The North is a land of frost often shrouded in wind and snow.
In this frozen soil eroded by ice all year round, intelligent races mostly lived in self-governing tribes, sustaining their lives through nomadism, hunting, and polar foraging.
This place was once a paradise for gods; long before ancient humans were born, many natural deities were birthed here.
To this day, it remains the place that most respects faith in the divine.
Unlike the Original God Church, which only promotes the Primordial God, faith in the North is very diverse and highly inclusive of other beliefs.
For instance, the Budegu Wolf Tribe worships the Lord of Re-forging, a symbol of strength and growth, who usually manifests as a massive snow wolf.
However, not everyone in the Budegu Wolf Tribe follows the Lord of Re-forging.
Because some members of the tribe are blood descendants of the legendary demon god, the Bloodflame Demon Dog, a portion of the youth view the Bloodflame Demon Dog as their faith. They consider searching for the inheritance left by the Bloodflame Demon Dog as their baptism and evolution.
Just two days ago, for reasons unknown, the Budegu Wolf Tribe encountered a magic wave. A massive number of monsters attacked the tribe, causing great impact and loss.
Even though the chief, Leiqi, fought with all his might, it was difficult to withstand the sweeping magic wave.
Just as the tribe fell into a crisis of survival, a youth suddenly appeared. No one knew what method he used, but he actually made the monsters stop their attack. The vast magic wave then turned and surged in another direction.
Regardless of how it happened, the tribe was ultimately preserved.
After the great battle, the people were busy with post-war reconstruction.
Chief Leiqi walked along the road with the youth, taking a leisurely stroll.
"Andrew, I really didn't expect that you would be the one to save the entire tribe," Leiqi sighed with deep emotion.
"You couldn't even hunt a single snow rabbit on your own before, but now you've become the hero who saved the tribe. It truly is unexpected," he continued with a chuckle, his eyes full of admiration for Andrew.
Andrew remained silent, seemingly unheard of the chief's words of praise.
"Andrew, how exactly did you drive back the magic wave? Can you share it with me?" Leiqi asked.
Only then did Andrew finally speak. "I went deep into their rear, obtained their command token, and issued the order for them to withdraw."
He said this in a very relaxed and simple tone, as if it were a trivial matter that anyone could have done.
But Leiqi only had to look down at Andrew's hands, where the wounds had yet to heal, to know that things were definitely not as simple as Andrew claimed.
And if nothing else, the sheer courage required to charge alone into the rear of a magic wave was something few could match.
At least in the current Budegu tribe, no other young person possessed Andrew's boldness.
From time to time, Andrew emitted an aura of mana. This aura was very unstable but gave off a very dangerous feeling. Even Leiqi felt a slight chill and couldn't help but ask, "Andrew, have you already become a mage?"
Seeing Andrew admit it without hesitation, Leiqi fell silent for a moment.
After a long while, he patted Andrew heavily on the shoulder and said, "Good work, Andrew. You are the youngest mage in our tribe. You are truly different from before!"
"But Andrew, I must remind you that the path of a mage is not as easy as you imagine. Once you step onto this path, you must be prepared for the eventual end of being corrupted and falling into madness. You are still very young, and your willpower is not as firm as an adult's. So, you must always pay attention to your state and never turn into a corrupted monster."
"I know, Chief," Andrew said expressionlessly. "The current me is different from before. I am not so easily eroded."
"That is good," Leiqi nodded.
Suddenly remembering something, he turned and asked, "Where is Bruce? I haven't seen him."
"Bruce..."
Andrew pursed his lips and said nothing.
Leiqi looked at him with some confusion.
"Sorry, Chief, let me be alone for a while."
Andrew shook his head. He was visibly exhausted, and his temperament was not like that of a fifteen-year-old boy at all. Instead, he seemed more like a middle-aged man who had weathered many storms and struggled through the mud.
His expression showed visible pain, but he chose to swallow that agony alone.
Leiqi saw that Andrew's state was a bit off and knew he needed a good rest.
He didn't say much more, only patting his shoulder in comfort.
"Get some good rest. If there is something weighing on your heart, you can speak to the gods."
Though the gods would likely not pay attention to a believer's soliloquy, it was one of the few ways they had to console themselves. Doing so was more for the sake of psychological comfort.
The North respected the gods deeply. People here would offer a devout prayer to the gods upon waking up, before every meal, and before going to sleep.
Leiqi's other meaning was to remind Andrew that it was time to pray to the gods.
As long as he was still part of the tribe, this tradition could not be abandoned.
Andrew went to the shrine dedicated to the Lord of Re-forging.
Since everyone else was busy with reconstruction, he was the only one in the shrine at this time.
He looked at the divine statue enshrined at the very top. It was a small, exquisite jade statue of a snow-white wolf, looking very majestic.
But for some reason, his heart was always thinking of another god.
Though he had never truly seen Him, His image was already etched in his mind, impossible to dispel.
"No matter how bad life gets, one must persevere."
"I have paid such a heavy price; you must not let me down."
The other party's divine oracle still rang in his ears. His body trembled slightly, and he was almost choking with emotion.
"Truly impressive, Andrew Wayne."
Andrew's tears burst forth, falling like a string of pearls and wetting the ground, only to instantly freeze into ice.
That single word of praise from the Lord God was the only support that had kept him striving to live until now.
Whether it was for the Lord God or for Bruce's sake, he had to work hard to prove his value. Otherwise, the Lord God and Bruce would have no meaning.
He pulled several strange objects from his robes. They emitted brilliant, multicolored light, like magnificent treasures.
An exquisitely carved coin, a light and luxurious piece of soft armor, jade as beautiful as a gemstone...
These were treasures that were clearly extraordinary at a glance, items Andrew had luckily obtained during his various fantastical adventures over the past few days.
He wasn't sure of their value or use, but he felt that only by offering true treasures could he prove his worth to the Lord God.
Therefore, he told no one, having already decided to offer these things as sacrifices to the Lord God.
"Great Lord God, please forgive me for not knowing your divine title. If you can hear my call, please respond to me. I shall offer you my everything..."
He knelt on the ground and kowtowed heavily.
But the object of his worship was not the Lord of Re-forging, but that one god in his heart.
When he raised his head again, the treasures that had been placed on the ground had all vanished into thin air.
He froze for a moment but then understood. This meant the Lord God had accepted his offering.
However, the Lord God left him no response. He had simply come and taken everything, as if nothing else mattered to Him.
Andrew stood frozen in place for a long, long time.
Then, he clenched his fists, a look of determination appearing in his eyes.
He understood that this meant the Lord God was not yet satisfied with his performance and therefore had not truly recognized him.
He would definitely work harder, striving to earn the Lord God's recognition!
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