While receiving a report in his office, James gnashed his teeth. Unbelievable things were happening.

"What did you just say? They know?"

"Yes. A staggering half of our followers have left!"

"Tell me in more detail!"

"W-well, they just suddenly left without a word. We only just realized it now..."

James was on the verge of going crazy. It was almost all done.

It was supposed to be over once he concealed the death of Lao, the cult leader, or simply announced that Lao had been killed by the Hero, then claimed a divine revelation and succeeded him.

However, the Limani side struck first. It was a sharpness they hadn’t shown before.

"Does this even make sense?!"

"What... should we do?"

James went into a frenzy, shouting the pastor who was reporting to him.

"What in the world happens suddenly?! Goddammit!"

He raged. Everything had been going according to plan until now.

He had first secured all visible dungeons nationwide to delay the growth of any Heroes who might interfere with him.

Furthermore, he had planned to fabricate the cult leader’s death to fit his own narrative.

It was an easy task. He had always done it.

But everything had gone awry.

Kriik!

Another pastor entered and reported.

"It’s a disaster! The followers have come out all over the streets and are... they’re...!"

"What is it? Speak quickly!"

"They’re trying to drive Cardinal James out, calling him a heretic!"

He was dumbfounded. He was so flabbergasted that his upper and lower lips trembled. He gradually began to pant.

The pastor asked with a blank face.

"What should we do?"

"Fuck."

James killed the newly arrived pastor, then slammed his fist on the desk. Of course, only his hand hurt.

"Fuck, am I the only one thinking? Am I the only one thinking?! You incompetent bastards. There isn’t a single useful one among you!"

James, unaware that this was his own karma, only raged. In the end, he was merely a pathetic vessel, only capable of imitating a cult leader.

Of course, he instinctively knew he was in a crisis. But how?

"Intelligence reported something happened to Sanji earlier. What should I do?"

One of the corpses rose like a snake. James was terrified.

"W-what?!"

The corpse opened its eyes. Both eyes were already stained crimson.

"Heh heh, you’re causing quite a stir. For a mere worm."

"What? You’re not dead?"

James aimed his gun again. But the corpse remained calm.

It emitted an eerie voice, like the dawn mist.

"Don’t worry. I’ve merely borrowed this one’s body for now. Once this one’s breath ceases, I can no longer interfere."

"Who are you?!"

The corpse chuckled. As if asking such a question was ridiculous.

"How insolent. How can a believer not recognize the god they worship? Pathetic."

James’s mouth fell open. Although he was a cult leader who preached sins, he superficially believed in a god.

Of course, to call him a god, he was merely a fabricated figure from legend.

"C-could it be... Lord? Have you manifested yourself?"

"Indeed. I am Tris Narg, whom you believe in."

Tris Narg finished his reply with a satisfied smile. James was slowly going insane.

"No way! He actually existed? Wait, why now of all times? Why now?!"

The current situation alone was complicated enough to drive him to death.

"Oh, Lord!"

Seeing James collapse, Tris snorted.

"Hmph, you usually sell my name and commit dirty deeds. And now you call me that?"

"S-sorry! Oh, Lord. I have committed a mortal sin!"

"It’s not a mortal sin. Isn’t that just human nature?"

James was flustered, seeing Tris actually affirm him. He never expected his actions to be approved.

"I descended here to give a reward to you, who have so well practiced human nature."

"T-to me?"

"Yes. You’re in quite a crisis now, aren’t you? Isn’t this a good opportunity?"

Tris was right. If things continued like this, James would be finished.

Sanji was defeated, and half his followers had turned against him. He had to overturn the situation here.

James slammed his head against the floor.

"Lord, protect this pathetic lamb! Protect him!"

"Rise. And take this."

Tiiing!

What he offered was a crimson-glowing ring. As James swallowed dryly and accepted it, Tris slowly sank down.

"It is one of Grant’s Holy Relics. It will exert power proportional to your desires...."

As he put on the ring, a crimson aura enveloped James. And he was astonished by an ecstasy he had never felt in his life.

"Power, I feel power surging. Why? What is this? Uh-huhahahahaha!"

Thus, James received a terrible, first and last, divine selection.

***

James seemed like a different person. In that fleeting moment I glimpsed him, he was using a peculiar power.

"What was that all of a sudden? And what was that ring?"

Questions kept flooding in. The Goddess said a word.

"Hmm? Lord Grant’s Three Holy Relics were the Hawkdia? I learned in history books that they were Lord Grant’s Three Holy Relics. They’re famous both historically and mythologically, aren’t they? Though their components aren’t known."

"Nah, that? No matter what, it’s not at a level to be called a Holy Relic, is it?"

That ring certainly emitted an overwhelming aura. It even transformed countless people into flower petals in an instant. It was powerful, but...

Honestly, don’t high-grade artifacts all do that much? Or maybe that cult leader actually made contact with a god?

"Don’t worry, Goddess. Let’s observe further for now."

"Since it’s the capital, there will be many people to stop him even without me. I want to do what I need to do in the meantime."

Like growing stronger, or managing the Sky Island.

Before coming to the Sky Island, those who rushed at James were all late-stage Experts.

There shouldn’t be any worries for a while.

"No. When I entered the capital, I briefly looked around, and almost all of them were empty."

It was thanks to James’s nationwide dungeon-clearing project. That bastard.

Therefore, he judged that growing by conquering existing dungeons was impossible.

"If it doesn’t work in reality, I have no choice but to do it here!"

He pointed around the Sky Island. He looked at the island across from them.

It was an island he had newly discovered last time. What if there were more Sky Islands in this unknown world?

Those islands were unpredictable existences from the start. He didn’t know what might be there, what hardships, traps, or even special benefits they might hold.

"What if an event occurs that’s significant enough to grant a quest?"

Then that would essentially be a dungeon. He aimed for this.

Because ever since he came to the Sky Island, he had spent points to build a hot spring resort from the very beginning.

This was a form of investment, and in a way, it was a quest concept.

Do something, achieve something.

It wasn’t even a difficult concept to understand. That’s why he made this conjecture.

As he looked at the island, a transparent bridge suddenly appeared. It would shimmer in the sunlight and then disappear.

He tilted his head, then headed towards it.

"Does this mean I can go?"

He tentatively stepped onto the transparent bridge.

Strangely, he didn’t fall. Normally, if he tried to float here, it would be forcibly canceled.

This transparent bridge was safe. He swallowed dryly and moved forward.

A cool breeze blew, and clouds passed by. The clear sunlight illuminated the transparent bridge, as if showing him the way forward.

He crossed the bridge completely and arrived at the island. The climate and scenery here were different.

It was a place that was half beach and half jungle. It was hot, but the climate was refreshing.

He could even see white cliffs overlooking the sea if he ran along the beach. Everything was artistic, as if drawn in a painting.

[This Sky Island has no designated owner.]

[Clear the mission.]

『Mission - Jungle and the Beach』

-Objective: Defeat Steampunk Goblin [0/5], Stranded Kraken [0/1]

-Reward: Sky Island Ownership, One Desired Building, Random Sculptures x20

Huh, so that’s how it is. This will be fun.

As I agreed, my vision instantly expanded.

The island suddenly expanded greatly, like a whole world, and then waves crashed and bird songs began to be heard clearly.

"Huh, how strange."

Recalling the mission details, I first entered the jungle. Five Steampunk Goblins and one Stranded Kraken.

"Ha, what even is a Steampunk Goblin to begin with? And a Kraken is tricky, being a huge creature with overwhelming power and intelligence."

Recalling strategies, I looked around the jungle. It was quiet for now, but...

Suddenly, a dart flew from between the bushes. I dodged by throwing my body sideways, then looked in the direction it came from.

There was nothing.

"So this is how you want to play?"

Swishhh!

This time, a dart flew from the opposite direction. But this, it wasn’t the sound of a dart flying.

When I raised my head, I saw goblins with boosters strapped to their backs and small muskets with scopes.

"Intruder, intruder!"

"Everyone, spread out into formation!"

They engaged in combat quite intelligently. They couldn’t fly high, but even so, if I tried to close the distance, they would spread out in a fan shape and shoot poison darts.

Moreover, if I aimed for one, another would throw a smoke bomb or flashbang to stop me.

"Then how about this?"

I tried to win with a speed battle.

As I ran with my aura activated, the ground beneath me suddenly gave way.

Instinctively, I used magnetism to float up, and below, I saw a trap.

Even trying a speed battle was difficult because of the traps.

"For goblins, they’re damn smart. But in the end, a goblin is still a goblin."

Activating my lightning aura, I slowly floated upwards. In that state, I kicked a thick coconut tree.

With that recoil, I instantly reached the nearby goblin.

[Enemy defeated!]

[Acquired Collector Points (CP) 5000!]

Paak! Swihiiik, Sseogeok!

I dealt with the goblins in this manner. Of course, I intentionally left one half-crippled.

Their organized play was good, but they were lacking in specs.

"Kihik, kill me, human!"

"I’m not killing you. I’m just making you wish to die."

"What?!"

The goblin glared as if asking what I meant. I grabbed it and threw it straight into the sea.

Then I gathered ki into my sword. After waiting for a moment, a shadow rose from the sea, and then...

It instantly engulfed the goblin. The Kraken’s suction-cupped tentacles emerged. Good, so it’s there, isn’t it?

"Dawn Guardiannnn!"

While the Kraken was taking care of the goblin, I unleashed Dawn Guardian. The seawater briefly parted on both sides, and the Kraken screamed as it disintegrated.

[Enemy defeated!]

[Acquired Collector Points (CP) 15000!]

[Mission complete!]

[Acquired ownership of this Sky Island!]

"Meowwwwwww!"

I jumped in place and cheered. With this, new island acquired!

"Hmm, but what kind of building should I erect?"

Once the joy passed, a dilemma arose. What kind of building should I construct here?