—— The Great Chapter Heist ——
Minky stared at the glowing crystal screen of his laptop in absolute, draconic horror.
His chapter stockpile—once a legendary hoard of 47 pre-written chapters, polished and stacked higher than any mountain of gold—was gone.
Vanished.
Erased.
Reduced to myth.
For a moment, the ancient dragon simply sat there, wings twitching, tail curling in restrained fury. He had crossed worlds. He had survived demon invasions, divine bureaucracy, and three separate isekai systems that tried to classify him as "illegal existence."
And yet.
This?
This hurt.
"GERALD."
Minky slowly turned his massive draconic head toward the tiny bowl on his desk.
Inside floated Gerald the goldfish—unchanged by time, reincarnation, or logic—who was very deliberately refusing to make eye contact.
"Did you," Minky said calmly, a thin trail of smoke leaking from his nostrils, "eat my chapters again?"
Gerald blew a single, defiant bubble.
That was when Minky noticed it.
A ransom note.
Taped to his coffee mug.
Written in Times New Roman, 12pt, the most cursed font across all known worlds.
"Your chapters have been kidnapped by the Chapter Goblins of Procrastination Peak.
If you want them back, you must prove your readers truly care.
The price?
READER ENGAGEMENT."
The mug cracked in his clawed grip.
Minky exhaled slowly, reminding himself that incinerating entire mountain ranges was frowned upon in this realm.
He grabbed his Emergency Creator Kit:
• Three energy drinks (one expired, one suspiciously sentient),
• A bag of stale chips from a cyberpunk world,
• And a stress ball shaped like a keyboard, enchanted to scream when squeezed.
Then, with a flash of teleportation magic learned in his fourth reincarnation, Minky appeared at Procrastination Peak.
The mountain was exactly as the legends said.
A towering mass of unfinished manuscripts, abandoned plot bunnies hopping aimlessly, and half-written character arcs crying softly in the wind.
At the summit sat the Goblin King, lounging on a throne made entirely of stolen chapters.
He looked… unsettlingly familiar.
Same posture.
Same tired eyes.
Same expression of someone who absolutely knew better—but did it anyway.
Only this version had better posture and clean laundry.
"Ah," the Goblin King cackled. "The Creator arrives."
Minky's eyes narrowed.
No one knew his true name.
Across countless worlds, across myths and manuscripts, he was only ever called the Creator—the unseen author, the dragon who wrote realities into stories.
"You have my chapters," Minky rumbled.
"I do," the Goblin King said cheerfully. "But I'm not unreasonable."
He produced a glittering contract written on parchment clearly recycled from rejection letters.
⸻
[THE CHAPTER LIBERATION TREATY]
The Goblin King adjusted his tiny spectacles—stolen from a romance novelist mid-breakdown—and began to read.
⸻
THE ANCIENT LAWS OF READER APPRECIATION
POWER STONES – The Currency of Caffeine
"These mystical purple gems fuel the Chapter Factory!"
• Every 200 Power Stones = 1 Extra Chapter
Each stone contains the concentrated enthusiasm of a reader saying 'MORE!' at 3 AM while ruining their sleep schedule.
⸻
GOLDEN TICKETS – The Premium Pass
"Rarer than a plot without holes!"
• Every 20 Rank Increase = 2 Extra Chapters
"These tickets are forged in the fires of 'I-stayed-up-all-night-reading' dedication"
⸻
GIFTS – The Ultimate Bribery
"Because sometimes—most times—love requires financial commitment."
• Castle = 5 Chapters
(The Creator will erect narrative plot castles in your honor.)
• Spaceship = 7 Chapters
(The Creator's imagination achieves orbital velocity.)
• Golden Gachapon = 10 Chapters + Custom Character
(Maximum offering. Maximum reward. Reality bends slightly.)
⸻
KO-FI DONATIONS – The Sacred Coffee Fund
"Direct injection of liquid motivation!"
• $100+ Ko-fi Donation = 20 CHAPTERS + Custom Character + Custom Event
The Creator temporarily transcends mortal writing limitations.
⸻
REVIEWS – The Ego Boost Potion
"Words are magic. Some hurt more than others."
• 5-Star Review = 1 Chapter
• Detailed Review = 2 Chapters
• Review with Goblin-Themed Memes = 3 Chapters
(Goblin memes are the highest form of literature.)
• 1-Star Review = -1 Chapter
(The Creator must cry instead of write.)
⸻
SPECIAL COMBO BONUSES
• Power Stone + Review Combo
(Stacks motivation. The Creator does a happy wing-flap.)
• Golden Ticket Milestone + Gift Combo
(+1 Extra Chapter that Sunday. Hyperspeed writing mode activated.)
• THE TRIPLE THREAT
(Power Stone + Golden Ticket + Gift)
The Creator may spontaneously combust from excitement, resulting in:
• 3 more bonus chapters, or
• One week in the hospital.
Results may vary.
⸻
WARNING:
Excessive rewards may result in:
• Delusions of grandeur
• Spontaneous sequel syndrome
• Or the forbidden condition known as "Actually Having A Social Life"
Side effects include:
• Writing coherent sentences
• Remembering character names
• Using spell-check unironically
⸻
Minky stared at the contract.
Then at his imprisoned chapters, who were currently playing poker with stolen plot twists.
Then back at the Goblin King.
"So," Minky said slowly, "you're telling me… my readers hold the key to chapter liberation?"
"Exactly!" the Goblin King grinned.
"Your readers are stronger than gods. Each Power Stone is a cheerleader. Each Golden Ticket is a VIP pass. Each gift is basically them buying you coffee—but dramatically."
Minky summoned a quill.
(It was actually a ballpoint pen with feathers glued to it.)
He signed.
POOF.
In a shower of glitter and the faint smell of fresh printer paper, the chapters reappeared—slightly traumatized, but intact.
⸻
Epilogue – The Creator Speaks
Minky turned to you.
Not as a dragon.
Not as a god.
But as the unseen hand behind the words.
"So there you have it, dear readers."
"The Chapter Liberation Treaty is in effect."
"Your Power Stones aren't just pretty gems. They are engines of creation."
"Your Golden Tickets aren't just shiny—they are keys."
"Your gifts?"
"They keep the Creator alive. Mostly through caffeine."
The contract glowed softly in his claws.
"Use your power wisely. Review kindly. Engage boldly."
"Because when you do…"
He smiled, ancient and knowing.
"The worlds keep turning."
Gerald the goldfish swam an approving circle.
"And if the Chapter Goblins ever return," Minky added, smoke curling from his grin,
"you know what to do."
Power Stone them into submission.
⸻
THE END… OR JUST THE BEGINNING?
That depends entirely on how many Power Stones you're holding.
⸻
P.S.
Gerald the goldfish is available for hire as a beta reader.
His rates are two fish flakes per chapter.
His feedback consists entirely of judgmental bubbles.
And somehow… he's always right.