Stark selected the [Extract Equipment] option, and immediately selected everything of his.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

---

[Do you wish to use 1,000 Lives to extract your "Divine Staff" (Legendary) to the real world?]

[Do you wish to use 300 Lives to extract your "Undead Soul Mage Robe" (Epic) to the real world?]

[Do you wish to use 500 Lives to extract your "Underground Witch Hat" (Epic) to the real world?]

...

---

The panel stretched on, listing every piece of gear Stark currently had equipped.

Each came with its own price in [Lives].

Some were cheap, some were steep, but Stark knew the total would hurt either way.

And yet, none of them compared to one.

Ding!

[Do you wish to use 2,500 Lives to extract your "Revenant Bell" (Special Item) to the real world?]

Stark's brows lifted slightly, 'Figures.'

Special items always cost more than ordinary equipment, and for good reason.

They weren't just stronger, they often carried unique effects that no other item could match.

Something like the [Revenant Bell] was practically priceless.

The only exceptions were rare artifacts that bound themselves to their user, like the [Heart of Sanctuary].

Those didn't need to be extracted.

They simply followed their owner into the real world, linked to their soul forever.

Backpacks, meanwhile, were laughably cheap to extract.

But still, if he wanted every slot available in reality, he had no choice but to pay for them too.

The items inside the backpacks still took the space in them, but couldn't be pulled out except if he paid the price.

When it all added up, rings, boots, necklaces, robes, hat, staff, backpacks, and the bell, the total came out to 5,350 Lives.

It wasn't small, but Stark didn't hesitate.

"Confirm."

Ding!

---

[You have extracted your "Divine Staff" (Legendary) to the real world.]

[You have extracted your "Revenant Bell" (Special Item) to the real world.]

[You have extracted your "Underground Witch Hat" (Epic) to the real world.]

...

---

Notifications kept chiming one after another.

His items remained in [Eternal Soul] as always, nothing vanished here.

The extraction simply meant that, when he returned to the real world, his gear would transfer too.

And better yet, once an item was extracted, it could be traded.

If Stark ever decided to give something to someone else in the game, they could instantly carry it out into the real world themselves. No second cost needed.

Not that Stark had any intention of handing out his equipment.

He checked his remaining balance.

[Lives: 5,846]

'Not bad.'

Even after pulling everything important into reality, he still had enough to work with.

In fact, enough for something bigger.

Stark's gaze shifted to another panel. His [Evolution Points] sat at 123.

More than enough to push a skill beyond its current limit.

His mind immediately settled on one target.

[Do you wish to consume 100 Evolution Points to evolve "Fire Meteor"?]

"Yes."

Ding!

[You have evolved "Fire Meteor" (Mythical) into "Blazing Meteor" (Ancient).]

[Current Evolution Points: 23.]

---

[Blazing Meteor (Ancient): Summon a blazing meteor from your staff that deals 1500% → 2000% of Spirit. 10 (5)-seconds cooldown.]

---

Stark grinned faintly. "Perfect."

The already-destructive spell had just leapt to another level entirely.

From mythical to ancient, its power was boosted by five hundred more percent.

Combined with the [Divine Staff]'s passive 20% damage bonus, his firepower had become downright terrifying.

But raw strength wasn't enough.

To use it in reality, he needed to pay the price.

Ding!

[Do you wish to use 2,500 Lives to adjust your "Fire Meteor" (Mythical) into "Blazing Meteor" (Ancient)?]

Ancient-ranked skills normally required 5,000 Lives to extract.

Luckily, because Stark had already extracted [Fire Meteor] earlier as a mythical, he only needed to pay the difference: half the cost.

"Confirm."

Ding!

[Your "Fire Meteor" (Mythical) skill has been adjusted to "Blazing Meteor" (Ancient)]

His strongest spell was now fully synced between both worlds.

But before checking the rest, he wanted to at least the see the amount of EP he needed to evolve it.

Ding!

[Do you wish to consume 250 Evolution Points to evolve "Blazing Meteor"?]

"Can't afford it, it's too much."

With all of that, Stark still had enough Lives for one more skill!

Ding!

[Do you wish to use 2,500 Lives to extract your "Hand of Avarice" (Mythical) skill to the real world?]

"Yes."

Ding!

[You have extracted "Hand of Avarice" (Mythical) to the real world.]

That one was a no-brainer.

The ability to pull extra rewards, Lives, EP, and sometimes items, would be just as vital outside the game as inside.

With that single skill, Stark's efficiency could skyrocket.

After confirming, his balance plummeted to nothing.

He was broke in terms of [Lives], but it didn't matter.

His preparations were complete.

He had gear, he had power, and he had extracted all of it.

Now, all he had to do was wait.

Ding!

[The "First Calamity" is coming in 30 minutes.]

Ding!

[The "First Calamity" is coming in 15 minutes.]

DING!

[The "First Calamity" is coming in 5 minutes.]

[Be ready, Earth. There is no going back. Survive as best as you can, and perhaps you will be able to reach beyond.]

The crimson panel appeared in every corner of the world, both inside [Eternal Soul] and in reality.

Five minutes left. Humanity's final countdown before the end of the world.

'Or perhaps it's rebirth, who knows,' Stark shrugged.

Behind him, a rough cough echoed.

Cough!

Stark turned to see Olikar at the far end of the cathedral.

The figure looked worse than ever, ashen skin, blood dripping down his arms, his form trembling with each breath.

"I guess…" another cough tore from his chest, "it is the end for me."

Stark didn't reply. He only watched.

"But…" Olikar forced a grin despite his fading strength, "it is only the start for you, human. Face the others… whether monsters… or the civilizations that remain. And in the end…"

The light in his eyes flickered, then vanished.

His body collapsed into glowing particles, dissolving into nothing.

No items. No lives. Just gone.

'As expected,' Stark thought. 'Right before the [First Calamity].'

At least he had already claimed the man's quest. Nothing else mattered.

The minutes bled away.

And when only thirty seconds remained—

Ding!

[Player "Ghost" has sent you a private message!]

[Ghost: I am planning to meet with Starfall. She's essential to my team, so do not worry.]

"Hm."

[Oblivion: Alright.]

So Ghost would watch over Grace. That took one concern off his list.

Stark still planned to push himself as far as possible, but at least he didn't have to split his attention.

[Oblivion: Be careful. You never know.]

[Ghost: We will be. See you later… whatever happens.]

Neither of them knew what shape the calamity would take.

But they both felt it: the weight in the air, the warning carved into their bones.

This was no ordinary event.

And then—

Ding! Ding! Ding!

The countdown hit zero.

Stark's body, along with every other player, dissolved into a cascade of bright fragments.

The system forced them out of [Eternal Soul].

Fwish!

Moments later, Stark's eyes snapped open.

The cathedral, the city, the game, they were gone.

Reality stretched before him. He looked down.

His staff was there, glowing faintly with divine radiance.

The robe, the hat, the bell, they were all real. Just like in the game.

His skills weren't complete yet, but he had what mattered.

With enough [Lives] collected during the calamity, he could pull the rest across.

But for now—

Stark strode to his window and pulled the curtain aside.

His expression hardened instantly.

The world outside had changed.

The sky was gone. In its place swirled a vortex of crimson and black, vast and endless.

The sun and moon were erased, consumed by the storm.

Across the horizon, the darkness spread, swallowing every city, every land, every horizon.

People were screaming already.

Some panicked in the streets, others froze in silence.

But none of them understood.

None of them had seen what was coming.

Ding!

[The "First Calamity" has now begun.]

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