Click!

The [Mythical Chest] clicked open, its crimson glow spilling out across the chamber.

The light swirled, condensed, then faded, revealing the treasure inside.

Ding!

[You have opened the "Mythical Chest" and obtained the "Demon Horns"]

"Huh."

Stark leaned forward immediately, reaching into the chest to pull the item free.

What he held in his hands was a set of black, curved horns that shimmered faintly with a crimson aura.

The longer he looked, the more it seemed like the aura pulsed, as if the horns themselves were alive.

Without hesitation, Stark pulled up their panel.

---

[Demon Horns (Mythical): These horns are proof that an individual has bested a strong demon. +2,000 Strength, +1,000 Spirit, +500 Agility, +1,000 Constitution. Requirement: Level 38.]

[Demon Approval (Passive): Your reputation with the demons will be SLIGHTLY improved while wearing these horns.]

---

"Damn!"

Stark felt genuine surprise. This thing was amazing.

The passive was useless, at least to him. Stark had no intention of playing "buddy" with demons.

But the raw stats? Those were on another level.

Strength, agility, constitution… and most importantly, Spirit.

He actually gained one thousand spirit from this item alone.

[Spirit: 303 (+598)]

That was more than his entire current spirit stat combined.

His power would skyrocket. More than double, in fact.

His mana pool, spell output, everything would rise. It was insane.

The strength bonus was irrelevant, but the agility and constitution boosts mattered.

He'd move faster, survive harder.

'This is huge,' Stark thought.

He didn't waste another second.

Pulling off his [Underground Witch Hat (Epic)], he equipped the new item.

Of course, [Eternal Soul] wouldn't let him wear both.

The system wasn't that generous.

Even if logically he could slip the horns under the hat, the game simply didn't allow it.

But it didn't matter. The Witch Hat's attributes couldn't compare. Not even close.

He placed the horns onto his head.

Instantly, they fused, attaching themselves as if they'd always been part of him.

In the reflection of his panel, he caught a glimpse, two small, dark horns now curved upward from his skull.

For a moment, he almost looked like a demon himself.

And with that look came a rush of energy.

His body felt sharper, lighter, stronger.

Mana pulsed more violently through his veins, faster and heavier at the same time.

His entire being surged with new power.

"Good."

Stark nodded, satisfied.

The horns didn't turn him into a demon, of course.

They were just equipment, items that granted boosts.

But still, he felt the difference in every fiber of his body.

He knew there were ways to truly cross into another race, to inherit bloodlines and transform.

But that wasn't what he wanted now.

Not yet.

His focus was on one thing only—getting stronger, and pushing forward.

With the horns settled, he decided it was finally time to check his full status window.

He hadn't looked at it since the [First Calamity] began.

---

[ID: Oblivion]

[Class: Mage of Oblivion (Tier-2)]

[Talent: Infinite Evolution (SSS)]

[Title: Slayer I]

[Level: 38 (350,200/460,000)]

[Lives: 65,694]

[Constitution: 195 (+1,248)]

[Strength: 195 (+2,000)]

[Agility: 242 (+543)]

[Spirit: 303 (+1,535)]

[Free Points to Allocate: 30]

[Current Evolution Points: 41]

[Skills: Blazing Meteor (Ancient), Unbreakable Magic Barrier (Ancient), Hand of Avarice (Ancient), Crystals of Death (Mythical), Vines of Fate (Mythical), Curse Flower (Mythical), Torrent of Lightning (Ancient), Piercing Skeletal Spikes (Ancient), Bind of Silk (Ancient)]

[Prestige Points: 115]

---

"Not bad."

His stats had jumped significantly. His skills list was expanding too.

It was the proof of his progress, a tangible reflection of how much stronger he'd become in such a short time.

But still…

"Not enough."

Stark shook his head. The power was good, but it wasn't final.

He needed more.

He knew he couldn't use an endless number of skills in battle.

Too many would only slow him down, clutter his decisions.

But powerful ones? He'd take every single one he could get.

Because with [Infinite Evolution], all of them could become stronger.

And that advantage would only grow in the future.

Once he was done organizing everything from the [Demonic Ruins], Stark finally turned his attention to the last thing he hadn't touched.

[Olikar's Note.]

He'd taken the quest because there was nothing to lose.

The rewards had intrigued him, especially the mysterious "???" listed at the end.

Now it was time to see if it was worth it.

Unfolding the note, he began to read.

[If you are reading this note it means you completed my quest.]

Stark's eyes narrowed.

[I do not have any fancy rewards to give you though, as you may have noticed I was on the verge of death.]

[But… the only thing I can give you is some knowledge of what I have seen.]

Stark froze. His pulse quickened.

Information. This was exactly what he wanted. He kept reading.

[As you may know, there are other civilizations in "Eternal Soul," each of them having gone through difficult ordeals.]

[But… what awaits them at the end?]

[I think I may have figured it out, and it was the reason why I was killed.]

Stark's eyes sharpened.

[Our strongest demons spoke of wanting to go "further." And I heard the words: they wanted to go to the "Soul Continent."]

Stark's jaw clenched.

"What…?"

Even he had never heard of such a thing. A third continent?

Every player knew the structure.

The [Novice Continent], from level 1 to 10.

Then the [Eternal Continent], where the real game began.

That was all. But this note suggested otherwise.

[Perhaps all powerful figures are aiming for it, but the way seems too difficult for now.]

[The only clue I heard was something about needing to pass through certain zones and acquire items to open the "gate."]

[And the only zone I heard of was the "Abyss."]

[Attached to this note is the key to enter it. If you're reading this, it means I have been caught.]

[But at least… they never found the key.]

The final lines blurred in his vision for a moment as his thoughts raced.

But then his fingers brushed the paper, and sure enough, there it was.

A small, dark key was fastened to the note.

---

[Abyss Key: Allows the user to enter the "Abyss."]

[Note: Do not do it.]

---

Stark stared at it, stunned.

'The Soul Continent…'

His mind reeled. He had traveled this realm for nine years in his past life.

Nine years of grinding, bleeding, clawing forward. He had reached far, far into the [Eternal Continent].

But not once had he ever heard about the [Soul Continent].

And now, a dying demon's note had just told him it existed.

This couldn't be a coincidence.

If such a place existed, then surely… surely it was where the strongest gathered.

Where civilizations met. Where the true endgame of [Eternal Soul] lay waiting.

The thought set his blood on fire. But his focus sharpened just as quickly.

The note said the path there required items, gates, and zones beyond imagination.

The [Abyss] was one such place.

A zone so advanced, so deep, that even his past self had never heard of it.

And yet, the key was now in his hands.

Stark exhaled slowly, rolling the note and tucking it away with the key.

For once, he felt satisfied.

The information he had gained was invaluable.

It changed everything he thought he knew.

But it also made one thing clear. He still knew far too little.

As he tucked the key into his inventory, the chamber rumbled.

A crimson portal shimmered to life in front of the throne. The exit.

Stark walked toward it, boots echoing against the stone floor.

At the edge of the portal, he stopped, glancing back one last time at the throne room.

'I won't be coming back here,' he thought, 'So this is goodbye.'

Without hesitation, he stepped forward, vanishing into the crimson light and leaving the [Demonic Ruins] behind.

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