"Snakes sound adorable. Is it really true that humans tend to dislike or even fear them?" Icicle asked as Daz got out of his car and sealed it back within its key.

He nodded as he began walking towards the heart of Fort Sky: GriD CrosS. "They're pretty far removed from humans and I think every single one has at least venom in their bite. A lot of people find them creepy or dangerous."

"Humans are far more dangerous though," Icicle reasoned. "It was humans that forced my original master to fail his invasion of this planet. They're scary if they work together. Snakes sound simply lovely."

Daz shrugged. "Everything's scary if looked at from the right person's perspective. Or the wrong person's, I guess. Anyway, we're here. Grid, did you miss me?"

"Hah! Who would miss someone they never see!" the massive purple crystal hummed dismissively at his approach. "I didn't miss you even one little bit."

'It's lying,' Daz thought.

"Wow! So you're Grid Cross?" Icicle asked. "I've heard a lot about you from my new master. You're much bigger than me... Do you have any special powers? I can make and control both ice and snowstorms."

Daz raised an eyebrow. "Ice storms too? You never told me that. Also, again, I'm not your master. We're partners of a kind."

"You never asked. It's harder to do though than the snowstorms," the globe at his waist reasoned. "And you are right, but I shall still address you as 'master'."

"Fine. Do what you wish," Daz said as he shook his head.

''We shall," the snowglobe happily replied.

GriD, however, hummed angrily. "It's GriD CrosS! Not Grid Cross. I can forgive him for it. He isn't a crystal. His mouth is limited. Plus, I know he tries his best even if he always fails. You are a sentient crystal too just like me though! Say my name right if you want to talk to me."

"Oh. I'm terribly sorry. I, uh, didn't know. You have a very nice voice. it's incredibly... magnetic," Icicle confessed as Daz unstrapped it from his waist and set it down on the floor.

"Of course it is! I can control gravity, after all!" GriD boasted before saying, "Your voice is okay too. I mean, I've heard better."

'There it goes lying again. Bashful little crystal that it is,' Daz thought before he said, "I'll leave you two to get to know one another. I'm gonna go meet Avulaway and then make you larger, okay, Grid?"

"Meh, go do whatever you've gotta do, Daz. It's not like you spend any time with me anyway," GriD spat out.

"I'm in no hurry to leave. I'm coming right back once I'm done. We can talk then, the three of us. I also have a task that needs doing which only a very capable Gravitation Distortion Crystal Sphere could accomplish. And, would you know it, you're the most capable one I have the pleasure of calling a friend," Daz said charmingly.

"Hahah, of course I am! I'm unrivalled!" GriD bellowed proudly.

'As easy to convince as ever,' Daz thought.

"That's amazing, GriD CrosS! It must feel good to get a task from your master," Icicle noted as it mimicked a clapping noise somehow.

Daz shook his head and sighed. "I'm his master as much as I am yours. Meaning not at all. I'm a friend to you both. Anyway, I'll be right back."

He heard the sentient crystals begin to discuss their abilities in more depth as he walked away.

GriD was trying its best to impress Icicle while Icicle was just happy to have someone like itself to talk to, clearly.

Daz couldn't help but chuckle as he compared them to children. A moment later, his vision was blocked by a quest clearance notification followed by several other notifications.

Congratulations! You have successfully completed the side/ruler quest [The Liberation of The Lost City Lian'Wa'Runda]. Quest Reward Earn access to the title system. Earn the title 'Collector of the Mythical'.

Title: Collector of the Mythical Get a special gut feeling when near a mythical city not owned by you. Also enhances your intuition when it comes to understanding how to obtain unique mythical cities with odd prerequisites for ownership.

None of that was unexpected. As he had predicted, Daz just needed to fulfil his end of their agreement for the quest to complete.

'That title sounds interesting... What does it define as 'near'? A mile? A few metres? That'll need to be discovered when I next find a mythical city, I suppose,' Daz thought as he checked the next set of notifications.

Due to being in the top 10 for overall City Owners, the host will gain additional special privileges during a particular future cycle if the host's capital city is not destroyed by then.

He frowned upon reading that. 'Useless. I still haven't gotten the reward for being in the top 100 which was basically the same. What future cycle could this possibly mean? There can't be many more before the trial on Earth ends. Surely there's just this one then maybe one more, right?'

After all, Daz's semester goal of the current cycle was the take control of multiple continents. What more could the system ask of him next cycle than to simply take over the entire world?

He shelved the matter and moved on.

Congratulations! You have gained a title and have thus been placed on a new ranking list, the [Titleholder] ranking list. Please refer to the system for your specific rank and any applicable rewards.

Daz immediately pulled up his ranked list. He saw no point in delaying getting any rewards.

Daz's Ranking List

List Rank Reward Tier Reached Lord 1 No.1 Point 2 Top 2 Kill 713 [-65] Top 1,000 Evolution 3 Top 3 Skill Creation 87 [+6] Top 100 City Owner 10 [-1] Top 10 Potential 3 Top 3 King 61 [+32] Top 100 Ember Insight 24 [-1] Top 100 High King 16 [-23] Top 100 [New!] Titleholder 231 Top 1,000

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"If my king ranking is just going to fall, what's the damned point of me even still being on that list? My lord ranking doesn't fall," Daz said with a sigh.

Something strange was going on with his lord ranking, without a doubt. Someone or something didn't want anyone else to gain the reward for being in first place.

His biggest guess was Ordine, the Higher God of Order. It was that god's skill, Godly Universal Management, which he'd been gifted for 'achieving' the rank, after all.

Why he wanted Daz and only Daz to have such a skill though eluded the reaper's theories, giving him reason to doubt them.

Regardless, he couldn't do much about how the rankings worked beyond complain.

'231st, huh? Now, does that mean I'm at the very bottom of the list or is my title of a better quality than some other titleholders and there are more than 231 people on the list?' He had no idea.

Worse yet, he had no one to ask regarding this. His only citizen known to have been on the Titleholder ranking list was Sandy.

He shook his head and pulled up the information of his reward for his top 1,000 ranking.

Due to being in the top 1,000 for overall Titleholders, the host has been given 3 Title Coins.

"Well, I think I can pretty easily work out what those are for," Daz said to himself.

The coins weren't tangible like tokens were seeing as how nothing had appeared in his palm. That meant they were more akin to merit points and likely had a use in the newly accessible title system.

"System, mind explaining this new system to me and how to use it, exactly?" Daz asked as he entered the grand city hall of Fort Sky.

The silver-winged guards greeted him kindly with bows and words of respect, all of which he returned with a nod of his head.

Access to the title system is required for that information. Confirmed that the host has the required access.

The title system is a way for the host to purchase general titles which they have fulfilled the prerequisites to possess. Every title in the title system requires Title Coins to obtain. The amount of Title Coins needed varies from title to title.

To obtain Title Coins, one must earn them through the performance of title-worthy feats.

Unique titles can only be obtained through action and cannot be purchased from the title system.

Daz nodded thoughtfully. "I'll have to give this a look later then. Doesn't sound useful for the Truthians but for everything else it could be a great asset to my personal passive power."

At this point, he had reached the door to the mayor's office - Avulaway's office - thus, he didn't explore this new shop immediately.

He knocked a few times and waited patiently for a response.

A few seconds passed before he heard Avulaway say, "The door is open, My High King."

Daz grabbed the handle and pulled it down and towards him. Stepping through the door, he greeted the woman he'd left in charge of the city and its people - her people.

"How have you been doing these past few months, Avulaway?" he asked.

She smiled at him as her metal wings flapped a little. "Well, thank you. We were lucky enough to not be targeted by the Truthians, as you surely already know. We've also met no resistance while stationed in Taiwan. It's been peaceful."

Daz nodded. "That may change soon."

Avulaway frowned. "Why is that, My High King? I don't mean to question you and your wisdom, but we quite enjoy our peace."

"As do I, Avulaway, yet those cultists deny me of it," Daz stated. "I've recently learned that Grid has the capabilities to completely ignore their power to strip access to the system."

Shock flashed across the Silver Winged Avianoid's face. "So that's why we were left unsullied by the throes of war... But, My High King, our Gravitation Distortion Crystal Sphere has very limited offensive abilities. The city itself is even worse off."

Daz nodded. "You're not wrong but merit points can fix that. I'll invest 70% of the accumulated city and merit points into expanding Fort Sky, the other 30% will go into doubling the number of aerial defensive guns."

He walked over to the window at the back of her office and peered out of it and down to the metal clockwork city below.

"There's one at every 90-degree point of the energy shield protecting the city's edges, yes? Let's make that every 45-degrees. I'll also make them stronger, more explosive, and more accurate," Daz explained.

"B-But, My High King!" Avulaway scrambled to his side and pleaded, "We can't resist their ability to turn everything into ash!"

Daz nodded. "You're not wrong. I have a strong feeling though that they can't turn Fort Sky into ash."

"A feeling? You would risk everything here on a feeling?" Avulaway's expression clouded over. "With all due respect, My High King, you've been very kind to us but we don't want to participate in this war."

Daz wore a confused look on his face. "Why not? I know dying and being recovered from the system isn't pleasant, sure, but it's better than permanent death. A human general and his men I also employ have told me as such."

He glanced at her and added, "But you could be a very valuable force when fighting the Truthians. I've asked the system and it can revive you even if you've been killed by a Truthian's ashification ability. The Truthians just need to leave the area."

Avulaway's expression worsened. "It's not about us. If it;s our blood and bones you demand, we offer it willingly. But please, I beg of you, don't involve Fort Sky."

"Why not? I'm convinced it cannot be destroyed with their power. It will be the perfect sniper's nest and Grid's ability to move a mile a second will be perfect as a means of escape if the city begins getting overwhelmed," Daz reasoned. "Can't you just trust me on this?"

Avulaway shook her head. "No, no I cannot. I can't just risk everything that matters to me over your meaningless war!"

Daz frowned. "Meaningless? Avulaway, if I fail in this war then you will be returned to the system. Who knows how long it will be before another host or player earns or buys you and this floating city? It could be millennia. This war is as important to me as it is to you."

"I will happily wait in the void of the system's control if that will guarantee this place's continued survival," the winged woman proclaimed.

Daz tapped the windowsill a few times in thought. "You don't really have a say in this. I respect your thoughts as the leader of the people here, I truly do, but Grid has already agreed. Fort Sky will be going to war, whether you like it or not."

"But, My High King!" Waves and waves of indignation and betrayal bubbled forth from the woman and assaulted Daz's Ember of Empathy.

He turned to stare at her and sighed. 'This is her home. I should at least give some justification why I've made this decision. If Grid not being affected by their system stripping isn't enough, then I'll tell her this.'

"When Fort Home was raped and razed to the ground by those lunatics, do you know how they did it?" Daz asked calmly.

Avulaway looked confused upon hearing his question. "N-No, My High King."

"Not with their 'God's Truth', no. They used bombs and fire. They levelled the buildings and burned them down. Now, tell me, why did they not just simply turn everything in their path into ash?" Daz inquired. "I don't think they could. If I can get definitive proof of this and present it to you, will it alleviate your mind a bit?"

The avianoid hesitated but still shook her head. "No."

The reaper sighed mentally. 'Why is her mind not more open?'

Daz stepped back from the window and added, "Fort Sky is as much a part of my kingdom as Fort Home is, Avulaway. I love it dearly just as you do. But again, you are only a proxy leader. Grid has more say here than you. Still, I value your words and thoughts. If I didn't, why would I bother investing almost all of the gained resources here into just expanding the landmass? Why would I be even talking to you instead of just proceeding as planned?"

Avulaway saw the truth in his words. Of course she did. One of Daz's most mastered specialities was the art of persuasion.

However, despite that, Avulaway did something unexpected.

"I refuse. I will back out of Earth with my people and what remains of Avalur. I will not risk my everything for something so small. The fate of a planet rests in my hands," Avulaway stated with conviction in her voice.

Daz wore a disappointed expression on his face. "No, you won't. Assuming that's even possible, I will stop you. You're being foolish and you're allowing your emotions to contr-."

She stormed right up to him and lifted him off his feet by his collar, interrupting him. "You are not Avalur's leader! No one is! Only Avalur itself can decide if it is willing to risk its very existence for a higher cause!"

She threw Daz across the room, and he let her. He somewhat understood where this anger was coming from even if it seemed unreasonable in his eyes. He'd let this play out if only to allow her an opportunity to voice what she truly felt.

He crashed into a bookshelf that broke apart on impact. Novels and tomes aplenty came crashing down onto his body. 'What a waste of good wood,' he thought.

"Do not think that just because the system says you own this land that it is yours! I have protected what little is left of Avalur for aeons! The system may think of me and my kin as little more than mindless slaves, but I thought better of you!" she screamed.

A deep-rooted and very powerful suppressed rage overwhelmed Daz, almost locking him in place thanks to his sensitivity to emotions.

'Most of this isn't even directed at me,' Daz noticed. 'It's aimed at the system itself. She has suffered a lot, hasn't she?'

Still, he remained unmoving as the women marched towards him and picked him up again. "However, as easily as we came under your rule, so too can I sever that rule! Do not think you can stop me! I do not mind losing everything gained here on Earth if it means our continued survival! Do. Not. Push. Me!"

Daz frowned. He slowly raised his hand and gripped her fingers which were supporting his weight.

He pressed down, breaking every one of them. Some sharp pain could serve to calm her mind for a bit by forcing it to focus on something else.

Avulaway yelped in pain as she released her grasp on the hem of his shirt and then stumbled back.

"Are you done?" Daz asked. "Because if you are, consider yourself lucky that I can empathise with you and your situation. Anyone pettier than I would have likely paid the system to remove your defacto immortality and have you killed permanently for this."

Disbelief entered Avulaway's expression. "Y-You can't do that. It's not possible!" she yelled as her face scrunched up in pain.

"Sadly, I can. I just checked while you were tossing me around. I deeply desire to never have to, but for whatever reason, it's possible here on Earth. The system really wants to entice us to not allow this trial to fail and thus is pulling out all of the stops, I imagine is the reason. Check for yourself if you don't believe me. Ask the system if I can do as I claim," Daz ordered.

She winced in agony as she held her crippled fingers though her eyes clouded over. Not a moment later she was oozing a sense of loss and hopelessness. "No, no, no... this shouldn't be possible!"

"I will bring you the proof I said I would. If you do, as I suspect, risk nothing by helping against the Truthians, I expect your full cooperation. Is that too much to ask?" Daz asked in a soft tone.

She stayed silent.

Daz sighed. "I may not even need to use Grid in the end. I'm just looking at every possible option in front of me."

Deep down, he didn't really care about this woman. Especially given how she had so childishly assaulted him when he felt he was perfectly logical and reasonable.

It took a lot for him to truly care about anything not related to Earth since he was so single-mindedly focused on saving the world.

However, it wasn't impossible. Reika had done it. Rimmy had done it. Even Grid had done it. Avulaway and her people? They had not and perhaps never would after today.

When such immaturity and impulsive actions were what came forth when she was pushed despite being this place's guardian for such a long amount of time, Daz found it hard to think he could justify caring.

'I've gotten soft. To think she'd just attack me for telling her the truth. Perhaps there is merit in lying more... Having her believe her opinion truly mattered at the end of the day even if false may have prevented that,' he thought wistfully.

A perfectly fruitful day had just turned sour. Nothing good ever lasted, he felt. With unhurried steps, he left the office.