Rode instantly activated the Eye of the Spirit, and colors like ink began to seep from the material world. Dots of light appeared in the air, and Raisin and the other two turned into glowing mist, with nerve-like networks running through them, dazzlingly bright.

In front of them, a black shadow was evaporating, seemingly a monster that Raisin had just shattered.

Further away, there were many more such black shadows, wandering around, strolling in the thin black mist. Occasionally, they would approach the houses on the side, but would jump back like frightened dogs when they encountered the spirit lamps.

Rode's mind tensed instantly, and he shouted, "There are many more ahead."

"Got it!"

Raisin held a shield in one hand and a knife in the other. With a sudden flick of his right hand, there was a click, and the folded blade snapped open, transforming from a three-inch short knife into a three-meter long blade. With a loud shout, spiritual light burst from his body, and layers of phantoms appeared around him.

He paused for a moment, then charged into the pack of dogs.

The sudden bright light dispelled the already thin black mist, and the ghostly large dogs scattered instantly.

But in the next moment, the dogs' eyes turned blood-red, their mouths elongated, and huge fangs sprang from jaws that didn't match their body size, transforming them from strange black dogs into terrifying monsters.

Gaping mouths lunged from all directions, but Raisin swung his long blade, slicing three large mouths in half. With a thrust of his shield, he split another mouth, but four more viciously bit into his back.

"Watch out!"

In the next instant, countless steel spikes shot out from Raisin's back, turning the four large dogs into porcupines.

He then turned around, positioning his back towards the area with the most enemies.

Swish, swish, swish!

Steel spikes shot out like a torrential rain, piercing through the black dogs in sheets.

The dead black dogs fell to the ground, tiny black dots rising from their bodies and dissipating into the air. The steel spikes gradually turned transparent, fading into phantoms and disappearing.

Throughout it all, Aeg and Caramon showed no intention of stepping forward.

Caramon even shouted, "Put some effort into it, didn't you eat?"

Raisin retorted angrily, "Did Dona ever ask you that?" With a backhanded swing, he split a black dog in two, but more black dogs surged forward, quickly surrounding him.

"Aren't you going to help?" Rode asked hesitantly.

Aeg smirked, "These gray-level monsters, he can handle them himself."

Caramon's cheeks flushed, and he said angrily, "He's the best, let him do it."

Rode's mind stirred, realizing this was a perfect opportunity. He pulled out his spirit gun and asked, "Can I attack them from a distance?"

Aeg gave him a curious look, "No need, real silver bullets are expensive."

Rode knew they were expensive; he still owed money for those fifty real silver bullets. But compared to his life, that money was nothing.

"I want to practice, so I won't be afraid when I encounter them again."

Aeg smiled, "As long as you're not afraid of wasting them, it's fine."

Rode steadied his mind and raised his gun.

He was much more skilled now, infusing spiritual energy and aiming simultaneously in a second. As the spiritual pressure gauge maxed out, the muzzle aligned with the target.

With a loud bang, the real silver bullet shot out, accurately hitting a black dog, piercing through its body and exploding on the other side.

Silver light burst forth, shattering four surrounding black dogs into pieces.

Debris scattered and fell to the ground, evaporating quickly due to the destructive damage, with large amounts of black dust rising and dissipating into the dark void.

This time, Rode clearly saw four extremely fine black lines composed of black dust shooting from the void and entering his heart.

Immediately after, four faint lines of small text [Dust-like Soul] flashed across his vision, barely noticeable if not paid attention to.

Rode nervously glanced at Aeg and Caramon, but they seemed unaware, praising, "Nice shooting, clean and swift."

"Indeed, much more powerful than Raisin's useless counter-barrier."

They seemed unable to see... Rode felt relieved and fired a second shot, accurately hitting the dog pack, taking out five more black dogs.

The dog pack wavered, some black dogs looking this way, seemingly about to pounce, but Raisin charged in, sweeping with a flurry of steel needles, slashing with his blade and striking with his shield, instantly drawing the pack's attention back.

This aggro management was solid... Rode instantly understood the tactical positioning, quickly starting a rapid fire, each shot hitting the densest part of the dog pack. Numerous black lines flew in succession, with [Dust-like Soul] continuously flashing in his vision.

Aeg and Caramon couldn't sit still either. The former began blowing his large horn, with each blow sending out several streams of white smoke, piercing through the black dogs. The latter swung a long whip, striking them from a distance.

The dog pack remained firmly tethered to Raisin, never once turning to attack them, and was soon cleared out.

Raisin returned, high-fiving the three of them, "A small victory."

Turning to Rode, he smiled, "You fired ten shots, that's seventy silver soles. How about treating us to some soul therapy at the Healing Order?"

Rode was surprised, "Seventy silver soles is enough?"

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"Huh? Isn't it?"

Rode hesitated for a moment, not mentioning his experience. He felt that even adding a zero wouldn't be enough for him alone.

Raisin didn't mind, unhooking the spirit lamp from his waist and raising it high.

Rode saw the veins in his hand light up, clearly gathering spiritual energy and infusing it into the spirit lamp.

In the next moment, the spirit lamp emitted a dazzling radiance, illuminating the entire street in detail.

Raisin controlled the spiritual energy, making the spirit lamp flash ten times before hanging it back on his waist.

"This is our routine, to let the residents know the battle is over, no need to panic."

Only then did Rode notice the silhouettes in the houses on both sides. They only gradually dispersed after seeing the flashes, and faintly, he could hear prayers, blessings, and words of gratitude.

"Let's go."

The patrol team set off again, chatting casually as if nothing had happened.

Only Rode felt anxious inside. Although he had just harvested many souls, he couldn't return to the dreamscape, and if the star were to extinguish at this moment...

No matter, as long as I move quickly, it should be fine.

Rode clasped his hands in his sleeves, thumbs overlapping, forming a lightning symbol. His vision blurred, and his soul soared.

In an instant, he returned to the dreamscape.

Gray, dim mist floated quietly in this boundless space, with a solitary obelisk standing in the center, and a black altar towering to its right rear.

Above the altar, over sixty dust-like firelights floated.

Rode didn't bother to observe closely, sprinting to the obelisk and lightly touching its surface. The night sky appeared once more, with two stars, one red and one blue, appearing before him.

Rode's gaze quickly swept over them.

The dark red star still burned brightly, with the inscription:

[Dark Devourer]

[Status: Constantly Burning]

[Star Energy: Soul Erosion]

[Injection: Unavailable]

[Quantifiable: Dark of the Abyss, Eternal Mist, Blood of Ancient Ross]

[Potential: Eternal Flame]

[Strength: Thirty]

[Description: A dreamlike illusion, the ultimate ideal, wings that soar when falling, the last edge on a long sword. She was born from humanity's most noble ideals and died from humanity's most sordid desires.]

The blue star, however, was dim, barely distinguishable from the other illusory points of light, with the inscription:

[Frigid Azure]

[Status: About to Extinguish]

[Star Energy: Revival of the Soul]

[Injection: Soulless]

[Quantifiable: Unavailable]

[Potential: Dim Fire]

[Strength: One]

[Description: We must still love with life, even if the world treats us harshly.]

Now the translation was much more accurate, Rode focused his gaze on the blue star, and with a thought, over sixty firelights instantly poured into the obelisk. In the night sky, over sixty tiny meteors appeared, all flying into the blue star.

It visibly brightened, its light beginning to boil like a burning bonfire.

The status changed from "About to Extinguish" to "Weakly Burning," and its strength increased from "One" to "Two," slowly rising.

But the other aspects remained unchanged.

Rode frowned slightly; it seemed to need more souls.

[Dark Devourer] seemed much more special than it, having transformed into a "Constantly Burning" [Eternal Flame] after consuming souls once, and could no longer accept soul injections, instead becoming "Quantifiable."

But what does "Quantifiable" mean?

Why are they so different? Is it their nature? Or the type of souls they consumed?

Rode didn't dwell on it, quickly forming the hand gesture again. His vision blurred, and a strong sense of weightlessness enveloped him.

In an instant, he returned to the real world.

Opening his eyes, on the dim street, the three were looking back at him, their gazes somewhat strange.

"What happened to you?"

Rode quickly released his hands, giving an awkward smile.

"Sorry, I was too tired and accidentally fell asleep."

Rode noticed the spiritual light flickering slightly in Caramon's hand, invisible ripples brushing past his face, invigorating his spirit with a refreshing feeling.

Then the three of them smiled, hooking their arms around his neck and pulling him along.

"Sleeping is not allowed, you know."

"You must understand, for us, it may just be an ordinary monster, but for civilians, it could be a family's nightmare."

"We are now the guardians of the royal city, Iron Cross Street, responsible for the lives of three thousand four hundred households, twenty-one thousand people."

"Come on, let's talk about something exciting, like the spring dreams of the eldest daughter of the Mipol Family, one of the top ten beauties in the royal city. What do you think?"