The footage from the Tower was sped up, to account for the time difference between the rest of the Multiverse and it. However, with their Peak F Rank senses, all of them were able to understand it.
As they were the faction that Sam led, they had access to a permanent live stream of his actions, which normally wouldn’t have been available to such a weak organization. E Rank factions were like grains of sand, not worthy of much. Usually they ruled over planets, or sometimes solar systems.
“What does it feel like now, on the cusp of E Rank?” Lao asked Jeffrey. “Didn’t you say you had some unsettled business where you came from? I would think that the power you now possess would be invaluable in dealing with it.”
“Yeah, I’m far stronger now than I ever was. Although the System stripped me of my power when I came to Earth, regaining it has shown me all the things I had neglected the first time around. My class is far more powerful. I would almost say that I am grateful.”
“How did that work? Why did the System take your levels and power away?” Lao asked.
“Well, I think Sam described the effect once, after returning from his training. If you are either below E Rank, or don’t possess a Dao Seed, you have no presence on the Multiversal scale. There is nothing after death, and in turn, the System can withdraw its power from you. After that though, things like that can’t happen.”
“So a powerful cultivator could enter some unfortunate uninitialized universe, and rule it like a god?”
“That couldn’t happen,” Talnor interjected. “People over a certain level of power are barred from entering non System universes. A Rankers could probably force the issue, but what would they bother? They’re already gods here.” He shook his head slightly. “I think the cutoff point is level D Rank. Before that, it is almost impossible to do anything save for subjugate a solar system, or at the most, a good portion of a galaxy. More importantly, mortal technology can deal with threats like that.”
“A nuke could kill almost everyone below E Rank with ease, and a hydrogen bomb could probably kill a low E Rank. And that is the technology of a society that has only begun to scratch the surface of what can be achieved through science,” Jeffrey added.
Eduardo smiled. “Well, that is certainly good to hear. Had something like that happened to our universe, I probably wouldn’t be standing here right now, or if I was, I would be a slave.”
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“Instead, you’re a senior officer in one of the most powerful factions of this universe,” Jeffrey replied with a grin. “What’s not to love?”
“I suppose so.”
Before their conversation could resume, there was a hurried knock at the door. Jeffrey rose, but Lao simply extended a tendril of Dao energy to the handle, and opened it with ease.
The opening door revealed a slight figure, clad in the uniform of the city’s guards. He seemed quite young to be a soldier, but in the world of the System, age mattered little. Power was the great equalizer.
“Captains, there’s been a confrontation at the border, in subcity E. A small group of invader elites, and what seems to be either an E Ranker, or a Peak F Ranker. They’re slowly beating back our forces.”
“Why didn’t this notice come into our administration systems?” Talnor asked, frowning. “Anything of this scale is supposed to trigger an alarm.”
“The invaders are using some sort of communications jammer, sir. The only messages that can get out are ones conveyed by people. I was sent because I was the fastest disposable fighter there.”
“Very well. Let’s go,” Talnor barked. The three captains rushed out of the room, and left the messenger behind. In a situation like this, speed was imperative. Lao was getting closer to unlocking teleportation, but for now, he simply used his Dao to funnel the power of his own steps into his next ones, speeding up at an incredible rate. Meanwhile, the other two captains used their natural stats, which were far higher than Lao’s in that area.
They dashed across the city, almost invisible to most of its inhabitants. Each of the sub cities had a tunnel leading to it from the city center. They quickly found the correct one and raced down into it. The tunnel was large enough to hold a small army at once, and well lit as well. However, it was completely empty, as everyone fighting was already on the other side.
In a matter of minutes, the three men traveled hundreds of miles, the sound of battle drifting towards them through the tunnel as they approached.
As they emerged into the light of the sun, the noise of weapons impacting flesh and the screams of the dying assaulted their ears. The force field was down in a small section of the city’s perimeter, propped open by a ring of light emanating from a small box. The box was surrounded by guards, but what immediately drew the eyes of Jeffrey and the others was the blur of speed and power tearing through their allies.
“Shit,” Jeffery cursed. “It’s an E Ranker.”
“What did you really expect?” Talnor replied.
None of the other elite captains were present, but a few of the newer ones were there, the only thing standing before the E Ranker and total ruin.
“WHERE IS SAM ATLAS?” The man bellowed over and over again as he slaughtered his way across the city’s blood slicked street.
“He isn’t here, but we are,” Talnor said forcefully, lightning playing across his suddenly unsheathed katana.
“I do not deal with ants,” the other man said, more quietly this time. “However, I enjoy killing them.”