Shadow Marsh
[Two-Star]
Type: Special Terrain Blueprint
Terrain Effects: [Minor Poison] Deals damage per second, [Minor Mobility Impairment] Reduces movement speed by 200 and agility by 10%
Special Effects: [Blindness] Reduces vision range, [Marsh Gas] Increases all fire-based elemental damage by 30%, with a high chance of causing explosions
Construction Materials: Energy, Dark Elements
“Could I actually alter the terrain itself?”
Intrigued, I tried to activate the blueprint, only to be met with a notification: construction required the Heart of Herentis to reach level two.
It hit me then—Syl had mentioned the Heart of Herentis held untapped potential, locked behind upgrades.
With surplus energy from the mine, I figured now was the time to push for it.
But when I checked the upgrade requirements, my enthusiasm fizzled.
Heart of Herentis
[Level 1]
Upgrade Requirements: 1,000 Energy
Even with the rewards from capturing the Grove Open-Pit Mine, that number was a distant dream.
“Speaking of task rewards…”
I remembered the haul included more than just energy—a special building blueprint and a pile of mysterious materials.
Opening my inventory, I pulled out the blueprint in question.
Dark Cathedral
Type: Special Building
Description: A necessary structure for monster advancement.
Construction Cost: 50 Energy
The description was deceptively simple, but its implications were monumental.
I’d wondered why monster nests only produced common and elite monsters, never anything higher.
Now it was clear: advancement required a specific process.
It made sense.
Boss-tier monsters were small-scale terrors for players, often requiring forty or fifty of similar level to defeat.
Higher tiers—leaders, commanders, lords—were even more formidable.
If nests could churn out such beasts, I’d have them camped at player respawn points by now.
Of course, that was an exaggeration.
Even lord-tier monsters would be hampered by low levels, easily crushed by the Bright Faction’s NPCs. Still, boss-tier monsters could handle dozens of players, and that kind of power was exactly what I needed.
Eagerly, I poured energy into constructing the Dark Cathedral.
Soon, a gothic structure of ashen black rose within the Demon King’s Castle, its eerie symbols a twisted mirror of the Bright Faction’s churches, steeped in a dark, ominous hue.
Advancement required elite monsters at minimum, so I summoned a Dark Bat Elite from its nest and sent it to the cathedral.
Checking the requirements, I realized the mine’s task rewards weren’t random.
The Black Crystals and Stardust Fragments were key materials for advancement.
Black Crystals, condensed dark elements, were a universal requirement for dark faction monster advancement.
Advancing from boss to leader required additional Stardust Fragments, while higher tiers demanded rare materials I’d only heard of in my past life—none easy to obtain.
Thankfully, Black Crystals, though rare, could be reliably harvested during dark element collection.
The castle’s warehouse held a few dozen.
Stardust Fragments, however, were another story—rewards from high-level quests or rare chests in advanced zones, likely unattainable for now.
“Let’s see what advancement looks like first.”
I shook off the distraction and focused on the Dark Cathedral.
Advancing an elite to a boss required 100 Black Crystals.
A boss to a leader needed 200 Black Crystals and Stardust Fragments.
The mine’s rewards were just enough for a single leap to leader tier.
But another requirement gave me pause: advancing to a leader required 300 Dark Bat Souls.
Monster souls weren’t rare drops—players often collected a few while grinding.
Most were sold, though high-quality ones were kept for equipment enchantment.
The real issue was acquiring them.
I’d need to trade with players, as sacrificing my own Dark Bats would yield only a handful of souls at best.
That meant venturing to the Bright World, but the faction-switching channels between the Dark and Bright Factions wouldn’t open until the next expansion.
Based on my past life, that was over three years away.
“Feels like I’m stuck in a three-year prison sentence,” I muttered, shaking my head.
“Maybe Syl knows a way to reach the Bright World. I’ll ask when she’s back.”
As if summoned by my words, footsteps echoed from the control room’s entrance.
“Back already?”
But instead of a calm reply, a figure lunged at me, sobbing.
“Wahhh, Your Majesty, please forgive my foolish insolence! Let me join your ranks—I swear my utmost loyalty!”
A system prompt followed:
System: Accept the allegiance of [Breath of the Flame Monarch – Satahia]?
Then came Syl’s serene voice. “Your Majesty, it’s done.”
She’d surrendered that EaSiLy?
This was the same sharp-tongued, flat-chested brat from before?
I blinked at the tearful girl clinging to me, then glanced at Syl, who stood quietly to the side, fulfilling her maid duties. “What did you do to her?”
“Just a friendly chat between girls,” Syl said, lowering her head impassively as she adjusted her silk gloves. “I taught her some manners and shared a bit of senior wisdom.”
Satahia’s wails grew louder.
“Wahhh, I’ll never marry now! Please, Your Majesty, take me in!”
Syl was definitely terrifying.
Mentally labeling her as untouchable, I accepted Satahia’s allegiance, offering a half-hearted pat.
“There, there, no more crying.”
But then, a strange pressure pressed against my chest.
Looking down, I saw Satahia’s sneaky hands at work, her face glowing with exaggerated relief.
“Only Your Majesty can heal my wounded heart!”
I smacked her forehead with a flick.
“Don’t throw yourself into despair just to compete with a kid over development!”