After acquiring the [Heart of Sanctuary], Stark slowly raised his [Divine Staff], letting it hover just above shoulder height.

"Alright," he muttered, ready to test it out.

He focused on the new ancient-rank item bound to his body.

Immediately, he felt the crimson power stir inside him like a pulse of living fire.

Ding!

[You have used the "Heart of Sanctuary" on "Divine Staff"]

Of course. It was the obvious choice.

The [Divine Staff] was his strongest weapon by far, and unlike other gear that could be swapped out or replaced, this staff had staying power.

It was legendary. It would last.

Stark wasn't dumb enough to waste such a blessing on something temporary.

Ding!

[You have blessed the "Divine Staff"!]

Fwish!

A rush of crimson light wrapped itself around the staff.

The aura seeped into the weapon, threading itself through the shaft like veins of liquid fire.

When the glow faded, faint crimson lines remained etched across the handle.

It looked sharper, more alive, as if the weapon itself had evolved.

---

[Divine Staff (Legendary): Mage-type weapon. +410 Spirit, +130 Magical Resistance, Casting Speed +12%. Requirement: Level 25]

[Sanctuary Blessing: Attacks deal +20% more damage.]

---

"Oh shit."

Twenty percent damage on top of his current insane output?

The [Heart of Sanctuary] could give all sorts of blessings.

Extra stats, bonus effects, unique skills, strange perks.

It varied depending on the item.

Which made it ridiculously powerful, flexible, and dangerous in the right hands.

No wonder it was ancient-rank.

But Stark also knew there were still ranks above ancient.

Four of them. Even more broken than this.

Not that anyone had access to them right now.

It was still early-game. Players hadn't even scratched the surface yet.

He gripped the staff tighter, satisfied.

Ding!

[Kill monsters to recharge the "Heart of Sanctuary" and be able to bless another piece of equipment.]

The system gave him no number, just the vague requirement.

Stark didn't care. He'd get it recharged eventually.

That was the beauty of this item, it was basically passive.

It would notify him when ready, and he could stack another blessing.

"Perfect."

With this, his damage jumped again.

And since his level was locked at 25 until the [First Calamity], the only things that mattered were EP, Lives and items.

Stark turned, ready to leave.

The challenge was complete, the reward secured.

No treasure chest appeared because the [Heart of Sanctuary] had been the reward.

There was nothing else to find. Or so he thought.

"…Hm."

Something was off.

Stark scanned the chamber carefully, frowning.

There should have been an exit portal by now.

A glowing gate that let him return to the outside.

It always appeared when a zone was finished.

But here? Nothing.

He checked the door leading back into the [Church]. Locked. Wouldn't budge no matter how hard he pushed.

He glanced at the ten passages.

All empty, but sealed by invisible barriers.

For the first time, Stark considered that he might actually be stuck.

Then—

Fwiiiishhh!

The entire sanctuary shifted.

The air dropped several degrees in an instant.

Snowflakes, tiny, shimmering particles, materialized from thin air, spiraling down in ghostly silence.

A chill ran through Stark's body. He slowly turned.

And there she was.

A woman. The same one from the [Abandoned Temple of Fate].

White robes, golden engravings, hood of transparent silk.

A figure that radiated cold, unearthly presence.

---

[??? (???)]

[Rank: ???]

[HP: ???]

[Skills: ???]

---

Just like before, her information was hidden.

She appeared in a burst of freezing blue light, then stood there, silent, staring at him.

She didn't say a word, but her quietness and stance made Stark uneasy.

"Grrr…"

The [Ghost Wolf], who had been relaxed up until now, bared its teeth.

It growled low, ears flat. Stark had never seen it act so defensive.

The wolf was terrified.

It still tried to stand its ground, but Stark could tell it was pointless.

If this woman wanted the wolf dead, it would be gone in an instant.

"Return," Stark called it back.

He wasn't about to let his companion die in some pointless way.

His mind raced. He couldn't beat her. Not now.

But… was she really here to kill him?

Twice now she had appeared. Twice she had just watched. Observed.

Who was she?

Her eyes locked onto his, deep and sharp, with irises of pitch black and pupils glowing faint purple. Just like before.

"Heir… of… Oblivion…"

Her voice was soft, distant, and cold as the snow that floated around them.

She said only those words, then fell silent again.

Stark tilted his head, "I'm guessing that's me. But… what are you?"

No answer.

She lowered her gaze to the ground, paused, then looked back at him.

"I am not… your enemy."

Her voice carried weight, like every syllable was painful to utter.

"The ancient gods… are not watching… yet. They do not… know about you."

Stark stiffened. The [Authority of Oblivion].

The system had already told him the gods sealed away the [God of Oblivion] for his power.

If they ever discovered the heir… It would be over.

Her words confirmed it.

"I'll witness… your journey, Oblivion." She bowed faintly, graceful even in the cold. "Do not… falter."

Stark raised a brow. "That's it? No item? No buff? Not even a scrap of help?"

A flicker passed over her face. But her answer was one word.

"…No."

"At least your name, then."

For a moment, she hesitated.

Something like conflict flashed in her eyes.

Then, with a faint motion of her hand, a panel appeared before Stark.

[Judge Emissary, Neris (Level ???)]

"Neris, huh."

She stepped back, graceful and slow.

Then, with a final bow, her body dissolved into starlight. Gone.

Stark lowered his staff, exhaling.

'Weird. Last time, she felt like an enemy. That aura, those eyes… everything screamed hostile.'

NPCs were smart.

They followed their own motives, but they couldn't break [Eternal Soul]'s rules.

Maybe she wanted him dead, but couldn't act yet.

Maybe she was bound by something.

The robes, the aura, she reminded him of the believers from the [Abandoned Temple of Fate].

Was she connected to them?

He couldn't be sure. But one thing was clear.

If she had wanted him dead, she could have ended him already.

The air warmed again. The snow vanished.

And at last, the exit portal appeared, swirling into existence.

"Finally."

Stark stepped forward and leapt through without hesitation.

Fwish! Ding!

A rush of light swallowed him.

When his vision cleared, he stood outside once more, in the middle of the [Ruined City].

He turned, glancing back at where the [Church Sanctuary] had stood.

Nothing. The entire building was gone.

It had vanished after completion.

"Oh well."

He dusted himself off, adjusted his staff, and moved on.

The [Ruined City] had nothing left for him now.

Everything of value had already been cleared.

And besides—

[The "First Calamity" is coming in 7 days.]

Seven days left. Less than a week before the [First Calamity] arrived in the real world.

There wasn't much time to prepare anymore.

But Stark felt like he already had more than enough to survive.

The thing he needed to do though was be strong enough to take care of the most amount of monsters he could.

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