[Do you wish to consume 100 Evolution Points to evolve "Crystals of Death"?]

"Yes!"

This was the only offensive skill Stark still had stuck at mythical-rank.

Aside from that, only [Curse Flower] was still mythical, everything else had already ascended to ancient-rank.

No normal player could even dream of reaching such a stage, and even Stark himself found it hard to believe how far he'd come.

Ding!

[You have evolved "Crystals of Death" (Mythical) to "Sharp Crystals of Death" (Ancient)]

[Current Evolution Points: 28]

---

[Sharp Crystals of Death (Ancient): Summon up to 10 → 15 crystals that deal 2,500 → 5,000 damage each. You can now shoot up to 5 crystals at one enemy. Applies the "Poison" status effect. 10 (5)-seconds cooldown.]

[Poison: Deals 50% → 75% of damage received for 5 seconds.]

---

"Damn."

Stark couldn't help but grin.

He had gotten this skill back at level 2, and it had stayed with him through everything.

Now that it had evolved, the difference was massive.

[Crystals of Death] had always been his weakest skill.

It didn't deal that much damage compared to his others, even with the poison effect, and it was limited to striking only one crystal per enemy at a time.

But that limit was gone now.

He could launch five crystals at once, each one dealing doubled damage.

And with the poison buffed too, the total damage potential was absurd.

If Stark's quick math was right, this skill could now deal around one million damage in just a few seconds.

And with its short cooldown, it was deadly.

He imagined chaining it with his other abilities and almost laughed.

The low-level skill that used to feel like a filler was now a powerful spell.

Even more reason to look forward to what awaited him at level 50.

The skill book for [Elemental Spears] would outclass anything he had.

A level 50 skill in [Eternal Soul] wasn't just stronger, it was on another plane entirely, at least compared to the ones before it.

Satisfied, Stark pressed onward.

Hours passed as he cut his way through the monsters infesting the [Land of Mist].

The fog around him swirled endlessly, thick and pale.

But thanks to the [Mist Repellant Ring] in his inventory, he knew he'd soon be able to travel freely through the deeper zones.

For now, though, he continued farming as he needed to gain as much experience points as possible.

Each kill dropped some exp, and his progress bar crept closer and closer to its goal.

And so after another hour of relentless combat—

Ding!

[Congratulations, you have leveled up to Level 49!]

[You have gained 5 points in all of your attributes, and 5 free points to distribute.]

"Almost there," Stark muttered.

Just one more push and he'd be at level 50.

Then he could finally challenge the bloodline boss and claim the [Spirit Devourer] bloodline for himself.

But as Stark got ready to continue after killing more monsters... another notification appeared.

Ding!

[Your "Heart of Sanctuary" has recharged.]

"Oh?"

That caught his attention.

The last time the [Heart of Sanctuary] had recharged was back on the second day of the [First Calamity], barely two days ago.

It hadn't been long, but when inside [Eternal Soul], so many things happen that you sometime lose your sense of time.

He quickly opened his inventory and reviewed his current equipment.

---

Weapon: Divine Staff (Legendary)

Hat: Demon Horns (Mythical)

Chest: Demonic Wyvern Scales Robe (Legendary)

Boots: Calamity Boots (Legendary)

Necklaces: Revenant Bell (Special Item), Dark Necklace (Epic)

Rings: Small Space Ring (Rare)

Backpacks: Normal Backpack (Common), Snake Backpack (Epic), Calamity Fur Backpack (Legendary)

---

He studied the list for a moment, tapping his fingers against his staff.

'Let's see… The [Divine Staff] and [Calamity Fur Backpack] have already been blessed.

I could bless something new, or replace one of their old blessings with a new one.'

Ding!

[You can bless items that have been blessed before, but it will result in changing their previous blessing into a new one.]

"Oh?"

That was interesting, but he immediately shook his head.

There was no point in changing what already worked.

His staff was perfect as it was.

'Alright… what about the [Revenant Bell]?'

That item had been on his mind for a while.

It was one of the most unique items in his entire collection, a "special item" with both passive and active traits.

But then again, there were the [Demon Horns] and the [Demonic Wyvern Scales Robe], both of which were extremely powerful.

If he blessed one of them, the reward could be incredible.

The system's blessings were always tied to the nature of the item itself.

His [Divine Staff] had gained a 20% damage boost because it was a weapon.

His [Calamity Fur Backpack] had doubled its storage space because it was, well, a backpack.

So if he blessed something like the [Revenant Bell], the effect would likely tie into one of its special abilities.

The question was: was that really worth it right now?

He crossed his arms and stared at the mist for a few minutes, thinking deeply.

While he pondered, a stray monster lunged at him from the fog.

Without even looking, Stark raised his hand and unleashed a bolt of lightning that fried it instantly.

The thing barely had time to scream.

These low-level mobs weren't even a threat anymore.

Still, Stark knew he needed to make the most strategic choice possible.

The bell was strong, yes, but he'd likely keep wearing it for a long time.

Its ability to prevent life loss on death was rare and valuable.

The robe was excellent too, but armor could always be replaced.

The horns, though… those were rare.

Hats and headpieces in [Eternal Soul] were far less common than robes or boots, and mythical-tier ones were nearly unheard of.

After another moment of silence, Stark made his decision.

'Yeah. The horns it is.'

He took a deep breath and activated the relic.

Ding!

[You have used the "Heart of Sanctuary" on "Demon Horns"]

Crimson light immediately enveloped him, swirling up from the ground before seeping into the curved horns that jutted from his head.

He felt heat and energy coursing through them as the aura merged into their demonic power.

Ding!

[You have blessed the "Demon Horns"]

---

[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 demons will be SLIGHTLY improved while wearing these horns.]

[Sanctuary Blessing: The demonic aura of the horns powers your form. Your Constitution is multiplied by x5.]

---

"Holy—"

Stark's eyes widened as he opened his stats panel.

[Constitution: 250 (+1,800)]

That meant his total Constitution was now 2,050, which was 20,500 HP normally.

But with the blessing's x5 multiplier, that became 100,000 HP.

One hundred thousand!

That was equivalent to his entire [Unbreakable Magic Barrier].

For the first time, Stark felt like an actual fortress.

Even if he took several powerful hits, he could survive without instantly dying.

He grinned.

This was exactly the kind of edge he needed for what was coming.

Blessing the [Revenant Bell] might have been interesting, but this… this was perfect.

'Yeah, I made the right call.'

He glanced down at the bell hanging from his neck anyway.

---

[Revenant Bell (Special Item): When carried, death will not result in any lives lost. 6-hour cooldown.]

---

It was an incredible piece of equipment.

Most players would probably do a lot of things to own something like that.

But Stark hadn't died even once since [Eternal Soul] started.

It was a good backup plan, nothing more.

And his decision had just multiplied his total survivability fivefold.

That was more than enough.

The [Heart of Sanctuary] was now on cooldown again.

He wouldn't be able to use it until he killed enough monsters to recharge it. But that was fine.

By then, he'd have hit level 50 and be ready for what came next.

The monsters around him were growing stronger the deeper he went.

Mist twisted around jagged rocks, and faint shapes loomed in the fog.

The sound of movement echoed through the air, heavy, metallic.

It sounded like armor clinking. Someone, or something, was walking toward him.

Stark stopped moving and gripped his staff tightly, lowering his stance.

The faint crimson glow of his newly blessed horns pulsed in rhythm with his heartbeat.

'Only one more level,' he thought, eyes narrowing.

Then he smiled.

'Let's see what's next.'

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