The first tame beast I'll evolve has to be Khan if I want to be efficient with my unique [Promote Piece] skill. From what I understand, if the last tame beast I used the skill on evolves, I get another charge of the skill.

And I can't cheese things and de-evolve and re-evolve Khan infinitely.

The last time I had to evolve Khan, he needed to kill one of my Master's good friends. I hope he has more friends. Or that the evolution requirement is different.

Like last time, Khan only has one evolution path. He's a [Calamity Man-Eater] right now.

[Evolution to Raging Tempest A

Consume rank A or higher elementals alive (0/5).

Defeat a shark-type creature, at least B rank or higher (0/300).

Baptize in lightning... again (Not completed).

Rank [Man Eater] to A rank (E/A).

Amid significant self-manufactured chaos and destruction, terrorizing the environment, violently consume yourself until one body remains (0/299).]

"Fuck me. I can't wait to see what you need to evolve at level 500. I'll unleash you into fractures and let you demolish the ecosystem."

If the ecosystem actually gets disrupted enough, the entire fracture will collapse. So, a smidgen of care will have to go into the mass murder.

The big deal isn't eating the elementals or killing the sharks. It's the leveling Khan's skill. He levels that skill by eating creatures (with meat) alive. Pre-butchered meat or corpses aren't nearly efficient enough unless I'm comfortable waiting years, possibly decades, for his skill to level up.

I'm tempted to check my other beast's requirements, but I don't want to get overwhelmed by five sets of stringent conditions. If anything, I should train my beast's skills to an appropriate point before ranking them up.

Level five beasts to rank A. Train my skills and resistances. Advance my martial arts. Get different types of fire for Prometheus. Increase the amount of tame beasts I can have tamed at once. Join the Firstborns or get the equivalent authority. Recover the original document, making me the rightful owner of the Prime Territories. Become King. Meet the Elves. Grow my guild. Solve the questions I conveniently keep myself from asking. Fix my family. Etcetera. I have so many things to do. And it's not like this is in order.

I'm sure more things will come up, adding to the list. And throughout all that, I'm expected to not turn into a hermit.

I have so many things I want to do, but maybe I can take things slower. I don't want to burn out and develop a motivation disorder. I've had stretches of lack of motivation followed by a surge. I need to pace myself and not get overwhelmed.

But I don't want to take things slower. There are only so many hours in a day.

I tell the two Wangs in my mansion that if I reopen my mansion somewhere else when they leave, they'll be there instead of back at Master Wang's estate. That does the trick to get them out, albeit slowly.

I message my PR manager, who I think is also the head of HR, to get me a personal assistant. They are still working on finding a vice guild leader for me, but I want a PA, not just for my guild activities, but an actual personal assistant.

I check my messages and notice a response from Percy.

[Ah, you didn't die. Call me asap.]

I press call. The phone rings for a bit before I hear Percy's voice.

"It's good that you managed to survive. I've been laying out some foundations, and I got you that spot, don't forget. The grand tournament to join the Firstborns is on the fifteenth of next month and will last sixty days. I have some insider knowledge, so I can tell you some tips. Since you are technically a Tamer. But since you are a renowned martial artist, you technically have two tournaments to join. They don't overlap, so you'll be fine."

"I overshot the level 300 level cap. I'm level 500 now."

"...Don't fuck with me. Do you know how many times I had to risk my life up to this point to get you this opportunity? You had two requirements. Don't pass level 300 and make some noise. You sure did make some noise, but couldn't you have stayed at 300?"

"Maybe, but probably not. Don't get pissy at me. Was there a time limit for me to be king? Is the sooner the better? I'm level now. I killed a level 500 at level 200. I killed something above 700 before even reaching 500."

"It will be impossible for you to 'sneak' into the Firstborns now. Everything will be more inconvenient and harder, especially for me. I don't want to sound like 'me me me,' but I made a bed and lay in it. A bed with you in it. I'd rather it not turn into my deathbed."

"I understand."

"Was there truly no way to not surpass 300? I'll have to redo all my plans."

"Espionage might be your gimmick, but seeing the next day is mine. I did what I needed to survive and thrive. You said that Firstborns won't believe I got to my level alone, so I must be a spy or something if I join at a level higher than 300."

"I didn't say it like that, but yes."

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"Is there an organization or individual that can skyrocket someone to level 500 in a little over half a year?"

"...The level 500 wouldn't have great skills, but technically?"

"Oh. Who?"

"Don't worry about it. What is your point?"

"I've left a paper trail ever since I fell into a fracture at level one and started gaining strength. I also refuse to be demeaned and insulted by any accusal that my power is from a benefactor that handfed me. I can prove that I'm not some 'spy.'"

"That's cool, but that doesn't stop another issue. You either bind yourself to one of the groups or become a master 'something' to join. The first will be too restrictive, and the second won't get you enough political power... There is a workaround for gaining political power as a master, but it funnels back into becoming too restrictive."

"Who said I'd do either of those two things? I am my grandfather's kin. I have every right to be a member of the Firstborns. I don't even want to join the Firstborns. Apparently, I have to if I want to be king. I won't bind myself to an organization. I'll start my own damn one within the Firstborns."

"..."

"Do you think I can become king in five months? I need to leave the country for the collaboration with the elves."

"...I'll need to make some plans... And no. No damn way. The handover of power will take years unless you want to destabilize the Prime Territories and open us to war and invasion from other countries. Plus, I'd imagine you'd have to undergo some mass learning about the intricacies of our country and the various bodies inhabiting it. I don't mean people."

"What about just the title?"

"...if we do nothing but try to get our hands on the original document, maybe? Hard to say."

"If it won't cause trouble - for me -, I'd like to invite you to stay at my guild. My lawyer and the other capable people I surround myself with can help you plan things.

"Sigh. Sure. It'll take a while, but sure."

"What's up?"

"I have to make a new identity and undergo minor bone surgery to hide myself..."

"I know someone really adept at using the human body."

"Using? Nevermind. It's a skill I can activate, but using it sucks, and maintaining it sucks. I'll be at the guild in three days. I know the address, don't worry. Tell the others about me because I'm definitely sneaking in, or at least trying to."

"If you sneak in, can I pay you to inform us of our vulnerabilities and ways to mitigate them?"

"Ah, Penetration testing. That takes me back. Sure, if I need a mental break from creating plans, I'll do it at a discount."

I enter the back of my driver's car and hang up the phone. Now I have a decision to make. Spend the next five months doing nothing but gunning for the throne, or should I not?

Instead, I should prepare for the Elvish get-together bullshit thing. Someone from the institute should've sent me something.

Back at my office, I print out the information packet sent to my email and use my [Lexicon] to consume it. I lean back in my chair and digest the information.

The five months included the rest of March, which was misleading. It is the end of March, and April is fast approaching. By July, we should be in Elvish territories.

We'll board a tame beast and fly west to the coast in mid-June. From there, we'll board a ship capable of taking us across the turbulent seas until we reach another continent. The journey should take us two weeks.

The ship is Dwarvish-made, gifted to the Prime Territories long ago. I've only heard rumors, but having a dwarvish ship taking a bunch of humans to meet elves... seems comical.

Not only are the humans invited, but most of the non-isolated races will be there. Every race with their capital on the same continent as the Prime Territories will share the same boat.

The Theriomorps, beast people from the south, and the Orcs from the east. There are a few dwarvish clans on this continent, but their kingdom's capital is elsewhere.

It doesn't state it explicitly, but the leaders of each nation are coming as well, but not using the same transportation as my generation is. The 'festival' that high king Brendimere of the Elvish nation might be a smoke screen for this meeting.

Let me think for a second. This set of events happened months ago, and from what I know about elves from spending time with them, it would be like a human asking every nation to come to their country in a few days.

Something important is happening, but not important enough that selecting 'representatives' could be skipped. It might be because of the quakes, but it might not.

I'll always assume something deeper is going on than what actually appears. I don't believe the elves 'appreciate' other races enough to hold a 'festival' for no reason, especially one that caters to the best of the young generation.

If the elves from the island leave the fracture before five months, which should be the case, I should be able to get some insights about this. If the elves were planning this long ago, my initial conjectures have no basis.

I sent a text to my guild's group chat. I tell my executives about the eleven (twelve if you count the [Isle of Ancient Dragons]) fractures I acquired and that Rain finished the potion I named [Adaptable], so we should push for building raid teams or start investing in a training program.

I have a lot of money, more than I initially realized. During my press tour, I learned Rob managed to conquer four cities while I was gone. It would've been five if I didn't reappear when I did.

Each city has ten rings, with each of their inhabitants having an average level that grows by ten with each ring you pass. There wasn't a boss for each city, but plenty of mini-bosses on the way. Instead, a powerful undead had dominion over all three.

Rob stole land from this undead, ring by ring. The undead was strangely powerful for its level, and it took Rob a long time to kill it. But since Rob is both functionally and practically immortal, he won the battle of attrition.

With four cities of undead loot coming through, which level 400 loot is possible, I have apparently been rolling in it. The only issue is logistics and getting loot from the further cities to the exit since the cities basically exist in a straight line.

Dylan, the pervert who I shelter from death cultists, apparently is working on it. Since he can 'make' custom undead, he's been creating specialized skeletons for Rob's kingdom.

How did I learn of all this? Rob told me himself, using a series of emojis.

I could ask Rob to give me his kingdom and finish one of my class advancement requirements, but I see no reason. Not only would I be unjustly taking my tamed beast's accomplishments, which leaves a foul taste in my mouth, but I already have the right to be king.

Rob is already under me. His kingdom is already under me. If the system doesn't realize it, it must be an error on its part. If it wants me to personally be a sole ruler, then I guess the Prime Territories will have to do.

Once I'm king, I will ensure each of my tamed beasts has their own kingdom. Or something equivalent, as Khan doesn't have the computing power to manage territory. I don't want to settle down once I'm a 'king,' I want something greater, not just for me.

But a ruler who presides over multiple nations... Wouldn't that make me an emperor?