Zega couldn't sense the power level of the person in front of him. Even his status panel showed nothing. However, this didn't surprise him too much. Many high-level rulers used special artifacts to conceal their presence and obscure their status information. Even so, facing soone entirely undetectable by the status panel made Zega feel a bit uneasy.
"Impressive…" Lein said sincerely, a small smile forming on his face. As the leader of the alliance himself, he didn't mind indirectly praising his own organization.
"I just happened to be passing by," Lein continued in a friendly tone. "You were simply in my path, so I have no ill intentions."
Lein had deliberately concealed himself to observe more closely how human rulers lived their daily lives. His busy schedule had kept him from directly interacting with lower-tier rulers, so he felt it necessary to better understand their circumstances.
"If you have no ill intentions, then why sneak up on us?" A woman's voice from among Zega's team interrupted the conversation. Her tone was firm, but her narrowed eyes scrutinized Lein warily.
Lein shifted his gaze toward the woman, his eyes quickly scanning her. Her face caught his attention.
"Hmm… a beautiful girl," Lein thought briefly before rembering the situation and regaining his composure.
"I wasn't sneaking," Lein replied with a slight smile. "You just weren't paying enough attention to your surroundings." His words sounded like a casual taunt.
Lein's remark left the woman speechless. Embarrassnt mixed with irritation appeared on her face. What Lein said was true; as Hunters, they had failed in their basic duty to detect the presence of others nearby. If Lein had been an enemy, the group might have been in danger from the start.
"Alright…" Zega finally spoke, attempting to diffuse the rising tension. "It's uncomfortable talking here. Let's continue the conversation at the tent area."
Lein nodded, accepting the invitation without protest. "Alright," he said, glancing around. His stomach had started to feel empty after hours of walking. A more comfortable place sounded like a good idea.
They then walked toward the tent area. There, the team mbers had prepared several chairs, a small table, and a simple but comfortable tarp for resting.
***
Far from the harbor area, the core mbers of the World Market Trade Alliance had been exploring hundreds of thousands of kiloters. With the capabilities of a Grandmaster, surveying new lands was a relatively easy task, though it still took ti to ensure no detail was overlooked. Every inch of the land was scanned with precision, as if they were redrawing a new map of the world.
At the edge of a forest, two won could be seen busy completing their tasks. Nita and Elen stood before a glowing structure—a portal that had just been completed. The soft light from the portal shimred faintly, reflecting the success of their work.
"Done…" Nita said, exhaling in relief. This portal was the 100th in a series of portals they had built during the expedition. Nita let herself fall onto the ground, allowing the coolness to seep through her clothes as her eyes gazed at the sky, which was beginning to darken with the approaching evening.
"Elen, are you tired?" she asked casually, still lying on her back with her arms stretched out on the ground. Her voice sounded light, almost teasing.
"No, Sis," Elen quickly replied, her tone full of enthusiasm, like soone who had just gained a surge of energy.
Nita chuckled softly at the response. "What a silly question," she thought with a smile. As a Grandmaster, they rarely felt exhaustion. Even if they didn't eat or sleep for an entire month, their bodies would remain unaffected.
"Yosshhh…" Nita exclaid cheerfully, taking a deep breath. With a graceful and confident motion, she pushed herself off the ground in a single, fluid movent. The motion resembled a small dance—elegant yet simple.
"Shall we head back?" she asked, glancing at Elen, her words carrying a warmth despite their brevity.
"Let's go!" Elen replied enthusiastically, her eyes sparkling. Though her body was strong as a Grandmaster, her thoughts remained tethered to her ho. She knew her mother was waiting for her there, and that alone made her steps feel lighter. Discover stories at empire
Without saying much else, Nita and Elen grabbed their Vortex Plates. With one smooth motion, they leapt onto the devices. In an instant, the sound of rushing wind accompanied them as they soared far into the distance, vanishing into the darkness of the night.
Just like that, everyone continued their exploration of the vast lands spanning 100 realms that Lein had unveiled.
Even though it was already night, the brightness of the stars and celestial objects illuminated the activities that continued as usual. However, most ordinary people had returned to their hos to rest.
Night had fallen, but the glittering light of the stars and celestial objects was bright enough to illuminate the bustling activities across the City in the Divine Sky Realm. The atmosphere remained lively, even though most of the inhabitants had chosen to retreat to their hos, enjoying rest after a long day. Still, so continued their routines as usual—Hunters and rulers pursuing power.
***
City of Life – Town Hall
Inside the grand town hall, Lein and Nita were enjoying dinner together. They sat across from each other at a long table filled with an array of delicious dishes. The atmosphere was warm, despite the deep conversation they were having.
"Brother, thank you so much," Nita said gratefully, looking at Lein with a sincere smile. She began to talk about the extraordinary talent, Cosmic Gambler S, that she had acquired after using dozens of talent crystals. "I really didn't expect to get this."
Lein simply nodded while continuing his al, then responded casually, "No need to thank . If not for you, then who else would I give this to?"
After a mont, Lein looked up from his plate and asked, "By the way, what do you think is the best way to manage this realm?"
Nita paused for a mont, staring at her plate as she thought. The question seed to touch on sothing that had been on her mind for a long ti, but the current situation was vastly different from before. The world had changed—alliances had dwindled as so chose to move to other realms, following their core crystals. The Divine Sky Realm was now fused with the Cosmos, and Lein had been chosen as the Guardian, a position that changed everything.
"Brother, I think an imperial system would work well for us," Nita finally answered, her voice steady yet full of consideration.
Lein gazed at her attentively, pausing mid-scoop. "An empire, huh?" he murmured softly.
Given Lein's position as the Guardian and his imnse power, Nita thought that making Lein an emperor wasn't such a crazy idea. "You can do it, Brother," she added confidently.
Lein nodded slightly. "I've thought about that too," he said before giving a faint smile. "But I don't want to be an emperor. Would you want to be one?" he asked, looking at Nita seriously.
Nita's eyes widened in surprise. "? An emperor?" she exclaid incredulously.
"Yes, why not?" Lein replied, as if the answer was the simplest thing in the world.
"Why don't you want to be an emperor?" Nita asked back, now curious. In her mind, Lein wouldn't need to trouble himself with managing everything. Even as a re symbol, Lein's presence alone would be enough to inspire everyone. The imperial administrators could handle the rest.
"For what?" Lein replied flatly. "It's pointless for ."
Lein's explanation sounded simple but was full of aning. To him, becoming a king or emperor didn't provide any additional benefits from the system. As a Guardian, he already held the title and received buffs that were far more advantageous.
***
Nita shook her head slowly, looking at Lein with a serious expression. "No, you must beco the ultimate leader, Brother. Don't hide," she said firmly.
Lein gazed at her in silence, as if considering her words.
"At the very least, you should beco an absolute ruler known to everyone," Nita continued. "That way, the people of the Divine Sky Realm will feel more at ease. They need a clear figure of leadership to dispel their unease."
"Alright, I'll think about it again," Lein replied casually, leaning back in his chair. His eyes t Nita's calmly, showing he wasn't in a rush to make a significant decision.
"Perhaps within the next week, we'll make another major change. Inform the core mbers to prepare for an internal eting," he added with a tone that was firm yet relaxed.
"Understood, Brother!" Nita replied enthusiastically, her eyes sparkling. She felt thrilled to contribute even more to Lein's grand plans.
They continued their dinner in a lighter atmosphere, chatting occasionally before finally parting ways to rest.
The next day, the Divine Sky Realm buzzed with activity from the early morning. Social dia and television programs were filled with news of the major changes happening across the realm.
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