line. But with a human mind and the speed of an Orc body, he had a chance.
"This isn't just about food," he thought. "It's about controlling the future."
First Night: The Action Begins
When night fell thick and dark, Kenji moved. He crept through the shadowy cave corridors, feeling the rough walls for guidance. His breath steady, his heart pounding but calm.
In front of the food pile, two adult Orcs stood guard — big bodies and taut muscles.
Kenji watched.
They were busy harshly arguing, mocking each other over who would claim power next.
Quickly, Kenji set up a snare and a simple trap he once learned from memories of his human past.
When one Orc stepped too far, his foot got caught.
He fell, howling angrily. His companion turned toward the noise, but Kenji was already running to the meat pile, grabbing several large chunks.
He sprinted down a narrow, unguarded passage, breathing hard.
This was Kenji's first theft from the clan.
Human Strategy
The next day, Kenji sat with several young Orcs who had started to respect him after his duel with Gruk. He began explaining an unusual strategy.
"We have to move fast. Avoid the strong. Find openings. If needed, set traps," Kenji said in a low but firm voice.
Some young Orcs frowned, but they were curious.
"Kenji, is that a human strategy? You want us to fight like humans?" asked Brakka, who was now joining his group.
Kenji nodded. "Yes. We're small, but we have brains. If we rely only on muscle, we will be destroyed."
Unlock Skill: Adaptive Touch
Suddenly, in the silence of the cave, Kenji felt something different in his hands.
A warm sensation, like a current of energy flowing from his fingertips through his whole body.
A white screen appeared in his mind, with simple yet thrilling words:
Skill Unlocked: Adaptive TouchDescription: Ability to instantly learn and mimic techniques from creatures or the environment.Effect: Increased reflexes and improvisation ability in combat and tactics.Current Level: 1%
Kenji closed his eyes, feeling his body become more sensitive, quicker to understand something new.
"This... is a system," he murmured. "Like... getting a cheat code."
The Clan Descends into Chaos
In the following days, murders among the adult Orcs became more frequent. Leaders fought over the throne with blood and fire.
But Kenji did not get involved directly.
He was busier training a small group of loyal young Orcs — especially Brakka and a few others — to steal supplies and learn to survive in a different way.
"We have to be cunning, not just strong," Kenji said once.
New Resources
On one theft mission, Kenji and his group sneaked into a storage room they had never tried before: the weapons and war gear room.
There, they found simple weapons: spears with sharp tips, and shields made from animal hides.
Kenji picked up a small spear, inspecting it.
"This spear... is better than what we usually use," he said quietly.
He decided to learn how to use these weapons, not just bare hands like most Orcs.
Internal Conflict
However, the threat was not only outside. Tensions began to arise within his own group.
Brakka, who showed signs of natural leadership, questioned Kenji's methods.
"You're too cautious. We need to be more brutal. Power is law," she said one night.
Kenji stared at her sharply.
"But brutality without plan will only kill us all. We need brains, not just brawn."
Brakka was silent but didn't fully agree.
Sudden Fight
One night, returning from a theft mission, Kenji's group was ambushed by a band of adult Orcs still loyal to a male leader candidate.
A fight was unavoidable.
Kenji led patiently. He used Adaptive Touch to read enemy moves and exploit every opening.
With hit-and-run tactics, rope traps, and coordinated strikes, his small group managed to repel the larger foe.
That fight was the first proof that human strategy could overcome Orc raw power.
When Kenji returned to the cave, he looked at the Blood Stone, which now increasingly seemed a symbol of his destiny.
Suddenly, the system screen appeared again in his mind:
New Quest Unlocked: "Uncover the Orc Queen's Death Conspiracy"
Objective: Gather evidence and find out who killed the Queen.
Kenji smiled faintly.
"This is just the beginning," he thought.
Kenji knew he didn't just have to survive in this brutal world. He had to adapt, surpass the law of "kill or be killed" with intelligence and strategy.
And more than that, he had to uncover the great secret behind the Orc Queen's death — a secret that could change everything, even their clan's fate.
With Adaptive Touch as his secret weapon and his loyal allies, Kenji began building a new foundation — one not only based on strength, but also on wit.