Now that his balance had finally crossed the ten-thousand mark, Leon could at last do the one thing he had been planning ever since he started hoarding Eternal Coins.
This was the real reason why he had wanted those coins in the first place after all.
Leon closed his eyes. He focused first on the number floating calmly in his panel.
Then, he shifted that focus toward his [Storage Space].
And then—
Ding!
[Do you wish to spend 10,000 Eternal Coins to expand your "Storage Space" by 10 slots?]
"Yes," Leon answered immediately, nodding without hesitation.
Fwoosh!
A brilliant golden aura burst outward from his panel.
Ten thousand Eternal Coins materialized in midair, shimmering as if they were made of molten gold.
They didn’t fall to the ground. Instead, they surged forward all at once, slamming directly into the translucent panel of his [Storage Space].
The panel vibrated. Light spread across its surface in complex patterns, like veins forming inside glass.
The coins dissolved into pure energy, feeding directly into the storage itself.
Only a few seconds passed.
Ding!
[Your "Storage Space" slots have increased to 110.]
Leon opened his eyes.
"Perfect."
He let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.
To push it to 120 slots, he’d need another ten thousand Eternal Coins.
He didn’t have that yet, but now that he had reached this point once, reaching it again was only a matter of time.
He checked the panel again.
[Storage Space: 93/110]
"...Oh."
Leon blinked, then laughed quietly. He hadn’t even noticed how close he was to filling it completely.
If he hadn’t expanded it now, he would have been forced to either sell items prematurely or leave drops behind, both of which were unacceptable.
Ten extra slots didn’t sound like much, but in practice, it was huge. It gave him breathing room and flexibility.
Now that everything was finally taken care of: equipment, skills, enhancements, storage, there was nothing left tying them to this place.
Leon looked at Emilia and nodded.
"Let’s move."
They exited the [Core of Poison Clearing] and stepped back into the [Poison Forest].
The difference was immediate. The oppressive pressure from the core was gone.
The poison in the air was thinner, less aggressive. It was still dangerous, but nothing compared to what they had just faced.
They moved quickly.
Along the way, they encountered a handful of monsters, poison beasts, corrupted insects, wandering mutated creatures, but none of them posed any real threat anymore.
Leon cut them down efficiently, barely slowing his pace.
Ding!
[+32 Constitution, +13 Spirit, +15 Agility.]
Each kill added more items to his storage.
But eventually... They broke through the final stretch of trees.
The poison-stained forest ended abruptly. Emilia stepped forward first, then stopped.
"...We did it?" she asked, tilting her head slightly. "Thank god. I hated that place."
Leon stepped out beside her.
Before them stretched a vast open field of dark grass, swaying gently as if moved by an unseen tide.
The sky above was pitch black, empty of stars, except for one thing. A massive moon.
It hung unnaturally low in the sky, impossibly large, its pale light washing over the land like a cold gaze.
In the distance, the silhouette of a city rose against the horizon: [Moon City].
Any experienced player who reached this place for the first time felt it instantly.
That pressure. It wasn’t hostile. It wasn’t aggressive.
It was... watching. Leon lifted his gaze and activated [Appraisal] on the moon itself.
The panel that appeared was short.
[It is not awake yet, but soon.]
"...Damn," Leon muttered.
Unlike the [Shadow Horde] event, this was something he had actually experienced once in his past life.
But back then, he had been too weak.
The rewards he earned had been mediocre at best, not because the event itself was bad, but because he hadn’t been strong enough to claim the real prizes.
’Still...’ Leon narrowed his eyes slightly. ’Two major events back-to-back.’
It felt strange, as if something was pushing the world forward faster than it should.
But now wasn’t the time to think about that.
They continued forward and reached [Moon City] without any major incidents.
Even so, Leon never relaxed his guard.
His eyes constantly scanned the surroundings, his senses sharp, alert for any hint of danger: player killers.
They weren’t common yet, not in the [Lower Domain]. Only the strong players even dared to do it at this stage.
And even then, they didn’t attack randomly. They hunted.
They targeted players they believed had valuable items hidden in their [Storage Space].
Once [Eternal Ascension] progressed further and players reached the [Higher Domain], it would become much worse.
Killing players would turn into a profession. A way to grow stronger by stealing from others.
Even resurrection wouldn’t save you completely.
Because no matter how many [Resurrection Stones] you had, death still had a price.
Some items always dropped. Leon knew that better than anyone.
And if someone saw his storage... They wouldn’t hesitate.
That was why there was only one answer: he had to be the strongest.
As they walked, Leon opened his [Friends List].
---
[Eleonore Starlight — Novice Divine Temple]
[David Windbreak — Novice Divine Temple]
...
---
A grin appeared on his face.
"So they finally made it," he thought. "Good."
Reaching the Novice Divine Temple meant they were close to entering the [Lower Domain].
Once they arrived, Leon believed they’d be able to survive on their own, for a while, at least.
In his past life, he hadn’t helped them at all. And yet, they still managed to rise. That alone said enough.
"How many friends do you have?" Emilia asked suddenly, noticing the panel floating beside him.
"Five," Leon replied simply. "But I plan to add a few more once I meet the right people. What about you?"
She paused.
"Huh..." She looked away briefly. "One."
"...Damn," Leon said honestly. "That’s rough."
He didn’t blame her.
Her own race had betrayed her. The people who she thought were friends had thrown her away without hesitation.
Leon was the only one who had stepped in. And honestly, he wasn’t much different.
He didn’t add people lightly either. Trust was rare.
If Leon even suspected someone of possibly siding with the gods, or beings like them, he would never allow them close.
And if he ever confirmed that someone had caused the deaths of others by doing so... There would be no mercy.
Eventually, the massive gates of [Moon City] came into view.
Unlike [Hub City], this place was guarded.
Several figures stood near the entrance, clad in dark robes decorated with moon-shaped symbols.
Leon activated [Appraisal].
---
[Moon Sect Guard]
[Level: 25]
[Exclusive Talent: Blood Moon Worshiper (C-Level)]
[Combat Power: ???]
[Details: A member of the "Moon Sect" that worships the moon, and more specifically the "Blood Moon" that appears once a month.]
---
Leon couldn’t see their combat power. That alone told him everything he needed to know.
They were strong. Strong enough that even he knew fighting them all now would be difficult.
’Not yet,’ Leon thought, his expression turning cold. ’But soon.’
He lifted his gaze toward the city.
At its very center stood a towering structure that dominated the skyline: the [Blood Moon Cathedral].
The most dangerous dungeon in this entire region of the [Lower Domain].
It was closed for now. It only opened during the [Blood Moon].
But Leon remembered it clearly. The secrets hidden inside. The rewards.
In his past life, he hadn’t been strong enough to challenge it.
Most players who entered either died... or barely escaped with their lives.
This time would be different. He would be ready.
For now, though, Leon and Emilia stepped forward, ready to pass through the gates of [Moon City].