It’s been five days since that grueling fight with the Skeleton King, and I’ve managed to gather enough soul energy to purchase a couple of powerful skills. During these days of intense harvesting, a lot has happened.

We came across a Goblin King, which we initially thought might be as challenging as the Skeleton King. However, it turned out to be significantly weaker, with a level of only 50. I decided to tame it and named it “Mr. Goblin.” Although Mr. Goblin isn’t as strong as Strong One, he’s valuable in his own right. He has the unique ability to command and rally other goblins, even after being tamed.

With the soul energy I collected, I purchased the Crafting Skill and Battle Mastery. I assigned these skills to Mr. Goblin. Now, he can use his Crafting Skill to distribute better equipment to his goblin minions and apply his Battle Mastery to train them more effectively.

Crafting Skill (Cost: 500 Soul Energy): This skill allows the user to create and enhance equipment and items. It enables the crafting of weapons, armor, and various tools, improving their quality and effectiveness.

Battle Mastery (Cost: 800 Soul Energy): This skill grants a deep understanding of combat tactics and strategies. It not only allows the user to analyze battle scenarios but also to teach these techniques to others, significantly improving their combat skills and overall effectiveness in the field.

The green orb directed us to a group of Wyverns in the southeast, and they were brimming with Soul Energy, their levels ranging from 70 to 80. Despite their strength, we were well-prepared thanks to the Crafting Skill and Battle Mastery I assigned to Mr. Goblin. With these skills, Mr. Goblin’s unit was able to create a catapult that fires a net, effectively capturing the Wyverns when they were brought down.

Once the Wyverns were trapped, Mr. Goblin’s unit, along with Strong One, quickly moved in to attack them. I took on a Wyvern by myself, and it was a challenging fight, but I managed to defeat it. The whole operation netted me an additional 13,000 Soul Energy.

After the battle with the Wyverns, I decided to purchase the Ice Manifestation skill, hoping to assign it to Strong One. However, I discovered that I can only assign one element per individual. Since I had already assigned the lightning element to Strong One, I can’t assign the Ice Manifestation to him.

This means I need to focus on skills related to lightning for Strong One. The Three Moons and Tamer skills don’t have a specific element tied to them, so I can still choose an element for myself when needed.

For now, I’ll hold onto the Ice Manifestation skill. Since it’s a significant choice and I can’t pick another element once assigned, I’ll save it for a more suitable opportunity.

After purchasing Area Heal and Body Armor, a new screen popped up that caught my attention.

"Because you have purchased more than 5 skills, you got a bonus skill as a reward!"

The bonus skill was called Go, Grow, Glow!. It’s an intriguing ability that causes a powerful magical explosion upon the user’s death. The user is revived and their strength increases by 1% each time they come back to life. There’s no limit to how many times they can be revived or how much their strength can increase. However, once this skill is assigned, the user cannot acquire any new skills, and all existing skills will be removed.

It’s an interesting, albeit peculiar, skill. The idea of exploding upon death and gaining strength might sound appealing to some, but the fact that it locks out all other skills makes it a hard pass for me. I’ll need to find someone who’s willing to embrace being a human bomb in the future.

I decided to assign the Body Armor skill to Strong One since it’s not an elemental skill and fits well with his current abilities. As for the Area Heal skill, I needed someone who could effectively use it, especially since I’d be occupied with combat and couldn’t focus solely on healing.

I consulted Mr. Goblin about potential candidates for the Area Heal skill. He mentioned a Snow Monster to the north who is a half-mage, half-combatant and could use the skill without issue. However, traveling north was too far for us at the moment. Instead, Mr. Goblin suggested a gifted Ogre in the southwest.

We headed deeper into the west and eventually found her. She’s a smaller Ogre compared to the ones I fought before. Though she was weak, her energy was impressive. I initially considered harvesting her energy but decided to stick with my original plan and tame her instead.

It didn’t take long to defeat her since she wasn’t very strong. I managed to tame her and assigned the Area Heal skill to her. With her on our side, we now have a reliable healer in our ranks, allowing me to focus on combat while she takes care of our team’s healing needs.

For me, it was a long five days, but I did manage to earn a lot during that time.

Just when I was catching my breath, Machos, the one who knelt before Yozak, suddenly appeared before me.

"Hi Commander, it seems like the attack is going to start today," he said, and that announcement changed everything for me.

I was expecting more time to prepare, and now I’m unsure if I’m truly ready for what’s coming. Why is it happening so suddenly?

Machos must have noticed my concern. "I will transport you myself to the battlefield along with your tamed units."

With that, I braced myself for what lay ahead, ready to face the imminent challenge with my team by my side.

I asked Machos, "By the way, Machos, are you going to open a portal to transport us, or how does it work? I’m concerned it might be like how Yozak did to us and Eliza, just suddenly opening a portal below and then finding ourselves falling."

Machos looked at me with a reassuring smile. "No worries, Commander. My method is unconventional."

He gestured to the right, and I followed his gaze. There, stationed nearby, was a truck—the same one that had almost hit Eliza. When did it appear there? I hadn’t noticed it before!

It seems the truck is bigger than we initially thought. When the rear opened, it revealed what looked like an endless space. I’m not sure how it works, but it certainly feels weird. I gathered everyone into the truck and prepared ourselves for battle.

So, here’s my unit so far:

We are fifty strong at the moment. Strong One leads the way with twenty robust goblins as our vanguard. Mr. Goblin and Healing Ogre (yes, I named her that—I’m really bad at naming!) are our support, along with the rest of the crew, which includes a few archers. We don’t have any mages yet, and I’m starting to worry about our strength.

Suddenly, the truck doors opened again, and my heart raced as Eliza stepped inside. Relief washed over me—if she’s here, I know we stand a better chance. She’s stronger than me now, no doubt, and she’s likely gained a lot of skills. A part of me can’t help but want to see her in action.

When she entered, I noticed a brief look of surprise on her face. Maybe it’s because there are so many monsters packed into the truck, some of which she might have fought in the dump site. But then, just as quickly, her expression returned to its usual calm, almost indifferent state.

She still seems like she doesn’t care about me anymore. Maybe she meant it when she said she didn’t like me anymore. Those words still sting, even now.

"We arrived!" Machos's voice echoed inside the endless space of the truck. That was quick, but I don't question it anymore—I've gotten used to this magic stuff by now. As we stepped out of the truck, we found ourselves on top of a mountain with a clear view of the city below. My eyes were immediately drawn to an army of lizard-like creatures emerging from the forest. They looked formidable.

"Should we ambush them?" I asked Machos, ready for action.

"I would suggest, Commander, that we observe for now," he replied calmly.

"Shouldn’t we attack while they’re surprised and before anyone gets hurt?" I pressed, thinking a surprise attack might be our best move.

"That’s a good course of action, Commander. However, it’s not the best one. If you observe carefully, there’s a nearby human military base. In the event of any attack, they can advance quickly. If we engage the enemy now, we might find ourselves caught between the lizards and the military," Machos explained.

I had to admit, Machos was sharper than I gave him credit for. I’d always thought of him as just a transporter, but it turns out there’s more to him than meets the eye.

I used the green orb to get a closer look at the lizards, and it became clear—they were about to engage with some delinquents. They should have run, but instead, some of them decided to stand their ground and fight. It was reckless. They didn’t stand a chance against those lizards. As expected, they started losing quickly.

Meanwhile, I noticed that Machos was right—the military was beginning to mobilize. They had likely spotted the lizards emerging from the forest but were holding back, probably waiting for orders. The delinquents who tried to fight were already down, with one of them barely clinging to life. His spirit was strong, and for a moment, I wished there was a way to revive him—then it hit me, there is.

As I took a closer look at the humans, I noticed something new—“Recruit as Captain” appeared above one of them. It dawned on me that this was my first time back here since being sent to the dump site. What would happen if I recruited him as a captain?

Before I could fully process the thought, my mind was suddenly transported to a throne room, like in a dream. I found myself sitting on a grand throne, and moments later, the man I saw earlier, who was nearly dying, appeared before me. Above him, the name "George Wilmohart" was displayed.

A countdown timer appeared, starting at two minutes and ticking down. The same voice from the skill shop echoed in my mind, “Welcome to the Recruitment Area, Divine Commander. Whenever you hire someone as a captain, both of your minds will be transported here for briefing, but time outside remains the same.”

So, it’s like a brief pause in time, giving us two minutes to talk before returning to reality.

George, clearly confused, looked around. "Is this heaven?" he asked. "Are you a god?"

“No, you’re not dead yet, and I’m not a god,” I replied.

“Then who are you?” he pressed.

It struck me that I needed to change my approach when talking to my human recruits. This wasn’t like dealing with monsters—they might question or refuse me.

“I am Kenji, known as the Divine Commander. I’ve summoned you here to offer you another chance—to fight alongside me against the enemies threatening to destroy our world.” I kept my tone calm and authoritative. I had to act like a true commander now. “You’re not dead yet, but you’re close. If you accept my deal, I can grant you the ability to become immortal.”

"There should be a catch, isn’t there? I might just want to rest now," George replied, his voice tinged with weariness.

“There’s no catch—other than when you’re about to die, you’ll explode, and your strength will increase every time you revive.” Just mentioning the bonus skill I received gave me goosebumps. It was really something else.

"Explode? What kind of curse is that?" George reacted, clearly horrified. Yeah, that reaction was expected—it really is a terrifying skill.

I needed to convince him, and fast. How could I—wait, I knew just the way, similar to how Yozak recruited me, but with my own twist.

“You’re here to decide if you accept my offer to protect your loved ones, George. The choice is yours now. Will you rest and watch as those you leave behind suffer, or will you fight to protect them instead?”

The atmosphere shifted. I could see it in his eyes—he was considering it seriously now.

Finally, after a moment of silence, George looked up at me and said, "I accept."

***

The military tried to stop the lizards, but their efforts were falling short. Their weapons were barely making a dent in the creatures' hard, magic-imbued scales. Among the lizards, Commander Pred stood out as a particularly formidable foe, capable of casting advanced water magic that threatened to overwhelm the soldiers. With both George and Jiro already down, it seemed like Pred was about to unleash his full strength on the military.

But just as he was preparing to strike, an explosion erupted nearby, sending him and several other lizards flying. Pred quickly turned to face the source of the blast, and there stood George, rising to his feet with a smirk.

"I said, I’m not done yet" George declared, the fire of determination burning in his eyes.