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Chapter 5: The Path of the Strongest Thief
(Still the same place — Reaper was being smacked around by the god.)
He didn't just steal underwear to burn for fun.
He also stole an ancient, sacred book — one the old god deeply treasured.
Could he read it?
Nope.
So he threw it into the fire.
Even worse?
That book… contained the System Manual.
He skimmed just enough to half-unlock some kind of power,
but got too lazy to finish…
So he burned it anyway.
The other gods didn't even comment.
They simply stared at him — this dumbass who wanted power but refused to read instructions.
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Ten people had borrowed the "loan."
They still had no idea what kind of cursed system they were now part of.
Among them was Kane Velust — the creator of god-tier loan sharking.
And Reaper had already stolen from the merchant Kane was watching over.
The man got home…
But he, like everyone else, had signed a golden contract.
In this world, gold-inked paper was dead serious.
Commoners thought white and purple paper were just legends from the noble class — unattainable dreams.
So gold?
That was divine binding.
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> [SYSTEM: Updating... ERROR. Update failed.]
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I glanced at the screen.
Yeah, I expected this.
They might patch the bug.
That's why...
I hacked the system in advance.
Because I'm not just a steel-and-cement thief —
I'm the kind of guy who accidentally learns loopholes while trying to break rules.
I picked up the wrong book… learned the wrong spells…
Then decided "meh."
And walked home.
This world still had plenty of money left to steal.
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> "This system is hopelessly bugged!!"
The old god slammed his staff.
He stared at Reaper.
And growled:
> "You... again...!"
> "Wait wait WAIT! I don't even know what I did—!!"
A black portal opened.
Not to Heaven.
Not to Hell.
But to the original manufacturing dungeon —
a place even the gods had forgotten.
A prison made for those who tamper with fire.
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Days later...
The merchant made it home safely.
He repaid his debt.
And the thief?
Nowhere to be found.
The merchant mailed me a gift.
Along with one question:
> "Can you explain how that loan system works?
I want to replicate it back at my shop."
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[TO BE CONTINUED…]
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