The totem was located several hundred meters outside the village, in a small valley. There stood a massive gray stone sculpture—the totem built by the tribe. Every member would go to worship the totem on their birthday; it was a tribal tradition.

Whenever he thought of that totem, Owen Clark couldn’t help but look strange.

Although Owen Clark didn’t understand the mythology of this world, that totem had appeared countless times in movies and TV shows from his previous life—it was a demon carved in stone.

What kind of mindset treats a demon as a totem? Was he born into the evil camp from the very start?

Owen Clark wiped his cold sweat, feeling a bit overwhelmed.

……

After saying goodbye to his old man, Owen Clark arrived in front of the tribal totem.

It was a four-meter-tall gray stone statue: ram’s horns, hooves, six legs, two wings, half-human half-deer body, and a skull burning with ghostly flames. A chilling, sinister, and mysterious aura swirled around the statue.

“This is just too ugly…” Owen Clark always thought the symbolic meaning of a totem was more important than its actual appearance. He really couldn’t understand—why not believe in something better? Why insist on worshipping something so ugly?

“Vmmm…” The statue suddenly began to tremble slightly, snow constantly shaking off as if it was responding to Owen Clark’s words.

Owen Clark muttered, “So you show your power just because I called you ugly? Is this totem really that spiritual?”

The totem’s vibrations grew stronger and stronger, much like a pot lid rattling when water boils.

“Whoa, is this thing about to explode?”

Taking a few steps back, Owen Clark felt a chill run down his spine. “All I did was call you ugly, why are you so worked up? You need to face reality—there are so many beautiful things in the world…”

Buzz!

The totem’s head suddenly exploded with a bang. A streak of dark red light shot out at incredible speed, instantly piercing into Owen Clark’s forehead. Owen Clark vaguely saw that the streak of light looked like a seed. He stood there stunned for a while, touched his body, and felt nothing had changed. “Was that an illusion?”

At that moment, a weak voice sounded in his mind, “Finally, it’s here…”

Owen Clark froze for a moment, then clutched his head and shouted in panic, “I knew something terrible got in!”

The voice protested, “Terrible? I am—”

Owen Clark started slapping his head hard, making loud smacking sounds, yelling as he hit himself, “Get out of me!”

“I am—”

Smack smack smack.

“I am—”

Smack smack smack.

“I—”

A round of smacks.

The voice couldn’t take it anymore and roared angrily, “Stop hitting! You’re shaking me to death!”

What on earth was this thing? Owen Clark calmed down, looked at the totem’s head now blown into a pile of rubble, and after a moment of silence, cautiously asked, “So, ‘Your Majesty,’ which deity are you?”

The voice replied proudly, “I am your god, your faith.”

Owen Clark was taken aback. “The Three Pure Ones? Did you guys transmigrate too?”

“The Three Pure Ones? Who are they?” The voice sounded confused. “I am the great Frost Demon Lord!”

Oh… misunderstood.

Owen Clark coughed awkwardly. “Then could you come out of my head before we talk?”

“I burned my physical shell, and only this demon seed remains. I’m extremely weak. I can only recover by being nurtured in the pure soul domain of a child’s mind… Hm? Why can’t I read your memories?” The demon lord sounded puzzled. “Your soul is so vast, nothing like a newborn. It’s the perfect mind domain to nurture my demon seed.”

Owen Clark was not happy. This was like a thief breaking into your house and then leaving a note complimenting how rich you are. Owen Clark took a deep breath to calm himself and asked, “So you’re planning to stay in my head for good?”

“That’s right.”

Owen Clark looked around. “Where’s a sharp stone? I need to crack my own skull open.”

“……”

Owen Clark took a deep breath. He had to stay optimistic—even with something extra in his head, he needed to keep faith in life. “Talking is fine, but how about showing yourself?”

Suddenly, a creature appeared in Owen Clark’s consciousness, identical to the totem before him. The only difference was that the demon lord in his mind was alive. The demon lord spoke with a haughty tone, “This is my projection. I followed your soul here. After hundreds of years of worship, it’s time for your race to be rewarded. Submit to the great Frost Demon Lord, and I shall grant you supreme potential.”

“Heh, cheeky,” Owen Clark grinned, looking around for something, muttering, “This thing looks just like a brain tumor. Guess I really do need to crack my skull open…”

“……” The demon lord’s ugly face twitched, becoming even uglier.

This isn’t how the script is supposed to go. Why isn’t this kid panicking at all? I’m supposed to be your god! Or has your race evolved so much that even children are this calm…

Seeing Owen Clark weighing the stone in his hand, looking like he was about to make up his mind, the demon lord grew nervous and hurriedly explained, “Don’t be afraid. The mind domain is like your mental space. My presence there is only beneficial to you, not harmful. We coexist—if you die, I die too. To protect you, I’ll provide power to fuse with your body. You’ll gain immense potential and a ticket to the path of the strong.”

“Oh…” Owen Clark suddenly understood. So it’s the classic ‘grandpa in the head’ cheat—turns out transmigrators really do get perks!