"He plays with the world like a toy," Malphas hissed, his fingers curling into claws. "He sits on a throne of red metal and mocks the laws of kingship. He has no title, no history, no right... and yet, he has everything."The envy was a physical weight in his chest, a black bile that made his throat burn. Arthur didn't have to tax his people until they ate dirt; Arthur didn't have to grovel to dragon-commanders. Arthur just tapped the air and the world gave him whatever he wanted.Malphas walked to the window, looking toward the South. In the far distance, past the dry, famine-stricken plains of his own land, he imagined he could see a flicker of light from the "Arthur Shop" a beacon of prosperity that felt like a needle in his eye."I will give Draco his gold," Malphas muttered, his eyes glowing with an incandescent, sickly blue light. "I will strip this kingdom to the bone. I will let the people starve and the nobles weep. But I will have the First Era weapons ready. I don't care if

I realized just in time that I was about to drop a fortune in VP on a bunch of overgrown geckos, and honestly? My budget is for toys and snacks, not for doing the work my staff is already overpaid to handle. It was a total lapse of judgment. Why buy a satellite-guided laser when I have a warehouse full of bored dwarves and a high-octane "Beast" in the upper building?"Change of plans, boys!" I shouted, tossing my empty COKE can into the bin. "Abort the shopping spree! Save the credits for a rainy day or a very expensive jet ski! Everyone, to your stations!"I stepped out of my suite, looking over the balcony with a sharp smirk. "Eto! Tell the boys to wake up the beast in the upper building! Let’s give these lizards some local flavor!"The dwarves didn't need to be told twice. They were far too eager to shoot some idiots. Within seconds, the upper battlements were crawling with bearded engineers cranking levers and shouting about "trajectory" and "maximum oof."Outside, the Divine Tho

Arthur POVWhile Draco was busy having a draconic meltdown in the north, the upper building of the Arthur Shop was smelling like high-end masonry and freshly cut lilies. The dwarves had outdone themselves. They’d spent the afternoon polishing white marble until it looked like solidified moonlight, carving gold leaf into patterns of roses and seashells that seemed to glow with their own internal light.The Altar of Venus was finally finished. And Eto’s men worked overtime until dawn to finish it fast.I stood before it, holding my afternoon coffee, feeling the 185k VP still tingling in the back of my mind. The shrine was chic, minimalist, and looked exactly like something you'd find in a luxury penthouse in Milan."Master, it is done," Eto grunted, wiping a smudge of marble dust from his beard. "We even added a 'Divine Resonance' stone at the base. It’s supposed to act as a signal booster for... well, whoever you’re trying to call.""Good work, Eto. Tell the boys to take a break. Get

"We’re about to watch a several-thousand-year-old dragon meet a Mach 4 kinetic interceptor. If we’re not eating processed meats while it happens, are we even winning?"Ellene and Milla were sitting on the tailgate of a supply wagon, sharing a liter of "High-Fructose" Orange Soda. Ellene had her 12th-circle mana dampened to a low glow, using it just to keep her drink perfectly chilled.The Dwarves were in a full-blown frenzy. Eto, Rufus and Helga had managed to get his hands on a bag of "Nacho Cheese" chips and were currently explaining to a group of miners that the "Crunch" was actually a secret dwarven vibration frequency.Elsa was the only one still working. She was walking around with a tablet, checking the "Patriot" system's battery levels while occasionally stealing a fry from my plate. "Master, the 'Ugly' signature is approaching the 50-mile marker. You might want to stop playing 'Chef' and start playing 'Commander.'""Plenty of time, Elsa," I said, taking a massive bite of my h

King Malphas was curled into a ball in the corner, his hands over his ears, weeping as his palace was systematically dismantled by his "ally.""He’s not a merchant..." Malphas sobbed. "He’s a ghost from a world that doesn't need us!"Draco threw the noble across the room and collapsed onto his knees amidst the wreckage, his chest heaving. He looked at his own claws—claws that had torn through armies, and realized they were useless against a man who fought with relic."I WILL BURN THE ENTIRE CONTINENT!" Draco roared, his voice echoing through the starving city outside. "I will not stop until I see his 'Red Beast' melted! I will lead the ground forces myself! If I cannot fly through his sky, I will crawl through his dirt and tear his heart out with my teeth! ARTHUR! I WILL NOT BE DEFEATED BY A MAN WHO EATS BREAD WITH MUSTARD!"He stood up, his mana spiraling out of control, the black fire beginning to consume the palace floor. He was no longer a Commander. He was a beast of pure, una