"Just as I thought. The faster you finish a task, the greater the reward."
Adrian leaned back, a slow smile curving his lips as the glowing notification hovered before his eyes.
He had been through this once before — in another lifetime, in another timeline. Back then, the first player to establish a tribe had received nothing more than a dried-up relic of the Fountain of Life — an epic-grade treasure whose power had long faded.
And there had been no reward of one million threads of faith either.
Compared to what he now held, that former prize was nothing but scraps.
This time, he had beaten the world by an entire era.
And more importantly — his treasure was alive.
The Fountain of Life in his possession pulsed with vitality, the faint hum of divine energy radiating from the virtual interface. It was more than just a reward; it was the foundation for everything he would build in this second life.
And there was another layer to his advantage — Infinite Evolution.
The thought sent a shiver through his veins.
If he could evolve a legendary treasure not once, but twice... or even thrice…
His heart pounded. If the system allows it… what will this thing become?
Before he could indulge further in speculation, a cold mechanical voice interrupted his thoughts.
> "Would the player like to remain anonymous?"
Adrian blinked, then laughed softly. "Anonymous? No."
He'd never been one to hide in the shadows. To him, anonymity was a coward's veil — the mark of someone too afraid to stand behind their own strength.
Of course, that didn't mean he was reckless.
Right now, both the players and even the Federation treated Gods of the Endless Realm as nothing more than a hyper-immersive simulation. To them, it was entertainment, a game of strategy and faith.
Even if he drew attention, it would mean nothing.
The truth — that this world was far more than a game — would only surface when a player ascended beyond mortality, when someone became a True God.
And Adrian Cross fully intended to reach that stage before anyone else.
He had lived this cycle once already. He knew the traps, the meta, the hidden quests, the true stakes of divinity.
He had the talent of Infinite Evolution.
And he had absolute faith in himself.
Anything less than victory was beneath him.
> [Global Announcement: Player "Adrian Cross" has led his followers to establish the first Tribe in the entire server!]
[Reward: 1,000,000 Threads of Faith and the Legendary Treasure — Fountain of Life!]
[May all players strive to carve their own glory in the Endless Realm of Gods!]
The announcement echoed ten times in succession, each repetition shaking the entire network of Blue Star players.
The global forums erupted within seconds.
For most, the game had barely begun. Players were still fumbling through interface controls, struggling to coordinate their believers to gather wood or hunt beasts. Only a handful had dared to raid the wild tribes scattered nearby — and most of those raids had ended in bloody failure.
A respected group of beta testers had confidently predicted that the first successful tribe would appear only after three in-game days.
And yet here it was — within an hour of launch, someone had already rewritten history.
The forums exploded.
> God of Tauren: "What the hell?! My bull-men can't even beat the dwarves nearby! How did this guy manage it?"
God of Fire: "No way. I've got three mages casting fireballs non-stop and I still can't take out a goblin camp. This has to be a bug!"
God of Frost: "It's a damn cheat! How can someone rush that fast? Either a dev, or a hacker. Boycott this trash game!"
Forest Goddess: "You bunch of idiots, if you can't win, that's on you. This game's backed by the Federation — you think they'd allow plugins?"
God of Healing: "I just wanna know who Adrian Cross is. Dude deserves a medal — or a background check!"
The arguments grew louder. Some cursed, some admired, some quietly seethed in envy. And yet, one thing was clear — the mysterious Adrian Cross had become a name everyone on Earth now knew.
But while chaos spread across the forums, Adrian remained blissfully unaware.
He was too busy watching his believers — the gnolls and goblins — working together under the dim crimson sky. They moved with purpose, hauling logs, setting stones, chanting as they built.
Finally, the massive cornerstone was set within the sacrificial hall, and a wave of multicolored light erupted from the ground. The Gelb Tribe was born.
> [Log]: Your followers have successfully established the Gelb Tribe!]
[Log]: Tribe establishment grants normal reproductive capacity and access to the Sacrificial System.]
[Log]: Followers' sense of belonging increased. You gain 11,230 Threads of Faith.]
[Log]: Your followers hold a bonfire ceremony in your honor. Faith in you has slightly increased among gnolls and goblins alike.]
Adrian watched them dance and howl around the blazing fire, their fur reflecting the flicker of flame.
A genuine smile touched his lips.
They were loyal, fierce, and most importantly — his.
"Let them celebrate," he murmured. "They've earned it."
He wasn't a tyrant. Believers weren't slaves; they were the foundation of a god's strength. A weary believer was a weak believer — and weakness had no place in the Gelb Tribe.
Still, Adrian knew balance was key.
For now, the gnolls would remain the tribe's dominant force. Goblins, clever as they were, lacked conviction. Their faith was shallow, opportunistic. He'd need time to deepen it before he dared to grant them the gift of Infinite Evolution.
Otherwise, he'd only end up creating power that didn't truly belong to him.
He turned his gaze toward the glowing monolith of the Gelb Festival Hall.
> [Gelb Festival Hall]
Rank: Epic
Description: Built by the Gelb Bloodfang Gnolls using the perfect Tribal Cornerstone.
Effects:
– Sacrifices by Gelb Gnolls yield +20% more faith.
– Reproductive rate increased by 20%.
– Within 20 miles of the tribe, Gelb Gnolls gain +20% combat power.
– Within 20 miles, non-combat recovery rate increased by 20%.
Adrian's eyes glimmered with approval. "Perfectly balanced. Not a single wasted attribute."
Every bonus directly reinforced the tribe's growth and military potential. No wonder the earliest dominant players of his past life had relied so heavily on superior cornerstones — this was how exponential growth began.
He closed the interface and turned toward the glowing treasure hovering before him.
The Fountain of Life.
> [Fountain of Life]
Rank: Legendary
Description: A sacred elven artifact containing boundless vitality.
Effects:
– Produces one drop of Life Essence per day, possessing immense restorative power.
– Long-term consumption enhances constitution permanently.
– Greatly improves fertility and biological reproduction rates.
– Small chance to attract divine creatures.
Adrian's smile deepened.
"A treasure among treasures…"
With this, his followers would no longer fear wounds or attrition. Each drop of Life Essence could heal even mortal injuries — and over time, their very bodies would strengthen, evolving into something beyond ordinary beasts.
If they continued to drink from the Fountain's waters, their bloodlines might eventually transform.
But he wasn't done yet.
Adrian's gaze hardened. "Use Infinite Evolution."
> [System Log]: Infinite Evolution initiated. 10% probability of double-tier advancement detected.]
[Success! The Fountain of Life has evolved two levels and ascended into the Holy Spring of Life!]
Adrian froze, then exhaled a breathless laugh. "You're kidding… a double evolution?"
He clenched his fists, heart racing. He had expected improvement — but not this.
A demigod-tier treasure.
Something that, even in his past life, entire factions would have gone to war over.
> [Holy Spring of Life]
Rank: Demigod
Description: The supreme elven relic, overflowing with divine vitality and unknown magical resonance.
Effects:
– Produces 10 drops of Holy Life Essence daily, with god-tier healing potency.
– Continuous consumption greatly enhances physical constitution.
– Reproduction rate increased by 400%.
– High probability of attracting divine or semi-divine entities.
– (Hidden Attribute): Synchronizes with the Holy Tree of Life to unlock advanced effects.
Adrian's grin widened with every line he read. "Now that's what I call evolution."
The Fountain's luminous water pulsed brighter, casting soft emerald light across the sacrificial hall. The gnolls nearby instinctively dropped to their knees, bowing to the artifact that exuded divinity itself.
Even from the interface, Adrian could feel the subtle surge of power — a pulse of life energy strong enough to make the air shimmer.
With this single treasure, the Gelb Tribe's foundation had transformed from primitive to divine.
Soon, his followers would grow faster, stronger, healthier — and their faith would deepen with every miracle the Fountain performed.
He could already see the future unfolding. The Gelb Tribe would become a holy land of vitality, drawing envy and fear from all who learned of it.
And from this cradle of divinity, his godhood would rise.
He leaned back in his chair, eyes half-lidded, the faint smile returning to his lips.
"Demigod-level treasure…" he murmured. "This is just the beginning."
Outside, within the virtual world, the bonfires of the Gelb Tribe burned brighter than ever, as if answering their god's silent promise.