Reborn As A Beastman With A System

The power core of Warcraft stood at the heart of technological progress. However, this resource came with a daunting limitation, it was incredibly rare and difficult to harness efficiently. On a small scale, the use of magic cores seemed manageable. Yet, when scaled to the level required for larger projects, the cost was staggering.

Even if the combined magic cores across the entire continent were gathered, they wouldn't last more than a few years. This left leaders grappling with a harsh truth: the continent could be bled dry of magic, and still, they wouldn't have enough to sustain their needs for long.

Faced with this grim reality, Logan began to explore alternatives beyond magical technology.

Logan stood deep in thought, his gaze fixed on the senior shipbuilder, Bettingfer, hoping for a spark of inspiration.

"Is there truly no other way? Something beyond magical technology?" Logan asked, a trace of desperation creeping into his voice.

Bettingfer, an expert in her craft, hesitated. "This…" She faltered, caught off guard. The silence that followed was telling; magical technology was the only thing she had ever known.

But then, the still air was pierced by an unexpected voice.

"*There is another way,*" an old voice echoed through the room.

Logan turned toward the crowd, watching as the snake people respectfully parted, revealing a venerable elder. She moved with a quiet dignity, her presence radiating authority.

"Mother?" Bettingfer's eyes widened in disbelief.

The elder ignored her daughter's astonishment, walking calmly toward Logan. Her scaled hands folded into a formal gesture, and she bowed deeply.

"Snake Tribe Elder Mary greets the Chieftain," she said in a voice both humble and wise.

Logan straightened in surprise, feeling slightly overwhelmed by the presence of the former chief.

"Elder Mary, there's no need for such formality," he replied, gesturing for her to rise.

The elders of the Snake Tribe held immense influence. In their matriarchal society, these women not only selected new chiefs through a rigorous election system but also had the power to remove them if necessary. The tribe had three elders: two were sixth-rank magicians, and one a formidable fifth-rank. Each was over a century old, their wisdom tempered by years of leadership and magical mastery.

Elder Mary was no ordinary elder; her background included mastery in shipbuilding, alongside Bettingfer. Her arrival intrigued the gathered crowd, especially Astali, a young member of the tribe who whispered to Logan, "Elder Mary is also a senior shipbuilder, like Bettingfer."

Logan turned to Elder Mary, his curiosity piqued. "Elder Mary, earlier, you mentioned another form of shipbuilding technology. What did you mean by that?" he asked with a polite smile.

The elder's sharp eyes met his as she responded solemnly, "There exists a non-magical shipbuilding technology, Chieftain; one that belongs to the Goblin Empire."

The mention of the Goblin Empire gave Logan pause. He had heard stories about the goblins, a peculiar and misunderstood race. Goblins were known for being short, unattractive, and notoriously greedy, but they possessed an uncanny ability to thrive despite their shortcomings. They controlled a vast continent of their own, dominating a third of the world's oceans with an unmatched naval presence.

"They may look unimpressive, but their technology has forced the other races to respect them," Elder Mary said, a wistful note in her voice.

Logan leaned forward, intrigued. "Have you ever met a goblin shipbuilder?" he asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

The elder's eyes darkened slightly, recalling old memories. "Yes, I have. Goblins are unlike any other race. Despite their greed and frailty, they've achieved greatness where others faltered. They have no gods, no divine protection, and no celestial guidance. In the eyes of most, they are a forsaken race."

Logan felt a chill run down his spine. The idea of a race without gods was deeply unsettling, especially in a world where divine beings influenced nearly every facet of life. The goblins were a paradox, weak yet powerful, outcast yet prosperous.

"How could a people with no gods become so powerful?" Logan murmured, half to himself. The answer seemed elusive, hidden behind layers of greed and ingenuity.

Mary gave a knowing smile. "The answer lies in their one true faith; gold. To goblins, wealth is everything. It is their god, their purpose, and their guiding light. Gold coins, not divine blessings, have built their empire."

The room fell into a contemplative silence as Logan pondered Mary's words. The goblin way was different, strange, even unsettling, but it worked. If their technology held the key to building ships without relying on magic, then it was a path worth exploring.

"We need to learn from the goblins," Logan said finally, his voice resolute.

Mary inclined her head, the faintest hint of approval in her expression. "It will not be easy, Chieftain. But if you wish to build without magic, the goblins are the only ones who can show the way."

---

And with that, a new chapter began; a pursuit of knowledge beyond magic, in search of a technology that could change everything. The path ahead was uncertain, but one thing was clear: the future of the Snake Tribe, and perhaps the entire continent, would be shaped not by spells or incantations, but by the ingenuity of a race abandoned by gods, whose only worship lay in the clink of gold coins.

They say that the Emperor of the Goblin Empire is the richest being in the world and if he isn't, well, he doesn't get to stay emperor. It's whispered in every tavern and market that the goblin emperor's authority rests not on lineage or conquest, but on the weight of his treasure. Without wealth, he would cease to be recognized as ruler.

"Ridiculous," Logan muttered to himself. The notion seemed absurd, an empire ruled by money alone, where power could vanish as soon as the gold did. And yet, the might of the Goblin Empire could not be denied.

The goblins' influence stretched far and wide, especially across the seas. Their merchant caravans sailed the ocean like flocks of seabirds, appearing in ports and cities across the world. It was said that the goblin fleets were so vast that wherever one turned their eyes toward the horizon, a goblin ship wouldn't be far from sight.

With their navy unrivaled, they controlled a third of the world's oceans, a fact that even the proudest nations dared not challenge.

But these stories remained shrouded in rumors and hearsay. Logan had never confirmed any of it for himself. What baffled him most was that, despite their supposed omnipresence, not a single goblin merchant could be found in Canyon City, a hub that should have attracted their attention.

"Strange," Logan thought. "They should be everywhere." But perhaps it was simply his own limited perspective, after all, he was no merchant, just a chieftain trying to make sense of the world. Goblins, it seemed, only appeared where gold could be found. If there was no profit to be made, they stayed away, lurking in the shadows until opportunity knocked.

"No, I've never been to the Goblin Empire myself," Elder Mary admitted, her voice raspy with age. "I grew up in the Golden Basin, far from the sea."

She paused, her eyes narrowing as if peering through the mists of memory. "However, my grandfather traveled there once. He described it as a devil's playground; a place where anything is possible, so long as you have the coin."

Her words carried a weight of caution, as though the freedom of the goblin realm was both exhilarating and terrifying.

"My grandfather was a shipbuilder, too," she continued. "He met the goblin craftsmen, those strange little creatures. He said they were unlike anyone he'd ever seen, masters of technologies beyond magic, capable of things we can scarcely imagine."

Mary's voice dropped into a conspiratorial whisper. "They've even built cities that can fly."

The room fell silent. Everyone, from Logan to the senior shipbuilder Bettingfer, stared at Elder Mary in disbelief. A flying city? The idea was preposterous.

"You're saying they can lift an entire city into the air?" Logan asked, struggling to keep his skepticism from showing. "That's impossible! Even the smallest city is enormous, how could such a thing fly?"

Mary gave a knowing smile, as if she had expected such a reaction. "That's what my grandfather told me. Whether or not you believe it is up to you. But I do know this; those goblins have mastered technologies far beyond our understanding. Not everything they create runs on magic."

There was no trace of doubt in her voice. The conviction in her eyes was enough to make Logan reconsider his skepticism.

Logan remained silent for a moment, lost in thought. The tales of flying cities and goblin ingenuity swirled in his mind, stirring a strange sense of possibility. Then, as if struck by inspiration, he reached into his space ring and pulled out a blueprint; one he had acquired through the mysterious system warehouse.

The worn parchment unrolled with a whisper, revealing a detailed drawing.

The elder Mary, Bettingfer, and the others leaned in, curious about what their chieftain had just unveiled.

"What is this?" Mary asked, her gaze flickering between the strange symbols and the intricate design sketched on the blueprint.

"This," Logan said, a hint of excitement in his voice, "is a steam engine."

"A steam engine?" Mary repeated, the unfamiliar term rolling awkwardly off her tongue. Bettingfer and the others exchanged puzzled glances, clearly at a loss.

Logan smiled. "Allow me to explain. A steam engine converts steam into energy. It works by using a boiler to heat water, producing high-pressure steam. That steam expands, pushing a piston. The piston's movement drives gears, which can be used to power all kinds of machinery."

Mary stepped closer, studying the blueprint with renewed interest. The lines and diagrams seemed both alien and intriguing, as though hinting at an entirely new way of thinking.

"Steam?" she echoed, as if testing the word on her tongue. She leaned in, squinting at the design as if trying to unlock its secrets.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

After several minutes of silence, the elder straightened, her expression a mix of confusion and wonder. "Chieftain... I'm afraid I still don't quite understand. You say this machine can work without magic?"

Logan nodded. "Precisely. It requires no spells, no enchantments; just heat, water, and pressure."

The idea seemed almost too good to be true. The elders and shipbuilders had spent their entire lives bound by the limitations of magic. The thought of a machine that could function without it was revolutionary, and unsettling.

Mary's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "If such a thing is possible… it could change everything. But this design; does it work? Have you seen it in action?"

Logan shook his head. "Not yet. But if the goblins can build flying cities, then surely we can master the steam engine."

The room filled with a strange, hopeful energy. The blueprint in Logan' hands was more than just a piece of parchment, it was a doorway to a new world, one where the limitations of magic no longer held sway.

"Perhaps the goblins have the answers we need," Mary said slowly, her eyes gleaming with possibility. "If we could unlock this knowledge, we wouldn't have to rely on magic cores anymore."

Logan nodded, feeling the weight of her words settle over him. The road ahead would not be easy, but it was clear that the future lay not in magic, but in technology.

The steam engine was only the beginning.

With a sense of purpose, Logan rolled up the blueprint and tucked it safely away. "We have work to do," he said, glancing at the elders and shipbuilders gathered around him.

Mary gave a slow nod. "Indeed, Chieftain. The future will not wait for us. Let's begin."

And so, with a blueprint in hand and curiosity in their hearts, they set out on a path that would take them beyond the world of magic, into the unknown realm of steam and ingenuity; where goblins, not gods, ruled the skies.