Chapter 156: Be A God (2)

Following my guidance, the goblins escaped from the disaster.

“

Kerr! Keru!

”

“

Kekerukker!

”

The goblins were jumping around in joy like green chimpanzees. If they had cried “

Hoot! Hoot!”

instead of “

Kerreuk

,” anyone would have mistaken them for chimpanzees.

They’re cute.

The Guardian seemed annoyed.

—You find them cute? Seriously? Zombie, are your eyes just decorations?

Mr. Sword Emperor, look at them with your mind’s eye. I can see what the goblins will become in the future. They’ll be so sublime and beautiful. I can see the future so clearly.

—Aaaaa, I can't handle you, you bastard... I’m so helpless and incompetent that my mind can’t take it anymore when you start talking...

The other species also escaped successfully. The Black Witch became an elegant black swan and guided the Bloodborns to safety. As I was leaving the forest earlier, I looked up and saw countless bats in the sky, following the black swan in a triangular formation.

Oh, that is cool.

As the black swan flew away with her wings spread wide, our eyes met for a moment. Her pitch-black eyes contained the wisdom of a human, not the ferocity of an animal. In an instant, she disappeared beyond the horizon. My colleagues also transformed into mythical animals and led their own exodus.

[The quest has been cleared!]

[You have safely evacuated your species from the Great Ocean Forest of Origin.]

[You have received 300 species points as a reward for completing the quest!]

[You now have 855 total species points.]

The reward was also good.

Five hundred points for creating the first primordial religion and three hundred points as a quest reward. Not too shabby.

—Hmm, is that a lot?

It’s good enough since we’re still in the beginning. I won’t run out of points right away and lose.

—If you say so. After all, you’re Kim Gong-Ja the Almighty Goblin God.

Yes. Anyway, I need to find them a place to live.

—Damn it. Flattery doesn’t work on you at all.

I chose the next item from the Civilization store. It turned out that I could use the store even as a lion.

[Would you like to purchase Bronze-Grade Settlement Search?]

Yes.

I emptied my shopping cart without hesitation.

[You have purchased Bronze-Grade Settlement Search.]

[You have used 80 species points!]

[You now have 775 species points.]

Whoosh!

A video played in my head. After crossing one river and three streams, I would find a settlement quite suitable for goblins.

It’s moderately moist and has a hunting ground nearby... It’s okay.

All that was left to do was guide them to it.

“

Gorr! Gorr, grrrr, gorr!

”

Okay! Follow me!

I valiantly marched forward. Like baby ducks, the goblins happily followed me without question.

After walking for six days, we finally arrived at the settlement that the video had shown me.

“

Kerrrr!

”

Overcome with joy, the goblins threw themselves into the stream.

[Terras really like this place!]

[Terras’ sorrow of losing their homeland has faded away.]

The goblins rolled around by the stream, getting mud all over their bodies. That was their hobby.

The mothers dug out the gravel and spread the clear mud on their children’s backs. The kids let out characteristic giggles. Maybe it felt really good to have mud on their skin.

—They're probably trying to get rid of their stench. They do stink really badly, though it’s not so bad now that they’re covered in mud.

Oh, I guess that might be why.

—Didn’t you realize that they stink, Kim Gong-Ja the Goblin God?

A god doesn't care about every little detail. He only has his great plan in his mind.

—You nuthead...

𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Ignoring the Guardian’s yapping, I lay down with my front paws crossed, watching the mud festival. As I was looking at them quite contentedly, I heard the Tower's voice.

[Would you like to turn this into the new settlement for Terras?]

Yuuuup.

[A new settlement has been discovered!]

[Please give it a name.]

I scratched the ground with a sullen face.

I want to call it Raviel Temple, but I can’t pronounce it. They probably won’t be able to pronounce it either. Hmmm. This earth-crunching feeling in my claws soothes me...

—Hey, how come you're becoming more and more like an animal...?

You’re being delusional.

An insect that looked like a fly whirled around me. Oh, actually, the animal I possessed only looked similar to a lion, so it wasn't exactly the same as one. I just referred to it as a lion for the sake of convenience.

I moved my tail and smacked the supposed fly right on. Before it could even flap its wings, it crashed into my waist and died instantly. Fly hunting became my new hobby during this quest. This was quite fun.

—You’ve really turned into an animal...

If what you’re trying to say is that I have the charm of a macho man, I will gladly accept that compliment. Anyway, I’ll call the place Goru after my roar.

So I roared.

“

Goru—!

”

The Tower responded to the roar.

[The new settlement of Terras has been named Goru.]

[Terras have escaped the risk of extinction!]

[You can clear the stage now.]

[Do you want to do that now?]

—Finally! The message finally showed up! I can finally hear you say other stuff than “Gorrr!” Hey, what are you waiting for? Say yes! Come on!

What? You know what the Tower is like.

—Yeah, I know, I know! I just want to get out of here quickly!

I’ll say no.

The species war spanned from the thirty-first floor to the fortieth floor. Time was going to pass for the species in this world as we moved on to higher floors. If the thirty-first floor was the prehistoric era, then the thirty-second floor was going to be the historic era, and so on.

If I said I was going to clear the stage here, I would meet the goblins hundreds or even thousands of years later.

I should do everything I can before moving on to the next floor.

I looked at the goblins’ status. I had done this several times while guiding them here, but I had to make sure of something.

The goblins' traits are Species Discrimination Victim, Kinship, and Maximum Greed.

I looked through the information one by one.

Species Discrimination Victim

Grade: F

Effect: Terras are ugly! People are disgusted upon meeting a Terra. Because of this, Terras suffer from all sorts of prejudices and misunderstandings. Their appearance makes it extremely difficult to build healthy relationships with other species.

Be careful! Hatred builds in the hearts of those who are discriminated against. As the hatred among Terras grows, they will become hostile toward other species. This problem must be solved before Terras pass the point of no return.

※This trait may change depending on how history unfolds.

This is the biggest problem.

The goblins could be enemies with all the other species by the time I went to the next floor, becoming public enemies like in any ordinary fantasy world. It was the worst result I could get after going through everything to save them.

I have to solve this before I leave... The next trait is Kinship.

Kinship

Grade: C

Effect: Terras have a very strong sense of kinship. When a Terra dies, no other species in this world sheds tears except for fellow Terras. Other people would rather make a toast, chanting “Hurray! The monster is dead!”

This is the inevitable fate of a Terra. They unite under the belief that the only people in the world they can trust are their own. The biggest taboos in the Terra society are betraying and killing a fellow Terra.

Unless some serious tragedy occurs, there is no way for Terras to self-destruct due to internal conflicts!

※This trait may change depending on how history unfolds.

I had read this a few times, but it seemed to be a good trait. Well, even if we were talking about goblins, a species deserved at least one good trait.

—I don't think this is exclusively a good trait...

What? Why?

—No reason. I’m just throwing ideas your way. Get to the next trait. Quick.

Have you finally understood the charm of goblins?

—I just want to be done with this as quickly as possible so we can move on...

The Guardian was really not honest with his feelings. It was clear that he was enjoying raising the adorable goblins.

—No, I’m really not...

Anyhow, we both sat side by side to read the description of the last trait.

Maximum Greed

Grade: B

Effect: Terras’ greed is like an overflowing dam. Perhaps this is caused by their loathing for their own appearance. Terras seek to be recognized for what they own rather than who they are.

“

Keruk!

I applied warm mud on myself!”

“

Kerrrrrrr!

I’m covered with the luxury mud from upstream!"

The desire for something better and more wonderful, an inferiority complex, and the wish to be recognized—these traits exist in the hearts of all Terras, making them very greedy. Perhaps Terras will covet shiny treasures or capture slaves in the future just to brag about whose slave is prettier.

Terras are greedy, but this is where their potential lies. How their greed will change is up to you.

※This trait may change depending on how history unfolds.

I began to contemplate.

They’re really similar to me in some ways.

—Huh? What?

Nothing, I'm just talking to myself. Hmm.

I slowly stood up. As I approached the stream, a young goblin covered in mud spotted me and came running toward me.

“

Kerrrrrr.

Kekerukker?

”

Compared to humans, goblins had fewer facial muscles. Their mouths were too big, and their cheekbones were bulging out. Due to those characteristics, it was very difficult to recognize their facial expressions.

I raised my front paw and hit the rock by the stream. The goblins cowered in surprise, but I continued to strike the rock with my front paw several times. Before long, all my claws were broken.

—Huh? What are you doing?

Just wait.

I pressed my tattered paw against the mud. Mud soaked my fur, making it look like a brush that had sucked ink. Unable to understand what I was doing, the goblins looked anxiously at me.

I approached the nearest goblin. The little guy flinched as the shadow of a huge lion covered him, but he didn’t run away.

“

Gorr. Krrrr. Krrr, Gorrreuk.

”

That's right. You’re doing great. Just stay like that.

I gently rubbed the little goblin’s belly with my muddy paw and drew a curved line as if cleaning a window. Every time I drew mud on him, the little goblin flinched.

—Uuuuhhhh... Are you marking them in some way right now?

“

Gorrr.

”

Yes, I am.

I drew a swirling pattern with mud on the little goblin. It wasn’t just him. After finishing the swirling pattern, I drew markings for the other goblins as well. The lines were crude because I was drawing with a lion paw, not a human hand. They were also messy because I only had access to mud instead of fine paint. Still, they were definitely markings.

“

Kerrr? Ker?

”

When I finally painted on all the goblins, they looked at each other in amazement. After a moment, they started plastering mud on each other for fun, like children who discovered a new toy.

“

Kerrr! Gerrr! Gerger!

”

“

Gerger!

”

The goblins were splashing and playing in the stream. When the markings were erased in the water, the goblins drew new ones for each other, which made them burst into laughter.

[Terras have awakened their sense of beauty!]

[Terras are completely entranced by their beauty.]

[The trait of Terras

Species Discrimination Victim

has changed!]

[Terras have gained a new trait:

Primordial Fashionista

!]

Primordial Fashionista

Grade: E

Effect: Terras are ugly! People are disgusted upon meeting a Terra. Because of this, Terras suffer from all sorts of prejudices and misunderstandings. Their appearance makes it very difficult for them to build healthy relationships with other species.

“

Keruk!

We are ugly!”

In response, Terras changed their culture. They decided to combat their looks with fashion.

“We can show off with our style!”

Terras have a variety of markings on their green skin. The more beautiful they are, the more a Terra is recognized as an outstanding fashionista among their compatriots.

Congratulations! Now Terras have discovered fashion! Bless these primordial fashionistas!

“No matter how much they dress up, a Terra is still a Terra.”

Of course, whether that fashion is recognized by other species or not is another matter.

※This trait may change depending on how history unfolds.

Okay.

I let out a satisfied laughter from my lion snout. During this grandiose species war, I was the goblins’ Guardian Constellation. But leading them was so simple. I just had to raise them in the best way possible.

“

Grrr, grrr. Goreuk, gorrrrreuk!

”

Hey, your species will flourish thanks to me!

I roared.

“

Kekerkereuk!

”

“

Kekerkereuk! Kekerkereuk!

”

The goblins danced around me with mud all over their bodies. It was truly touching.

The Guardian watched the whole thing unfold.

—No... they just look crazy. I hope they won't become Kim Gong-Ja 2.0... What if you end up with a race of wackos like you? No, that’s impossible. No way. There is no way something as hellish as that would happen...

“

Kerrrrreeeeukkk!

”

The goblins' united shouts echoed throughout their new settlement.