Everything that's occurred in the last few minutes rushes through my mind as I watch the stone statue disappear and the massive cluster of housing and residents fall toward me.
The words of the artifact, and the memories it shared, are eye-opening, but after leaving its tomb, I'm even more confused about its origins and cryptic texts than when I entered. Even after viewing the millions of millennia of fuzzy memories it showed me, they all lacked detail, and none were from before the artifact's death.
For all I know, this object was never alive... or it could be falsely calling itself an originator after seeing my memories and telling me exactly what I want to hear.
While I sense no malice, as I fall toward the sea and watch the black cube rotate around me in a lifeless state after putting me in this mess, I can't help but wonder what exactly this odd, sentient artifact really is.
Despite these questions, there is a real voice that echoes in my head, full of fear and worry.
"S-Sir Flame Emperor—what has happened? We've been waiting for you—Is this all part of your plan? Is the island of Palmyra destined to sink into the sea... Have you asked everyone to stare into the sky only to show them their deaths are near... Is—"
I roll my eyes and allow my true core's aura to leak out while forming a plan and replying.
"No, Marcus. I just ran into some unforeseen trouble... Hold onto something, I'll fix this."
I stare up at the enormous size of the falling city housing 70 thousand residents and believe it might be possible to use mana manipulation tethered with my divine energy to carry them all and fly somewhere to safety. But I'm sure being at such close range with such immense power would kill many and destroy most, if not all, of their personal possessions on the island.
First impressions are everything, and I'm unsure how well destroying everything they own and killing most of them will work in my favor when asking them to swear loyalty to me.So, instead of airstepping up to catch the island, I plunge downward, activating my plunderer skill to begin draining the atmosphere of any and all ambient mana while flying headfirst back toward the massive hole in the ocean where the black statue used to stand.
Enormous waves crash in, and city-sized whirlpools form as the empty space is filled by the vast endless sea.
While violent waves crash against each other, kilometers high, as the water displacement equalizes, I plunge headfirst into the sea and head down to take advantage of the enormous hole in the ocean floor.
If there was once an island here, I can make it again.
Once I'm deep enough underwater, I let the true power of my divine core loose and activate ice magic with it, while expanding my greater form to become larger than it ever has before.
A shockwave of light blue ice, mixed with yellow divine threads, pulses through the ocean, and everywhere within a 50-kilometer radius below the sea freezes in a matter of seconds.
All of the water that filled the space deep below the planet's crust freezes solid, tethered with divine threads so strong, even the overwhelming heat that boiled seawater before can't melt this ice.
I propel myself upward while the ocean above the floor freezes, and as I leave the surface, all that's left behind is light blue waves and whirlpools frozen in place as I set my sights on the island that still falls my way.
I activate telekinesis from a long distance away and create dozens of sports-field-sized mana barriers below the bottoms of the largest chunks of floating islands and large buildings.
At first, I use as much of my aura as I can, and the entire collection of falling structures lurches and cracks, making it seem like massive earthquakes are taking place for the citizens that watch as the sun continues to rise, and the clouds move upward while they fall down.
There are screams, panic, and some hunters with higher mana control levels attempting to jump off the island, but Marcus keeps a majority of them in line and orders the other B-Class hunters on the island to make sure everyone holds on and trusts that it is under control.
Meanwhile, I use every drop of mana in the atmosphere for dozens of kilometers, and in turn, the island above me starts to slow its fall.
It definitely doesn't come to a halt, as there are hundreds of buildings, and a mind-boggling amount of imported dirt and stone. However, instead of a catastrophe where everyone dies and the infrastructure hits the violent waves at terminal velocity, I've created a far safer result.
As the island slows, I'm able to use less divine energy, and more pure mana control and soul energy to keep the island's slow rate of descent, and this in turn allows me to be much closer to it as it meets the icy ocean surface.
Being closer means far less mana has to be used, by the time it makes contact with the artificial icy island I've created, it's falling at less than 1 kmph.
Even so, there's a city-wide thud that makes an echo ripple throughout the ocean to compete with the endless waves.
While most of the residents are still confused, shocked, angered, and scared, the fact that there's miraculously been a safe landing leads to a citywide cheer and claps as they're all just happy to be alive.
The sun finally rises all the way above the horizon as well.
High up in the sky above the island, light debris continues to fall, reflecting light. Even the light blue dungeon portals glow in the sky above, as they are geo-locked to a position in space and do not fall with gravity like normal matter.
I take advantage of the positive moment and fly to the center of the city where many still stand, with Marcus floating above the densest part of them.
Without any warning, I increase my mana control output and appearance, to look just like the Flame Emperor I've used many times before back in the Crimson City, and activate my screech skill to project my voice for all on the island to hear.
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"Your rulers are dead, and I am here to set you free. You may call me the Flame Emperor."
I burst into a vibrant and beautiful red, orange, and yellow display of flames while projecting my appearance to become massive in the sky using my master of illusion buff.
As I feel all eyes on the island turn toward me, I speak up again.
"Some of you are here by choice to pay off debts, some of you are here because you were tricked into bad contracts, and others are here entirely against their wills. I do not know the nature of all your circumstances, but I am here to give you an offer to void all of your contracts and grant you a second chance at life."
My larger-than-life imagery looks down on the island, flickering with flames so large and realistic, while the events that just took place can't be explained with the rational mind to many on this island other than as the work of a god.
Many fall to their knees and pray, while others are frozen in shock. A small few still run for their lives, attempting to leave the island, but only find that the outer ring where the dirt and rock ends only leads to frozen waves.
I speak again after everyone here has come to believe what they are seeing is truly reality.
"There is a nation to the east under my rule. It is far away from Central. I promise you all a life free of the shackles that the king and queen have put on you here. If there are loved ones back in Central, I vow to bring them to you all with no strings attached. The only thing I ask of you is your trust. A second great war is coming, and the world is going to have to choose sides. You do not have to fight for me, nor work for me, or anything like your past leaders have asked. I just want your loyalty, and goodwill."
After this line, I feel a few links start to form between myself and random citizens all over the island atop the iceberg.
Conversation in the city begins to spark up, so I keep quiet while sentiment spreads naturally among them.
"I think we should do it. We're finally saved!"
"Can we really trust this man of flames? What if he works for Central too and he just bought the island and this is his flashy way of taking ownership?"
"Even if that's the case... what choice do we have... wouldn't it be best to accept his terms and hope for the best? The worst case is we're just back where we started..."
"True, I guess there's a reason to have hope again."
"I believe him! I swear my loyalty to you, Flame Emperor!"
Some are skeptical, but the longer I let them talk amongst themselves, the more many on this island realize there is no reason for them to say no at all. It is a win-win scenario, and this thought process spreads like wildfire.
While a few hundred trickle in at first just out of fear that I'll punish those that don't instantly submit, and a few thousand after a few seconds as they see me as a real god, the more rational and skeptical hunters on this island take their time to think over my words.
However, as the minutes pass, thousands and thousands more link with me, and I feel my option to borrow and grant power grow more every second that passes.
Once over 10 thousand links are visible on my interface, I expect a notification to ring in my ear, just as it did when I hit 5, 100, and 1000 members in my rising emperor's domain, but it never comes.
I think to myself that maybe I've hit the end of the line for upgrades to this buff, but I was really hoping for another one...
My gaze becomes filled with status screens and geo-points as the number rises more and more, past 20 thousand links, then 30 thousand, and it continues to rise.
As residents get down on one knee, following the actions of others all around, my aura continues to permeate through them and show intensity. The entire kingdom of Palmyra acknowledges me as their savior and new ruler.
I speak again as the links begin to slow after 40 thousand, as over half of the island has sworn their loyalty.
"Very good. I will have helpers from the mainland sent over here very soon. Transport to new cities to the east will be given, and care packages with money, food, and unlimited dungeon access in a whole new region will be provided to those of you that have sworn your loyalty."
I pause, and the links pick up again, as even more people are intrigued that were previously on edge.
"Those of you who do not wish to believe my words will have to stay here for 4 days or longer. Extra food, water, and resources will be provided, but rogues of unknown origin or loyalty will not be permitted in my nation. Those of you that wish to return to Central, or wish for me to reunite you with loved ones, you will also need to wait until the results of the war are settled."
Even more links form, and more talk erupts through the citizens all over the city.
A familiar sounding ding echoes through my inner ear while I say a final statement.
"Marcus will keep you all company until my subordinates return. I know you all have many questions; they will be answered in time. I thank you all for putting your trust in me, and guarantee it will not be in vain. Continue your farming if you wish, or head back to your quarters to rest. There are no longer quotas, deadlines, or higher-ups to fear your life from disappointing... If you wish to fight with me in this upcoming war, tell a Crimson Army soldier that you wish to join when they stop by."
I smile and make my massive face in the sky disappear, then share my screech skill with the red core I've left in charge so his voice can project through the entire city as well.
I send him a telepathy message while pulling a teleport crystal from my storage.
"Bri and Rodrigo will be on their way back soon with my double and more of my stronger recruits to make transportation easier and bring the supplies I've promised. I know I've tossed you into this position, but I'll make it worth it in the end for you."
A few seconds pass, and I get a response.
"It is already worth it. You're doing a good thing here, I've always wanted to be free of that king and queen too, I just never believed it was possible. I won't let you down."
I crush the teleport crystal in my hand and blip back to the bunker beneath the Crimson City.
With four orange cores collecting large amounts of yellow divine threads all around me, I finally open up my status interface once I'm here to see what the notifications said before.
[Congratulations! Rising Emperor's Domain Milestone Reached!]
[60822/50000 Links of Loyalty Created]
[New Perk Unlocked: Rising Emperor's Authority]
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Info:
The caster may appoint 5 generals to share the Rising Emperor's power.
Combined, the generals may borrow 5% of all Base Stat Points and Mana Control efficiency from all subordinates under the allegiance of the Rising Emperor. In addition, 5% of the generals' Base Stat Points and Mana Control may be temporarily distributed to any subordinate under the allegiance of the Rising Emperor.
The maximum amount borrowed or shared per general is 1%. All generals acting together may control 5%.
When not in use, the Rising Emperor may use all 5% of this untapped power. The Rising Emperor has total authority and can override the generals' power sharing even if they are activated.
The caster may only borrow or share exclusively; both actions cannot be performed simultaneously.
Members affected by this perk are not required to be within range of the Rising Emperor's Domain.
This additional buff stacks with the [Power Holder] perk and [Ruler's Gaze] perk if used simultaneously.
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I come to the conclusion that not only did the number of subordinates in my interface rise by 20 times, now the total amount of stats and mana control I can borrow or grant has risen from 15% to 20%.
Five percent of which can be controlled by five generals of my choosing. This means to gain additional power, it doesn't have to come directly from me; they too can benefit from the Rising Emperor's domain as well as grant their own power to whoever they're fighting with.
As the possibilities of what this new perk can do rush through my mind, another phenomenon hits my senses.
Ember's mind is far more active than it was just yesterday within the isolation pod, and I can sense his core through the mana-imbued metal casing with ease.
It's much larger than it was before, as it's cycling the yellow divine threads through the room just as it did for the orange threads previously.
Instead of just making the circulation in the room faster and more efficient for my teammates, this time, Ember's core is retaining a large amount of the yellow threads with every rotation.
It is clear his healing and rest process from overusing his immortal core has come to an end. Now, he is using this perfect environment to train; it appears as though he is attempting to awaken his True Core.
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