[Fethan's body had fully recovered. His new routine involved six hours of daily training in the Everland castle's training room. He and Lumi didn't spend much time together now—both were focused on filling in the gaps they each needed to close.]
Thanks to Everland Dominion, Fethan could check the status of all his spirit subordinates:
[Unnamed Reaper – Orange Grade Spirit, Tier 1, Level 10]
[Luminus Sterling – Purple Grade Illusion Spirit, Tier 1, Level 12]
[Unnamed Werewolf – Purple Grade Spirit, Tier 1, Level 11]
[Unnamed Hellhound – Blue Grade Spirit, Tier 1, Level 9]
The spirit system was different from the living. Lumi discovered that upon death, her level and stats were fully reset. However, she retained some powers and techniques from life—Eastern Guardian Sword Style, combat instinct, foxfire energy, and fox magic.
Fethan wasn't sure, but it seemed spirit grade color correlated with authority, skill, and total potential.
Spirits didn't gain EXP from killing monsters. Instead, they absorbed soul energy through cultivation. Lumi increased her level by simply meditating and drawing on the ambient energy of Everland.
From MMORPG grind mechanics to cultivation novel progression—Fethan felt envious. He still used the traditional EXP-based system and couldn't gain any EXP from killing normal monsters.
'I need to do something. Soul Power is the only thing progressing—but it's getting slower.'
At the hospital, he gained 1 Soul Power per few hours. Now he lived in Everland 24/7, but still only gained 1 per day, even with far more time invested.
Fethan's current Soul Power was [232]. After surpassing 220, his gain rate slowed sharply. Lumi and the others would face the same bottleneck soon. The solution: level up Everland.
Inside the Lord's Office, he accessed high-tier administrative controls. He could view past, present, and predictive future data.
[Everland Dominion]
[Glory: Level 1]
[Territory: 10,000 sqm]
[Population: 253 (1 orange, 2 purple, 14 blue, 236 green)]
[Soul Coins: 3.84]
[Monthly Tax Income: 24.3 Soul Coins]
[Structures: 3 (General: 0, Special: 3, Miracle: 0)]
Lord's Castle (LV1)Immortal Barracks (LV1)Everland Shop (LV1)Preconstruction Blueprint x1
[Glory Upgrade Conditions:]
Lord Level 30 ✅Territory: 25,000 sqm ❌Monthly Tax: 50 Soul Coins ❌Population: 1,000 ❌Structures: 3 ✅
[Glory Level 2 Rewards:]
Unlock Special Structure: Cursed PrisonUnlock Skill: Everland Warden – Soul Emblem (A)+50 to Undead Army capSkill Manual (A+)Level +2Soul Power +50Attribute +2 to all stats1 x Skill Authority CardCastle room upgrades +1 levelUpgrade Ticket for 1 Special StructureMax population: 2,500Max territory: 50,000 sqmSoul Energy Density: x2Tax income +5%
'These rewards are insane. Especially increasing my summon cap to 150 and doubling soul energy density—meaning every spirit gains EXP twice as fast. I need to upgrade Everland ASAP.'
Especially…
[Dog Village – General Structure: Upgrade canine-type spirits using Soul Coins and levels. Current Option: Upgrade Hellhound to Werewolf – Cost: 20 Soul Coins per unit, requires 5,000 sqm land, 50 Soul Coins total, 1,000 Wolf Monster Cores, 10 Gold Ingots.]
'If I can evolve the Hellhounds into Werewolves, I'll have a high-tier army. But I have no idea where to find that much gold or that many monster cores. I'd need real money… but that'll have to wait.'
He was both frustrated and hopeful. The issue: he was broke and had no backers.
"How do I expand Everland territory?" Fethan asked aloud.
The system replied:
[Devour Cursed Lands. Eliminate the Curse Lords ruling those areas. Purify the land to restore it to the world. Everland expands by the size of the reclaimed land.]
'Cursed Lands… Gamo's notes mentioned them—regions steeped in negative energy, haunted by curse spirits.'
Fethan's eyes lit up.
"Can I gain EXP from purging cursed spirits?"
[Yes.]
"!!!" A grin of liberation split his face.
He couldn't gain EXP from monsters—but cursed spirits weren't monsters.
"I can level up… by hunting them."
He ran to his bag and unrolled one of Gamo's magical artifacts.
A detailed map of Onacaster City appeared, overlaying the blank parchment. It showed soul activity, ritual sites, and cursed territories.
The Map of the Dead showed everything he needed—within a 100 sq. km radius. That was more than enough.
'I need to upgrade Everland fast. Who knows when Pharaoh Black will send more goons. I need the power to defend myself and Lumi—and then find a way to revive her. I don't believe there's no method to do it without human sacrifice.'
[Countdown: 656 days]
"Are you sure you want to enter the sewers alone? They're not as bad as a Hollow Zone, but they're still dangerous. Without a team, how can you survive?" asked the Guild officer.
Fethan, registered as an E-rank Exorcist, nodded.
"I've trained well." He didn't bother explaining—his Everland army would back him.
"Understood. The Guild bears no responsibility if you're injured or killed. Payment depends on the cores you bring. Exploration bonuses apply. Report anything abnormal immediately."
"Thank you." Fethan accepted the quest and left on his old maroon motorcycle.
He was dead broke and barely scraped by. But now he had power—and a plan to develop Everland.
He parked roadside and descended into the city sewers—a vast, fetid underworld beneath Onacaster. Pitch black, the place felt like it devoured souls. The stench was nightmarish.
Something waited for him down there. Ever since the Nameless Forgotten City, his senses had changed—more attuned to the paranormal.
[Curse Spirit and Cursed Territory detected. Generating quest.]
[Side Quest: Filthy Sewers] The narrow, rancid tunnels are home to plague rats twisted by hatred of humanity. Find and purge them.
Reward: 10 Soul Coins + Building Blueprint [Sewer Rat Village]
Fethan entered the darkness. His vision adjusted quickly, his breathing slowed. Only 200 meters in, and he was already adapting. The claustrophobia didn't faze him.
He continued deeper—past 1,000 meters. No more light. The stench overwhelmed even double-layered filters. Then—green glowing eyes.
A shape darted toward him. Faster than a Hellhound.
He rolled aside and raised his wand. A system window appeared:
[Unnamed Deathrat]
[Level: 20]
[Species: Deathrat]
[STR: 5] [END: 5] [AGI: 19] [INT: 4] [PER: 11]
Skills: [Disease Resistance], [Toxic Bite], [Swarm Call], [Gnaw], [Tunnel Mobility]
"Magic Bullet!"
A grey arcane shot slammed the rat.
"Screeee!" it shrieked.
"Magic Bullet!" He added 20% Soul Power to the next shot. It blasted the dog-sized rat into the wall. It crawled up again, darting along the tunnel walls.
Fethan swung his cloak and summoned Phoenixfang. No need for Soul Fusion. A basic sword form was enough.
The blade slashed deep into its fur.
"Screee!" The rat fell. Another Magic Bullet ended it.
[You acquired Soul: Deathrat (White Grade)]
His EXP bar didn't move. Even the soul was low-grade.
He dissected it, removing the core for proof. Hollow Gates that weren't cleared would rupture into Hollow Zones—radioactive, cursed regions that spawned mindless monsters.
Deathrats were common in those zones. Small, agile, toxic, and already infesting the sewers. They were immune to most diseases and excellent plague carriers.
The Guild offered routine extermination bounties for them. Overpopulation made them dangerous. They'd even been known to kidnap and torment children.
Nobody liked hunting them—their habitat was vile, their meat inedible, and their infection risk extreme.
One of Fethan's classmates once tried proving himself by hunting Deathrats. He boasted afterward. A day later, he vanished—dead from sepsis.
They seemed weak, but they were deadly. Hidden landmines of the underworld.
Only rookies or do-gooders volunteered for sewer missions.
Fethan was neither.
"Screee! Screeeee!"
A chorus of screeches. Dozens—maybe hundreds—of glowing eyes.
A wave of hatred enveloped him. The voices weren't from the rats. They were deeper, spiritual.
"Screee!!" A swarm charged from ceiling and walls.
Fethan raised his wand.
"I, in the name of Everland's King, command thee!"
A summoning circle opened. Ten towering wolves emerged, howling.
"Guard me. Kill them all. I'll buy toys for whoever performs best."
"Woof! (Rewards!)"
"Woof woof! (The toy is mine!)"
"Woof! (No, it's mine!)"
The Hellhounds surged forward. Their strength and agility dwarfed the rats. Flesh and limbs were torn apart.
[You acquired Soul: Deathrat (White Grade)] [You acquired Soul: Deathrat (White Grade)]
"Magic Bullet!"
Grey projectiles flew, aiding his pack. The sewer rats ran, climbed, fought—but couldn't match Everland's hounds.
Magic Bullet was the first spell every mage learned. 1 mana = 10 shots. Fethan had used it to rank up from F to E.
But now, he had a custom hybrid spell—Arcane Bullet.
Learned from the Everland Library, Arcane Bullet fused mana and Soul Power, dealing damage to both monsters and spirits. It cost less mana than normal bullets and hit harder.
[Arcane Bullet (F) upgraded to LV2. Speed +1]
The new boost exceeded his expectations.
He wore three powerful items from the Reaper:
[Reaper's Ring (A)] – +10% magic power, +10% spirit damage, +5 Dark Authority
[Reaper's Cloak (A)] – +100 magic defense, +20 curse resistance, +5% stealth, +5% intimidation
[Reaper's Scythe (A+)] – +110 magic attack, +5% penetration Unlockable Traits: +100% magic, +120% soul power, +5% spirit damage, +10% curse potency Special: Auto-convert Soul Power to mana (10:1)
These enhanced his Soul-powered spells. His Arcane Bullets hit as hard as real ones.
The Hellhounds shielded him while he fired from behind. Their coordination was perfect.
But the rats fought back.
One stabbed a Hellhound with a fish-filleting knife—probably scavenged from a market. Others followed with sharp objects. One Hellhound was overwhelmed.
It howled—and vanished as its HP hit zero.
'They're not stupid,' Fethan noted. 'They're adapting.'
The narrow tunnels and overpowering stench limited the wolves.
He needed something better.
Fethan smirked.
"Inhabitants of Everland—hear my call."
He summoned a group of Deathrat spirits. They stood upright, somber, as if torn between past lives and new loyalty.
They twitched, then turned—glaring at their former kin.
"Kill them. Take their weapons."
"Screee!" The ghost-rats attacked, leaping through the air, smashing heads.
"Arcane Bullet!" Fethan supported them, targeting enemy arms.
The summoned rats retrieved iron pipes, knives, and even sawblades. They roared in agony—but obeyed.
"Woof woof woof! (Welcome to the guild of kin-slayers, comrades! You're not alone!)" one Hellhound barked.
Their enemies weren't monsters now.
They were recruits.