Clark stood in the courtyard of his palace when Seraphiel finally returned, leading the ten newly summoned Crusaders behind her. Their armored forms moved with discipline as they formed a semi-circle before him.
Seraphiel stepped forward and knelt on one knee.
"My Lord," she said softly. "We have scouted the immediate fog boundary. There is much to report."
Clark nodded, his expression calm but attentive.
"Speak."
Seraphiel raised her head. "The good news is that the terrain beyond the fog holds promise. Roughly two kilometers north, we discovered a small river that flows steadily. Its waters seem pure and may serve as a potential resource for agriculture, construction, and rituals."
Clark's eyes narrowed slightly. Water. That was a valuable find. Water sources would not only sustain life but could also serve for future cultivation, purification, or resource crafting.
"And the threats?" he asked.
Seraphiel's tone grew more serious. "Fog creatures lurk within the mist. We identified multiple types of beasts. Small scouting types resembling wolves, some twisted insect-like abominations, and several larger, unidentified presences further out."
She glanced toward the fog boundary.
"Their strength varies, but they seem to grow stronger the deeper into the fog one travels. At the current perimeter, most creatures seem manageable for the Crusaders and myself, though I advise caution."
Clark exhaled slowly.
"So the fog isn't just empty space. It's an evolving threat."
"Indeed, my Lord. However, for now, they do not appear to cross into your domain unless provoked."
The ten Crusaders remained stoic behind her, awaiting further orders, each one of them already earning their place as the domain's first defenders.
Clark studied them quietly. These ten might seem ordinary compared to Seraphiel's overwhelming presence, but to him, they were the first seeds of something greater.
He folded his arms, eyes drifting toward the swirling fog on the distant horizon.
"We'll secure the perimeter for now. I'll deal with the expansion shortly."
Seraphiel bowed again.
"As you command."
Clark glanced at Seraphiel, then pulled out one of the items he had recently purchased — the Hero Equipment Set (Immortal Tier). A shimmering card materialized in his hand, pulsing faintly with divine light.
Note: Equipment are divided into common, rare, legendary, immortal , origin, divine)
"Seraphiel, step forward."
Without hesitation, she obeyed.
Clark held out the card. The moment Seraphiel touched it, radiant beams of golden and silver light erupted around her. The divine energy surged like a whirlwind, wrapping her in celestial flames. The Crusaders instinctively stepped back as a powerful pressure filled the courtyard.
Piece by piece, the equipment materialized onto her body.
First came the Judgement Sword — nearly as tall as she was, its blade pure silver, with a thin black inscription running along the fuller, etched with unknown divine runes. The crossguard curved like wings, while a glowing crimson gem pulsed at its center, radiating sharp killing intent.
Next, her full-body armor descended from the light:
Plates of snow-white celestial steel fused with obsidian edges, polished like glass but firm as divine ore.
Engraved gold patterns ran along every joint, forming symbols of judgement and balance.
Her pauldrons resembled folded angelic wings.
The chestplate bore an embossed sigil of scales, representing divine authority.
A long black cape flowed behind her, trimmed in gold thread.
Even her helm, now resting on her hip, had an eye-shaped ruby mounted at its center.
The moment the transformation completed, the divine pressure stabilized.
Seraphiel dropped to one knee again, her voice calm but sharper, more resolute.
"I am ready, my Lord."
Clark opened her status panel immediately.
[Hero Status: Seraphiel – The Wingless Blade]
Rank: SSS-Class (Fallen Angel)
Level: 1
Title: Divine Commander
Loyalty: 96
HP: 10,000
Attack: 1,500 → 2,500 (Immortal Equipment Boost)
Defense: 800 → 2,000 (Immortal Equipment Boost)
Divine Essence: 5,000 → 8,000
Skills:
Heaven's Judgment (Consumes 1,000 Divine Essence)
Dark Covenant (Consumes 500 Divine Essence)
Command Aura (Passive: Boosts allies' attack and defense by 10%)
Equipment:
Judgement Sword (Immortal): Greatly increases attack, critical damage, and divine suppression.
Armor of Divine Scales (Immortal): Greatly boosts defense, magic resistance, and grants partial immunity to lower-tier curses.
Cape of Balance: Grants 10% Divine Essence recovery rate per day.
Clark exhaled slowly, slightly overwhelmed.
"These stats… completely out of line."
"and her Loyalty has movede from 90 to 96..... meaning i can get 500 faith from her alone per day"
Even among heroes, Seraphiel had already crossed into territory most lords could only dream of. And this was just the beginning.
With his strongest subordinate now fully armed, Clark looked toward the group.
"Take me to the river."
Seraphiel nodded. "Follow us, my Lord."
Together, Clark and his small retinue advanced into the expanding territory. As they moved deeper, the mist thinned slightly, revealing patches of green grass and wild growth. After nearly twenty minutes, the river came into view — about fifteen meters wide, its waters glistening under the dim light of the Divine Continent's ever-present sky.
Small fish darted beneath its surface, and lush vegetation flanked its edges. The stream curved naturally, cutting through the territory like a future lifeline for farming, fishing, and even ritual purification.
Clark stepped forward, his eyes narrowing as he examined the flowing water. Then, with a thought, he activated one of his newly acquired abilities:
[Divine Eye Activated]
A soft golden light flashed across his pupils. Immediately, streams of data filled his vision — not intrusive, but layered like an extra sense. The world seemed clearer, more alive, as if its hidden truths were finally visible.
[Terrain Analysis - Verdant River]
Purity: 96% (Safe for consumption)
Flow Type: Stable
Origin: Underground spring (Tier 1 Spirit Vein dormant nearby)
Potential Yield: Fish farming, irrigation, minor spiritual energy harvest (once developed)
[Environmental Resource Detected]:
Water Herbs (Uncommon): Usable for basic alchemy.
Spirit Koi (Low-Grade): May be domesticated for breeding.
Minor Water Element Concentration (Dormant)
Clark's eyes gleamed.
"So there's a dormant spirit vein nearby... That explains the vitality of this river."
The Divine Eye continued scanning the surrounding land, revealing faint traces of spiritual energy pulsing through the soil. This river wasn't just a source of water—it was the potential foundation for much greater development down the line.
He deactivated the Divine Eye, satisfied.
"This will be an important asset for our domain."
Seraphiel stood nearby, silent but alert. The Crusaders remained positioned along the perimeter, watching the distant fog with caution.
Clark glanced out toward the thick mist beyond.
His gaze locked on the rolling fog that marked the edge of his expanding territory. A faint unease tugged at his mind. He activated Divine Eye once more, letting the golden shimmer coat his vision.
The mist seemed to thin under its power, revealing faint outlines moving within.
[Divine Eye - Enemy Detection]
Detected: Fog Creatures (Lesser Variants)
Classification: Mistborn Beasts
Estimated Rank: Common / Low Elite
Numbers: Approximately 20-30 individuals nearby
Threat Level: Low for Heroes, Moderate for regular believers
Behavior: Wandering, territorial — not yet aggressive.
Clark exhaled slowly.
"Fog Monsters..."
Their forms were amorphous—grayish semi-transparent creatures that looked part-shadow, part-flesh. Some had jagged claws, others floated like wraiths, their empty eyes flickering with dim light.
"They're already gathering near the edges. The fog isn't just for decoration after all."
Seraphiel stepped forward, her sharp senses picking up the tension in his voice.
"Shall we strike, my Lord?"
Clark shook his head slightly.
"Not yet. We'll prepare properly first. I want to solidify the domain's defenses before provoking any nearby nests."
He deactivated the Divine Eye and cast one last look at the swirling mist.