[Chapter 70: Emperors Coins]
A few minutes later, Daniel surfaced from the lake, having found nothing. He climbed ashore and changed into a fresh set of clothes. His Divine Empowerment was completely drained, and his body was already beginning to suffer the painful aftereffects.
He decided not to dive again or attempt to go back out that night. "I can't hold my breath underwater for long, even with magical power -- I can only last a few minutes," Daniel thought. "Looks like I'll either need proper diving gear next time or wait until my exorcism level is higher before trying again. But maybe there really is something down in this lake."
Refusing to give up, Daniel still believed there was something hidden beneath the water. He took out some food and drink and ate dinner by the lake's edge. Soon after, he activated the System.
[Merit Points: 58,800.]
With almost 59,000 Merit Points, several upgrade options reactivated. Without hesitation, Daniel tapped the "Exorcism Level" upgrade button.
"Exorcism Level, upgrade!"
The familiar piercing pain returned, intensifying the aches his body was already enduring from the Rite of Divine Empowerment. Sweat drenched the fresh clothes he had just changed into, but Daniel clenched his teeth, refusing to cry out.
About ten minutes passed.
[Exorcism Level: Senior Exorcist.]
[Merit Points: 33,200.]
A surge of new strength flooded his body, reviving him. Even the lingering aftereffects of the Rite of Divine Empowerment were greatly eased, and he felt lighter on his feet.
"So upgrading my exorcism level also lessens the Rite of Divine Empowerment aftereffects," Daniel realized.
Glancing down, he noticed the upgrade button had grayed out. The next upgrade would require 51,200 Merit Points -- something he did not yet have.
Next, his eyes shifted to the Spell column. Aside from Prayer Seal Crafting Art, every other skill was ready for upgrade. Without hesitation, Daniel upgraded Artifact Forging Art first.
[Artifact Forging Art: Second Tier.]
[Merit Points: 33,100.]
"Continue!"
[Artifact Forging Art: Third Tier.]
[Merit Points: 32,100.]
Now, the Sanctum Blade Technique, Spiritual Perception Technique, Rite of Divine Empowerment, and Artifact Forging Art all reached the Third Tier. Further progress would cost 10,000 Merit Points each. Daniel decided to hold off on upgrading them now.
"Upgrading exorcism takes about ten minutes, but upgrading spells only takes a moment. I can do it on demand. By holding onto my Merit Points, I can save up for my next exorcism upgrade."
Status Summary:
[Host: Daniel Cross]
[Body Constitution: Thunder Body]
[Exorcist Level: Sanctified Exorcist]
[Skills:]
[Sanctum Blade Technique: Third Tier]
[Divine Incantation for for Purifying Souls: First Tier]
[Prayer Seal Crafting Art: Fourth Tier]
[Spiritual Perception Technique: Third Tier]
[Rite of Divine Empowerment: Third Tier]
[Inner Sanctification Rite]
[Artifact Forging Art: Third Tier]
[Merit Points: 32,100.]
...
Exiting the System, Daniel headed toward his Cadillac, folded down the back seats, and prepared to spend the night inside. "Next time, I need to store a few tents in the System Space for outdoor trips."
He remembered seeing some tents in the cabin before -- probably brought by someone like Bella, then moved inside by Jason. But those tents all smelled stale, and Daniel didn't want to sleep in them. As for cars, he had noticed several of them submerged in the lake.
The night passed uneventfully. After Jason had been dealt with, no other disturbances occurred.
...
The next day, Daniel returned to the lakeside, unable to resist. He stripped off his clothes and slipped into the water to search once more. His breath-holding time was still limited, and once again, he found nothing.
"Forget it. I'll come back later," he decided, setting the matter aside for now.
...
When Daniel arrived at Logan's house, it was already past 1 p.m. The moment Logan saw Bella's body laid out in the garage, tears poured down his face uncontrollably. Jenna, his wife, stayed nearby, softly comforting him until he slowly regained composure.
Daniel observed Jenna's subtle sigh of relief when she saw Bella's body. He didn't dwell on it -- he knew wealthy families often harbored complicated secrets and drama. Meddling wasn't his style. After collecting the final payment from Logan, Daniel prepared to leave.
"Oh, right, I also saw the bodies of Bella's three friends. If you want to visit, the address is..." Daniel gave him the location of Crystal Lake before taking his leave.
...
Back home, Daniel fed the Moth Monster some more mice, and finally, the aftereffects of the Rite of Divine Empowerment vanished completely.
[Artifact Forging Art: Third Tier]
Daniel reviewed the knowledge stored in his mind about Artifact Forging. It struck him as unreasonable that he still only owned a single Sanctum Blade.
"I really need to create a batch of Magical Artifacts. That'll directly boost my power," he thought. "And I need a heavy sword."
During the close-range fight with Jason, Daniel realized where he lacked. The Sanctum Blade was excellent against ghosts and monsters, but it was less effective against someone like Jason. The electric saw was useful, but prone to damage during weapon clashes. Moreover, using the Rite of Divine Empowerment risked triggering lightning strikes; if lightning hit his electric saw, it could be reduced to scrap within minutes. The chainsaw was no better in that regard.
Since the day was still young, Daniel quickly tidied up and headed out.
...
Most exorcist Magical Artifacts were crafted from old materials. New ones were rare -- not because they lacked power, but due to the scarcity of artisans who knew the craft.
Daniel originally wanted lightning-struck wardwood -- olive wood from consecrated ground, or ashwood split by a storm. But after asking through every contact he had, even Cross Hall's supply channels came up empty.
His next idea was to assemble a coin-blade.
Copper coins were easy to find, but genuinely authentic ones were rare. A blade strung from ordinary coins could still function, but its authority was thin and its suppression effect weak.
The best versions were forged from the Five Consecrated Sovereign Coins -- especially the Greater Sovereign Set. These five coins -- Roman Imperial, Byzantine, Carolingian, Holy Roman, and Tudor -- represented the strongest sacred monarchies of their ages. They carried accumulated national mandate and public faith, making them exceptional vessels for warding.
For ordinary people, even a small string of Sovereign Coins hung at home could repel taint and suppress lesser hauntings. In the hands of an exorcist, strung and sealed into a coin-blade, they could drive out ghosts and cut down hostile spirits.
However, the Sovereign Coins had to be true heirlooms, passed through living hands -- not pieces dug out of graves or pulled from cursed ruins. Coins taken from the dead carried grave-residue and spiritual taint. That contamination broke their authority, turning them into nothing more than metal.
Only genuine heirloom coins retained the needed efficacy.
Even in Europe, assembling a full Greater Sovereign Set was difficult. Here in the United States, it was nearly impossible.
Daniel didn't dare dream that high. But perhaps he could obtain the Lesser Sovereign Set instead.
Due to modern historical quirks, collecting a complete and legitimate Lesser Set might actually be easier than doing it back in the old countries.
...
"These coins you have won't work, but these few here should do," Daniel said as he browsed an antique shop called Kingsbridge Antiquities. He selected a handful of genuine copper coins -- all heirlooms.
The shop was tiny, only a few square feet, filled with unremarkable items, making the presence of any genuine heirloom coins rare.
The owner was a middle-aged man in his fifties, plainly dressed with round-rimmed glasses. He looked at Daniel with a mix of surprise and respect.
"Mister, you're a true connoisseur. I apologize for underestimating you," the man said in accented English.
Daniel didn't waste time. "Name your price."
The owner replied without blinking. "Seven coins. Five hundred dollars. Fair, don't you think?"
Daniel scoffed. "Loose coins like these aren't rare. I've seen the same types sold for pocket change."
The owner spread his hands, still smiling. "Loose coins, yes. But not these. These have provenance. These coins have no corrosion, not dug from a grave. They have a clean history. That's what you're paying for."
Daniel countered, "One hundred dollars. That's my max."
The man hesitated. "That's too low--"
Before the owner could finish, Daniel turned and walked away.
"Hey, Mister, wait--"
Daniel placed a hundred dollars on the counter and collected the seven copper coins. With these, he could actually assemble a set of Minor Five Emperors Coins.
As Daniel turned to leave, the owner called after him, "Mister, since you're interested in ancient coins, I have a batch of premium goods here. Interested?"
*****
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