CHAPTER 67: CHAPTER 67: SELLING 50 ITEMS, THE CHURCH SANCTUARY IS HERE

Stark displayed over fifty items across the stall, lining them up neatly.

He kept a few to himself, the [Ruined Knight Blade], the [Divine Armor], and the [Divine Sword].

Those were too valuable to sell yet.

Everything else, though? It was all fair game.

Skill books for every class. Blades, bows, axes. Shields and robes.

The sight of so much rare loot in one place instantly drew a crowd.

Players flooded the area near the [Tower of Divinity] entrance, forming a circle around Stark’s stall.

Some whispered his name, others simply stared.

Prices ranged from 75 to 100 Lives, sometimes higher depending on the item.

And yet, even with the steep price, his items sold almost instantly.

An archer snatched a skill book. A warrior handed over Lives for a sword.

"Sold out already?!" someone shouted as others tried to shove their way through.

"Wait, wait, I’ll take that staff!" another yelled, offering double without hesitation.

The buyers weren’t even ready to use most of it.

Many items required level 25, a threshold only the fastest grinders had crossed.

But that didn’t matter.

They wanted to hoard them, knowing full well gear like this wouldn’t appear again soon.

And in less than five minutes—

Ding!

[You have gained 4,780 Lives!]

"...Incredible," Stark muttered, unable to hide a grin.

One item might only sell for a small sum, but together the mountain became massive.

Nearly five thousand Lives in his hand.

With that, he’d be able to extrat another skill, as well as some equipment, to reality.

The mythical-rank boss of the [First Calamity] wasn’t going to be beaten by caution alone.

He needed everything he could squeeze from this world.

Stark rose slowly, scanning the crowd.

Dozens of eyes still lingered on him, whispering.

Players he didn’t know stared like he was some kind of legend made flesh.

The name "Oblivion" carried weight already.

He lifted his voice, calm but steady.

"I highly recommend you all transfer your classes, talents, levels, and skills to the real world soon."

The words hit them like a strike.

Some tilted their heads in confusion. But Stark knew.

The reason why ninety-five percent of humanity had been wiped out in his previous life was because almost nobody had transferred their [Eternal Soul] progress into reality.

And when the gates opened, when monsters poured through into cities and streets, ordinary humans were powerless.

A single goblin could butcher a grown man with ease.

The worst was the [First Calamity] only lasted for three days, yet was enough to annihilate everything.

That fate wasn’t going to repeat itself if he could help it.

This was the only advice he would give them. Nothing more.

And then, without waiting for thanks or questions, he turned and walked away.

Messages flashed.

[Ghost: Good advice.]

[Starfall: I really need to extract everything then... I need more Lives!]

So they heard him. Ghost and Grace both. Good.

Ghost would survive, she had in his last life, but Grace was uncertain.

Maybe Ghost would look after her, maybe not.

If she didn’t, then Stark might intervene. At least a little.

Still, no need to linger.

The crowd was too thick, and he had more pressing matters.

Once out of sight of the majority, Stark summoned the [Ghost Wolf].

The spectral beast emerged with a chilling howl, its translucent form shimmering under the ruined city’s dim light.

He swung onto its back.

"Let’s look around," he commanded. "If what that panel said is true... then the [Church Sanctuary] should be active."

He didn’t fully trust the strange system message.

It hadn’t felt like the game speaking, it had felt like something else.

But even if it had been false, the [Church Sanctuary] was on his list to investigate anyway.

And now, with the [Tower of Divinity] cleared, there was time.

The [Ghost Wolf] carried him across cracked streets into the [Outskirts].

He scouted for hours, slipping through alleys and ruined courtyards, eyes sharp for anything out of place.

But nothing appeared.

Doubt started to settle. Maybe it really had been false.

Maybe someone, or something, was messing with him.

But then... he saw it.

"...!"

A faint light in the distance. Something darker.

The [Ghost Wolf] surged forward at his command, paws striking broken stone as they rushed through the streets.

And when Stark turned a final corner, he saw it.

A church. A dark, looming church that had never been there before.

Its walls oozed with shadow.

A sickly glow radiated from the cracks in its structure, seeping into the night.

The [Ghost Wolf] slowed.

Stark dismounted, patting its spectral head.

"Thanks."

Fwish!

The beast vanished as he dismissed it.

Ding!

---

[You are about to enter an extremely dangerous level 25 special zone: "Church Sanctuary"]

[Countdown: 6 days, 22 hours, 32 minutes, 48 seconds]

---

"...Found it."

The panel said "extremely dangerous" instead of simply "dangerous" too.

Stark’s lips curved slightly.

Weeks of searching, and now, here it stood before him.

Based on the countdown, it seemed like it only appeared after the [Tower of Divinity] did.

And it would disappear right when the [First Calamity] began.

He studied the building.

Its architecture twisted, half collapsed, almost alive with corruption.

The heavy entrance door was sealed, black as pitch.

Stark stepped closer.

Ding!

---

[You need the "Church Sanctuary Key" to enter this zone.]

[It is highly advised to not step inside unless ready. This is a dangerous zone.]

[Using your key then dying inside will remove that key, forcing you to find another one.]

---

Of course. The key.

Stark had only ever found one after killing thousands of monsters.

It was easily one of the rarest drops in the ruined city.

Meaning he only had one chance.

If he failed, it would all be over.

He placed his hand on the door.

Fwish! Ding!

---

["Church Sanctuary Key" detected. Do you wish to use it?]

[Yes] [No]

---

"Yes."

The holographic key appeared, its golden edges shimmering with faint symbols of a church.

It floated into the lock panel, turned with a click, and vanished.

The doors groaned as they swung open.

[The gate will be open for 60 seconds, then it will be closed.]

Stark glanced around. Empty streets. No witnesses.

Then without hesitation, he stepped inside.

Ding!

[You have entered "Church Sanctuary"]

[Lives loss rate: 1,000]

"...Holy shit."

Even Stark had to pause. One thousand.

The loss rate was five times higher than the [City Underground Maze].

Of course, he had the [Revenant Bell], so he wouldn’t be crippled by it.

But the number alone showed how lethal this place was.

He would have never expected in his past life that there was a zone like this in the ruined city with such a high lives loss rate.

But now that he was there, no backing down.

The gate slammed shut behind him.

Stark stepped through the veil of darkness and into the [Church Sanctuary].

The interior was vast, far larger than its outer shell.

Shadows crawled across the vaulted ceiling, twisting like smoke.

Rows of shattered pews lined the floor. Tables broken.

And on the walls, darkness pulsed like veins, writhing as if alive.

His footsteps echoed, faint light spilling from cracked lanterns above.

But he wasn’t alone.

Fwish!

A sphere of light shot past, forcing him to dodge.

It struck the stone floor—

BOOM!

The blast shook the chamber, debris scattering.

Stark narrowed his eyes.

Figures emerged from the darkness ahead.

Ding!

[Church Sanctuary Devout (Level 25)]

"...Figures," Stark muttered, gripping his staff tighter.