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Zhubi had picked up a stuffed toy and was gently stroking it, looking like she really liked it.
"You like it, Zhubi?" Riku asked softly, patting her head.
"Yeah," she nodded.
So Zhubi liked stuffed toys, huh? That was... a good sign.
Riku smiled.
"Lord Riku, why don't I gift that plushie to Zhubi?" Sonia said, trying not to sound too heartbroken. It was one of her favorites, but if someone important to Riku liked it, she was willing to give it up to build goodwill.
"Alright, I'll take it, then," Riku nodded.
Sonia looked pained, her eyes full of reluctant sadness.
"But—I don't like taking things without giving something back," Riku added, pulling out a life-sized panda plush from his storage space and handing it to her. "Take this. Trade for trade."
"——!" The moment Riku took out the panda plushie, Sonia froze. Her expression lit up with unmistakable delight—she looked completely smitten.
Riku couldn't help but chuckle. So the mighty vampire queen, unfazed by Skywinged and Dragonblooded races, was powerless against plush toys?
This panda plush had come from a bronze treasure chest. He'd thought it was useless at the time—funny how perfectly it worked out now.
He glanced over at Zhubi. If she really liked stuff like this, he'd try to bring more over from other worlds.
But she just kept quietly stroking her plushie, no other reaction. Riku shook his head a little.
"Are you sure... I can really have this?" Sonia asked nervously, hugging the panda plush tightly.
"Of course. Fair trade," Riku replied casually with a shrug.
"Thank you." Sonia's face lit up with joy, and she gave him a sincere smile.
Suddenly, she didn't think Riku was so bad anymore. At the very least, he wasn't the type to force people or take things by power. He didn't like owing people anything either.
"Ehehe~ Is this what they call a 'favorability boost event'? Master, you're really good—you totally just won over this little bat!" Jibril teased, glancing back and forth between the two.
"Shut it, Jibril." Riku shot her a sharp look.
"..." Sonia also stared intently at Jibril.
With that awkward atmosphere hanging in the air, Riku didn't continue chatting with Sonia. Instead, he started scanning the room. Eventually, at the foot of the bed on the other side, he spotted a platinum treasure chest.
He sat down at the edge of the bed and placed his hand on the chest.
So focused on the treasure chest, Riku didn't realize he had sat right on top of two pairs of black panties.
Sonia's cheeks flushed slightly pink, and she looked at Riku with a conflicted expression.
At that moment, Riku opened the platinum chest.
With a soft unlocking sound, the glittering chest sprang open, revealing a glowing orb of light.
At the same time, a familiar system notification rang out in Riku's mind.
Ding! Congratulations, Master. You've opened a platinum chest and received: Beast God's Blood.
Beast God's Blood: A special bloodline item exclusive to beastkin. Using it triggers an atavistic reaction, greatly enhancing physical strength and offering a chance to awaken a divine spark. Friendly reminder: Only usable by beastkin. If used by a human, at most it boosts physical strength a little, but also risks mental instability due to berserker madness.
"Beast God's Blood, huh? Perfect for a gift to Fia." Riku's eyes lit up. He had promised to give Fia the best gift he could. He'd considered giving her the Imperial Gear Shangri-La…
But that was just something he'd already used—hardly a meaningful gift. This, though, was perfect for her.
"System, what do you mean by 'atavistic reaction'? Is it gonna change how the body looks or something?" Riku asked seriously after reading the rest of the description.
No. It simply grants beastkin unique ancestral abilities. While the body may change slightly, it will only be in beneficial ways, the system responded in its robotic tone.
"Got it. Not bad at all." Riku rubbed his chin, finally nodding in satisfaction.
It might not be useful to him, but it was something he was genuinely happy to have.
"Master, did you find something?" Jibril noticed Riku's shifting expression and asked curiously.
"Kind of, but... it's a secret." Riku replied with a cheeky grin.
"Aww, that's a shame," Jibril pouted a bit. She'd only seen Riku touch the chest and move his hand—she didn't see anything actually come out. She'd even reached out and felt nothing but air.
"...Sonia, can I trouble you to summon your creator, the Shadow God Gagras?" Riku turned to Sonia, who looked puzzled, and asked casually.
"...Okay." Sonia paused for a moment, then nodded.
Summoning their creator required a blood ritual—sacrificing around a hundred of their own people. But since it was Riku asking, she'd do it without hesitation.
"Actually, never mind. Looks like he's already here," Riku suddenly looked up with amusement in his eyes, as if he could see through endless barriers to the outside world.
"——!" Sonia gasped. Their creator had already returned?
"Jibril, Zhubi, come on. Let's go meet a god. This'll be my first time seeing one of the god-race at the top of the food chain." Riku smiled faintly.
The War God didn't count. Even though the Wise Dragon was stronger than most god-race beings, he was still a draconic spirit in essence. This would be Riku's real first time seeing a full-fledged god-race being.
"Being able to witness the Shadow God's true form alongside you is an honor, Master," Jibril said with a sweet smile.
Zhubi didn't even speak—she just grabbed Riku's sleeve.
Riku smiled and immediately activated Heaven Shift. In a blink, Riku, Jibril, and Zhubi vanished from the room.
"Heaven Shift, huh? That's one handy ability." Sonia shook her head slightly.
Then her expression returned to its usual calm. After gently setting down the panda plushie, her body turned into black mist and disappeared.
She hadn't seen their creator in a long time. He'd completely vanished. If not for a special connection they shared, she might've assumed he was already dead.
Outside, Zhuyue (Crimson Moon) radiated intense power. Her dragon pupils narrowed as she stared tensely at a shadowy figure cloaked in black mist, standing a hundred meters away.
A member of the god-race: Gagras.
"....."