Clark's eyes opened to the soft morning light spilling through the tall windows of his palace bedroom. The sun had already risen high above the fog-draped forest. Outside, the Holy Sanctuary bustled faintly in the distance, though his personal chambers remained quiet and cool.
He sat up slowly, rubbing his temple. Only four hours of rest — but his divine body was already refreshed.
At that moment, the familiar mechanical voice rang out across the world:
Ding—!
"Congratulations to all Gods! You have successfully survived your first day in the Divine Continent."
"Remaining time until Novice Divine Pressure arrives: 6 Days."
Clark's eyes narrowed slightly as he absorbed the message. The countdown had officially begun.
The Global Chat window immediately began flashing as gods all over the world reacted.
[Global Chat Opened]
Skyfire Monarch: One recruitment per week? What kind of system is this!?
Stone Flame Lord: We can only summon 10 followers weekly? This is insane!
Night Wolf Sovereign: My people are starving. I barely have enough food for three days.
White Crane Goddess: I'll trade divine crystals or even divinity for rations!
Heaven's Sword God: The monsters at my barrier are getting stronger by the hour...
Clark closed the chat calmly, his face expressionless.
"Panic is setting in across the world already."
Unlike the others, his territory was stable. With the Holy Sanctuary constructed and resources stockpiled, his situation was vastly superior. He hadn't even used the newly acquired recruitment cards yet.
He opened his Territory Status Panel to check on the most important metric: Faith.
[Territory Panel]
Territory Name: Verdant Sanctuary
Domain Rank: Tier 1 Small Town
Domain Size: 5km Radius
Population:
10 Banished Crusaders (D-Rank)-loyalty 87
5 Newly Summoned Crusaders (C-Rank) loyalty- 87
Hero: Seraphiel (SSS-Rank)
Faith Generation:
Believers (70-84 Loyalty): 15 → 5 Faith/day
Pious (85-94 Loyalty): 5 → 50 Faith/day
Hero (Seraphiel - 96 Loyalty): 500 Faith/day
Total Faith per Day: 1250
Faith Amplification (Temple Buff +10%):
Total Adjusted Faith: 1350 Faith/day
Conversion: 1000 Faith = 1 Divinity
"Roughly one divinity per day with the current population," Clark calculated silently.
But this was before activating his new summoning cards. Once those were used, his population—and faith production—would skyrocket.
The silver chest's multiplied rewards still sat untouched in his storage:
The S-Rank Hero Card, Space Pocket Blueprint, 300 B-Rank Villager Recruitment Card, 50,000 Units of Tender Meat, and the precious S-Rank Sacred Water.
Clark stood up from the chair, straightened his robe, and walked toward the palace doors.
The doors of the Verdant God's Palace swung open as Clark stepped outside. The morning sun had fully risen, casting warm rays across the polished stone pathways of the Holy Sanctuary.
Seraphiel stood waiting at the base of the steps, her silver wings folded neatly behind her. The subtle sounds of activity echoed through the town as followers tended to their early tasks.
Clark's gaze swept across the vibrant plaza. Things were stabilizing fast—but it was time to solidify the foundation.
"Seraphiel, come with me," he ordered softly.
"Yes, my Lord."
He brought up the system interface and retrieved the most valuable card from the rewards—the S-Rank Hero Recruitment Card.
Without hesitation, he activated it.
A surge of divine energy rippled through the sanctuary. Crimson and silver light spiraled into the sky, forming a vortex that drew the attention of everyone nearby. Even Seraphiel narrowed her eyes slightly at the overwhelming pressure radiating from the summoning.
The air grew heavy.
A tall, elegant figure emerged from the swirling light.
Black hair cascaded past her shoulders like flowing silk. Two grand obsidian wings unfurled behind her, their sheen glinting beneath the sunlight. Her piercing crimson eyes radiated intelligence and authority. The dark armor hugging her frame shimmered faintly with embedded silver inscriptions, exuding both power and grace.
She approached slowly, her steps measured and composed.
"I'm Lilith, my Lord."
Her voice was smooth, calm, and unwavering.
The system interface flashed before him.
[New Hero Recruited]
Name: Lilith
Race: Fallen Angel (Administrator Type)
Rank: S
Level: 1
Loyalty: 90 (Pious)
Role: Domain Administrator
[Attributes]
HP: 5000
Attack: 400
Defense: 800
Intelligence: 300
Divine Essence: 2000
Skills:
Authority of Dominion (Territory Management +50%)
Resource Optimization (Passive) (Resource Consumption -30%)
Blessing of Growth (Follower growth speed +50%)
Fog Resistance (Passive)
Seraphiel glanced at Lilith briefly, measuring the newcomer. Lilith, in turn, offered a graceful nod toward her fellow servant. No words passed between them; understanding came swiftly between those bound to the same divine authority.
Clark gave a slight gesture.
"Lilith, from now on, you will take charge of overseeing the operations within the Holy Sanctuary."
"As you command, my Lord. I shall ensure efficiency and order within your dominion."
Her tone carried absolute confidence. There was no hesitation.
Already, the air seemed to shift. A subtle hum of order and optimization rippled through the Sanctuary, as if the very town recognized its new overseer.
Clark then opened the next interface—the 300 B-Rank Villager Recruitment Card.
Beams of white light shot down once again into the central plaza. One after another, villagers appeared, standing tall and ready, their eyes filled with awe and reverence toward the god they now served.
They dropped to one knee in unison.
"We greet the Verdant God, our Lord and Sovereign!"
[B-Rank Villager - ]
Race: Human
Rank: B
Loyalty: 75 (Believer)
HP: 500
Attack: 20
Defense: 30
Intelligence: 50
Special Trait: Fast Learning (Skill Mastery +30%)
Agriculture Mastery +20%
Lilith immediately took her role seriously.
"I shall organize and assign them, my Lord. Their talents will be fully utilized."
"Proceed."
With her in command, Clark could feel the entire territory pulse with new potential. Order, structure, and growth —
As Lilith efficiently directed the new villagers to their assigned sectors, Clark's mind shifted to another resource he had nearly forgotten amidst the flurry of activity.
"The Divine Soil."
He summoned the item from his inventory. The rich, glowing clump of emerald soil floated gently before him, radiating pure life energy. This was no ordinary earth — it was Tier 2 Divine Soil, capable of transforming barren land into fertile, divine terrain.
He walked toward the northern part of the territory, where the small river cut gracefully through the edge of the sanctuary's defensive walls. The morning sunlight reflected off its clear waters, creating shimmering ripples across its surface. This spot would serve perfectly as the lifeblood of his growing domain.
Standing still, Clark activated the soil.
The clump dissolved into streams of green light, burrowing into the ground like countless glowing roots.
A system prompt appeared.
[Divine Soil Activated – Tier 2]
Area Converted: 800m radius
Fertility: +300%
Growth Acceleration: +50%
Special Effect: "Verdant Vitality" — followers working within this area gain minor health regeneration and stamina recovery.
The transformation was instantaneous.
The once ordinary ground flourished wildly. Grasses thickened and darkened into vibrant green, while small saplings sprouted rapidly, some even budding flowers within moments. The surrounding air grew noticeably fresher, and even the river's flow became clearer, almost crystalline.
The villagers paused their work briefly, staring wide-eyed at the sudden burst of divine vitality.
Lilith, watching from the distance, nodded slightly in approval.
"An excellent choice of placement, my Lord. This land shall provide abundant resources for the territory."
"The Sanctuary needs a heart to sustain it," Clark replied calmly. "Let this be the beginning."
Even Seraphiel quietly observed the transformation, her sharp eyes lingering on the vibrant soil. "The touch of a true god..." she murmured softly.
With the Divine Soil now enhancing a key portion of his territory, the foundation of the Verdant God's Dominion had become even stronger.
Clark exhaled lightly as he surveyed the blooming land.