《My Infinite Wealth System》


 Chapter 1: Sh*t... I’m Dead?

    Chapter 1 - Sh*t... I''m Dead?"So basically, you just want to fuck me?" Lukas asked, making sure he heard correctly.


    He couldn''t deny that the jade beauty was attractive.


    Her thin, white dress clung perfectly to her body, barely holding back giant D-Cup Divine Balloons. Light illuminated skin smoother than even porcelain, its every inch simply flawless.


    The goddess gave him a sly, seductive smile that could command armies before the old man poofed her into smoke and tried to fuck him.


    "W-well, I wouldn''t call it that," the old man, a small buff dwarf with a typical gray beard, said with a chuckle.


    "Then what do you call expecting me to perform such a difficult quest for practically no reward?"


    "Our usual arrangement," the dwarf replied with a small smile before continuing, "Come now, Lukas. No need to pretend. It''s perfectly fine that you enjoy dying for us."


    ''Lukas?'' sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His face betrayed no emotion as he studied the dwarf, but internally, Lukas''s mind was racing.


    He didn''t know where he thought people went when they died, but this definitely wasn''t it.


    After all, who would expect to find themselves in their brother''s favorite game? As the worst extra, no less.


    Sighing, Lukas said, "Sorry, but I''ve changed my policies recently. Following guidance from some other gods, I''ve decided against living a life where I let all of you fuck me."


    Hearing this accusation, the dwarf vehemently repeated his denial of ''fucking him over.''


    "I''m not exactly screwing you over..."


    "J-just because it''s a tough quest and you''re likely to die..."


    "I mean, you''ve done this for me so many times! What''s changed?"


    "I told you. I''ve been advised by some higher power to ask for rewards," Lukas replied simply, unwilling to accept the quest without compensation.


    Flustered, the dwarf yelled, "Is it about that stupid minotaur thing! I told you, I''m sorry he decapitated you!"


    Smiling internally, Lukas rubbed his temples as if he feared them being cut apart at any moment.


    Then, with a soft voice as if seeking sympathy, he said, "I still feel pain every night. For a long time, I''ve been your closest and most trusted ally. All I ask is for some real rewards in return."


    Because like hell he was going to live the life of the ''Divine Simp.''


    He had already endured enough from the bastard in his previous life. Since they shared the same first name¡ªLukas¡ªhis brother constantly called him a simp.


    Nope, he was going to take matters into his own hands. Starting with this god.


    "Fine," the dwarf¡ªthe Low-Immortal God of Swords Physsus¡ªsaid with a low sigh. "I think I can clear out some things from my inventory."


    Nodding in approval, Lukas muttered a low "thanks."


    [System No. 91 received!]


    [1 Common Bronze Sword acquired! DPS: 1]


    ''1?''


    ''Fucking 1?!''


    "Hey, you''re a god, aren''t you?" Lukas asked Physsus.


    Nodding enthusiastically, the god replied, "Yes, of course I am!"


    Shaking his head, Lukas said, "Then I''m sure you can do better than this, right?"


    "How about this," Physsus began, a frown forming on his face. "You accept my gracious reward and go fetch my chalice, or I''ll just kill you!"


    ...


    "Ok." Stretching after his simple acceptance, Lukas waited for the god to relent.


    It was clear he wasn''t going to actually kill him. Whatever the quest was, whatever he wanted the chalice for, Lukas could tell the god took it very seriously.


    And dying wasn''t all that bad anyway. The whole reason he was here was because he died. However, the last thing he was going to accept was living this new life in chains.


    Physsus sat in silence for a few minutes, simply dumbfounded. When he spoke again, his voice was low and spiteful.


    "I don''t know what''s gotten into you lately, but fine. Let''s dance." Smirking, Physsus added, "I''ll let you know I''ve been dealing with real heroes for millennia. If you want to back down, this is your only opportunity."


    Putting on an innocent face, Lukas asked, "Back down? All I want is¡ª"


    Bang!!


    A huge bang cut him off, followed by a blinding light as if a thousand nukes had gone off. It was so bright that even after raising his hand, none of the light was blocked.


    The light faded as quickly as it came, leaving the two in a completely different environment.


    Looking down, Lukas felt his stomach churn.


    ''I- I''m in the sky... flying on a cloud.''


    Raising his gaze to the god, Lukas saw a wide smirk on his face.


    "So, you want to negotiate with a god, huh? You think that because I''ve sent you to your death a thousand times, you earn the right to speak as an equal?"


    A fierce light shone in his eyes as he summoned a large, double-edged sword that was at least 8 feet long. Murderous intent flowed from the god like a waterfall as he stared down Lukas.


    "Tell me, do you feel like an equal now?"


    Even the wind began to cry from the pressure he emitted.


    However, Lukas ignored the wind slapping against his face and shrugged. "Of course not. I could never hope to compare to such a benevolent god."


    Smiling, the god lowered his aura for a moment, thinking his point was proven.


    "However, I must still ask that you give me the best rewards, as I am a poor excuse for a hero. It is only with the heavy aid of someone as strong as you that I may retrieve the chalice."


    "Otherwise," Lukas gestured as if an object were turning into smoke, "I''m afraid I''ll be far too weak to help you."


    Even though he was highly praised, the god glared at him. However, there was some progress as he tossed his sword aside, where it landed innocently on a cloud.


    "Fine then. We will create a contract," the god growled, watching Lukas intensely.


    Not backing down, Lukas asked, "Contract?"


    A small breath of disbelief escaped the god''s lips. "Yes, a contract. You wouldn''t know about it, being a pawn and all that."


    "Basically, each side makes a promise that they must uphold no matter what." Looking directly into Lukas''s eyes, the god made his next words very clear.


    "Should you breach your contract, your very soul will be tattered across all of space and time, your name will be scourged from history, and your very existence will be tortured for all eternity. Still want to continue, little hero?"


    For the first time, Lukas faltered. Up until now, dying again was the only threat Physsus had posed. If this was true, though...


    ''Doesn''t matter. If I allow myself to just accept their quests for nothing, I''ll live an eternity dying for petty quests. Unless I make sure to get the best rewards possible from this quest, I''m cooked.''


    Resolve set in his heart, Lukas returned a confident gaze and nodded.


    "Hmm," Physsus murmured, surprise evident on his face. "Very well then."


    Raising three fingers, Physsus said, "I will give you three special rewards. It is my promise that they have a very high potential and could prove useful in your quest. In return, I will add a very strict clause to your quest."


    Excitement flashed in the god''s eyes as Physsus continued, "Should you fail to bring me my chalice within 30 days, you will forever be my slave."


    "Done," Lukas said without a moment''s hesitation.


    "D- OK, done!" The god said, quickly correcting his stammer.


    [Divine Perk: Infinite Wealth obtained!]


    [Legendary Sword: Kharevir''s Fang obtained!]


    [Special Class token: A ~ SSS¨CRank obtained!]


    Before the notifications finished popping up, Physsus said, "Bye!" and snapped his fingers.


    In the next moment, Lukas was free-falling through the clouds, only thousands of meters away from crashing to the ground.


    Watching the insect fall, Physsus shook his head, murmuring to himself, "Have fun living the life of a real hero, kid. I won''t be seeing you in 30 days."

 Chapter 2: Nah, I’m Not Dead!

    Chapter 2 - Nah, I''m Not Dead!''Shit shit shit!''


    Wind slapped against Lukas''s hair, making it flap wildly even though it was relatively trim.


    Looking down below, he knew that was the least of his worries.


    He was merely thousands of feet away from becoming a red paste. With every passing second, his free fall accelerated.


    ''This stupid god... did he forget I''m a human? After all the kindness I showed him too.''


    With the wind still rushing furiously, Lukas tried to force his mind to open the system interface. He had gotten some kind of class token; it had to help¡ª


    [System screen cannot be utilized while in air]


    ''F-f...''


    "FUCK!"


    BAM!


    A second after screaming, Lukas collided hard into something. His head hurting and bruised, he laid on that thing for a few seconds before thinking, ''I''m not dead?''


    Rising with a laugh, Lukas screamed, "Take that, Physsus! Not de¡ª"


    "Meal speak?"


    "Quiet, meal!"


    Two rough, small green creatures said as they poked Lukas with a stick.


    [2 Goblin Arkinia¨CRiders detected; Level 3, HP: 50/50]


    ''Goblins?''


    Well, it made sense. If there were mighty gods, there had to be lowly goblins. It''s just... of all the people in the world they could''ve snagged for a meal, why did it have to be him?


    Heaving a heavy sigh, he turned to them with a gentle smile as he zipped his lips. Rolling their eyes, one of the goblins climbed back into the saddle while the other held his spear, probably looking out into the world for more people to prey on.


    Pushing aside that thought, Lukas tried bringing up the system again. Surely it wouldn''t consider flying on some beast as being ''in the air?''


    [Loading...]


    ''Haha!!'' Lukas''s eyes grew bright as he waited for the system screen, knowing he had been bailed by his captors. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [The system screen cannot be utilized while in air.]


    "Fuck!"


    "Shut it, meal!" Goblin 2 shrieked as he waved his tiny spear in front of Lukas''s face.


    ...


    It had been a lonely century of flying before they finally seemed to be landing. During that time, Lukas had done his best to learn what he could since the system was being a dick.


    The thing they were flying on¡ªprobably an Arkinia, though he preferred the nickname Spigon¡ªwas some kind of mix between a dragon and spider. It had the head and eight legs of a spider, but the scales and wings of a dragon.


    He had tried to find out more about the world itself, but neither of the goblins let him move around.


    In just a half hour, he had heard enough, "Shut up, meal!" to last him an entire lifetime.


    Therefore, he decided to simply relax as he bided his time. Without the boosts Physsus had given him, he doubted his ability to fight the goblins. Which meant he had to wait until they landed.


    ...


    Thud!!


    The Spigon landed completely unceremoniously, slamming its eight legs into the ground and causing dust to fly into the air.


    "Come, meal!" Goblin 2 said as he poked Lukas with his spear.


    Lukas jumped off the Spigon''s back as instructed. The other Goblin was patting the Spigon''s head, clearly agitating it.


    Giving the Spigon a single nod, Lukas allowed Goblin 1 to continue pestering the beast. If it was like spiders back home, Lukas knew better than to bother them.


    With any luck, that Goblin would end up as spider chow.


    Turning to his new environment, Lukas was finally able to take a good look around.


    ''This place is a wasteland...'' Lukas thought.


    That was quite an understatement.


    Nothing but dark black sand could be seen in any direction except northwest. There, hidden behind the vast expanse of a dead desert, was a wide and towering mountain range.


    Even though it was miles away, he could still feel its pull, almost as if it was calling him. He tried to look away and already found it impossible.


    Whatever it was, whatever lay in those mountains...


    "Meal, move!"


    A sharp pain in his back jolted his mind to the present.


    ''Right. I''m about to be Goblin chow.''


    Strangely, it felt like they had saved him just now. However, he knew their ''hospitality'' wasn''t going to last.


    It was time to claim his system rewards.


    [You cannot access the system while enemies are nearby]


    ''W- what the fuck?'' Lukas stood still for a moment, unable to believe this shitty luck.


    What fucking use were these stupid perks if he couldn''t even use them?


    "Meal, move!"


    Sidestepping the incoming slash, Lukas gave the goblin a slight smile before continuing the journey through the desert.


    Only they had suddenly walked onto a small settlement.


    It looked very destitute, with worn-down tents sprawled across the sand. However, he was very certain even this pitiful camp hadn''t existed just a moment ago.


    ''Well, I am in some kind of fantasy land,'' Lukas pondered, deciding that there was probably some kind of illusion magic at work.


    If that was the case, it could be possible that there were other Goblin settlements.


    Aka, opportunity for a sudden civil war. All he needed to do was find a way to escape and get them to fight.


    Which was quite the long shot.


    As he walked through the camp, he noticed it seemed to get bigger the more distance he covered. Like there were multiple layers to the illusion, each uncovering more and more of the overall settlement.


    Dozens of Goblin archers scowled at him with their ugly green heads.


    Those tattered tents became more reformed the further he walked, as if the civilians in this new section jumped tax brackets.


    And then, at the end of this journey, was an entire crowd of goblins waiting for him to die. It was a rather nice welcoming party.


    "Food! Food!"


    "The new god has blessed us!!!"


    "More food?"


    "Aye! Two food today!"


    ''Two? New god?'' Lukas thought, making sure to retain all the information he heard.


    So far, he didn''t see a second person. Not yet, anyway.


    All he saw was red as that stupid spear poked him again.


    "Food, move! Food stay good and die easy. Or, food be dumb and die slow!"


    "Yea, yea," Lukas said, rolling his eyes as he placed his hands over his head.


    All the while, a fantasy of stabbing that spear straight through the bastard entered his mind. He chuckled inwardly at the thought before setting it aside.


    Right now, he had to focus.


    "Food! Food!"


    Which was really hard with all the ruckus.


    Dozens of goblins gathered around, most half-nude with the few clothing they owned on its last leg. It was almost as if they spent all of their money on weapons.


    ''Or their lord,'' Lukas thought as a single, fat Goblin made his way through the crowd.


    Gold hung from his neck in layers. His crooked smile had some leftover food in it.


    Roars of deafening applause came from the goblins as he approached, seemingly unbothered by his gluttony.


    "Food! Food! More food!"


    The Lord Goblin raised his hand, and silence followed immediately. Looking at Lukas, he gave a quick smirk before saying, "Hello, traveler. I''ve heard that both princesses and heroes are delicious. I pray that neither of you fail me."


    Then he twirled his hand, giving another command that promptly had a beauty shoved into the center of the town hall, right next to Lukas.


    Unlike him, she was bound ten times over. Hand to hand, feet to feet, hand to feet, head to feet. There had to be hundreds of ropes binding her as tight as possible.


    Which meant she was dangerous¡ªa ticket out.

 Chapter 3: Welp. We’re Dead.

    Chapter 3 - Welp. We''re Dead."Food! Food together!!"


    Roars of approval erupted from the surrounding goblin crowd as they banged weapons and shields together.


    The Goblin Lord allowed this for a few seconds before raising his hand. Silence overtook the crowd almost instantly, allowing him to speak.


    "My fellow goblins, today marks a splendid day. Not only have our new gods bestowed upon us a fine woman, allowing us to finally resume our natural rituals, but he has also given us a hearty meal!"


    Turning to Lukas and the tied woman, he offered a bow and said, "Praise be thee and our chief deity."


    Although applause was held back, Lukas could see hunger on everyone''s face. They weren''t here to listen to their lord speak. They wanted food...


    And even if that lady was dangerous, there was no possible way for her to help. They had literally bound every part of her body they could.


    Which meant he was alone, with nothing more than his mouth as a weapon.


    ''Shouldn''t be too hard, right? I mean, I already sweet talked a god into giving me useless op rewards.''


    God...


    Lukas couldn''t help but grin a little as a wild idea formed in his head. The next instant he reigned it in, forcing the cold stoic face befitting not just a god, but a chief deity.


    All he needed to do was accurately remember the name. If he tried to pose as the goblins'' chief deity and accidentally said the demon''s, that wouldn''t be too good.


    ''C''mon, idiot. It''s your brother''s favorite game! The least you could do is know this!''


    After a few eternal seconds he still had no idea who the goblin''s chief deity was. Defeat settled in his mind as Lukas berated himself.


    ''Maybe... maybe if I just paid a little more attention...''


    However, before he lost himself to such thoughts, Lukas dug his fingers into his palm until blood dripped.


    Pat. Pat.


    Small droplets of blood dropped to the ground, unbeknownst to everyone except himself. With the rhythmic echo of blood decorating the earth, he found peace. He found a calming quiet.


    As always.


    ''If the god thing isn''t gonna work, there has to be something else. I can''t use my system, but maybe...''


    A sudden look of realization crossed his face as he raised his head, seemingly staring into space. All the while, 7 goblins were approaching the 2, each brandishing a spear.


    Deep in his thoughts, Lukas didn''t notice them for even a second. He was far too busy trying to summon his sword.


    [Legendary Sword: Kharevir''s Fang cannot be equipped by the player. Would you like to equip Old Bronze Sword?]


    Normally Lukas would''ve sworn by now. As usual, the system and Physsus were just screwing him over at every turn.


    He simply couldn''t swear anymore though. He was far too exhausted to.


    At this point, whatever happened happened.


    It was clear that the only thing Lukas could rely on was himself. Which wasn''t much, all things considered. However, even he could do something as simple as plunging a sword through his chest.


    Regardless of how much he messed up his previous life, there was still that.


    ''Ah... don''t get too sentimental about dying,'' Lukas thought to himself with a dry smile before correcting it once again. ''Back to plan A.''


    Holding up his left hand, Lukas did his best to exude authority. The goblins furrowed their brows as perplexed expressions washed over them, wondering why their food held up his hand.


    "Greetings, my most esteemed followers! It is I, Ygroa himself who has descended upon your lands." Murmured gasps of disbelief washed over the goblins. However, it was the good kind, like a kid who got their most wanted present.


    Fueled by their response, Lukas continued with even more vigor.


    "Yes, the rewards you''ve been experiencing lately are a direct result of my benevolence. Even today, I come not as some wrathful god but as a giving neighbor. Especially now that you''ve passed my test and shown your loyalty to the most sacred of rituals!"


    Although most of the goblins were enamored by his performance, a few saw right through him. Of course, the Goblin Lord was the most vocal from that group. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You are not our god!" He yelled as he slapped his fat belly, apparently thinking the action exuded authority. "This was not a test! It is simply our way of life! You have not bestowed upon us any gifts, we earned all of them ourselves! I know you''re not even a god, you''re just a poor excuse of a hero I''m gonna eat!!"


    ''Yeah. I''d assume you were going to be a sceptic,'' Lukas thought, more irritated than anything.


    There was a reason he had checked to see if he could equip his sword, and it wasn''t to fight these guys. It was for the next part of his plan.


    Knowing there was no way for his plan to fail, Lukas summoned the bronze sword from his mind.


    Sching!!


    Surprised roars erupted from this apparently divine gesture. It appeared as if the goblins had never seen a hero summon a sword from nowhere before.


    Casting a smile directly to the Goblin Lord, Lukas declared, "I am a god! More than that, I''m your god!"


    "Don''t believe me?" Lukas asked before pausing for just a moment, "Then watch."


    Plunging the sword deep into his chest, Lukas prayed that his hunch was right.

 Chapter 4: Sometimes Being Reckless Pays Off! Other Times, You’re Just DEAD...

    Chapter 4 - Sometimes Being Reckless Pays Off! Other Times, You''re Just DEAD..."This is not that dwarf''s place..." Lukas muttered aloud.


    Black clouds swirled all around him. Grimacing as windy whispers hit his ear, Lukas walked forward.


    The place was strange. It felt like a mix between a nice day at the beach and a heavy hurricane in the middle of the sea.


    As if it were a horrible place painted over with a nice setting¡ªor vice versa.


    Shaking his head, Lukas decided he didn''t care about the place much. If it was some dark, scary place that just gave him even more reason to leave as fast as he could.


    Assuming that was possible.


    After 30 minutes of aimless walking, Lukas hung his head in frustration.


    "I''m never stabbing myself again!" he droned, wishing he had thought this through a little more.


    Whish!! Whoosh!!


    A sudden gust of wind rushed into Lukas, knocking him off his feet. At the same time, a soft sound that almost seemed like laughter echoed around him.


    Placing his palm on the ground, Lukas pushed himself up. Then he glanced to the spot the wind had come from, wondering why that laughter sounded so familiar.


    However, there was nothing different in that direction: it was simply the same black fog.


    Sighing, Lukas turned around and almost tripped over Physsus.


    "Bastard dwarf!" Lukas yelled, momentarily forgetting the entire reason he had stabbed himself.


    Laughing, Physsus nodded his head and confirmed, "Yes, I''m a god."


    "But you are no hero," Physsus continued, his eyes suddenly darkening as he spoke. "I told you, don''t conspire against me."


    "I''m not conspiring against you," Lukas said calmly, barely meeting the gaze of the dwarf. He was looking around this strange place, wondering why it had become so bright. Shrugging, he turned to Physsus and said, "Anyway, I want you to revive me right now."


    Cocking an eyebrow, Physsus asked, "Oh? And why would I do that?"


    "Because you want the chalice."


    "Meh," Physsus responded, shrugging. "I can wait until you''re my slave."


    Lukas studied the dwarf for a few seconds, wondering whether or not that was true. The god was desperate enough to give him some op rewards. However, he had also been spiteful with those rewards, deliberately giving him stuff he couldn''t use just yet.


    There was a possibility he could wait. There was also a possibility he was bluffing.


    "What will the other gods say when they find out about your missing chalice?" Lukas asked with an innocent face.


    The god stared at Lukas for a few seconds, his expression unreadable. Then,


    "Hahaha!" Physsus laughed, slapping Lukas''s back. "You''re funny!"


    Pop!


    An epic set of battle armor suddenly appeared on his body. A black helmet covered his head, its only openings being somehow darker holes where his eyes and mouth would be.


    Spiky red and black heavy armor covered the rest of the body, seemingly leaving no room for his joints to move. However, he was still moving around with an easy grace.


    Despite the fact he was unable to see the god''s face, Lukas knew there was a smile under that helmet. He knew that Physsus expected this display to incite fear and obedience.


    But Lukas had known plenty of posers in his life. He knew all about those who tried to lie and trick their way to the top. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They were his stepping stones up the ladders of the underworld, after all. Where most of them failed, he took lessons from each of their missteps until he was able to deceive his way into the top gangs.


    It was a nice enough spot for a while, allowing him to sell his soul for his brother''s well-being.


    ''Nothing lasts forever, though,'' Lukas thought, seeing the mistakes Physsus made.


    He carelessly flaunted his power, thinking it would give him more authority. Lukas knew that behind that armor was an endless insecurity.


    Somebody who knew he was fucked. Somebody who thought putting on a strong facade would hide their abundant weakness.


    Therefore, he smiled at Physsus as he asked, "What board games do you like? Me, I prefer Monopoly."


    Sitting down as if he didn''t mind the current predicament, Lukas sensed Physsus''s complete shock. The god probably didn''t even notice his slip-up: he had called out an Earth game. A game the extra Lukas, the divine simp, likely didn''t know.


    "Y- you''re just gonna sit there?" Physsus asked, trying to force his breathless voice to sound menacing.


    Shrugging, Lukas responded simply, "Well, I can''t get your chalice, so... yeah."


    For a few moments, the place was eerily silent. Even that weird wind from before stopped.


    Then¡ª


    "Fine," Physsus muttered, his voice low and filled with contempt. "I''ll revive you, but with one condition."


    [Low-Immortal God Physsus is requesting an item exchange. Which item would you like to give him?]


    Lukas''s eyes widened at the system screen. He knew this was a possible drawback, but still...


    [Options: Divine Perk: Infinite Wealth System; Legendary Sword: Kharevir''s Fang; or A~SSS Rank Class Token]


    The decision was very clear to Lukas.


    [Class Token given to Physsus]


    Instantly afterwards, Lukas found himself back in the goblin camp. He knew that Physsus was probably surprised and thought the decision was horrible.


    But he had his plans.


    ...


    When Lukas woke up, the sun was beaming in his face. Or at least it should have been, if not for the 2 ugly bastards blocking it.


    "God?"


    "Ygroa?"


    He noticed that one of the 2 goblins was the same one who poked him with the spear. Smiling, Lukas thought, ''Yep. I''m your god now.''


    Then, putting on that stoic face just as quickly, he rose to his feet. Scattered surprised chatter rose from the crowd as they watched.


    "Food not dead?"


    "He''s our god, not food!"


    "Th-this can''t be..." The Goblin Lord''s stammer was somehow louder than the entire crowd.


    As he watched Lukas rise, somehow alive even though the hero stabbed himself in the chest, he knew one thing. Whether or not the hero was actually a god, these goblins would view him as a god.


    His time as a rich lord who lived lavishly as his people suffered would be over. Every day he would live his life licking this man''s boots just to feel a little bit of this life he lost.


    Anger rising in the Lord, he vowed to destroy that future.


    "You are no god!" he screeched, his lard shaking wildly. The goblins surrounding him suddenly stopped talking.


    "He not god?"


    "NOO!! Any hero can revive themselves, you idiots! He is merely playing us!" The Lord shouted as that goblin from earlier, Pokey, shook his head.


    Turning to the goblin crowd, he said, "I get many heroes. We eats them. Do they revive?"


    "Do they?"


    "No, food stay ate. Good food."


    "God revive. Food die."


    A loud wave of understanding passed through the crowd. As Pokey''s words clearly affected them, the Goblin Lord''s face grew red.


    ''The sweat pouring from his face should melt all his butter belly away,'' Lukas mused.


    Then a light shone on the Goblin Lord''s face. Apparently, he had thought of some last-ditch effort. Anything to prove Lukas wasn''t actually a god.


    Screaming at the top of his lungs, he bellowed, "IF HE IS A GOD, LET''S SEE HOW HE FARES AGAINST THE ARKINIA!!"


    Then he tapped his belly 3 times, creating a loud sound as if it were a drum.


    Rustle. Rustle.


    Off in the distance, Lukas heard a faint sound that was intensifying rapidly.


    The Arkinia.


    Lukas couldn''t help but laugh at the situation. Ever since he had landed, he had the Arkinia''s favor.


    After all, he was used to living like a spider. Hide in the dark, take meals the house''s owner won''t regret, all that stuff.


    And he probably had some kind of connection to the dragon side. Like indomitable might and a really hot breath.


    So it was no surprise to Lukas that when the Spigon leapt into the town square, he didn''t attack Lukas.


    Instead, he turned straight to the Goblin Lord and, pushing with his 2 front legs, pinned him to the ground.


    Turning to Lukas, the Spigon did what he decided was a spider''s version of smiling. As if it wanted to be called a good boy.


    Returning his own smile, Lukas walked toward the Goblin Lord. The goblins who were desperate to eat him just moments ago now moved aside for him.


    Looking down at the pitiful goblin, he turned to all the ones who had been under his rule.


    They were poor: barely clothed and nearly completely lacking basic intelligence. Symptoms of a horrible leader.


    All of the goblins stood at attention as he looked over them, wondering what their new benevolent god would say about their stupid leader.


    "This goblin is no longer your leader. Tomorrow, I will grace you with a new one, one that will actually take care of you. Until then," Lukas turned back to the puny goblin, giving him a cold stare devoid of any real emotion. "You can do whatever you want to him."

 Chapter 5: New God, New Leader, and... New Waifu?

    Chapter 5 - New God, New Leader, and... New Waifu?Shortly after Lukas gave his offer, the goblins made their opinion of their ''lord'' very clear.


    "Die!"


    "Die! Bad Lord!"


    "He is our god!"


    With Pokey leading the charge, they struck at him with clubs, spears, hands¡ªanything they had on them. Even kids were impatient to get their hits in.


    It was quite evident that they didn''t like being malnourished. Especially not with a leader who flaunted his wealth so much.


    ''Wealth... hmm.'' Lukas thought, turning away from the slaughter to activate his system.


    [Loading]


    Finally, he would be able to see what the Divine Perk [Infinite Wealth] was all about. He hoped his decision to leave behind the class token was correct.


    Because the fact it gave a free summon told him something important. It was likely he could buy class summons, eventually getting a good one. Then after that, the perk would just be free real estate.


    And then for the sword, he figured he could do one of two things. He could either sell it for an insane amount of gold or find someone to wield it. After getting them into a contract to always serve him, there would be little risk in handing them a sword.


    Unless they died or something. But that would never happen; nobody ever died in this world. Especially him.


    Finally, the system screen loaded, its blue light a brilliant sight for Lukas.


    [Status]


    - Name: Lukas Haecillion


    - Age: 19


    - Race: Human


    - Job: Divine Simp


    [All Low-Immortal gods are guaranteed to seek an audience with you. Immortals are likely, and there is a small chance True Immortal gods will. However, any god beyond that still has an almost 0% chance.]


    - Class: N/A


    - Level: 1


    - Experience: 0/15,000


    ?¡ªBalance: 0 Gold¡ª?


    ?¡ªInventory¡ª?


    Storage Space¡ª[2/100]


    ?¡ªTitles¡ª?


    Empty


    ?¡ªPerks¡ª?


    - Infinite Wealth {Divine}


    [Grants the Infinite Wealth System to the user.]


    ?¡ªStats¡ª?


    Health Points (HP): [250/250] (Cons. x 10)


    Mana Points (MP): [150/150] (Int. x 10)


    Strength: 15


    Agility: 17


    Constitution: 25


    Defense: 0


    Wisdom: 10


    Intelligence: 15


    Charisma: 100


    Luck: 10


    Attack Power (AP): [31] [2x strength + DPS]


    Movement Speed Increase Rate [9.5%] [Agility/2]


    Critical Hit Rate: [15%] + [1%] [luck/10]


    Spell Crit Rate: [15%] + [1%] [Wisdom/10]


    ?¡ªSkills¡ª?


    Empty


    ?¡ªEquipment¡ª?


    Weapon: Old Bronze Sword [1 DPS]


    Off Hand:


    Helmet:


    Shoulder:


    Chest:


    Hands:


    Leggings:


    Boots:


    ?¡ªAccessories¡ª?


    Amulet:


    Ring:


    Ring:


    Wrist:


    ?¡ªSoul¡ª?


    Level: 1


    Exp: 0/100,000


    Cores: 0


    ?¡ªBeasts¡ª?


    Empty


    ?¡ªQuests¡ª?


    [Retrieve the Chalice of Molten Iron]


    ?¡ªContracts¡ª?


    [Finish Physsus'' quest in 30 days or you will become his slave]


    "Huh," Lukas murmured aloud, some of the revelations too great to hide his surprise.


    Despite the poor name for his job, it seemed quite good. As long as he kept up with his extorting, Lukas could get quite a few rewards. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Of course, he might not be able to get this haul again. Although he couldn''t tell the exact reason why Physsus needed this chalice, he did know it was vitally important. The god''s desperation was the sole reason he had gotten such great rewards.


    "Hmm!!! Hmmm!!!" A muffled groan sounded from near him.


    Turning, Lukas realized it was that tied-up beauty. Kneeling down, he took a quick look at the rope before realizing he had no idea how to untie it.


    So, he had an excuse to use his sword!


    The girl''s eyes widened as she saw the muted glint of light shining off his rusty bronze sword. Realizing why she might be confused, Lukas said, "Don''t worry. I''m not going to kill you."


    Then he went to work on the rope, cutting it diligently.


    Rip!


    Lukas smiled as he sliced through one of the pieces of rope. His smile quickly dropped as he saw there were hundreds more.


    "Ah, this is gonna take a while." Lukas groaned to himself.


    "Hry hup!!"


    ...


    It took 20 minutes of constant slicing, but Lukas had finally gotten around halfway through. Most of the goblins were crowding around Lukas, as the lord was long dead.


    ''Having dozens of dumb beings looking at you like you''re an idiot sucks,'' Lukas lamented as he made his way to the next string.


    That''s when he saw Pokey had knelt next to him.


    The goblin was evidently nervous, his arms shaking slightly as he watched his god. After a few seconds, Pokey gathered the courage to speak.


    "Me help?" he asked, his voice low and timid. Gone were the days of him shrieking, "Shut up, meal!"


    Smiling, Lukas gestured at the rope as if to say ''All yours!'' before nodding his head.


    Pokey twirled his fingers in the air a few times, a green light flowing down from them. As soon as the light hit the rope, it instantly became unbound.


    Without even wasting a second, the girl instantly raised her left arm. Somehow grabbing all the rope in that one motion, she sprang up and threw it in one swift motion.


    "Took you long enough," she said with a smirk. Then, in a low voice, she added, "Thanks."


    With her completely free, Lukas realized just how beautiful she was. Calling her a beauty before was a complete understatement.


    She held herself with some kind of regal authority; a confident light shone in her eyes as if she was never captured. Similarly, her body seemed largely undisturbed.


    Her long, sunny orange hair flowed down well past her shoulders. Under the harsh sun of this desert, its glow somehow managed to be ethereal.


    Even the simple white dress seemed to radiate an otherworldly aura because she was wearing it. Her porcelain skin would make even the prettiest jade goddess blush and grow mad from jealousy.


    The only ''imperfection'' was the numerous calluses on her hands¡ªprobably from years of combat training.


    Now that she was free, Lukas noticed the other goblins tensing up. They had returned to offer worship, but after seeing the girl freed, fear was evident on their faces.


    ''Yep, combat training.'' Lukas thought as he turned to her.


    "Because I have freed you, I have one request from you in return," Lukas began, ignoring the goblins'' shocked gasps of disbelief and grunts of admiration. "I would like you to train us in the ways of combat."


    ''And, if all goes well, join my army.'' He mused.


    She cast a side-eyed glance in his direction, seemingly completely uninterested. Then her gaze hardened, looking at the goblins as if she wanted to kill them.


    "Which one of you has my scarf?" she growled, clenching her knuckles so hard they became ghostly white.


    Scattered murmurs of fear immediately erupted amongst the goblins. Each of them cast a suspicious look at another, clearly trying to shift the blame.


    None of them wanted to face her wrath.


    Except for one, who was now kneeling next to her, his hands raised as he offered her scarf.


    Pokey, the goblin who had shown exceptional qualities today. Well, compared to the others anyway.


    In a low voice, he stammered, "Me, me gets it from bad goblin. Me- me sorry."


    Yanking the scarf from him, she growled, "Don''t touch this again," before laying it across her neck, making sure it fit snugly.


    For a few seconds, the crowd watched with held breath as she inspected the scarf.


    ''Why''s she wearing it now? In the middle of the desert?'' Lukas mused, though the answer became evident.


    With the scarf around her neck, her entire mood seemed to brighten. Instead of looking like some kind of murder warrior, she actually looked like a noble.


    It was weird because wearing a scarf definitely didn''t mean someone was royal. Her attitude was what created this impression.


    Although her stance was still beyond confident, it no longer seemed to be inviting a fight. In fact, some of the goblins were now approaching her.


    Ignoring them, she turned to Lukas. Smiling, she shrugged and said, "What else would I do? Eat sand?"


    Lukas was going to offer a smile of his own when the system screen glared again.


    [New army: Goblins of Camp Guld acquired]


    [Trainer: Alara Kaise appointed]


    [Requesting Leader before creating the Divine Army interface]

 Chapter 6: Infinite Wealth System and Training

    Chapter 6 - Infinite Wealth System and Training''New leader?'' Lukas pondered as he looked out at the goblins.


    Because the previous Goblin Lord had been a fat, money-hoarding piece of shit, none of them seemed all that smart. It wasn''t entirely their fault, but Lukas honestly thought the Spigon was their best shot at a leader.


    [The Leader has to be of the same race. Be nice, one of them may surprise you.]


    ''Of course,'' Lukas lamented.


    In that case, he decided there was only one way to decide the new leader: a tournament.


    Whoever proved themselves the strongest would get to become the new leader. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Strange... but ok. You cannot access the Divine Army interface until a Leader has been appointed, though.]


    Lukas nodded his understanding, already realizing that would be the case. Even if he would have to wait just a little longer, it would be crucial to have the best leader available.


    Besides, there was something else he wanted to check out real quick.


    Well, two somethings. However, one of them was currently scowling at the goblins, probably trying to think of the worst training routine imaginable.


    Therefore, he brought up the [Infinite Wealth System].


    [Infinite Wealth System]


    Name: Lukas Haecillion


    Rank: Apprentice Merchant


    Current Income Rate: 0 gold a day


    Gold: 0


    Shops: 1


    ?¡ªShop Items¡ª?


    [These are items you can sell from the store. The first number indicates how many are in storage, and the second number indicates how much gold the system expects you to sell them for. Note: a shrewd tongue can sell the item for more gold, while a stupid one would sell it for less. The amount listed is just a benchmark, and if you can''t hit it, that is shameful.]


    ¨CPile of Shit: 7 Units; 5 Gold


    ¨CUpgrade to unlock more


    ?¡ªOrders¡ª?


    [New order received!]


    [Order: Sell 7 Piles of Shit]


    [Reward: Choice of 3 new shop items]


    The more he read, the more Lukas''s face grew sour.


    ''How the actual fuck am I supposed to sell literal shit? Like really?


    And then this stupid ass system says I have a shop?''


    Giving an exaggerated look around the goblin camp, he screamed internally, ''Where is this shop, huh?!''


    [You are the shop. And I''m not stupid. If you can''t even sell shit, what are you going to do after unlocking divine items? Get scammed for everything you own?]


    Lukas didn''t have a response for that. He supposed that there was some truth there¡ªthat he never had to strike a bargain with something like a real god before.


    Even his little bout with Physsus wasn''t a complete success. Otherwise, he would have an op class right now.


    That thought prompted Lukas to continue going down the interface, as there was one more block of information left.


    This one was miles long and labeled [Personal Shop]. After a few seconds, Lukas realized it had filters, which was a good thing because otherwise he''d literally spend the next 30 days exploring the shop.


    ''Filter for class tokens,'' Lukas thought, hoping his gamble paid off.


    [Personal Shop] ¨C> [Tokens] ¨C> [Class Tokens]


    ¨CFFF ~ B: 1,000,000 gold


    ¨CD ~ AA: 10,000,000 gold


    ¨CB ~ S: 100,000,000,000 gold


    ¨CA ~ SS: 100,000,000,000,000 gold


    -A ~ SSS: 100,000,000,000,000,000 gold


    ...


    "What the fuck?" Lukas gasped, far too appalled by that cost to notice the surprised glances of goblins.


    ''How much gold even is that? Like a fucking hundred sextillion?'' Lukas thought, more so to himself than the system.


    [It is 100 quadrillion, sir. To be honest, it shouldn''t take you that long to get there. A few centuries at most]


    ''A few centuries...'' making sure he wasn''t remembering incorrectly, Lukas scrolled back up to the pile of shit. As he remembered... ''I''m supposed to sell these at 5 gold a piece! This costs like... 20 quadrillion of them!''


    [Impressive math, sir. However, you forgot that this system levels you up, allowing you to sell more and different items as well as opening up new shops, having more stock, employees, etc. To compare the price of a midgame item to your early game revenue isn''t optimal]


    ''Yeah I suppose so, but still...''


    "Hey Ygroa, you gonna come train or just sit there mumbling your divine wisdom?" A loud, commanding voice tore him from the predicament.


    Alara.


    Yes, he was supposed to train alongside the goblins.


    As he watched her twirling a club in her right hand with a cruel look of expectation on her face, Lukas regretted everything.


    ''Lovely.''


    ...


    ''She''s a fucking monster!''


    Lukas slammed into the ground once again, his entire body bruised after an hour of ''training.''


    Looking around, he saw that most of the goblins didn''t fare much better. Except for a group of 8 goblins¡ªwhich he noticed included Pokey¡ªthey all shared the same disgruntled expression as Lukas.


    However, they continued the grueling training nonetheless. Lukas knew he had to get stronger, much stronger. Quitting wasn''t an option; failing wasn''t an option.


    Every time he stood up despite being bruised and weathered, the other goblins followed suit. If their god was going to receive such punishment in the pursuit of strength, what kind of followers would they be if they just quit?


    Alara watched as all of the weaklings rose once again, quietly admiring their constitution. Although she knew better than to outwardly praise them, she still held their valiance in high regard.


    Holding her club outward, she simply said, "Again."


    Lukas and the goblins gulped but readied their own weapons.


    Sweat poured down Lukas''s face as he gripped his sword''s hilt. By now, he felt like he definitely should''ve at least gotten a hit in.


    "Come at me!" she yelled before assuming her battle stance, spreading her legs just wide enough to create ultimate balance.


    Raising her free arm as a sort of shield, Alara kept the club raised behind her. Even though he wasn''t a fighter, Lukas knew that the stance was perfect in both terms of offense and defense, at least against them.


    Not only did it allow her to easily maneuver between strikes and parry anything she couldn''t simply evade, but her swings came down with full force. With her legs spread the way they were, every strike from her club utilized the entire body.


    Because of this, even a horde of goblins plus Lukas didn''t stand much of a chance.


    They charged, most of the goblins screaming some kind of war cry. Alara quickly silenced them, delivering swift and precise blows with her club.


    In just a few minutes, they were all knocked to the ground for the 10th time in a row. The only ones left standing were Lukas and the group of 8 goblins, who were sparring by themselves.


    Although he had never fought before, Lukas was smart.


    He knew how to read people and study their movements. More than that, he could tell when a tactic like rushing forward blindly wasn''t working. Getting hit by a club over and over wouldn''t make him some kind of hero, nor would it make him stronger.


    It would simply make him stupid. Brave, but stupid.


    So instead he watched her every movement, taking in how she created fluid movements and effortlessly flowed through an army of dozens of goblins.


    Shuffle.


    Alara''s eyes widened for just a second as she watched him assume the exact stance she was using. Although her surprise was shut away just as fast, Lukas''s smile showed that he saw it.


    Offering a small laugh, she said, "Good. Maybe someone here isn''t entirely useless."


    Then she disappeared from his sight.


    ''What the¨C'' Lukas could barely begin a thought before he felt a sharp pain in the back of his neck.


    Falling face-first into the ground, Lukas''s mouth became filled with the taste of sand. His eyes watering, he tried to spit it out. But the pain had traveled down from his neck and into his stomach, making just breathing a pain.


    The sand collected in his mouth and slowly hardened from the saliva. Its taste was far worse than bitter, but there was nothing he could do to make it better.


    Black spots decorated his vision as he lay in a fetal position, clutching his neck with his left hand. The goblins surrounded him, screaming things he couldn''t quite make out.


    ''What the fuck was that...'' Lukas thought.


    Then he realized that the pain was going away just as fast as it came.


    Quickly spitting out the sand, he turned to Alara and spat, "What the hell was that?!"


    Her face was bright red, kneeling right next to him and holding out her hands. Green light spilled from her hands and traveled toward him. Every time the light touched him, he felt a little better, like she was healing him.


    "S-sorry. I got a little carried away," she muttered.


    After a few seconds, Lukas found he could do nothing but laugh now. For the last hour, this girl had been some kind of Terminator. Now, she looked like some kind of princess with all the healing and blushing.


    "H-hey! Don''t laugh at me!" she yelled, pausing her healing momentarily.


    The pain quickly shut Lukas up, though there was still a grin he couldn''t get off of his face.


    For how tough she had seemed, there was apparently this soft and pleasant side too. One that apologized for hurting him and tried to make it better.


    A side that was currently leaning in, right next to his face, whispering, "Don''t tell the goblins this."


    ''W-what!!''


    ''Is she going to kiss me or something!''


    Alara paused for just a moment, a moment that was killing Lukas. She was far too hot for this!


    Sighing, she slightly rubbed her scarf before continuing, "I''ve never trained anyone before."

 Chapter 7: More Training and Beginning the Goblin Tournament

    Chapter 7 - More Training and Beginning the Goblin TournamentAfter she finished healing him up, they trained for another hour before calling it quits for the day. Although he felt the training routine become easier the more he trained, Lukas knew that Alara was going easier on them now.


    It was almost as if she was testing the best way to train someone.


    ''She wasn''t lying when she said she''s never done this before,'' Lukas mused as he watched her try to teach a group of goblins proper stances.


    "It''s not hard! Just do this!" she cried in despair as she performed a complex sword move with the smooth grace of someone who had practiced it for years.


    The goblins, who apparently had no formal training until today, could do little more than stumble over each other''s feet.


    [Yes, although she is quite the formidable opponent, her teaching skills are... lackluster to say the least. If you want, I can compile her information into a simple trainer page for you.]


    Lukas jumped, still not used to having a system inside his head. In fact, he was completely unfamiliar with the concept as a whole.


    ''This is like my brother''s greatest fucking dream,'' Lukas mused as he nodded his approval.


    A second later, a screen appeared in front of him.


    [Trainers]


    [Alara]


    - Age: 19


    - Swordsmanship level: Low-Swordsaint


    - Trainer Qualifications: Apprentice


    ''Low-Swordsaint? What''s that?'' Lukas asked as it sounded quite impressive. He wasn''t too surprised about her ability to train, though he did wonder how it could improve.


    [Low-Swordsaint puts her fairly high in the rankings of the Heavenly Emperor''s army. However, it should be noted that without proper gear of that level, she would not be able to fight enemies at her skill level.]


    Nodding to himself, Lukas made a mental note to learn more about all of this later. One thing he especially wanted to know was how the hell these goblins captured her.


    All of that would have to wait, though, as her slender frame was towering over him.


    "Your turn, Ygroa," she said with a small smirk.


    Groaning, Lukas nodded and grabbed his sword. Standing up, he assumed the same stance as before.


    It wasn''t close to perfect, not like hers. In fact, he wondered whether or not they could even be compared.


    He could feel the imbalance of his stance, how he would have to make multiple unnecessary moves just to strike. Unlike Alara, who seemed to be able to combine all facets of swordsmanship into every movement.


    Offense, defense, and stamina.


    Intuition told him those were the three most important aspects of swordsmanship to hone. Then there was the hidden one, the mental capacity, where any bit of manipulation could open up someone''s guard completely.


    ''Well, even if I''m complete ass at the other three, I should be good at manipulation,'' Lukas thought with confidence.


    Noticing his rising confidence, Alara smiled before saying, "Hey, don''t be too smug. I''ve had a better stance since my diaper days."


    Lukas couldn''t help but laugh at the remark, especially since it was probably true.


    Holding his sword in front of him, Lukas said nothing as he beckoned her forward. His sword was going to do the talking for him.


    After watching dozens of his devout worshippers fall to her, Lukas knew he had to do better. That didn''t mean that he would¡ªor could¡ªwin, but it did mean he had to hold his own in some way.


    Otherwise, they might not believe his god gambit anymore, which would put his fate entirely in this woman''s hands.


    Sching!


    "You''re distracted, Ygroa! Even if you''re a god, don''t underestimate me!" Alara screamed as she lunged forward, swinging her club from overhead.


    Lukas was about to raise his sword to block when he noticed something. Her eyes had already moved on to her next task. No part of her body language suggested that she was going to follow through with this attack.


    So instead, he faked as if he was going to block overhead before lowering his sword to his side, defending his stomach.


    Bang!


    Surprise was evident on Alara''s face as her club struck cleanly against his sword. It was obviously a playful swing, one that didn''t even make the sword go backward.


    However, for him to block it after just one day of training was still amazing.


    And this progress was due to two things: his overwhelming perseverance and intellect, a rare combination that most never achieved.


    Some people would have all the smarts in the world but never put in the work, whereas others were the exact opposite. They would put their nose down and dedicate everything yet still fall short because they were simply not good enough.


    Lukas flashed a grin as he stepped forward, readying his stance once again. After suffering through an entire day''s worth of painful training, he had learned enough to be considered an Apprentice Swordsman.


    The thought excited Alara to no end. She wanted to see just how far he had come in one day. She wanted to see just how much further he could go.


    "Not bad," Alara said as she backed up herself, assuming a completely new stance.


    A slow wind flowed through the air. In just seconds, it accelerated to a gust, making everyone''s hair smack around wildly.


    The sand around Alara began rising as the wind''s intensity grew, surrounding her in a spiral shape. Lukas gulped as he saw her eyes become a pure white, knowing it could only mean one thing.


    For some ungodly reason, she was trying to kill him!!


    "Uh... let''s calm down..." Lukas began before stopping himself. His voice was so low and cowardly that he couldn''t even hear himself, let alone the psycho.


    WHISH!!


    The culminating wind suddenly dispersed, sending sand flying into Lukas''s face. Before he could even think to block the sand, Lukas found himself knocked on his ass again.


    "The theatrics were merely a distraction," an irritating voice called from above him. "Why wouldn''t you strike? I was sitting there, merely collecting energy. You could''ve easily attacked me."


    ''Why...'' S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lukas closed his eyes in embarrassment. He could''ve attacked her. He easily could have.


    "Worse than that, you rely on your vision way too much. Sometimes it will allow you to read your opponent. However," Alara began as she held her hand out to Lukas, "you must learn to grow your instincts if you wish to survive."


    Lukas glared at the hand for a second before softening his expression. Nodding his head, he took the hand, and Alara raised him back to his feet.


    Then she turned to everyone and said, "I''m done for the day. You all should get some rest because tomorrow won''t be this easy."


    With her job done, she ignored the scattered groans of the goblins and walked away. Then, as if forgetting something, she turned back to the goblins and asked, "Uh, where can I stay?"


    "Me house!"


    "No, mine!"


    "No beat me! You take house!"


    The goblins erupted into frantic shouts completely devoid of grammar. However, their sentiment was clear: they were fine with sharing their house for her, someone appointed to be a trainer by their god.


    Blushing, Alara whispered, "I- I don''t want to steal your home¡ª"


    "No steal!"


    "We- we wants to give!"


    The goblins shouted in earnest, bowing at a perfect 90-degree angle.


    ''For being so dumb, they know how to give proper respect,'' Lukas mused, though he didn''t know if he liked that or not.


    On one hand, it was nice. However, it was also a symptom of the poor leadership they endured, where intelligence was considered less important than absolute servitude.


    A shortsighted approach that not only ruined their lives but also made these goblins mediocre soldiers.


    ''All but those eight,'' Lukas mused, deciding who was going to participate in the tournament for leadership.


    There was no need to have all the goblins fight when most of them obviously weren''t cut out for the job. Instead, he would just have those eight duke it out. Luckily, they had a number easy to separate into brackets.


    After Alara entered one of the goblins'' tents, much to his delight, Lukas clapped his hands and the crowd immediately went silent.


    "Now that I am here, I will be fixing many things. To start, I will be adding structure to your army," Lukas began, gesturing to the group of elite goblins. "Tomorrow, I will host a tournament before we begin our daily training. You eight will spar to see who is fit to lead our tribe."

 Chapter 8: Night Before The Goblin Tournament

    Chapter 8 - Night Before The Goblin Tournament[That Night]


    A well-dressed female goblin with certain... features guided Lukas to his house. Although he had wanted to offer up the Goblin Lord''s space as a common ground for everyone to visit, the goblins weren''t having it.


    "Our god live well!"


    "We wants you live there!"


    ''Well, who am I to say no then?'' Lukas decided.


    As he took in the vast expanse of the deceased Goblin Lord''s estate, Lukas knew that was a good decision. There was around an acre of smooth white marble leading up to a fairly large house that was surrounded by a few smaller outhouses.


    The house seemed to be made out of some fine stone that complemented the marble perfectly. It was 2 stories tall, more than big enough for what Lukas had planned.


    Lukas followed the female goblin through the front door and up an ornate staircase. As he looked around the interior of the house, it was impossible for him to hold his reaction. Multiple chandeliers hung from the ceiling, their candles lighting up the inside as if it were the middle of the day.


    Some other candles let off a nice, aromatic scent.


    Overall, the entire atmosphere was one he expected from a frivolous goblin who put his desires over his people''s needs.


    Although Lukas figured he could use his status as a god to scam them into giving him this lifestyle, he didn''t want to. Not only because his conscience wouldn''t allow him, but because he had other important things to do.


    "This is your room," the goblin began before she started sliding off her gown.


    Lukas''s face grew red as his hands shot up, yelping, "H-hey! No need for that!"


    Her fingers stopped just before the gown slid off. However, enough skin was shown for Lukas to notice a scar lining her right shoulder.


    There was a group of scars, as if she had been whipped.


    Trembling, the goblin whispered, "D-did I do something wrong?"


    Lukas was stunned for a second, not exactly sure what to say. This Goblin Lord... he was worse than he even imagined.


    Giving her a soft smile, as reassuring as he could make it, he said, "No. You did just fine. Uh, whatever the Goblin Lord made you guys do... you don''t have to anymore."


    Tears welled up in her eyes as emotions overwhelmed her. For so long, they had suffered endless cruelty from the Goblin Lord but couldn''t do anything because he had protected them.


    Now that they had a new protector, a god who helped them simply because he was kind...


    "Thank you!! I promise, I''ll do whatever you need me to!" The goblin began with a furious scream, dropping into a wholehearted bow. "Whatever you need, whenever you need it! I promise!"


    ''Fuck. I was just trying to be nice...'' Lukas thought, growing slightly uncomfortable.


    He hadn''t expected her to devote her life to him just because he had shown some basic human decency. It wasn''t like he had done anything special.


    "Uh, thanks," Lukas began before mentally slapping himself. What kind of weak response was that?!


    Clearing his throat, Lukas started over as he said, "Thank you, your devotion will not go unnoticed. For tonight, I would like to retire to my chambers alone. In the meantime, why don''t you get a meal from our chefs?"


    Her eyes grew wide the more he spoke. Not only did he offer thanks, but... he offered her his food? The chefs only cooked for the master!


    "You- you''re too kind!" She squeaked, still unable to control her emotions. However, she still remembered he had said he wanted to sleep alone.


    Therefore, she used all of her strength to compose herself and walk to the kitchen.


    Now that he was alone, Lukas shook his head before looking around the room.


    It was weirdly colored. Three walls were the regular pristine white, but the last one was red¨C


    [Don''t look at the red wall directly]


    The system''s chime stopped him just seconds before he was going to.


    Even then, he felt a strange pull. The same one he felt when he looked at the mountains.


    As if, no matter where he was, they were going to call for him.


    ''What the hell is up with that?'' Lukas wondered before casting aside the thought. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There were more important matters to analyze.


    ''System 91... hmm... can I call you Nina?'' Lukas asked, changing his question because he realized the system didn''t have a name. Just like the goblins.


    Because they had been objects, and objects don''t get names.


    [You are really peculiar. But yes... I suppose it isn''t against protocol.]


    Lukas nodded with a smile before asking his real question. ''Would I be able to use this house as a store? It''s very nice, the nicest part of this tribe by far. I think it would be far better suited as a store than my house.''


    In sales, first impressions were important. Far more important than living the life of a pampered prince.


    [Sure, I don''t see why not. However, it cannot be integrated into the Infinite Wealth System until you have a shop slot]


    Nodding, Lukas said, "Thanks. That''s fine."


    Then, as if he were a machine, he moved on to his next task¡ªmeditation.


    It was hard at first because of how much his mind was racing. So much had happened in just a single day.


    He died, met a god, died again, became a god, and was now in charge of an entire tribe of goblins¡ªhis own little army.


    Soon he would go find that stupid chalice for Physsus. After that, he would be free.


    Free to find some way to his old life, to make sure his little brother was okay.


    After all the times he fucked up, that was the least he could do.


    ''Damnit!'' Lukas groaned internally. Meditation was supposed to be calm and relaxing.


    Instead, he just felt himself become more and more anxious. This was a strange and dangerous world, and yet he was already playing with the realm of the gods.


    Sweat perspired off his back as he remembered how easily Physsus changed the entire environment. Even if he was ''just'' a Low-Immortal god, he effortlessly teleported Lukas and him onto some cloud.


    After the chalice was returned, could he really trust such a being to just let him go? After he had even damaged the god''s ego?


    And then there was Alara. Although Lukas was sure she wasn''t a threat, he knew other people existed with her skill set.


    If he stopped for even just a moment, it would be his undoing.


    Drawing in a deep breath, Lukas found a weird sort of calm under that pressure. He took in a few more deep breaths before his second fight against Alara played in his mind.


    Studying that fight in his mind, he spent his entire night trying to understand her stance and techniques.

 Chapter 9: The Goblin Tournament Begins!

    Chapter 9 - The Goblin Tournament Begins!"I see you slept well," Alara whispered with a chuckle. Studying the 2 goblins in front of her who were readying to fight, she didn''t even need to look at Lukas.


    His late arrival was telling enough.


    "Hey lady, god no sleep!"


    "He important!"


    The goblins directly below them began chanting their disapproval of Alara''s accusation, immediately ready to defend Lukas.


    Lukas could barely register them as he slumped into his seat.


    Even as he waited for the 2 goblins to fight, he couldn''t help but envision Alara on the battlefield. Alara with her stupid, indecipherable battle style.


    They were sitting in a stand that overlooked the arena, above all of the goblins except for his servants. Standing to the side, none of them dared to even glance at the impending fight.


    Each of them were far more focused on their job. Wine and food wasn''t going to serve itself, after all.


    Turning to them, Lukas said, "Hey, pour some for yourselves and have a seat. It''s our future, after all."


    "Our future?" One of them asked, their voice low and wistful.


    "Yea," Lukas nodded. "Whoever wins this tournament will be the leader of our army."


    "Our army?" Another asked, almost sounding like an echo.


    "Yep," Lukas confirmed.


    Then, a horn sounded and all the goblins on the ground cheered.


    The 2 contestants, one dressed in a red cloth and the other a blue one, circled each other along the edge of a makeshift ring. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Nobody bothered setting up an actual ring, because the crowd was enough. If one of the contestants were to hit the edge of the ring, they would simply throw him back in. There were so many of them that it would literally be impossible for a contestant to escape the ring.


    Lukas was surprised that so many had showed up. There were even more goblins than yesterday.


    For good reason, too.


    Tensions were high as the 2 goblins encircled one another, each looking for an opening.


    "Hyah!" The red goblin shouted as he swung a dull sword downward at a 70 degree angle.


    Rolling to the right, the blue goblin jumped to a standing position. Holding his own sword tightly, he lunged forward at the open back.


    If the strike landed, Blue would win a point.


    There were 3 ways to win a fight in this tournament: score 3 points, pin them for 10 seconds, or force them to concede. Although maiming and creating serious injuries was explicitly forbidden, there was nothing stopping a goblin from forcing the other into submission.


    Clack!


    Just in time, Red swung his sword behind his back, deflecting the strike he couldn''t see. Blue wasn''t discouraged by this though.


    As Red was turning around, Blue had already raised his free hand, grabbing the sword arm of the other goblin.


    There was nothing he could do except watch as the Blue goblin quickly finished the match, hitting Red''s side 3 times in quick succession.


    "Blue win! Blue win!"


    "Next! Next!"


    Applause arose from the crowd, who began jumping up and down with excited fervor. The match had ended quickly, but for them that just meant the next one could start sooner.


    "Next! Next!"


    Lukas watched with undisguisable interest as the next 2 matches concluded almost instantly. Even though the 8 goblins selected were the best of this tribe, it seemed like there were layers to skill.


    As Pokey walked into the ring, holding a dull spear, he wondered which the goblin was. The best of the best, or just a skilled warrior.


    Pokey watched with a calm expression as the other goblin entered the ring. Glancing up at Lukas, Pokey said, "Me captured god to eat. Me is very bad. Now, me will make it up. Me is become the best leader!!"


    Even though the grammar was absolutely horrid, Lukas couldn''t help but smile a little. Complete and utter devotion was definitely a weird thing to get used to, but he couldn''t lie. It was quite a pleasant feeling.


    ''Begin!" A goblin shouted as a horn blared.


    Before the horn quieted, Pokey was already accelerating forward. With his spear, he held a significant advantage over the other goblin, who only had a sword.


    Swish!


    Pokey''s spear pierced through the air with insane ferocity, causing even the wind to cry. The other goblin''s eyes widened as it approached, knowing he couldn''t possibly raise his sword in time.


    Therefore, he dove under the strike and lunged forward. His arms wrapped around Pokey''s waist, and without wasting even a second the goblin took him to the ground.


    Pokey''s spear flew out of his hands to the edge of the arena. As Pokey glanced up at the goblin who was trying to pin him, he knew one thing for certain.


    He wasn''t going to lose.


    "GRAH!!!"


    Lukas''s eyes widened as he saw the pinned Pokey raise his right hand, planting it squarely on the other goblin''s upper chest.


    Simultaneously, that goblin swung with his sword, trying to get a strike in before Pokey knocked him off.


    Swish!!


    A collective gasp sounded through the otherwise silent arena.


    "1 point for Red!!"


    The sword connected cleanly with the goblin.


    "Me will show strength!" Pokey screamed as he maintained his hold on the goblin''s sword arm.


    Not even Alara could hide her surprise.


    Somehow, even while he was pinned down Pokey had found a way to gain an advantage. Pokey pulled down the goblin by his cloth as he was striking with his sword.


    Because of this, he couldn''t control his sword anymore. Taking advantage of this, Pokey reached out with his free arm and controlled the sword arm.


    Now, they were rolling through the arena, each of them trying to gain control of the sword. Although Pokey''s last second maneuver got him a point, he was far from victorious.


    "Grah!!" Both of the goblins growled as they rolled, both of them still unable to establish control.


    Then suddenly the sword clanged on the ground. Unable to resume control over his weapon, the goblin had decided to lose it completely.


    Unprepared to face 2 free hands, Pokey squealed as the goblin pounced on top of him.


    Unable to move, the winner was becoming more and more clear. Even if Pokey got the first hit, he couldn''t escape this pin.


    "You no win! Me win!" The goblin roared, a vicious glare in his eyes.


    "1! 2! 3!" The judge called out.


    Lukas and Alara both sat forward, wondering if Pokey would really lose this quickly.


    "5!"


    ''Unfortunately, bravery doesn''t matter in the face of overwhelming skill," Lukas mused.


    Pokey would be a formidable ally regardless, no doubt. If Lukas could count on one thing, it was his loyalty.


    However, the victor of this match was clear.


    Pokey wouldn''t become a leader.


    "8!"


    "9!"


    "No! Me leader!" Pokey screamed.


    Then he tucked his entire body before extending his legs, pushing the goblin''s torso with his feet. The goblin, his position now weakened, fell to the side.


    Instantly clamoring to his feet, Pokey ran for the spear. He had narrowly escaped elimination, and now... 2 more hits and he won.


    Lukas''s eyes grew wide for a second, wondering how this was possible.


    Noting his surprise, Alara smiled and then explained as if it was the simplest thing ever.


    "The Blue goblin let up. He had the lead and lost it, because he''s stupid. That other goblin, the red one, continued fighting until the end."


    Lukas nodded as the explanation made sense. Pokey never accepted defeat. From the beginning, he was ready to give up everything to win.


    However, the other goblin had expected victory as there were only seconds left. Because of this, he grew lazy and loosened his grip just enough for Pokey to break free.


    And now...


    Swish! Swish!


    "Red advances!!"

 Chapter 10: The Goblin Tournament Continues!

    Chapter 10 - The Goblin Tournament Continues!Pokey jumped up with a large grin on his face, brandishing the spear as he walked a little circle for the crowd. Then, ignoring the losing goblin completely, Pokey looked at Lukas and bowed.


    ''It was an impressive comeback but...'' Lukas shook his head, ''couldn''t you show a little more respect?''


    With the first round over, there was a small 10-minute intermission. The four remaining goblins stood off to the side, each of them practicing swings with their weapons. Three of the losing goblins stood alone, not even bothering to hold their weapons or interact with the other goblins.


    However, there was one of them who took the defeat in stride. The one who had lost the very first match.


    As Lukas noticed this, he thought, ''I should really get to know their names. That way I can congratulate those who earned it.''


    Every successful leader he knew followed at least one rule: showing praise for a job well done. If they liked him, they would be more willing to fight for his army.


    With that, he would be able to get the chalice and return to his brother.


    ''Assuming that''s possible,'' Lukas thought for a second before shaking the negativity away.


    Today was going to mark the birth of his army. There was no reason to assume his plan would fail.


    Even if he had to sacrifice this new life, where he was adored and had a chance to maybe do good, he couldn''t just leave his brother behind. Especially not with the life they had.


    That''s why he knew his plan would work. Just like Pokey, he wouldn''t accept defeat.


    ...


    "Round 2, begin!"


    Pokey circled around his next opponent, this time being careful to maintain proper distance. Since his opponent''s weapon of choice was a club, it was clear Pokey was at a significant advantage.


    ''He fixed his mistake very quickly,'' Lukas noticed, nodding with approval.


    Making mistakes was inevitable, no matter how good someone thought they were. It wasn''t making them that defined somebody, but whether or not they continued making the same mistakes.


    Those who learned from failure were successful.


    "Gyah!!" The other goblin yelled, charging forward.


    Pokey maintained his distance, using his spear as a buffer. As much as the goblin tried, it could never get nearly close enough to strike him.


    Smiling, Pokey said, "Me is leader."


    Swish. Swish. Swish.


    "Next!"


    "Next!"


    Once again, Pokey did his little circle for the crowd, throwing his hands up triumphantly.


    ''He''s quite the showboat,'' Lukas lamented. Though, considering the goblin''s recent performance, he decided it was earned.


    "Next! Next!"


    As the next two goblins entered the ring, Lukas studied them. One used a sword while the other a club. Both of them had ended their match in one series of strikes, so he had no idea what the upper limit of their skill was.


    However, he knew that no matter who won, Pokey would have a tough match. Both of these opponents should be at the pinnacle of goblin fighting.


    "Begin!"


    As soon as the horn sounded, the club goblin charged forward, hoping to score easy points.


    The sword goblin shifted his stance, causing the entire arena to gasp.


    "I- is that?" Lukas stammered.


    "Yep," Alara said with a bright smile.


    After all, the sword goblin was using a very basic version of her stance.


    Unfazed, the club goblin continued marching on. Even if his opponent was using such a stance, one that flattened many of the goblins with minimal effort, it didn''t matter.


    Stopping in his tracks out of fear wouldn''t win the match. Only clobbering.


    Swish.


    In a blinding flash of light, the sword struck the club out of the goblin''s hand. Defenseless against such an opponent, the club goblin quickly fell to two more slashes.


    Everything ended so quickly that the crowd was still surprised about the stance. Very few realized the match itself was already decided.


    After a few seconds, realization spread through the crowd. Slow chatters turned into a thunderous uproar as they screamed, "NEXT!! NEXT!!"


    ''W-what was that?'' Lukas thought, wondering if Pokey could even stand a chance.


    Sure, he had grit and made up for his mistakes. But was that really enough for... whatever that was?


    As he looked at the battlefield, Lukas shook his head. No, it wouldn''t be possible. There was no real substitute for raw strength, for the skill to cut down an enemy before they knew of your existence.


    Not grit, not manipulation.


    The world lived by the sword even if it was moved by the voice. If he couldn''t wield the sword himself, Lukas knew he had no chance at survival.


    ''Unless Pokey proves me wrong...''


    ...


    [Pokey''s PoV]


    Gripping his spear tightly, Pokey focused all of his attention on the swordmaster.


    Even before the arrival of their new god and the scary lady, the swordmaster had been the greatest goblin warrior by far.


    Now that he was learning the scary lady''s battle styles, Pokey could only imagine how much better he had gotten. It was enough to win the last two matches in a single instant.


    But this fight wasn''t going to end that way. Pokey wasn''t going to lose like he had in all their earlier spars.


    Because he didn''t have his chief deity cheering him on before.


    "Begin!"


    Making sure to maintain his distance, Pokey watched the swordmaster''s eyes for any tell. Although the scary lady''s style was unreadable, that didn''t erase the years they had fought together.


    Step. Step.


    Both the goblins circled each other. Each of them knew that whoever took the first move was going to determine the outcome of the fight.


    Either they struck the opponent fast enough to end the match, or they would give them enough of a tell to counter.


    Still circling, the swordmaster smiled at Pokey and whispered, "I''m leader."


    Lunging forward with the reflex of a cat, the swordmaster sliced through the air. At the last second, Pokey jumped up, extending his spear at the same time.


    Clack!


    Sparks flew in the air as their weapons connected. The force caused both weapons to vibrate uncontrollably.


    Pokey grimaced, feeling his balance lessen.


    Because a sword had more surface area, it absorbed more of the impact. For now, that wasn''t a factor.


    But Pokey knew it would ruin him before long. He had to find a way to minimize that risk.


    After the initial clash, both of them circled each other, making soft feints as if going for an attack before retreating at the last second.


    All around them, the goblins began clamoring with impatience.


    "Fight!"


    "Stick him!"


    Doing his best to ignore them, Pokey studied the swordmaster. His stance, his footwork. Even his breathing.


    He studied the habits the swordmaster had formed over the last several years. And then he wondered why he wasn''t incorporating any of the scary lady''s style into his own.


    In every previous match, the swordmaster had seemingly abandoned all of his previous training.


    However, here and now, he was merely using all the tactics Pokey already knew, the stances he had struggled to dissect after hundreds of spars.


    Swish!


    The swordmaster swung again, leaping through the air as he twisted his hand at the last second. Just as Pokey raised his spear to block the strike, he changed the direction of his sword once again. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Now it was heading straight for Pokey''s exposed midsection.


    For just a moment, an intense fear passed through Pokey''s being. His one chance to make it up to the Chief Deity failed. It failed to the same enemy he could never defeat.


    Then in the next, a miraculous thing happened. As if it had a mind of its own, his spear changed direction just as quickly so that the sword struck its stone handle.


    After all the years of defeat...


    ''No!! Me wins this one! Me wins this fight!'' Pokey roared in his mind as he lowered his expression.


    His mind entered complete focus as he pushed the sword further to the left, away from both of their bodies. Using the force of the sword pushing down on the spear, Pokey lunged forward and struck the swordmaster directly in his chest.


    In just a moment, defeat turned to victory.


    All he needed to do was¡ª


    Swish!


    "Ack!" Pokey groaned as the swordmaster quickly returned the favor, slapping his midsection with the flat of the sword.


    His vision blurred a little as black specks dotted his vision. As his breathing slowed, so did his world.


    The goblins screaming, his god''s watching, even the swordmaster.


    Then everything sped up. Suddenly, he was running on instinct, dodging just before the swordmaster''s second strike would hit.


    Never keeping his eyes off the swordmaster, Pokey rolled and dodged through several more strikes. He had to trust himself not to hit the crowd because if he took his eyes off the swordmaster for just a second, he''d lose.


    Continuing to dodge every strike, Pokey looked for any possible opening. Until today, not a single one had ever existed in the swordmaster''s guard.


    However, he had already gotten past it once. Just two more times, just two¡ª


    Whack!


    A searing pain engulfed his entire right arm. Somehow, the swordmaster had caught up to him.


    And now, he was leading 2 to 1.

 Chapter 11: Finishing the Tournament and Starting a Goblin Kingdom

    Chapter 11 - Finishing the Tournament and Starting a Goblin KingdomPokey scurried backward as his vision darkened. Once again, the swordmaster''s strike hurt.


    A lot.


    This wasn''t some simple sparring session. This was the fight of their lives. A chance to prove themselves to the Chief Deity, a privilege not even the greater tribes ever enjoyed.


    Simply dodging wasn''t enough. His attempts to buy time were the entire reason he was struck.


    Narrowing his eyes, Pokey gripped the spear tighter, watching the swordmaster''s approach carefully.


    An approach that, once again, offered no openings he could see.


    "Fight! Fight!"


    The crowd clamored, completely enthralled by the match.


    As the swordmaster approached, Pokey slowed his breath. Waiting for the inevitable, he noticed everything surrounding him slow down.


    The crowd, the swordmaster, even his still breath.


    All that remained was his spear and the swordmaster''s guard.


    His sword hung a few inches ahead of his torso, raised at an 80-degree angle. The swordmaster''s dominant leg led the charge, giving him ultimate balance.


    However, with his heightened focus, Pokey found something.


    A potential break.


    Instead of running away, this time he would go toward the swordmaster.


    This was because a spear''s length wasn''t its only strength.


    "Grah!!!" Pokey screamed as he charged, raising his spear to the top of his torso.


    Once he was just a few feet away, Pokey thrust forward with all of his might. Out of instinct, the swordmaster raised his sword and blocked the spear like he had a million times before.


    This time, Pokey didn''t stop there.


    Using the momentum he gained, Pokey turned around in a complete 360-degree arc, instantly changing levels.


    Thwack!!


    The spear collided directly with the side of the swordmaster''s thigh.


    He swung his sword in response, striking from the top.


    Instantly dropping to a squat, Pokey raised his spear handle at the same time. Continuing its indomitable swing, everyone gasped.


    Did they have a winner?


    Was Pokey not fast enough?


    For just a moment, Pokey grinned. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Somehow, the slightest edge of his handle had caught the sword. Somehow, he was still in it.


    More than that, the swordmaster''s guard was wide open. All he had to do was raise his spear and angle it properly.


    Swish!


    Colliding directly with his chest, the swordmaster''s boot sent Pokey sprawling. He had been far too focused on the sword to notice the kick.


    ''No!'' Scooting backward, Pokey did his best to rise to his feet again.


    All the while, the swordmaster casually picked up Pokey''s spear before approaching.


    "You''ve grown stronger," he said, his voice dripping with pride and not mockery. It was like a mentor finally seeing his favorite student rise to the challenge.


    But Pokey didn''t want to be a student.


    Digging his hands into the sand, Pokey glared at the approaching defeat. There had to be something he could do.


    Anything.


    ''Me fails our god,'' Pokey thought with disgust as a shadow loomed over him.


    Looking up at the swordmaster, Pokey saw only one way to victory. A dishonorable one surely. However, he would regain that honor by becoming the greatest goblin leader ever.


    Scooping a pile of sand in his hand, Pokey hid it until the last moment when the swordmaster raised his sword and asked, "Do you surrender?"


    "Never! Me never surrenders!!" Pokey screamed, flinging the sand into the swordmaster''s eyes with everything he had.


    Thud.


    Pokey''s spear landed on his chest at the same time the swordmaster''s now free hand held Pokey''s at bay. Of course, he had seen through his own pupil''s deceit.


    More than that, though...


    He had technically won using Pokey''s own weapon.


    "It''s I," the swordmaster said as he moved aside Pokey''s spear with his sword. "I never surrender. Or I''ll never surrender. Either works here."


    Then he gently tapped Pokey''s chest, a gesture he knew all too well. It was how the swordmaster ended every spar he won.


    Because he knew the other side would never give up. He knew that until defeat was assured, the opposition would fight.


    Therefore, he never counted his victory until there was no question who really won.


    Tears welled in Pokey''s eyes as reality settled in.


    He wasn''t a great goblin and he couldn''t make it up. He would never be something he''s not: a leader.


    All he could ever do was follow. Even if the order was something horrible, like capturing their god for food.


    "Quit crying," his new leader commanded. "Our god approaches. It would not look good if his second in command was a sniveling mess."


    ''Se-''


    ''What that mean?'' Pokey thought, too confused to continue crying.


    ...


    [Lukas''s PoV]


    ''That was a very close fight,'' Lukas thought as he walked down from his platform, led by a few goblins. Alara followed shortly after.


    When he approached the two fighters, Lukas raised an eyebrow at Pokey. For some reason, he didn''t seem nearly as distraught as Lukas thought he would.


    ''Good. Even if he lost, he fought valiantly.''


    Turning aside to the victor, Lukas cast a wide smile as he said, "Congratulations on your victory, uh... What''s your name?"


    A collective gasp emerged from the crowd, as if he had just asked the goblin''s biggest secret. The winner and Pokey both shared a disbelieving gaze with each other.


    For a second, they shared some sort of mental conversation¡ªhopefully one that wouldn''t end with ''Eat god!''¡ªbefore the victor turned to Lukas.


    Speaking low but deliberately, he said, "S-sorry sir, but we have none. The Goblin Lord and higher tribes strictly forbid it."


    With this revelation, multiple things were swirling through Lukas''s mind. Now that they were revealed, such as there being other, stronger goblin tribes that held some sort of authority over them, he still couldn''t wrap his head around no one here having names.


    Wasn''t that simply stupid?


    "Well, is there a name you would like?" Lukas asked, casting a signature smile.


    The second he asked the question, both of the goblins became overwhelmed with emotions. They quickly placed their hands to their chests and then rose to attention, like Lukas was some kind of drill sergeant.


    Only they were operating purely from loyalty, not fear.


    Trembling but doing his best to keep his composure (and failing miserably), the victor said, "Whatever name you would designate to me!"


    ''So eloquent,'' Lukas thought with a smile before continuing, "Okay then. Uh, let''s do Fred."


    Almost instantly, Lukas silently cringed. He had subconsciously chosen one of the dumb names his brother gave to his sims. One of the few gaming things he actually remembered.


    However, Fred seemed to love it. His entire body trembled as he said, "Thanks," over and over.


    At the same time, his system notifications started assaulting him, one after another.


    [Leader: Fred chosen. Unlocked Divine Army interface]


    [Name: Fred assigned to [Whelp] Goblin]


    [Beginning evolution process]

 Chapter 12: Creating a Divine Army

    Chapter 12 - Creating a Divine Army[Divine Army interface unlocked]


    Divine Army


    Overall Rank: FFF


    Nations: Shindachi


    Races: 1


    Leader: Fred ¡ª [Adult]


    Army: 120 [Whelp] Goblins


    Gold Revenue: 100/week


    Perks: N/A


    [Kingdom Shop unlocked. Spend gold to buy perks to strengthen your Kingdom and earn more resources, weapons, and armor to improve your army, or buy buildings, roadways, and other things of that nature to improve the lands you''ve conquered. You must first conquer a land before upgrading it.]


    ...


    The overwhelming information swirled in Lukas''s mind. At least he now knew where he was¡ªa nation called Shindachi. Whatever the hell that meant.


    Then there was the whole FFF rank thing. Although he didn''t exactly know what it was, he had a pretty good guess. It was some kind of ranking system, and obviously, FFF rank was the pinnacle.


    Right?


    "G-god gave swordmaster name?"


    Pokey''s trembling voice pulled Lukas away from the screen, revealing a crowd of goblins. They looked at him with a gaze of expectation, though they tried to hide it.


    ''How many did the system say there were?'' Lukas thought with a frown. ''120 soldiers? And then... how many civilians?''


    [1,237 goblins in total, Master]


    ''Fuck!''


    A buffer voice called from the side, different from the usual squeaky goblin voices. "Master, thank you for giving me a proper name."


    Turning around, Lukas saw Fred kneeling, his head bowed at almost a 90-degree angle.


    Except, it wasn''t really Fred. It was like a Fred on some super steroids.


    ''Since when did he become an average bodybuilder?'' Lukas thought with a smirk. ''Is this really because I gave him a name?''


    If so, maybe it wouldn''t be bad to give a few more goblins their names. Like Pokey.


    But 1,237 was a lot.


    [C''mon Master, don''t be a lazy ass!]


    Ignoring his system, Lukas told Fred he was welcome and then turned to Pokey.


    Taking in a solemn breath, Lukas said, "Your name will be... Poki!"


    ''Shit, why did I actually keep his name that?'' Lukas berated himself internally. However, Poki seemed to like it at least a little.


    "Thank! Thank! Me thank you!" Poki screamed as he fell to Lukas''s feet, repeatedly bowing.


    Overwhelmed, Lukas could do nothing but nod.


    "He give us names?"


    "Even me?"


    At the same time, an excited chatter erupted throughout the goblins as each of them expected a name. Somehow, all of them were audible even over Poki''s screaming gratitude.


    ''Fuck.''


    ...


    [1,235 names later]


    "And your name is Alishia with an sh," Lukas said, offering the 5th variation of the same name to one of the maids. She graciously accepted, repeatedly bowing over and over. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He was sure it was going to bite him in the ass later when he wanted Alicia and instead got Alixia with an x, but what was there to do? His creative juices had been completely exhausted after the first name.


    But finally, it was over. He had around 600 steroid abusers and 600 red carpet all-stars crowding him, each of them offering their deepest thanks.


    Even the kids had developed into super soldiers and models somehow, except a younger version, of course.


    [Kingdom rank upgraded to F]


    ''F?'' Lukas thought.


    So, he was wrong. FFF wasn''t the op rank. It was bottom of the gutter.


    At least now he was less bottom of the gutter. Maybe soon his army could even be regarded as cannon fodder.


    Still, Lukas couldn''t help but smile as he looked at the new army, headed by Fred. Even if they were weak, they were his.


    And maybe one day, the girl brushing beside him would join it too. Instead of killing them with her training.


    "Quite impressive stamina," Alara remarked with a smirk.


    ''Wh-why say it like that?'' Lukas thought as his face reddened a little. Especially now, when he had a quest and kingdom and stuff to focus on.


    Though, thinking on it a little more, he supposed that gods from his world did sleep around a bit. Especially those Greek ones, like Zeus.


    But the truth was, he had more important goals than stupid stuff like romance.


    Therefore, he didn''t let the insinuation get to his head.


    "Hopefully, you still have enough left for me," Alara continued before pushing him with one arm. "Don''t think you''re getting out of training that easily."


    Training.


    Something Lukas could focus on. He had spent the entire night trying to decipher her fighting stance, after all.


    Hopefully, facing it again would teach him more than those fruitless attempts.


    "Training already?"


    "Me is stronger now!"


    The goblins instantly reacted to Alara saying it was time to train. Scrambling to the nearby weapons barracks, they each grabbed a weapon of choice and then a sparring partner.


    Even after a grueling training routine yesterday, both Lukas and his army were ready for today''s punishment.


    "Relax, guys," Alara said with a chuckle, momentarily pausing the goblins'' vicious sparring. "I need to properly teach you some techniques first."

 Chapter 13: More Training Under a Crazy Waifu

    Chapter 13 - More Training Under a Crazy Waifu''Properly?'' Lukas mused, wondering what happened with the real Alara. Since when did she care about properly more than beating the shit out of her students?


    [Apparently, you weren''t the only one mulling over yesterday''s training session]


    Lukas chuckled at the system''s cheerful observation, causing Alara to raise an eyebrow.


    "What? You don''t think I can, Ygroa?" she said with a laugh, accentuating his god name.


    Then she rushed at him, ignoring the surprised squeals of goblins.


    His body instinctively took the position of her stance. After spending an entire night studying the stance, it appeared his body had actually learned something where his brain had failed.


    Raising his own sword, he blocked her attack with surprising ease.


    Alara raised her eyebrow even further, this time less playful, though.


    "Quick learner, huh?"


    Shortly following her remark, she raised his sword with her own before extending her palm.


    It struck his chest, sending him sprawling to the ground. Sand dug into his palms as he tried to force himself to his feet.


    The task proved impossible, and all he could do was roll across the sand like a kid who was tossed by his dad.


    Well, mommy in this case.


    Her foot pressed into his back, stopping his roll. Then the cold metal of her blade pressed against his arm, signaling his swift defeat.


    A heavy sigh escaped her lips, and even though he couldn''t see her, he knew she was shaking her head.


    "When will you use more than your eyes?" she said, her voice low and filled with disappointment. "Reading your opponent isn''t enough in a battle to the death. By the time you''ve read your opponent, they''ve already moved past the trick. In other words, you can only see the trap they set, not their actual move."


    A hand suddenly shot into his vision, a soft and delicate hand despite its many calluses.


    He ignored it, rising to his feet by his own strength.


    Turning back to face Alara, he saw her roll her eyes before continuing. "More than that, most sword fights are far too quick to trust your eyes. You must be ready for anything far before you can see their action. A sudden thrust of the palm, a sudden turning kick, a sudden change in the trajectory of their sword. Maybe your detective skills will work on weak opponents. However,"


    A smile shot across her face as she pointed at herself with her thumb, "When you face someone like me, you''ll be dead before you even learn the color of my eyes."


    Lukas could do nothing but nod in response to her speech. He couldn''t fight it, couldn''t say that she was wrong, because that was blatantly false. In the past 2 days, she had put him on his ass more than any other girl he ever knew.


    And, contrary to popular belief, gangs were filled with badass women.


    Yet he doubted that, even with every gang in the world teaming up against her, they would be able to defeat Alara.


    "Ah, sorry!" Alara cried out, smacking her head. "I got carried away again."


    Her face was red as she took her usual stance. "Eh, let''s start over. You can do this much, right?"


    Lukas nodded, instantly replicating her stance. It was strange because he still didn''t understand its functionality. However, it was almost like his body operated under a second mind.


    Either way, it was enough to earn an approving nod from Alara.


    "Good. Then, let''s begin."


    ...


    They practiced together for around an hour before suddenly realizing the other goblins were eerily quiet. The shouts and screams of a sparring session had suddenly become more silent than a library.


    Turning around, they saw that most of them were kneeling. Fred, Poki, and a few of the other elite goblins had moved over to them. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fred unsheathed his sword and quickly said to Lukas, "2 representatives from the greater goblin tribe of the Golden Hills have arrived. Do not look at them directly, as they come from the direction of the mountains."


    ''Mountains?'' Lukas thought, confused for just a second.


    Then his eyes widened at their cunning.


    As he had learned from the moment of his arrival, it was a death sentence to look directly at the mountains. Though he hadn''t thought of it much during the tournament, he now realized that the goblin ring wasn''t entirely circular.


    An entire section was missing, the section that would have been looking at the mountains.


    That was how dangerous looking at the mountains was: it literally changed everyday lives.


    Before he even met them, Lukas knew that these greater goblin tribes were far smarter than his own little army. However, that didn''t mean they were smarter than their god.


    As far as he was concerned, they were perfect first customers for his store.


    A small smile crept on his face as Lukas prepared to greet his new guests.

 Chapter 14: First Customers (1)

    Chapter 14 - First Customers (1)"Welcome to my tribe. I, Ygroa, am glad to make your acquaintance." Lukas said, casting a charitable smile.


    As instructed, he made sure not to look at the visitors. However, he also didn''t need to. By studying the intonation of their voice, there was quite a lot about them that he could uncover.


    "I see that the goblins are under new leadership," One of them said distastefully. The other quickly joined in, saying, "Yeah, who is you?"


    ''Ah, skeptics.'' Lukas thought with a smile. Addressing the more nervous goblin, the one who only spoke second, Lukas said, "I am Ygroa, the great Chief Deity of Goblins."


    "Elves," The first goblin interjected.


    Lukas kept his face stoic through his surprise.


    ''Elves? Did I really make them believe that the Chief Deity of Elves actually became their god?''


    Knowing he couldn''t dwell on it anymore without losing his credibility, Lukas did his best to improvise.


    "Yes. I was the great Chief Deity of the Elves. However, due to some recent events I had decided to move on from them, and instead bless the goblins. After all, do you not see my tribe''s new appearance? Do you really think they just gained all that muscle overnight?"


    Lukas waved his arms around in an exaggerated manner, accentuating his army''s new super soldier state.


    Although he couldn''t see the goblins, he knew his theatrics were working due to the shuffling of their feet.


    After a few seconds, the leader of the 2 asked, "Why? Why would you decide to bless the goblins?" sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Why?''


    Well, that was a reasonable question. The goblins weren''t all that smart or strong, so it wouldn''t make much sense for a god of all beings to bless them over elves. And it was unlikely that, even if he came up with some bs like feeling bad for them, they wouldn''t believe it.


    Or, more accurately, the smart one wouldn''t.


    The other one, which was both clearly nervous and barely smarter than Lukas''s soldiers, was breathing slowly with wonder.


    That wasn''t the one he had to convince, though. The smart guy was almost certain to be the one with the gold. If he wanted to sell the piles of shit and actually get a useful item, that''s who he needed to convince.


    Therefore, Lukas took a few seconds to think before coming up with a wild theory.


    "The reason why I decided to bless the goblins is very simple. I believe that, without the mountain''s curse, you would be stronger than the elves."


    A surprised gasp escaped every goblin''s lips, even the smart one''s.


    After a few seconds he spoke, his voice now low and trembling. "Y-you believe that? Even though we cannot defeat our own goblin warlords, you believe that we could somehow become better than the elves?


    Even though the goblin was questioning him, Lukas could tell that it wasn''t from a place of scrutiny. It was from a place of self doubt.


    ''The goblins must not think highly of themselves,'' Lukas realized.


    That was why they made good servants for the goblin lord. That was why the weaker goblins fully obeyed these stronger ones, clearly fearing them. That was why, when some random person came and claimed to be their god, they believed after the slightest proof.


    These people knew nothing more than the curse of the mountain. They spent their entire lives living in fear, looking for any leader who could maybe save them.


    Walking over to the goblins, Lukas made one more final gambit. It was likely that they would already believe him, but what greater show of dominance was there than defying the very mountain that had cursed them for forever?


    Raising his head to meet their gaze, he smiled at their surprise. Instantly, he felt the pull of the mountain¡ªa pull he had expected.


    It wanted to corrupt him, to turn him into its slave. And it easily could, as he wasn''t truly a god.


    However, what goblin would think that when they saw him walk toward the 2 goblins, seemingly completely unaffected by the mountain.


    Lukas knew that it was very likely that only Alara and maybe Fred saw through the deceit and noticed his tightened teeth. He had bitten quite a significant chunk out of the inside of his cheek, and now focused entirely on that pain.


    Like before, when Poki had stabbed him, this pain allowed him to ignore the mountain''s effects just enough.


    Using his smile to hide the moment Lukas swallowed his blood, he placed a hand on the goblin leader''s shoulder as he said, "Yes. I believe that you can be stronger than the elves."


    Then he walked past the goblins, now returning his gaze away from the mountains. It was a good thing too, because even through his excruciating pain Lukas had almost succumbed to its pull.


    After looking in its direction for just a few seconds, he had almost been a goner.


    "Follow me," Lukas called to the goblins behind him as he walked toward the mansion.


    It was time to sell some shit.

 Chapter 15: First Customers (2)

    Chapter 15 - First Customers (2)The goblins had followed him without reservation. After his divine act of ignoring the mountain''s pull, neither of them could deny it anymore.


    Somehow, the Elves'' Chief Deity had decided to bless them instead.


    Lukas smiled to himself as he opened the door to his shop/ mansion.


    "About those warlords," He began before sitting down at an open table, which had somehow already been served with meat and wine. "I think I have just the item to help you."


    Both of them looked at Lukas with surprise before sharing a glance with each other. The smart goblin shook his head before turning to Lukas and asking, "What is it? I-if I can ask?"


    Smiling, Lukas laced his fingers behind his head before reclining in his seat. Nodding to the 2 open seats, he said, "Sit and I''ll show you."


    They shared another glance, clearly distrubed by something. However, they sat without further delay and studied Lukas.


    He was tying up some cloth napkins, knowing that they were important to his demonstration. After tying a few of them together to make 3 makeshift masks, he handed 2 of them to the goblins before showing how to wrap them around their nose and mouth.


    Then he grabbed a few more napkins before summoning a pile of shit. It appeared directly overtop the napkins, surprising the goblins.


    "This is... AHH!!" The smart goblin began before instantly closing his mouth. His eyes widened as he realized the mask had entirely stopped the smell. More than that, though, was how the scent instantly made him gag.


    Lukas smiled at the wide eyes, knowing the goblins were on their way to understanding.


    "Yes," Lukas began. "There are many items in my divine shop, but none of them are as outstanding as this weapon in my hand right here."


    He carefully wrapped the napkin around the shit, making it look like some kind of bomb.


    "By throwing this into an enemy camp, you can effectively neutralize any target. While they are busy gagging, you can easily kill them." Pointing to his cloth mask, Lukas added the one caveat. "However, you must also be wearing one of these."


    Pushed to the point of gagging himself, Lukas put the shit back in his inventory before continuing. Once again, though, the goblins only saw Lukas easily talking, whereas the smart goblin saying 2 words nearly knocked him out.


    It wasn''t much, but it was an easy way to further prove his ''divinity.''


    ''Maybe living in the slums had its uses,'' Lukas mused, knowing that that was the only reason he could stomach the rancid smell for so long.


    Then, turning to his customers, he placed his hands on the table, leaned forward, and asked, "So? Interested?"


    The 2 goblins shared a similar look of earnest interest.


    However, when the smart one looked back to Lukas, there was still doubt on his face.


    "Y-yes. Of course," He began. "However, well... we''re here because of our agreement with this tribe''s last leader. In exchange for our protection, he was supposed to spend 100 gold a week."


    "Y- you see, we''re here to get money, not spend it."


    Lukas shrugged.


    "New leader, new business. You do want to get rid of those rival goblin warlords, right?"


    They both nodded instantly.


    "Well then, it''s clear what you need to do, isn''t it? Tell you what,"


    Lukas smiled as he picked up a batch of napkins, quickly creating a pile of 10 masks as he continued his sales pitch. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Normally, these items sell for around 10 gold each. However, I''ll be fine with selling them for 10 gold altogether."


    It was a classic sales technique. Well, actually, it was multiple classics. First, you start with an outrageous offer so that your upcharge actually looks like a deal. Second, you sell the items as a bundle, because getting 2 items always felt better than just getting one.


    Lukas was fairly certain that they were going to turn down this initial offer. He had even made sure it was 10 bundles for 10 gold a piece, totaling 100 gold in total.


    Which was exactly the amount of gold they had been expecting him to give them.


    With that connection in mind, he hoped that they would hate this price a lot. Then, when he offered them the bundle for 6 gold, BAM!


    Easy profits.


    [Impressive, Master]


    Lukas smiled as he watched the goblins, who seemed to be in deep thought. After a few seconds, the smart one did something that shocked even Lukas.


    "Deal!" He said as he pulled out 100 gold coins, which instantly disappeared into Lukas''s inventory.


    ''Uh...'' Lukas thought, unable to believe this stroke of luck. He didn''t even notice the goblin''s bewildered gaze as the goblin studied his hand.


    Instead, Lukas looked at the system interface in front of him.


    [Critical Success!]


    [Item: Piles of Shit sold for twice the market]


    [New Daily Gold Revenue: 10 gold]


    [Passive Perk: Double Daily Revenue acquired]


    [Order Completed: Sell 7 Piles of Shit]


    [Choose between 3 new items]

 Chapter 16 - 3 Choices

    Chapter 16 - 3 ChoicesLukas cast a quick glance at the goblins, wondering how they would react to his system interface. However, they were far too invested in their suddenly missing gold to notice it.


    Seizing the opportunity, Lukas left them to their wonder as he turned to the system, excitement evident on his face.


    [Assorting the 3 items now]


    [Loading...]


    [Items assorted: [Uncommon] Quality]


    [Uncommon ¡ª One unit is made every hour, with up to 5 being made for free each day. In order to make more, you will have to pay 5 gold coins per unit. It is recommended to sell these items for at least 20 gold.]


    [Item 1: Prodigy''s Pencil.]


    [Note: Item abilities do not stack. The shop owner cannot use the items himself.]


    [Item 2: Chef''s Salt and Pepper.]


    [Item 3: Ice Cream.]


    ''Ice cream?'' Lukas thought, a wide smile stretching across his face as he forgot about the other choices.


    They were cool and all, but they weren''t ice cream. Which was literally the greatest gift ever given to mankind.


    [Ice Cream selected]


    [Loading...]


    [Infinite Wealth System]


    Name: Lukas Haecillion


    Rank: Apprentice Merchant


    Current Income Rate: 20 gold a day


    Gold: 100


    Shops: 1


    ?¡ªShop Items¡ª?


    ¨CPile of Shit: 0 Units [+2/Hour]; 5 Gold


    ¨CIce Cream: 5 Units [+1/Hour]; 20 Gold


    ?¡ªPerks¡ª?


    Double Daily Revenue {Uncommon}


    ¨CDouble the daily revenue you get from your shop, as well as a 7x increase to the weekly gold revenue from your Divine Army


    ?¡ªOrders¡ª?


    [New order received!]


    [Order: Sell 20 units of Ice Cream]


    [Reward: Rank Trial]


    Lukas''s eyes widened the more he looked over the upgrades to his system. There were many things he wanted to know more about, but the goblins were starting to break free of their confusion.


    Therefore, he decided to ask the one that was the least straightforward.


    ''Hey, Nina. What will I need to do to complete a Rank Trial? Ya''know, pay some gold, fight some boss, that kinda thing?''


    [I can see why you would think that, but no. A rank trial is not something you can prepare for at all, as the requirements won''t be known until the trial starts. Basically, it is like a pop quiz from your world.]


    ''Great,'' Lukas lamented before setting his mind straight.


    He had a new item. Not only that, it was actually a great item, one he knew many people would enjoy. Sure, it was expensive at 20 gold, which was...


    ''Wait, how much is 20 gold in USD?'' Lukas asked.


    [2,000 dollars]


    Lukas''s face went white at the simple answer. Then he realized that, if that was the case...


    He just sold literal shit to those goblins for 10,000 dollars!


    If he had that kind of money, if his brother had that kind of money...


    Both of the goblins were now looking at Lukas strangely, probably wondering what strange fit had fallen over the god.


    However, he didn''t care, couldn''t care right now. Because it was very possible that he had just found an insanely good break.


    ''Uh, is it possible to send some of this gold to someone on Earth? But in US dollars, of course.''


    [Yes, but not right now. In order to do that, you will need to unlock the Interdimensional Wire Transfer Perk. Which is impossible until you are at least an Adept Merchant, which will require 2 rank ups.]


    ''I see,'' Lukas responded resolutely.


    Not only did this prove that it was possible to have some connection, however small, to his brother''s world, but it also meant something far greater.


    He could now truly provide for his brother. Instead of working as a rat for multiple gangs, constantly doing horrendous deeds just to scrape by, he could now make a lot more money by simply overcharging for items.


    Just like he had with the shit, and was about to do with the ice cream.


    "Hey," Lukas said to the 2 goblins, casting a wide smirk. They jumped before quickly putting on a poised look.


    "I have another thing I think you would like." Lukas began. Their ears instantly perked. "This is called Ice Cream. Not only is it absolutely delicious, but it also increases your strength."


    "Our strength?" The smart goblin asked, raising his eyebrow. Even though he had already seen a miracle, he was clearly suspicious.


    Which was reasonable. After all, if someone told Lukas, ''Hey, buy this 2,000 dollar ice cream and it''ll do more for you than even steroids, trust!'' he would tell them to simply fuck off.


    However, he knew what he said was true. More than that, he knew that the goblins trusted him, and were already enthralled by their earlier purchase.


    Casting a wide smile, Lukas summoned 2 cartons of Ice Cream from thin air. Handing them to the goblins, he noticed that they were both Cookies and Cream flavored.


    ''Excellent taste,'' Lukas thought with deep approval.


    The maids quickly brought 2 spoons. As they eyed the Ice Cream, Lukas could see their mouths drool.


    Laughing, he prodded them along. "Go on, eat. This carton is just a sample. If you enjoy it, I have another 3 cartons waiting, for just 40 gold a piece."


    Both of them cast a completely disbelieving glare at Lukas. One that said, ''You may be our god, but 40 gold coins for a snack is outrageous, no matter how tasty it is.''


    Which was precisely why he had given them these 2 cartons for free. They had no obligation to pay for anything, so they were sure to eat up. Once they found out just how divine ice cream was...


    Well, 4,000 dollars suddenly wouldn''t seem so expensive. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lukas watched with a completely stoic face, neither smiling nor frowning.


    The smart goblin was the first to indulge, gently tapping his spoon against the creamy surface.


    As his spoon dug into the ice cream, it curled like a wave. He cast Lukas one last glance before placing it into his mouth. Shortly after, his eyes exploded in excitement.


    Looking down at the Ice Cream, the goblin tried to mumble something like, "Who made this?"


    However, he was far too busy stuffing his mouth full of cream to say anything intelligible. His partner watched the scene in surprise before he tried a nibble of his own.


    The second the Ice Cream hit his lips, it was like he became a little kid. It took maybe 3 more scoops until his entire carton was gone.


    Both of them flung their cartons aside, turning their crazed looks to Lukas.


    "Me want¡ª"


    ''I want¡ª"


    After a few false starts, the smart goblin finally managed, "I want all of your Ice Cream. Please. 40 gold? I- I''ll give 60 if need be!!"


    Lukas blinked, unable to believe it was actually this easy. Sure, Ice Cream was tasty and probably a fresh experience after the unrelenting heat of the desert, but...


    6,000 dollars per Ice Cream?


    ''Damn!!!''

 Chapter 17: The Path to Infinite Wealth Begins With Ice Cream

    Chapter 17 - The Path to Infinite Wealth Begins With Ice Cream''There''s no way they''re actually going to spend 60 gold on ice cream, right?'' Lukas thought, completely dumbfounded.


    They hadn''t even tested the strength buff yet...


    "Come on!! Don''t be such a stickler! You even said you had more ice cream!" the smart goblin yelled, placing his hands on the table before pushing himself into a standing position.


    Lukas shook his head in bewilderment.


    However, he wasn''t about to give up good business.


    Taking 3 ice cream out of his inventory, he held them in front of him and said, "60 gold each?"


    The goblin started to nod his fervent approval, but his partner nudged him. Whispering, the dumb goblin asked, "We allow spend that gold?"


    Lukas''s face dropped at the same time as the smart goblin''s. There was no way this fucking goblin just ruined such a great deal...


    "I''m sorry," the smart goblin began as he shook his head. "As much as I''d like to, we cannot spend that much gold. If we return to our tribe down 280 gold pieces, both of us would surely be whipped."


    Lukas nodded his understanding, but inside, his mind was already swirling with ideas.


    The main problem was that they''d be down 280 gold, right?


    But Lukas didn''t necessarily have to care about all that. He only needed to make the first sale, and then he could enjoy the benefits of a passive income.


    Which meant that it wouldn''t be too much of a deficit even if he gave up some gold right now. Instead, it would be like an investment.


    ''Am I able to give them the gold straight from my inventory?'' Lukas asked, already suspecting the answer but giving it a try anyway.


    [No. They are not an applicable target]


    ''Applicable?''


    That wasn''t exactly the answer he had expected. He thought there would be a simple no followed by convoluted reasoning as to why he couldn''t.


    Knowing he would have to think over it later, Lukas moved on to his next idea.


    "Give me just a moment," Lukas said with a smile as he rose to his feet.


    The goblins shared a suspicious look with each other but nodded all the same. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Walking away, Lukas found a servant rather quickly.


    ''What name did I assign her?'' Lukas asked the system, hoping it would remember.


    [Alixia]


    "Alixia," Lukas began with an earnest smile, one that immediately called her to attention. "Could you lead me to the treasury?"


    "Treasury?" she asked, confusion evident on her face.


    "Where he keeps his gold," Lukas clarified.


    Understanding flashed across her face as she exclaimed, "Oh!"


    It didn''t take long to reach the treasury, but when they did, Lukas''s stomach plummeted.


    ''He was supposed to pay these guys 100 gold, right?'' Lukas thought as he shook his head.


    Unless he counted completely wrong, there were only 53 gold coins. That idiot was going to get everyone killed...


    Shaking his head once more, Lukas grabbed the coins and quickly returned to the two goblins.


    He set them on the table before explaining, "This is all the Goblin Lord had left, but don''t worry. I''ll give you this gold and 2 cartons of ice cream for free if you buy the third carton for 50 gold coins."


    For them, it was definitely a bargain. Not only was the ice cream delicious, but it also gave a substantial strength buff.


    And although he knew he could sell it for more under better conditions, that didn''t matter right now. His system gave him passive income every day that was based on the best price he sold an item at.


    Even if he was technically selling the ice cream at around 16 gold coins, far below market price, it didn''t matter if he sold one at 50 gold coins. That was 10 above average, meaning his daily revenue would cover the cost fairly quickly.


    Really, this was just taking advantage of a passive stream of income.


    Assuming the goblins bought it, anyway.


    "I don''t know..." the smart goblin said, his voice low and deep in thought. He stroked the underside of his chin as he studied the ice cream.


    After a few long seconds, he finally nodded his head. "Sure. Once our leader sees just how good this..."


    "Ice cream," Lukas offered, noticing that the goblin had forgotten the food''s name.


    "Ice cream is, I know he will understand."


    With that declaration, the smart goblin pulled out 50 more gold coins, which promptly disappeared just like before. This time, the goblins seemed far less surprised about that.


    Taking the ice cream and gold coins with a heavy smile, the goblin turned to Lukas and said, "Pleasure doing business with ya. It would appear that you''re far better than that fat slob."


    Shortly after they left, leaving Lukas alone with his thoughts and system notifications.


    [Sold 1 ice cream unit for 50 gold: New Record]


    [Daily Revenue: 60 gold]


    "6,000 dollars a day..." Lukas shook his head, still unable to believe that the [Infinite Wealth] system actually existed.


    "Dollars?" a perky voice called from the doorway, quickly turning into Alara sitting on a chair directly opposite Lukas.


    Leaning forward with a smile, Alara cupped her face in her hands as she teased, "The goblins are busy sending off your guests, Ygroa."


    Not knowing what to say, Lukas merely nodded as he did his best to look divine. Straightening his back, Lukas met Alara''s eyes directly, not offering even a hint of fear.


    Alara smiled as she met his gaze, daring him to be the first to blink. After an entire minute passed with neither of them relenting, Alara rolled her eyes and laughed.


    "So serious. It must suck being a god."


    "Meh. It has its perks," Lukas replied with a shrug, doing his best to remain nonchalant.


    Alara raised an eyebrow as her smile grew wider. Her eyes sparkled under the radiant fire dancing around the chandeliers overhead.


    Even the golden reflections couldn''t match the way her skin shone just now. If it were any other situation, Lukas would''ve found the scene hot.


    However, he had no idea why she was so happy. Normally, her attitude was simply being a sourpuss and beating them up, only offering an occasional jab.


    Sighing, Alara lowered her arms and leaned back in her chair, as if exhausted.


    "Must I spell everything out, Lukas? How''s your quest coming along?!"

 Chapter 18: Sudden Visitor

    Chapter 18 - Sudden Visitor"Uh... Alara..." Lukas stammered, wondering how he could possibly get out of this mess.


    ''How the fuck does she know my name?''


    Usually, he had no problem maintaining a stoic face. It was a very important skill to perfect when living in a world of deceit.


    However... he knew that right now, his face clearly showed fear.


    "Oh, come on!!" Alara screamed as she dramatically threw her arms in the air. "You can''t be this boring! Not my hero!"


    ''Hero?''


    "Alara... what are-"


    "Ugh..." Alara suddenly dropped her arms back to the table, far too quick to be humanly possible. Then, just as quickly, she buried her face in her hands. After a few seconds of groaning, Alara droned, "Oh my gods!!!"


    Then, a small chuckle escaped her lips.


    Only it wasn''t hers.


    ''What the fuck is going on?''


    Lukas kept his eyes glued to the thing in front of him, the thing that was masquerading as Alara. Whatever it was, it knew a lot about him and he knew nothing about it.


    All he knew was that it was cackling like some kind of demon right now.


    "Ahh, that was funny." The thing said as it completely ceased its laughter in just a moment.


    Opening its fingers so that a single eye was looking at Lukas, the thing groaned, "You don''t even get the joke, do you?"


    "It''s quite simple, really." The thing said as its shape suddenly changed.


    A fit, young man now replaced Alara. As if it was some kind of shapeshifter.


    He flashed a mischievous grin at Lukas, his fox eyes sparkling under the candlelight.


    "We both want to be gods, and yet we serve them. It''s hilarious!" The man let loose a humorous sigh before shaking his head.


    "But alas, there''s work to do. Can''t be goofing off, now can we?"


    "What the hell are you talking about?" Lukas demanded. "Who are you?"


    "I''m talking about the quest, and my name is Fenrir. Servant of the Progenitor God of Tricks and Deceit, Loki." The man answered nonchalantly, seemingly bored by the questions.


    "Why do you care about the chalice?"


    Fenrir shrugged. "I don''t. But Loki does. Same as the rest of the gods."


    Pat.


    Suddenly Fenrir had teleported behind Lukas and was now patting his head, like he was some kind of damned dog.


    "You really screwed the pooch here!" Fenrir exclaimed with a giggle. "I mean, defying a god is cool and all. But someone of your caliber doing that? Then, to go ahead and masquerade as a True Immortal god..."


    Fenrir clicked his teeth in amusement. "Tsk. Tsk."


    ''I was literally just trying to survive,'' Lukas thought. ''I came to this world out of nowhere. What am I supposed to do? Lay back and die?'' S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Maybe..." Lukas began slowly before forcing more authority into his voice. "Maybe if Physsus wasn''t so dumb, he could''ve stopped me from taking his shit."


    "Hah!" Fenrir immediately laughed, nodding his head in agreement.


    "Ah, anyways. I don''t care about any of that." Fenrir said as he walked back to his seat.


    Lukas took careful note of that. It was quite possible that the only reason he walked back was due to theatrics. However, it was also quite possible his teleportation had a cooldown.


    Either way, Fenrir slumped into the seat without a care in the world.


    "Politics, especially god politics..."


    "Puh." Fenrir made a gesture of spitting.


    "Are so dreadfully BORING!! No, I just like to watch little heroes go and perform their quests as diligently as possible."


    His face suddenly darkened. "Which you seem to be taking your grand old time, Ygroa."


    Lukas furrowed his brows, returning Fenrir''s stare with the same intensity. "I''m building up my strength. You think that I''m some kind of idiot who would just rush headfirst into danger?"


    "Aren''t you?" Fenrir countered as he lifted a finger.


    From the finger came a sleuth of familiar scenes. Plenty from his old life, plenty from his new.


    Close calls with gangs, close calls with his little brother finding out where they really got their money from. Defying Physsus even with the threat of an endless tortured existence. Stabbing himself on the offchance his crazy plan would actually work. Staring straight into the mountain just so he could convince those goblins.


    Yeah, he apparently was quite reckless.


    "You''re fun to watch," Fenrir said as he lowered his finger, erasing the montage. "So I came here to warn you."


    ''Warn?''


    "That chalice is the holy artifact of Physsus. Basically, the idiot lost the very item that creates his divinity." Fenrir shook his head, amusement evident on his face. "And then, because gods aren''t supposed to interact with this plane..."


    Fenrir winked at Lukas.


    "Physsus needed a hero to retrieve it for him. Of course, when he chose you he expected blind obedience. Well, moreso he needed it."


    "Because that chalice is powerful," Lukas stated, realizing Physsus had gotten himself into some of the deepest shit. "He had expected me to simply accept the quest."


    "Obviously, " Fenrir said before continuing, ignoring Lukas''s glare. "Anyways, what I''m basically trying to say is that you need to learn priorities. That chalice quite literally gives him his Divinity, you see."


    Lukas''s eyes widened, causing Fenrir to chuckle.


    Then he stood and said, "I can''t tell you exactly where the chalice is at. All I can tell you is that another hero has it. That''s all I know."


    Lukas was sure he was lying. Fenrir admitted it himself: he liked to watch heroes go on quests. What fun would it be for him if Lukas had all the answers?


    "Anyway, Toodleloo!" Fenrir shouted before snapping his fingers, disappearing into a puff of green smoke.


    "A servant of Loki..." Lukas mumbled as he noticed time return to the world.


    That''s why they had been uninterrupted. Whoever that was, he was quite a powerful being. He was quite a knowledgeable being.


    Which meant that he could know of a way for Lukas to return home, to make sure his brother was safe.

 Chapter 19: Buying Cleaner

    Chapter 19 - Buying Cleaner"Physsus... just how fucking stupid are you?" Lukas mumbled to himself, squeezing his eyes shut in disbelief. "How the hell do you lose something like that?"


    From the beginning he had known that the chalice was very important. However, this level of importance never even crossed his mind.


    The chalice literally GAVE Physsus his Divinity.


    The obvious implication was that any regular person could achieve divine power through it in someway. Any god with a brain cell would''ve kept that shit locked the fuck away.


    But no, this absolute idiot of a god lost the chalice, and now Lukas was forced to retrieve it.


    ''If that person is able to use the chalice...'' Lukas''s eyes grew dark at the thought. ''How the hell am I supposed to scam my way out of that?''


    "Uh, this isn''t because of my training, right?"


    Alara''s confused voice broke through his dread. He didn''t even notice her arrival.


    Assuming this was her and not some godly servant bullshit, anyway.


    "Well, whatever you did to those goblins got them all giddy. Fred said that he never saw them so happy before."


    Lukas jumped when she slammed her hand on his shoulder, exclaiming, "What kind of name is Fred anyway! Are you stupid?" sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He couldn''t help but chuckle at that, as his naming sense was quite bad.


    "There we go! None of that frowning stuff, mister. We have training to do." Alara said as she dropped to eye level with a wide smile.


    ''Yeah, I need to train more than¨C wait...''


    Lukas''s eyes grew wide as he noticed the one thing she had that her doppelganger didn''t: the scarf. Whatever it was, it was essential to her.


    He recalled how angry she was when she had been looking for it, forgetting everything else as she threatened to kill every goblin. It probably wasn''t a stretch to say that she was obsessed with it.


    Also, it was getting quite dirty from all of its time in the desert. Now more than ever, he needed her help. He made some good money today, far more than he would need to buy cleaner and polish in his world.


    "Hellooo, anyone there!" Alara asked while waving her hand in front of his face, as Lukas had just been sitting there.


    Ignoring her, he asked his question to the system.


    ''Nina, does the store have any kind of item that could clean her scarf?''


    [Trying to impress your lady, huh? Well, there probably is. Just think about what you need and the shop will automatically filter itself to those items.]


    ''Hmm... also she''s not my lady!'' Lukas thought as he did as instructed.


    An instant later, his shop had filtered itself, just as promised.


    [Personal Shop] ¨C> [Cleansing] ¨C> [Soft Apparel]


    ¨CMinor Solvent and Polish: 3 gold


    {Uses a heavily diluted form of tetrachloroethylene, causing the fabric to become mostly clean}


    ¨CGreater Solvent and Polish: 10 gold


    {A much stronger version of the Minor variant, causing the fabric to become completely clean}


    ¨CPerfect Solvent and Polish: 30 gold


    {The perfect variant. Any fabric touched with this will instantly become perfectly clean, far exceeding it''s original state and any mortal understanding of cleanliness}


    Lukas looked at each of the polish types, grimacing at their costs. Even just the cheapest version cost 300 dollars.


    Looking at Alara, he knew that having her as an ally was worth it though. He also noticed she was right next to his face.


    "Hey, anyone there!" Alara called before raising her hand in an open palm.


    She grabbed the top of his head and playfully pushed it around, yelling, "Helloo!!"


    Lukas endured this ''awful'' scene for a second before saying, "Hey, can you let go of my head."


    "Huh?" Alara cocked her head, acting as if she had no idea what he was talking about. However, her hand still hovered just above his head. "Oh, good. You''re back."


    She lowered her eyes as she warned, "Don''t space out on me again."


    Looking at her vicious gaze, Lukas could do nothing but sigh inside. Of all the people he could have as an ally, it had to be some hot hothead.


    But regardless, he needed her in his army.


    [Bought Minor Solvent and Polish]


    [Total gold: 147]


    Smiling at Alara, he said, "If you promise to be nice to me, I might have a gift for you."


    "A gift?" Alara smirked as she raised an eyebrow. "Don''t tell me you''re falling for me! I mean, I am cute and all but I''ll have you know¡ª"


    -"N-no, nothing like that!" Lukas interjected quickly. "It''s just a token of thanks, for training us and all that."


    Then he brought out the Solvent and Polish, eliciting a surprised look from Alara.


    ''Huh. She knows what this is?''


    [It is a highly valuable Solvent from this world, often only available to the highest of nobles. The other 2 were on a completely different level, but I guess you''re too much of a cheapskate to properly gift your beloved]


    ''She''s not my beloved!''


    Putting aside his shock, he cast a wide grin to Alara before saying, "This is a highly valuable¡ª"


    "Yeah, I know what it is," Alara began as her surprise turned to disbelief. "It''s just a bit suspicious you got your hands on this at all though. And then you just want to give it to me?"


    Shrugging, Lukas held it out and said, "Sure. As long as you promise to send me on my ass every day."


    "You''re stupid," Alara said as she shook her head, trying to hide a small blush. "You''re not supposed to get beat up during training."


    Then she took it from his hands and inspected it. She turned it, looking at it from every angle as if trying to find some kind of defect.


    "Uh, it isn''t poisoned." Lukas muttered, wondering why she was so cautious about such a simple gift.


    Ignoring him, Alara opened the lid and dumped a small amount of the liquid on Lukas''s shirt. For just a second nothing happened.


    Then, a soft sound like cloth straightening came from his shirt. When he looked down, Lukas couldn''t help but gasp.


    It was far more clean than any washer or dry cleaner on earth could accomplish. Every inch of the fabric was now shining as if it were gold, and not even a single atom of dust could be found on his shirt.


    Nodding to herself, Alara took a deep, shuddering breath as she held it over her scarf. Then she closed her eyes as she poured.


    Just like before, the scarf was entirely spotless after a few seconds. However, its transformation was even greater.


    ''It had to have been dirty for months... no, years.'' Lukas realized.


    Even though the scarf was clearly a piece of clothing befitting a noble before, the dirt had immensely disguised its beauty. The scarf''s true form was breathtaking an ethereal.


    But even its sight wasn''t as pleasant as Alara jumping into his arms, shaking as she muttered, "Th-thank you!"

 Chapter 20: A Private Chat

    Chapter 20 - A Private ChatLukas''s cheeks flushed red as he felt her tight embrace. For just a moment Alara was completely overcome with emotion. Even the soft reflected light of a few tears could be seen.


    Then, just as quickly as the rush of emotions came they left. Alara backed away with a small laugh. Turning her face away from him, she muttered, "Sorry about that," and then began pacing around the room.


    Merely nodding his head, Lukas took a moment to think about what just happened. She had just... hugged him.


    And it was a soft, pleasant hug with plenty of cushions.


    "Hey, I think we should go to your room," Alara suddenly said with a resolute nod, planting her feet in an attempt to stop her pacing.


    ''M-my room?'' Lukas thought, grinning on the inside. Externally, he put on a facade like he had expected that all along. Grabbing her hand, he lead the way.


    Alana lifted an eyebrow but otherwise didn''t say anything.


    His room wasn''t too far from the main hall, so they reached it fairly quick. The second they were inside, Alara closed the door behind them and said, "the goblins shouldn''t be able to hear us."


    Lukas nodded his complete understanding and then watched her flop onto his bed.


    She lazily reached her arms behind her as if stretching before grinning at Lukas.


    The sight was magnificent, as their simple tunics didn''t leave much to the imagination. Lukas could clearly see the outline of her rather impressive¡ª


    "You''re so dumb," Alara said with a giggle even as she tried to keep a straight face.


    Lukas raised his eyebrow at that remark and then folded his arms before leaning on the door. "I''m dumb, huh?"


    "If you ask me, I''m pretty smart. I even sold literal shit for double its price."


    Alara''s grin grew wider as he spoke, showing some of her pristine white teeth. Her incessant, small giggles caused her nose to flare a little, which was a sight that Lukas decided was hot.


    "Yea yea, the big mighty hero scammed some idiot goblins." Alara rolled her eyes as she spoke, intentionally dramatizing her words. "Sorry, it is quite an insane feat of yours. The goblins were so smart they didn''t question their god completely fucking up his pantheon."


    ''Shit... she figured me out.'' He had expected it, of course. Against anyone slightly intelligent, it would be nearly impossible to convince them that he was a chief deity of a pantheon he knew nothing about.


    Still, he wasn''t worried about her telling the truth for quite a simple reason. If they found out he wasn''t a god, she''d be tied in that rope a million times over.


    Shrugging, Lukas said, "I didn''t see you outsmart those goblins. I''m the only thing that stopped them from eating you."


    "You stopped me from getting eaten?" Alara said with a small smirk. "I don''t know about that just yet."


    ''What the- what the hell!'' Even Lukas couldn''t help but feel his cheeks get hot as they turned red. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Who just says something like that!''


    Casting a wide grin at Lukas, she gave him a wink before returning her arms to the base of the bed. Pushing off the bed, she brought herself up to a sitting position. The entire maneuver took maybe a second.


    "Anyway, " Alara began, trying to force her tone to be more serious. "There is quite a bit we have to talk about."


    "Well," Alara cocked her head to the side. "I think it''s more accurate to say that there''s a lot your dumb ass needs to learn."


    "And lucky for you, this teacher right here is a royal genius!" Alara exclaimed with a large smile.


    Lukas nodded as he elected to ignore the ''dumbass'' jab. If she was going to tell him everything he needed to know about this world, she could call him whatever she wanted.


    Walking over to the bed, Lukas waved his hand to the side as he said, "it''s my bed. Scoot down."


    Alara sat still for a second before scooting down an inch, smiling at Lukas.


    Shaking his head, Lukas decided that peaceful negotiations weren''t going to get anything done here. If he wanted proper room on his own bed...


    "I did ask nicely."


    Alara''s hands were raised the moment Lukas tried to tackle her. However, they didn''t offer much defense.


    Lukas tackled her squarely, wrapping his left hand under her thigh as he wrapped the other over her shoulder. Leaning his right shoulder into the space just below the neck, Lukas lifted Alara clean off the bed.


    "Hey, w- AHH!" Alara squealed as she was instantly thrown back on the bed, Lukas squarely on top now.


    Not offering her any time to fight back, Lukas immediately took advantage of his position.


    First he trapped her legs under his own. Then, using the momentum that gave him he fell forward, extending his arms to pin her to the bed.


    In an instant, she was completely left to his will. The only thing she could do was stare at his eyes.


    "H-hey. You''re eyes are a lovely shade of green," Alara said, trying to feign a look of innocence.


    Shaking his head, Lukas showed that he wasn''t going to be distracted.


    Not by her heavy breathing. Not by the outline of her breasts. Not even by the slight smile tugging at her lips and the intense fire in her eyes.


    It was his bed, and he was going to have ample space when he went to sit.


    Staring into her eyes, his own were completely cold and showed no signs of giving up. In a low voice, he asked, "Do you give up?"


    She giggled at his antics. In between giggles, Alara forced, "N-never!"


    ''Then she leaves me no choice.'' Lukas realized.


    It wasn''t his fault. She was practically forcing him to use the strongest weapon known to man.


    "I''m getting my bed back," Lukas declared as he lifted his right hand off her arm and pressed it into the side of her ribs.


    A second later she squirmed, unable to stop the spasms and squeals as he tickled her.


    "St- stop!"


    "Haha!"


    "S- STOP!"


    Alara forced as her body squirmed even more. Lukas''s hold was becoming weaker and weaker, but he didn''t care. She wasn''t going to come into his room, act all crazy and then steal his bed.


    After a few more seconds, Alara finally conceded. Reaching out to grab his right hand, she stopped him seconds before he would''ve tickled her again.


    Looking into his eyes, she couldn''t help but giggle as she said, "Fine, have your stupid spot, macho man."


    Lukas did just that.


    As he sat down triumphantly, Alara muttered, "I''m better at handling swords anyway."

 Chapter 21: Learning About the Gods

    Chapter 21 - Learning About the Gods"We should probably get serious." Alara muttered after a few seconds. Lukas nodded, remembering what Fenrir had said.


    Somebody was out there with an item that could give godlike powers. Because Physsus was still running around and being a dick, Lukas was sure that the hero hadn''t used the chalice yet.


    But for long?


    "Uh, where to start," Alara whispered, resting her chin on her hands. "Pantheons, I guess."


    For the next few hours, Alara taught Lukas the basics of each of the pantheons, as well as each continent.


    There were 5 pantheons in total, and each were said to have a different level of strength.


    The weakest was the Ushin Pantheon, which was followed by peasants around the world of all races. Like the goblins of the Shindachi nation.


    After that was the Halayian Pantheon, which was followed by the elves in Ikitochi, the neighboring nation of Shindachi. They were separated only by the Mountain, which spread from the north-east edge of the continent all the way down to the south-west edge.


    Apparently, the elven side was luscious and green, while the goblin''s and other inferior races side was this dry, mute desert.


    The next 2 pantheons were fairly equivalent in strength, and both held many warmongering gods. The first was called the Hidokean Pantheon and was followed by the wartorn nation of Vahashka.


    In a place once dominated by dragons, the people living there used their deep connection with the gods to eventually overthrow the dragons. Now, they ride on those beast''s back as they wage war on the neighboring nation of Glacernia.


    Unlike Vahashka, which was an entirely volcanic, fiery terrain, Glacernia was essentially nothing more than an icy tundra. They followed the Skrena Pantheon.


    Then there was the strongest pantheon, the Machigai Pantheon, which was followed by the Isjian Holy Empire.


    Spreading across more than half of the world, the Holy Empire was revered as the single, most powerful nation in the entire world. Even nations that were constantly in war, like Vahashka, refused to defy the Holy Empire.


    It was no wonder that their pantheon was the strongest, consisting of only outer gods. Just a fragment of an outer god''s avatar would be more than enough to obliterate Loki, let alone someone like Physsus.


    Their power was almost unfathomable to Lukas.


    When it came to gods, there were 6 different ranks. At the bottom there were the Low-Immortal gods like Physsus. Although they were Quasi-Omnipotent beings, when it came to the Divines they were barely even a speck.


    Their only abilities were being immortal and having the capability to warp reality.


    Next came the immortal gods. They were much more powerful than Low-Immortal gods because not only could they live forever, but they also couldn''t die by conventional means.


    Whereas Physsus could theoretically be killed by 1,000 cuts, an immortal god would simply tank such an attack.


    However, even an immortal god could be killed. Even if they transcended the boundaries of time, they still occupied some kind of space. They still inhabited some intrinsic part of the universe, and thus could be erased from existence.


    However, this is not the case for True Immortal gods. They are simply the pinnacle of a mortal''s perceivable omnipotence.


    Immovable monoliths that transcend the very idea of time and space, these gods are at the furthest reaches of reality.


    They have no true physical form, so it is impossible to kill them.


    Yet somehow, there are beings even stronger. Because, in the realm of the gods, reality is a myth. Omnipotence is simply a suggestion.


    The next rank of gods are known as Progenitors. Loki is one such being.


    They exist beyond the bounds of reality, only interacting with the mortal world out of a boring interest. Like a little kid stomping ant hills.


    Every Progenitor marks the beginning of some concept, some idea. For example, Loki is the Progenitor god of Lies and Deceit.


    Because of this, any lie or deceit across any level reality exists simply because it originated from Loki.


    He is an immutable force, like any Progenitor. The platonic ideal of lies and deceit.


    Walkers are a mysterious bunch.


    Although they were once mortal, through some method or another they rose to a plane beyond Divinity. Existing even further beyond reality than Progenitors, Walkers do exactly what their name entails:


    They walk amongst the fabrics of concepts. They see the shores of the Sea of Eternity, which marks the beginning of a platonic ideal. They see the endless sea beyond the shore, beyond even the scope of a Progenitor.


    The only thing unknown to them is the other side of the sea.


    The home of the Outer Gods.


    A group who''s power is entirely unfathomable. Explaining even just their avatar was like trying to teach differential calculus to a newborn deer.


    If any mortal or god claimed to understand the true extent of their powers and strength, there was no reason to believe anything they said. They were clearly just madmen.


    After hearing all of this, Lukas went into shock.


    Turning to Alara, he whispered, "So I''m just fucked, huh. These gods know I''ve been acting like I''m one of them, and I already know they''re gonna be a bunch of fickle assholes."


    Alara raised a brow at his words. For a few seconds she sat still, merely studying him. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Those seconds were an endless, torturous eternity for Lukas. It almost felt like one of those Progenitors, those ''beyond omnipotent bullshit'' beings were looking down on him.


    Then she asked, "How do you know they found out? Y''know, the gods can be as dumb as you."


    ''Oh yeah. I guess she wouldn''t know about Fenrir.'' Lukas realized.


    Therefore, he explained the entire situation.


    Alara''s eyes widened the more he spoke, and once he was done all she could do was mumble, "What the fuck man..."


    "Yeah," Lukas whispered, sharing the same sentiment.


    These gods were far stronger than Lukas realized. At first, he had thought of them as nothing more than beings who could teleport you or turn you into jelly at will.


    This was insane.


    And he potentially had more than the hero who stole the chalice to worry about. If Loki decided he was bored...


    "Well, dwelling on it won''t do us any good," Alara said suddenly, causing Lukas to jump.


    She chuckled at that and lightly pushed his shoulder.


    Then she forced herself to calm down as she said, "You''re no good with a sword. Although I was excited for you at one point... well, your sharp plateau is all the proof I need."


    "It isn''t entirely your fault," Alara promised, tapping his shoulder. "You simply don''t have enough of a killer instinct. You prefer the shadows. Intellect, cunning, tactics are your strength."


    "Basically," Alara said with a wry smile, "You''re a coward!"


    "No I''m not!" Lukas retorted with vigor.


    Alara merely laughed at this before saying, "It''s fine. Not everyone can be as cool as me. There''s plenty of other weapons in this world to master."


    Nodding his understanding, Lukas asked the system to bring up a list of weapons he could buy.

 Chapter 22: The Ultimate Weapon

    Chapter 22 - The Ultimate Weapon''What kind of bullshit weapons are these?'' Lukas lamented as he scrolled down a list of items that couldn''t even be called weapons.


    [Personal Shop] ¨C> [Weapons] ¨C> [Affordable]


    ¨C The Nutcracker [DPS: 5] 80 gold


    ¨C Cupid''s Arrow [DPS: 3] 80 gold


    ¨C The Saint''s Magical Wand [DPS: 4] 80 gold


    Essentially, his choices were between a comically large warhammer, a heart shaped bow with 2 inch arrows, or what he really hoped wasn''t a fucking dildo.


    ''These can''t be the only weapons I can buy.''


    [These are the only weapons you can afford right now. If you''d like, I could change the filter from Affordable to Nearly Affordable, which would broaden the search to all weapons that cost under 400 gold.]


    Lukas nodded his head as he did the calculations in his head. Right now he had 147 gold. He made 120 daily from his shop and should be making 700 weekly from his kingdom.


    In just a few days he''d easily have a weapon that costed 400 gold. In fact, this shop seemed nothing short of op.


    Assuming he survived to the end of the week, he would simply have over 3x the amount of gold needed to buy this ''nearly affordable'' weapon. Without any new sales, he would make 840 gold from the shop and 700 from the kingdom.


    1,540 gold every week for the rest of his life without doing anything.


    Or...


    ''15,400 dollars,'' Lukas thought with awe.


    ''Yeah, if I found a way to get back, my brother would be set for life. We could finally have that good life we dreamed of.''


    Even though there was a long journey ahead of him even still, Lukas couldn''t help but smile as the system showed a new weapon. The chalice was gong to be found and returned.


    Then he was going to tell this world goodbye. As long as everything went to plan. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Filter changed to [Nearly Affordable] 1 new item found]


    ¨C Gauntlet of the Boundless Duelist [0 DPS]: 400 gold.


    {This weapon grants you access to both the Interdimensional Card Shop and the Interdimensional Gauntlet. Within the card shop, you will find many different cards that have different effects you can utilize in battle. Up to 5 of these cards can be put into the gauntlet at once, creating a battle deck.}


    {The Gauntlet can be upgraded to hold more cards. As you buy more cards, the Interdimensional Card Shop will evolve and provide you with better cards}


    ''My... my weapon can be something like this?''


    Lukas looked at the screen in front of him with pure amazement. Never in a million years did he think that a weapon like this could exist.


    He could already imagine drawing a big white dragon just in the nick of time. He could feel the sizzling air as the dragon''s great blue flame incinerated his enemies.


    All he needed was 400 gold and¨C


    "Hey!" Alara said, pinching his neck as she waved her hand in front of his face. "I''ve been letting you do your crazy man talks to himself thing, but I draw the line at drooling like some damn buffoon!"


    Turning to Alara, he put aside his wonder as he smiled. Realizing she couldn''t see the system, he explained simply, "When I was put on this quest, I was given a system. Just a simple one, but sometimes it gives me good rewards. Right now, I just got a decent stat upgrade."


    He pushed her shoulder as he added, "it''s nothing compared to your strength, but for me it''s a good reward."


    "Ah, cool." Alara said, clearly still confused. "Uh, what''s a system? Is it like, one of those things that Revivers have?"


    "A Reviver?" Lukas said without thinking.


    He quickly tried to hide his confusion, but Alara had already noticed. Casting him a suspicious glance, she said, "So, you don''t even know that? Every person hears all about them from the moment they''re born."


    Alara pinched her nose, as if mocking some elderly storyteller.


    "Revivers are people that look like me and you, but they''re not of this world. They''re weapons of the gods."


    Meeting Lukas''s confused eyes, she said, "I''ve met hundreds of them myself. Yet I''ve never seen one who didn''t know anything about this world. So, what makes you different? Somebody who has only been given a quest by an idiot low-immortal god."


    "Uh..." Lukas began, unsure what to say. What did make him special?


    Except for the fact that he was once a loser on earth, what made him special?


    Why did he inherit the body of the Divine Simp?


    If some god brought him here, did they seriously think that, because he was a loser on earth, he''d remain a loser here?


    If so, they should know that that isn''t how this works. When you give somebody who never had any power in his life the chance to gain even an ounce of power, they were taking that chance every time.


    There was no universe where he was going to continue the life of the old Lukas.


    ''But they''re gods... they had to realize that...''


    "Hey! Silent treatment isn''t going to work, Ygroa!" Alara said, grabbing his chin so he had to look at her. "Why are you here? You told me that you''ve been performing tasks for the gods, and just so happened to have shit luck with Physsus, right?"


    Her eyes lowered in suspicion. "So, why don''t you know a single thing about this world?"


    "Because..." Lukas began before stopping. After her initial surprise over a system, he was sure that she wasn''t one of those heroes that Physsus and Fenrir talked about.


    Heroes were given systems to aid them in their tasks, but her surprise was genuine. As far as he could tell, it made no sense for her to be the hero Fenrir talked about.


    But still... he could tell there was something she was hiding.


    She had clearly been a noble, but to have met 100s of Revivers who, by her own word, we''re weapons of gods, not nobles.


    "Well?" Alara said, her voice trembling a little.


    "I''m not from this world." Lukas said.


    Alara''s eyes widened. She probably already realized he didn''t mean it in the same way as the other Revivers.


    "Whatever those Revivers are, I don''t know them either." Lukas continued. Even if she was lying about her past to some extent, he decided he could trust her with at least this information.


    "I''m not from this world, or the world of the gods. I''m from another place entirely, a place that didn''t have any magic or flying spider dragons or crazy goblins or scheming gods or stolen artifacts. I came from a cold shithole, a place where i didn''t matter at all."


    "Hey," Alara said softly as she pulled him in for a hug. Lukas didn''t even notice his outburst until after she had stopped him.


    It was the truth though. Even with all the craziness of this world, most of it was far better than his old life.


    "I''m sorry for thinking you were hiding something bad." Alara whispered in his ear. "I''m sure you have your reasons for hiding stuff as well."

 Chapter 23: The Long Road Ahead

    Chapter 23 - The Long Road AheadThey held each other in that embrace for a few seconds before Alara pulled away, her face a bright beet red.


    Lowering her eyes at Lukas, Alara said, "Don''t tell anybody about this!"


    Then she pushed herself off the bed and made a beeline to the door.


    All the while, Lukas placed his hands behind his head as he nonchalantly lied down. Smiling at the ceiling, he said, "Yea, I agree. So embarrassing."


    Alara ignored the remark as she raced to open the door. Then, right before leaving, she said, "I''ll talk to Fred and see if he has any ideas. Leaving out some unnecessary details, of course."


    Lukas nodded.


    Though, he already felt like Fred knew a lot more than he let on. It wasn''t just the fact that Fred was highly intelligent, but just the way he carried himself was vastly different.


    ''Every motherfucker has their secrets,'' Lukas mused, wishing he had some kind of ball to toss at the roof.


    [Personal Shop] ¨C> [Sports] ¨C> [Small Balls]


    ¨C Baseball, Tennis, Football: 2 Gold


    ¨C Yours: 0 Gold


    ''Haha, very funny.''


    still, 2 Gold didn''t seem like too much. It was just a 200 dollar ball.


    Going down to 145 Gold, Lukas smiled at the football in his hand. Then he tossed it up and down, letting the rhythmic pulse it cleared calm him.


    There was quite a lot he needed to do, but the most important was increasing his wealth. More money meant better weapons and possibly even more.


    Considering everything else he could buy, Lukas supposed he should be able to buy vehicles, buildings, and even employees in addition to the gear, class tokens, and random bs he already knew he could buy.


    Also, it was just cool to say stuff like, ''I make a million dollars by sitting on my ass.''


    Therefore, he knew it was imperative that he raised his merchant rank as much as possible. If they were going to be traveling soon, he needed all the stock he could get.


    ''How much would it cost to max my production?'' Lukas thought, mostly to himself.


    Before he could even begin the calculations, though, Nina already had the answers.


    [You make 5 units for free. For every 5 Gold you spend, you can make another unit for free every day. Right now, if you spend all of your 145 Gold you''ll make 34 units every day. 29 paid, 5 for free.]


    ''Nice,'' Lukas said with a hint of surprise, as he had forgotten about his personal calculator for a moment. ''Do I need to pay for those 29 units?''


    [No. It''s a permanent, one time thing.]


    ''That''s op,'' Lukas mused. Of course, he needed to make sure there was a demand to match his supply.


    Right now, spending 145 Gold made sense because it wouldn''t be too hard to sell 34 units. Especially if they were going to be traveling alot.


    Then, even if he only sold them at 40 a piece, the first sale had positive return. By spending 145 Gold, he would make 1,160 from the first batch. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Assuming people would buy the Ice Cream.


    ''OK, do it.'' Lukas ordered as he watched 145 Gold leave his system.


    By tomorrow, he''d be a walking Ice Cream Stand.


    ...


    "There''s a goblin village about 30 kilometers to the northeast." Fred told Lukas. The goblin wore a grim expression, directly contrasting the relatively jovial expression of Poki.


    The 4 of them: Lukas, Alara, Poki, and Fred stood around a table looking at a map. Fred expertly navigated his way through the map, offering many places the hero could be at.


    "Bad hero there?" Poki asked as he gripped his spear excitedly. "Me kill bad hero, me gets good god his chalice!"


    "It''s I," Lukas said almost absentmindedly. It was a little endearing at first, but the goblins'' horrid grammar was becoming too much.


    "I will kill the bad hero and return the chalice to my good god ." Lukas said slowly, hoping Poki would catch on.


    Nodding, Poki cleared his throat and then made his promise again.


    "Me will kill the bad hero and return the chalice to me good god."


    He looked around expectantly, like a little kid who spelled the word car correctly.


    Alara was the first to chuckle. Lukas tried to stifle his own laugh, but after Alara continued he couldn''t help it.


    Both of them began chuckling uncontrollably to the point Lukas had to clutch his stomach.


    Their laughter energized Poki, who flaunted his spear as he chanted, "Me will kill the bad hero!"


    This only incited even more laughter. For the next 5 minutes, Fred could do nothing but sigh and stare at the map.


    After 5 minutes passed, Fred decided it was time to put a stop to this juvenile behavior and said, "Are we done? May I continue with the plan?"


    Poki immediately stopped in his tracks, causing him to look like some kind of war statue. Lukas did his best to stifle his laughter but Alara didn''t even hid her snorting chuckle.


    Biting his tongue, Lukas did his best to keep from laughing anymore. There was work to be done.


    Fred shook his head at Alara but decided this was the most attention he was going to get.


    Returning to the map, he said simply, "There are many enemy goblin camps, but this one isn''t one of them. I''m a longtime friend of the chieftain in this tribe, so I''m sure they will help us."


    Lukas nodded his understanding and heeded the warning.


    The tribe was 30 kilometers away, which wasn''t the longest distance but it was long enough. In addition to whatever monsters were hiding in the desert, there could be other tribes.


    Even if they were flying on the Spigon, Lukas saw no reason to assume they couldn''t do something similar.


    Turning to Poki, Fred said, "Go grab the Arkinia. I''ll grab a few of our elite soldiers and then we''ll go."


    "It''s important that we get this chalice as soon as possible," Fred warned. "If the hero learns how to use it, even the combined force of our god''s army, aided by him, may not be enough."

 Chapter 24: Across the Desert

    Chapter 24 - Across the Desert[1 Goblin Chieftain: Level 100 killed]


    [Experience gained: 5,000]


    [Experience gain lowered due to high level]


    [Level 165; Exp 135,000/ 600,000]


    The man sighed as he pulled his sword from the goblin''s corpse. A soft wind blew through the destroyed village, bringing the sweet scent of carnage directly to his nose.


    Blood dripped from the man''s sword, enriching the scorched sand underneath. Ignoring it, he searched the land for one man in particular.


    ''Rae, where ya hiding ya little jackass.''


    Ignoring the sound of his soldiers silencing the few remaining goblins, the man walked through the town as he searched for Rae.


    One of the straggler goblin soldiers jumped from behind a marble building, screaming "you kill me town! Now me¨C"


    Thwish.


    "Quiet, vermin." The man said, his voice low and filled with hatred. "Noone gave you permission to speak."


    "Ke-ehr" The goblin groaned as blood poured out of his mouth. He hadn''t seen any of the 5 swords the man had summoned.


    They simply came out of nowhere and ended him. Now, they traveled back to the man and seemingly merged with his body.


    [Active Skill {Sword Storm} killed a level 120 goblin]


    [Xp gained: 1,000]


    [{Sword Storm} Level 153/200 (1,001,500/4,000,000 Xp to level up)]


    "Yeah yeah, the experience is shit. Keep reminding me and I''m gonna kill you next ya damned system."


    ...


    It took him a good 10 minutes, but the man finally found Rae. As usual, the stupid Reviver was off looking for loot.


    Rae was in the middle of a seemingly good haul when he suddenly felt something clasp his shoulder.


    "Hey Ali, is that you getting frisky back there?" Rae called out with a laugh while picking up his sword. "Because otherwise, my name is Rae Montoy and you killed my father, prepare to DIE!"


    He turned, swinging his sword with so much momentum that even high tier swordmasters would have trouble blocking the strike. Yet Ali the Goblin Slayer didn''t even budge.


    His only acknowledgement of the attack at all was summoning a sword to parry the strike. Otherwise, his gaze never once left Rae''s face.


    His stupid silky blonde hair and pretty boy looks. If there was one thing Ali could ever hate more than goblins, it would be this insufferable asshole right there.


    However, Ali couldn''t deny that Rae was beyond intelligent when it came to this world. It was almost as if he had some prior, omniscient knowledge.


    ''Not omniscient,'' Ali thought grimly.


    Then he turned a sharpened glare to Rae and said, "Ya told me this place had high level goblins. But all I see here is a bunch of weaklings and you off scrounging for gold."


    Rae offered a small smile as he dramatically shrugged, waving his hands in all kinds of extravagant patterns¡ªespecially the sword hand.


    "I messed up. My b!" Rae exclaimed with another laugh.


    This time, he was silenced by Ali grabbing his shoulder and slamming him into the nearest building.


    Glaring into Rae''s soul, Ali growled, "Stop with your bullshit. You know why I need these levels, and yet your dumbass keeps sending me to weak goblin camps!"


    Rae watched Ali for a few seconds, doing his best to keep from laughing. However, he barely lasted 2 seconds before crying out, "Hey, don''t touch me like that! What, do you want my clothes to randomly fall off?"


    "Punk ass bitch," Ali growled before letting go.


    However, he now had a sword raised to Rae''s neck.


    "Listen closely," Ali began, pushing his sword just deep enough to draw a little blood. "You''re going to give me a proper goblin camp, one that can get me to level 200. Otherwise, when you come back from this next mission, I''m going to kill you."


    "Next mission? You''re sending me away already?" Rae said, ignoring the threat completely.


    "Yes. I''ve received word of some human claiming to be a Goblin God in the southernmost camps. Hopefully, he created the ruse to kill as many of them as possible. If not¨C"


    "Blood, death, horror!" Rae exclaimed with a smile. "You want me to kill him."


    Ali nodded solemnly. "Yes. Any human that chooses to ally with the goblins deserve to die."


    "Of course. Fuck goblins, all my homies hate goblins. Those assholes with their whispering winds and red dot curse..." Rae shook his head like a kid pretending to be disgusted.


    Annoyance flashed in Ali''s eyes once again. He wished that, just for this one time, this fucking idiot could take anything seriously.


    Ever since Ali met him, Rae treated this life like some kind of game.


    Didn''t he realize how important it was to unlock the chalice? To exterminate all goblins from the face of the world?


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