Chapter 44
[‘Sacred Territory Management’ sub-menu unlocked.]
[You have achieved an accomplishment! ‘The Day the Sky Opened’]
[Description: You have completed preparations to govern the ‘Land of Dawn.’ This marks the first step toward managing your sacred domain.]
[Achievement Rewards Granted:]
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500 Sacred Points (SP).
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Acquired a new ‘Blessing.’
[Blessing of the Starting Line (B)]: Brings multifaceted luck to activities in a newly established sacred domain.
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When the sacred territory level is ‘Level 1’ or below, SP consumption for ‘Sacred Territory Enhancement’ decreases by 2%.
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If the sacred territory’s ‘Overall Index’ drops below <Unstable>, it will be prevented once. (Remaining: 1 use)
“Wow…”
It was the familiar ‘beginner’s blessing.’
He felt a wave of nostalgia.
Five thousand years ago.
It started just like this back then.
Back when agriculture was first emerging.
When nations were being established and the roots of civilizations were spreading.
Today’s reality was vastly different—dark clouds loomed over an already advanced world. But…
The excitement and weight of taking that first step? That remained unchanged.
Without delay, Doyoon opened up the Sacred Territory Management panel.
If Awakeners had status windows, then this was the divine counterpart for guardian gods.
◈◈ Sacred Territory Management ◈◈
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Sacred Territory Info: (Details)
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Sacred Points: 500 SP
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SP Management: (Details)
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Territory Enhancement: (Details)
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Territory Missions: (Details)
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Accomplishments: (1 achieved)
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Blessings: (1 blessing active)
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(Feature locked)
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(Feature locked)
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(Feature locked)
First, I need to get a clear understanding of this land’s current state.
Doyoon tapped on Sacred Territory Info.
[Sacred Territory Info]
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Influence: Daebang-dong, 1.5 km², Population 31,213
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Territory Level: Level 1
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Overall Index: ‘Unstable’
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Detailed Indicators: (Details)
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Active Blessings: [Blessing of the Starting Line (B)]
Feels like just yesterday when I was protecting 50 million descendants… Time really flies.
With a wry smile, Doyoon checked the explanation for Territory Level.
[Sacred Territory Level]
: Level 1 – Small Outpost
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A starting point with minimal functions and limited influence. Still weak, but brimming with the potential of a dawn era.
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Requirements for Level Up: Raise <Overall Index> to ‘Stable’ or higher and expand <Influence> to cover all of Dongjak-gu.
The current Overall Index was Unstable, and the details were as follows:
▶ Overall Index: ‘Unstable’
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Purity: Neutral
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Resident Satisfaction: Housing Insecurity
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Order: Unstable
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Security: Safe
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Prosperity: Stagnant
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Development: Halted
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(Locked)
This is… overwhelming.
Where should he even start?
Knowledge accumulated from millennia as a guardian god flowed through his mind—
The calculation method for the Overall Index.
Each sub-indicator has seven stages.
For example, Purity—this drops when the environment becomes polluted, especially due to failure to suppress monsters or anomalies.
The stages go like this:
<Severe Contamination> – <Spreading Contamination> – <Contaminated> – <Neutral> – <Purified> – <Widespread Purification> – <Pristine>
Each stage is assigned 0–6 points, and key indicators have weighted values. Sum them up for the total score.
Currently, the Overall Index was 24 points.
Four points away from falling to ‘Alert’ level, and three points needed to rise to ‘Stable.’
…This is a complete mess.
If the neighborhood had been wrecked by a gate, it would have been easier—
Purity carries the highest weight among indicators. If monsters were running rampant, defeating them would boost the score dramatically.
But that wasn’t the issue here.
Resident Satisfaction? One step below the neutral <Normal> at 3rd tier <Housing Insecurity>.
Order? A measure of social stability and law adherence—currently <Unstable>, one tier below <Stable>.
Security? Perfect, at <Safe>.
Well, of course. Beyond Daebang-dong, this is still South Korea.
However, Prosperity—economic vitality and wealth—was at 3rd tier <Stagnant>, below <Maintained>.
Development? Completely halted.
Not one or two issues, but an entire checklist.
To raise the level, this was going to be a massive headache…
But was sacred territory management just a bothersome chore?
…No way.
Guardian gods weren’t fools.
Why did gods strive so hard to nurture and protect their domains?
Sure, after watching countless generations rise and fall, they’d grown attached… but the main reason was—
[Sacred Territory Management] → [SP Management]
Like a farmer feeling the breath of the earth as he cultivates his crops.
Drawing from the pulsing ley lines—
From the very roots of the land—
This was the lifeblood of divine authority.
The primary purpose of homeland protection was none other than this—
[SP Management]
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Daily Production: 450 SP
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Max Storage: 4,500 SP
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Current SP: 500 SP
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Net Gain per Hour: 18.75 SP
The true source of power and influence for guardian gods—
Sacred Points (SP).
1 SP can be exchanged for 1 point, and vice versa.
I’ve been waiting for this day.
This very moment was why he hoarded, mined, scraped, and stockpiled points with sheer tenacity!
[Total Points Owned: 1,455,994 P]
Doyoon’s plan was simple: maximize SP value.
It would cost points now, but the return would be immense.
An investment for the future.
[Sacred Territory Management] → [Territory Enhancement]
[Territory Enhancement]
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Territory Expansion / Reward Boost
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Area Stabilization / Growth Acceleration
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Resident Support / Efficiency Maximization
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Production Increase / Cost Reduction
Among the eight categories, the highest priority was—
[‘Cost Reduction’ Lv.0 → 1]
[Cost: 14,700 SP. Proceed with enhancement? Y/N]
Enhance.
[SP insufficient. Charging 14,200 SP.]
[Using Points: 14,200 P]
[‘Territory Enhancement’ level increased.]
[Cost Reduction Lv.1]
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SP cost for Territory Enhancements reduced by 2%. (Total reduction: 2%)
SP value just went up.
He spent 14,700 SP, but after exchanging around 740,000 points, it would break even—a massive efficiency gain.
The early enhancement stages are ridiculously generous.
Like the blessing of the starting line—
A rare display of system generosity.
Anything tied to point growth gets maxed, no hesitation.
He had to push this as hard as possible.
[‘Cost Reduction’ Lv.1 → 2]
[Cost: 24,000 SP. Proceed? Y/N]
Enhance.
Originally 24,500 SP, now down to 24,000 SP.
He kept pouring in points—
Each time, SP costs dropped by 2%, until—
[‘Cost Reduction’ Lv.2 → 3]
[Cost: 32,900 SP. Proceed? Y/N]
[‘Cost Reduction’ Lv.3 → 4]
[Cost: 46,000 SP. Proceed? Y/N]
[‘Cost Reduction’ Lv.4 → 5]
[Enhancement limit reached.]
[Unlock condition: Reach Territory Level 2.]
Final discount: 8%.
Add the Blessing of the Starting Line, and that’s 10% total.
The board is set.
[‘Production Increase’ Lv.0 → 1]
[Cost: 1,800 SP. Proceed? Y/N]
Immediately.
[Production Increase Lv.1]
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Daily SP production increased by 3%. (Total boost: 3%)
Push to the limit—
[‘Production Increase’ Lv.1 → 5]
[Cost: 54,000 SP. Proceed? Y/N]
[‘Production Increase’ Lv.5 → 6]
[Enhancement limit reached.]
[Unlock condition: Reach Territory Level 2.]
Total boost: 14%.
Each level gave 3% early on, then dropped to 2.5%, but still a great deal.
Let’s check the new returns.
[SP Management]
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Daily Production: 513 SP
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Max Storage: 4,500 SP
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Current SP: 0 SP
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Net Gain per Hour: 21.375 SP
A whopping 63 SP increase per day!
Two days and you’ve got yourself a high-end piece of equipment.
Sure, for Doyoon, high-end gear was practically lying around and points were endless…
But still, it brought back memories—
The starting line, 5,000 years ago.
…Jimo, Pungbaek, and me. Three broke gods, building today’s prosperity from scratch.
Nobody understood the significance of [Cost Reduction Lv.4] and [Production Increase Lv.5] better than him.
[Remaining Points: 1,283,094 P]
He hadn’t even begun real investments yet when—
“Excuse me.”
A cautious voice from beyond the balcony.
The office inside was buzzing with a party atmosphere.
Doyoon was outside, quietly mapping out his future plans.
“Are… you busy?”
It was Eidos, approaching hesitantly.
Gone was the hostility in his eyes—awkward respect had replaced it.
“Ah, I’m interrupting. I’ll come back later.”
“No, speak.”
Eidos coughed awkwardly for a while before finally speaking—
“I… apologize. For the misunderstanding.”
The day he first visited the New Humanity Association—
He’d been the one raging for Siren’s revenge.
“…And also—”
After a pause, he continued—
“Thank you for saving our Siren. I swear to repay this debt—”
That’s when—
“What a joke.”
A derisive laugh.
Siren strode forward, cutting Eidos off.
“Why are you repaying him?”
“I-I just wanted to apologize—”
“Then apologize. Why drag me into it? ‘Our Siren’? Seriously?”
Clicking her tongue, Siren shoved him aside.
“Please, just stop obsessing over me, will you?”
Eidos hunched his shoulders awkwardly but still managed to slip in a final word to Doyoon—
“Just say the word if you need anything.”
“What the hell does he think he is, talking about debts and gratitude?”
Siren frowned deeply, then turned to Doyoon with a complicated look—
“I-I mean… thanks. For this and… everything.”
“What do you mean ‘this’ and ‘everything’?”
“From the start, I thought you were weird.”
“I don’t understand a word you’re saying.”
“Don’t act clueless when you know.”
Like hell I’m gonna say something cheesy like—‘Someday I’ll protect you too, just like you protected me.’ Over my dead body!
Her gaze darted around until it landed on Seo Hyejin inside the office.
Her face lit up like she’d just found a lifeline.
“Hyejin!”
Seo Hyejin stopped her conversation and looked over.
“I heard you two last met in Haenam? Wow, I really had no idea!”
Siren closed the distance, gave Doyoon a playful nudge on the arm, and threw an exaggerated wink—
“Catch up all you want!”
Then she bolted back inside like she was escaping.
“…Since when did she start talking so casually?”
A faint smile tugged at Doyoon’s lips—
As Seo Hyejin approached.
