Nikolai thought that he must be mistaken, as the Holy Powers were the bane of the undead and Dark Beings. He walked forward, despite his instincts screaming for him to run away.

Just by standing in front of the lich’s ashes, which radiated Holy Powers, Nikolai wanted to vomit his guts out. Something within him wanted to break free from his body and run away.

‘Can it be that I am already…’ Nikolai reached out his hand toward the holy light, and his finger sizzled as cracks appeared on his skin. ‘No longer human?’

Nikolai retracted his hand with furrowed brows. Sweat drops rolled down his face from the excruciating pain he felt. He clenched his teeth as he walked away from the Holy Light toward the comfort of Val’s statue.

[Thou are hither, mine chosen one.]

Val spoke to him as Nikolai stood in front of the statue. The sound was ancient and cold as if death itself was talking to him.

[I never thought that one of mine chosen ones had been… someone such as thou.]

Val’s tone was as if he was surprised, and it made Nikolai’s heart clench. Val knew something that Nikolai did not. 

“Enlighten me, ancient one.” Nikolai bowed his head.

[There’s no want for the facade of respect. I wot that thou are only after mine faculties. That is how I prefer it to be.] 

“You prefer that I don’t respect gods?” Nikolai looked at him with confusion. He was indeed only acting respectfully for Val’s powers, but Val’s response surprised him.

[That is indeed the truth because if thou obtain my powers, all Gods will hate thou and seek thy death.]

Val paused as Nikolai squinted his eyes. The existence of Celestia would only be known later on after the emergence of the Lords. Nikolai saw it with his own eyes, the powers of the beings known as Gods.

They were terrifying.

[Hesitation?]

“Not at all. I’m simply thinking of something.” Nikolai smiled. “If I have your powers and kill a god, can I turn them into my undead?”

The temple fell silent, and Val’s voice didn’t answer for a few moments. Then it came, like the coldest frosty breeze of winter, Val’s laugh.

[Haha, thou are an intriguing ‘being.’ I’ll leave that question for you to answer.]

Val’s statue began to shine as Nikolai felt something enter his body. However, Nikolai still had a question left.

“You didn’t tell me what you mean by ‘such as thou.’” Nikolai asked, but Val ignored his question and left him with a warning.

[Thy actions brought the trial closer. Thou have three months, and I hope thou emerge victorious against the others.]

Nikolai turned to leave and received a message from his system. Having a bright violet color, the panel proved that someone else should have found this place instead of him. 

[Fate has been stolen. As a result, you have obtained 10 Fate Points.]

He walked toward the lich’s body and picked up the two crystals that fell from its body. They were purple and white for Intelligence and Mana, respectively.

Nikolai used them immediately, consuming 4 Points. Including the ones that he just obtained, he now had 57 Points. However, the message from his system made him sigh in exasperation.

[1 Mana Stats Point has been absorbed.]

[2 Intelligence Stats Points have been absorbed.]

His stats rose again, and he was getting closer to the 25-stats requirement. As he looked at them, Nikolai realized he still needed to hunt more monsters.

[Vitality: 18]

–          [Blood Energy: 5.] 

[Strength: 19]

[Agility: 18]

[Intelligence: 22]

[Mana: 21]

‘I hope that Sergio is still safe.’ Nikolai thought to himself as he walked through the tunnel. After he killed the lich, the spirits roamed the place aimlessly. With a bit of caution, Nikolai was able to avoid them until he left the maze.

He looked at the pirate ship in the sky that was full of wandering spirits. His mana was still a short distance away from reaching 25, so Nikolai knew he would have to go there.

‘I need to absorb the other stats first.’

Nikolai took out his enchanted bullets. There were only five of them left. His mana almost doubled, so he could infuse the shots with mana without amplifying it.

‘It should do the trick.’

The lack of ammunition was the leading cause of death among shooters. Nikolai sighed as he loaded his regular bullets and walked past the rocks. He traveled far into the forest, away from the spirits, until he found an All-Stats monster, elemental goblins.

‘Why can’t they be regular goblins?’ Nikolai sighed as he looked at the short, greenish monsters. They looked the same as the one he killed back in the Alm Forest, but their bodies had different engravings.

These monsters could use elemental mana, but they were a weaker species of goblins in terms of physical strength. So, even though they were easier to kill, they were also more dangerous.

An adventurer could know the element a goblin can use as long as they memorized the engravings. Nikolai was locally famed as the goblins guy back in Rohan when he worked for the guild.

He didn’t like the title because he always cringed when he heard it. People who graduated from Rohan Academy went on to become Knights, Guild Masters, and even Kings. As for him, he became the goblins guy.

‘I did have to earn a living.’

Now that he thought about it, he was so naive. After he met the disguised Elven Princess and started following her, he met many powerful people. His life changed after he met her, and despite how ruthless she was, Nikolai fell for her.

But that was only the beginning of the end.

Nikolai found a good spot and aimed his gun at the group of goblins. For starters, he needed to kill their sharpshooter: the Fire Elemental Goblin with his giant staff.

The sound of gunshots rang in the forest as they rained on the goblins. The monsters tried to flee, but there was a bullet to strike them in every direction they ran.

‘I’m back to hunting goblins. I wonder where I’ll end up this time.’ Nikolai pulled the trigger time and time again. The goblin with the giant shield ran in his direction. ‘I also wonder where you are, Lilith.’