The Spectral Resonance hit like a bucket of ice water. One moment Ah Wei was lobbing fireballs at the Steeljaw Lions; the next, his avatar dissolved into translucent wisps. His staff clattered to the ground, its voidfire extinguished as the system notification blared:


    Death Alert:


    ? Player Soulless (Lv54 → Lv53)


    ? Status: Phantom Drift (Ghostwalk Active)


    ? Revival Options:


    ├─Soulbinder NPC: 15 Gold


    └─Player Resurrectionist: Variable Cost


    "Boss?" Ah Wei''s voice echoed disembodied. "I can walk through walls now! Check this out—" His spectral form phased through a boulder, emerging with digital static clinging to his outline.


    I activated [Veil of the Eclipse], its ruby eye piercing the ethereal veil. The augmented sight revealed Ah Wei''s ghostly avatar flickering like a corrupted hologram. "Quit messing around. We need to get you to a Soulbinder."


    Watermoon Citadel – Necrotic Quarter


    The Resurrectionist''s den reeked of embalming fluids and false promises. A Lv180 Soulweaver with too many eyes gestured impatiently. "15 gold or begone. I''ve got cultists to reanimate."


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Ah Wei winced as the ritual commenced—a grotesque dance of ectoplasmic threads stitching his soul back into corporeal form. The gold counter in my inventory ticked down painfully.


    Revival Log:


    ? -15 Gold


    ? [Soulless] restored to Lv53


    ? Debuff: Soulsickness (-20% XP gain for 1h)


    "Never. Again." Ah Wei clutched his resurrected torso. "That felt like getting born backward."


    Strategic Adjustment:


    <ol start="1">


    <li>


    Phantom''s New Role: Designated "death watcher" to prevent repeat incidents


    </li>


    <li>


    Fortune''s Aggro Control: Taunt mechanics optimized for party protection


    </li>


    <li>


    Equipment Overhaul: Purchased [Soultether Amulet] (Auto-revive 1/day)


    </li>


    </ol>


    As dawn painted the citadel spires, the system-wide alert flashed:


    Global Announcement:


    "Full Account Launch Commenced – 2.3 Billion Players Online"


    The wilderness beyond Watermoon now teemed with neon-haired newbies and goldseller bots. Our private hunting grounds were gone—swallowed by the player tsunami.


    "Time to go off-map," I muttered, activating the [Ring of Astral Passage]. Somewhere beyond civilized zones, the Sanctum of Ebon Veils waited—and with it, answers about the Eclipse Ring''s whispered promises.