After leaving the [Church Sanctuary] with the reward from the "Sanctuary" challenge, Stark didn't waste any time.

He mounted the [Ghost Wolf] and urged it forward, letting the beast sprint across the ruined landscape.

The wolf's paws pounded against the ground in rapid rhythm, kicking up dust as the city walls of [Shell City] came into view.

The journey was short, barely thirty minutes with the wolf's speed.

The ruined city passed behind him, fading into silence, and soon the faint light of the safe zone's boundary shimmered ahead.

[Shell City] was nearly deserted.

Most of the other players had already left, returning to their own ruined cities.

Their target was obvious: the [Tower of Destiny].

That tower was the big deal right now, the place where players could test themselves and climb floor by floor for rewards.

And since Stark had already cleared it first, he didn't need to go back anymore.

That part of the game was done for him.

Now all that remained was surviving the [First Calamity], and once that was over, he'd be free to push deeper into the world.

Stark glanced beyond the city's walls.

Past [Shell City], the monsters waiting in the wilds were already level 26–30.

For the average player, they were far too dangerous.

Even teams would struggle against them.

But Stark wasn't "average." He had other goals in mind too.

One of them was Olikar's quest.

The old man had tasked him with reaching the bottom of the [Demonic Ruins].

That place was infamous, even in the early game, and it promised both risk and reward.

If Stark could complete it, the advantage he'd gain would be massive.

Their levels would stall as they hit roadblocks, while he would keep moving forward.

Even [Ghost] would start to fall behind in levels.

"Alright," Stark muttered to himself as he looked around the near-empty city square. "Then I better grind for as many [Lives] as I can before the week passes."

He didn't have the luxury of wasting time.

...

Meanwhile...

Slash! Ding!

[You have completed the "Fourth Floor (Epic)" of the "Tower of Divinity"]

Ghost and Starfall stood inside the tower's clearing.

The fourth floor boss lay defeated before them, its body fading into motes of light.

The fight had been brutal.

Still, after a long battle, the two had managed to take it down.

And with its death came rewards.

The [Tower of Divinity] was designed so that all players faced the same bosses.

The only thing that changed was the loot each person got from the fight.

Stark had gained a skill book called [Bone Spikes] when he cleared this floor.

Ghost and Starfall, on the other hand, saw a robe drop from the corpse.

---

[Undead Saint Robe (Epic): +173 Spirit, +205 Constitution. Requirement: Level 25]

[Skeletal Barrier (Passive Skill): When the user is about to get hit, a skeletal barrier will appear to tank up to 3 hits. 1-hour cooldown.]

---

"Wow!" Grace's eyes lit up as she grabbed the robe.

Without hesitation, she put it on.

The black and gray garment shimmered with faint runes.

Even as a mage, she could now take some hits without being instantly killed!

The passive ability was lifesaving in more ways than one.

Ghost didn't receive anything special from the kill, but she didn't complain.

She was glad her partner got stronger, it made their duo harder to beat.

But then the tower presented its usual prompt.

[Do you wish to climb to the "Fifth Floor (Legendary)"?]

The words floated in front of them, tempting and dangerous.

Ghost's eyes narrowed.

She could feel her [Assassin's Intuition] flaring.

That sense always warned her when death was near.

And this time, it screamed at her.

"No," Ghost shook her head firmly. "We can't beat it."

The boss waiting on the fifth floor would be legendary-rank.

They'd barely survived an epic-rank opponent.

To try again now would be suicide.

"Oblivion managed to do it so fast," Grace mumbled, scratching her chin, "Just how strong is he?"

Ghost knew that too, but she didn't like comparing herself to others.

That wasn't her style.

Oblivion wasn't her benchmark.

But even she had to admit, the speed at which he cleared the tower had been inhuman.

Still, she wasn't stupid.

The two refused the climb, and a portal appeared in front of them, shimmering and stable.

Without hesitation, they stepped through, returning to the world outside.

Stark's advice echoed in their heads.

He had told them to extract important items into the real world before the [First Calamity].

They had nothing to lose by listening.

And it wasn't like the tower was going anywhere.

...

Hours later, another pair faced the same test: Max and Seren.

They had struggled far harder against the [Undead Saint].

Their fight dragged on for over twenty minutes, both players giving it their all just to stay alive.

But in the end, they pulled it off.

The prompt appeared before them.

[Do you wish to climb to the "Fifth Floor (Legendary)"?]

Max grinned.

"Duh. We killed that epic boss. Can't be that bad in comparison, right?"

Seren smirked. "And if Oblivion can do it, so can we."

Together, they believed nothing could stop them.

But arrogance was dangerous in [Eternal Soul].

They hadn't seen the true horrors that awaited them further!

Someone with a brain would have surely decided to call it quits.

Especially since completing the [Fourth Floor] was already a huge feat.

But... Max and Seren were too greedy!

The moment they accepted, their surroundings changed.

The chamber shifted, stone walls dissolving into white marble pillars.

At the center stood a figure wielding twin weapons, a sword and a staff.

The [Divine Dual Wielder].

It raised its head slowly, its voice calm. "New… people…"

"Haha! This one can talk," Max laughed.

He stepped forward confidently. "Looks like we'll get to hear you scream when we kill—"

The boss moved.

Divine Strike!

Slash!

-4,150!

Max's health bar plummeted.

He had over 5,500 HP thanks to one his [Blood is Fuel] talent's passives, yet one attack nearly erased him.

Seren's heart jumped.

She quickly cast [Divine Healing], restoring him to full.

"Good try," Max spat at the boss. "But now you'll regret that."

He rushed in recklessly.

The [Divine Dual Wielder] didn't chase him.

Instead, it raised its staff, channeling holy fire.

Divine Flames!

Max braced himself, but this time the spell didn't target him.

It went for Seren.

Fwish!

The wave of fire engulfed her, burning through her health instantly.

She screamed once, then fell silent as her body collapsed into ash.

"You little—" Max turned back in rage.

Too late. The boss's sword flashed, striking across his neck.

It decapitated him, resulting in an insta-kill.

His vision went black.

Ding!

[You have lost 500 Lives!]

The lives-loss rate in the fifth floor was brutal.

Even strong players like Max and Seren couldn't afford to waste that many.

Max respawned back in the city square, roaring in anger.

"DAMN IT! This is bullshit!"

Seren, shaken, sat down.

"How can there be such a difference between epic-rank and legendary-rank bosses? This… this is too much."

Their arrogance had cost them dearly.

They were digging their own graves without Stark needing to do anything!

...

Back outside [Shell City], Stark was focused on his grind.

His [Evolution Points] were closing in on 100.

Soon, one of his skills could evolve to ancient-rank.

That kind of boost would put him in a completely different league.

At the same time, his [Lives] were climbing steadily.

Enough that he could transfer more of his abilities into the real world before the [First Calamity].

But as he traveled further from the safety of [Shell City], the monsters changed.

The ground trembled slightly.

Stark raised his head.

In the distance, he spotted a hulking shape moving across the cracked earth.

---

[Ground Spider (Level 26)]

[Rank: Rare]

[HP: 350,000]

---

"A level 26 monster…" Stark's eyes narrowed. "I went a bit too far."

It was only rare-rank, yet its HP pool rivaled that of most bosses.

Its size alone was intimidating, with thick black legs stabbing into the dirt as it skittered forward.

Even one level above him could mean the difference between victory and death.

And yet here it was, bearing down on him with killing intent.

The spider's many black eyes locked onto him.

It hissed, then surged forward with surprising speed.

The [Ghost Wolf] growled, its fur standing on end.

Stark didn't hesitate.

He jumped off its back, unsummoning the mount with a flick of his hand.

He couldn't risk it dying here.

'Alright,' Stark thought as he gripped his newly blessed [Divine Staff].

Crimson lines glowed faintly along its surface, the blessing of the [Heart of Sanctuary] still burning within.

'I think I can manage this.'

He planted his feet firmly, ready to face the incoming monster.

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