Clark closed the interface calmly as the last glow of the Divine Forum faded from his vision. The palace hall grew quiet once more, lit softly by the golden divine lamps lining its polished walls.
Outside, the sun had fully dipped beneath the horizon, and the faint silver light of the twin moons bathed the Sanctuary in a cool glow. The air was dense, heavy with the tension of approaching danger. In the distance, faint howls of fog beasts echoed across the darkened landscape — a haunting melody that served as a constant reminder of where they were.
The second night had arrived.
Clark stood near one of the palace's open balconies, his gaze sweeping across his expanding domain. From his elevated view, the flickering campfires of his growing settlement illuminated the newly cultivated fields, while the soft outlines of patrolling guards and active villagers moved about with practiced efficiency.
He had made considerable progress already, but tonight marked another critical step.
"Leveling up my core units early will decide how far I can push in the coming weeks."
At the plaza below, Seraphiel stood calmly, her silver spear gleaming under the moonlight. The thin breeze caused her feathers to shift gently, her wings casting long shadows behind her. Beside her, the 15 Banished Crusaders knelt silently, their armor newly polished, blades sharpened. All of them were prepared.
Seraphiel was now Level 3, while the Crusaders had reached Level 5 — still relatively low, but far stronger than most gods could field at this stage.
Clark descended from the palace steps, his presence instantly drawing the attention of the assembled group.
"Tonight, you will continue pushing the hunting grounds outward," Clark instructed, his voice calm but resolute. "The fog remains thick beyond our immediate borders. Be cautious, but relentless. Prioritize leveling up as much as possible."
Seraphiel placed her right fist over her chest and lowered her head slightly.
"Understood, my Lord. The territory shall be cleansed."
Behind her, the Crusaders echoed the salute in perfect unison.
Clark nodded, then added, "both you and Lilith have access to the Space Pocket. Any materials or spoils you obtain — directly transfer them into storage after the battle."
Seraphiel's crimson eyes gleamed faintly. "That will allow us to move unhindered and strike deeper into the fog."
A soft pulse of energy rippled as the scouting party formed up into disciplined formations before disappearing into the growing mists. Their armor glimmered briefly as they passed beyond the Sanctuary's protective zone.
The second night hunt had officially begun.
Clark remained on the balcony for several minutes, his sharp gaze tracking their progress through the faint divine markers that hovered in his vision. Each successful battle would grant valuable experience not only to his troops but also increase their faith output once they returned.
As Seraphiel and the Crusaders vanished into the swirling fog, far from the Holy Sanctuary, another storm was raging — not one of swords or claws, but of words and desperation.
The Global Chat was in utter chaos.
The forum post Clark had written earlier — simple, careful, and carefully calculated — had already spread like wildfire through the community of young gods. And now, with many reading it for the first time, emotions exploded.
[Global Chat Opened]
Skyfire Monarch:
"You're telling me divine skills cost divinity to activate?!"
Frostblood Warlord:
"Damn it! I already filled both my skill slots with trashy normal skills!"
Silent Blade Lord:
"I wasted 3000 crystals on these beginner skills... and now I can't replace them unless I get a Deletion Card?!"
Stone Flame Lord:
"This Verdant God should've said something earlier! How many of us wasted our slots?!"
White Crane Goddess:
"Calm down! At least he shared the information… better late than never."
Heaven's Sword God:
"'Calm down,' you say? We can't calm down after throwing all our resources into garbage!"
Emerald Sea Priestess:
"I'm grateful Verdant God posted that. I held off buying skills just in time."
Night Wolf Sovereign:
"He's hiding much more, I bet. Look at how far ahead he already is!"
Lone Hammer Titan:
"Do you expect him to spoon-feed you everything? Survival is a competition!"
Clark scrolled quietly through the chat while sipping a cup of light herbal wine Lilith had prepared earlier. His expression remained calm, but inwardly, he noted the massive ripple effect his minor revelation had caused.
"As expected… some thankful, some resentful. But they've all finally begun to understand how merciless this world is."
What made it worse for many was that most of the gods had already locked themselves into normal skills — basic techniques that even mortals could practice, offering little long-term growth. Replacing them now would cost an absurd 5000 divinity per skill slot, something nearly no one at this stage could afford.
Meanwhile, Clark had secured Restoration and Starfall — powerful divine-level abilities far outclassing the majority.
The gap was widening.
More importantly, his name — Verdant God — was beginning to gain notoriety across the continent. Not through direct conflict, but through knowledge.
Even those who resented him couldn't ignore him now.
"Information is also a weapon."
As the chat continued to explode, Clark simply leaned back and closed the interface.
Just as Clark closed the global chat, the system's interface lit up once more — this time not with public messages, but private ones. One after another, they poured in like a flood, flashing with constant notifications.
[Private Messages: 112 Unread]
He sighed lightly, opening the inbox out of curiosity. The contents were varied — some were desperate, others opportunistic, and a few surprisingly diplomatic.
Night Wolf Sovereign (Private):
"Great Verdant God, if you can share any more information, I am willing to trade Divinity or Crystals in exchange for your advice."
Emerald Sea Priestess (Private):
"Thank you for your earlier post. It may have saved my entire domain. I hope one day we can form a pact of mutual assistance."
Silent Blade Lord (Private):
"Verdant God, we share a common goal — survival. If you're willing, I represent a growing alliance that welcomes powerful individuals like yourself. Together, we can control the early territories and suppress weaker gods."
White Crane Goddess (Private):
"We have established an alliance of twelve gods already. The early stage is too dangerous to face alone. Your strength would be a great addition. Consider joining us."
Skyfire Monarch (Private):
"You seem to have insights others lack. I offer a partnership, equal terms. Let's ensure we both survive these early days."
Clark's expression remained calm, but deep inside, a sharp glint flashed across his eyes.
"They're forming alliances already..."
He had expected that alliances would eventually rise, but the speed at which they were forming surprised him. Many of these gods had barely stabilized their domains, and yet they were already preparing to carve up the Divine Continent in factions.
"A natural reaction when people are cornered… safety in numbers. But for most, it will only delay the inevitable."
What truly amused him was that some alliances were trying to recruit him — blindly assuming that a god capable of constructing divine soil, summoning high-rank heroes, and obtaining divine skills would ever submit to a collective leadership.
Lone Hammer Titan (Private):
"Your silence speaks volumes. But know this: sooner or later, lone gods will be surrounded. You may be strong now, but this world will only grow harsher."
Clark closed the private message window without responding. His fingers tapped lightly against the armrest.
"Sooner or later… perhaps. But not yet."
For now, he had no interest in becoming a pawn in anyone else's political games. Every god on this continent was both a potential enemy and resource — nothing more.