As Alan and Mayra walked through the streets he felt like they were being followed by a funeral procession. Alan didn’t blame the people of the Sanctuary for being gloomy and silent. They had only gotten a taste of freedom, but there was another tyrant now. No matter his assurances, all were human, and all knew human nature. Trust was a luxury too expensive to afford on New Earth.

An aura of dark shadows followed after him like a cloak made for a giant, fluttering in the wind. It created a wide circle around himself and Mayra. The girl was exempt from its effects, but even she struggled to feel comfortable surrounded by the hungry darkness. Alan had chosen to act like this with purpose. It was a way to instill some sort of fear and make the gap between himself and the rest apparent, without actually killing any more people. He was sure the deal with the harvester could wait a bit more. Only the deserving would be given to it.

The constant burning of mana to keep up with all the shadows trailing in his wake also served as an outlet for his will. The spirit’s shadow was an enigma, and it was already affecting him in many ways, the oddest and most pronounced of all being the energetic whispers in his mind that were growing by the second now that he was back on New Earth. They were growing stronger by the minute.

And they wanted death.

Like a thousand Xil’s whispering gibberish in his mind, urging him to let blood flow. It was a rare occurrence for them to affect him so, but anyone would stumble when faced with countless voices assaulting his mind. They felt harmless most of the time, like a part of him that was there. An unobstructive form of tinnitus, even. He had understood their words only a few times in the past, and they had also been quite useful when there was a need for it. Especially the one whose legacy he had threaded on. The shadows would seldom warn him even now. Their tones changed, their attitude hardened and softened, but with his honed senses, it was almost redundant to rely on them.

Now though their emotions were worn on their metaphorical sleeves, and it both annoyed and intrigued him. It was no control or intrusion like it had been with Florence. It was difficult to describe the sensation, but it was certainly affecting him. Like being among a crowd of angry people—perhaps it was mob mentality affecting him? He hadn’t thought of them as people before, just as shadows, even if he had seen the crowds in one of the visions.

“Alan,” Mayra said in hushed tones. “Do you think we’re safe?”

She was mostly fine, even if it was only pretend.

“I’ll kill them all if they so much as look at you strangely, don’t worry,” he replied, letting his voice spread in the unnatural silence following them. He would be heard, that was certain. He wanted to be heard. The more he did now without actually slaughtering more people, the less work Rosalyn would have later, and by extension, his life would be easier too.

Saving days of travel during exploration by utilizing World Temples? It was better than anything offered by them so far! Apart from having a safe place to live in, of course. He had half a mind to go and beat up the cannibal elves too, but that would come in time.

The first thing was dealing with the threat of the golden bug bastards, fulfilling the oath he had given, and figuring out how to better use these new opportunities resting in his inventory. The jar and the parchment waited there for him to figure them out. Perhaps going to the Bazaar again was the best way to do so, but he was reluctant. There was a lot to do, and he felt like the place would continue sucking him deeper and deeper into its secrets.

“After you take the Sanctuary, see if you can get some clothes. Black and gray would do just fine. None of that colorful nonsense. We have reputations to uphold,” Alan said.

“Thy will be done, Master,” Mayra smiled. “Only the dullest and most boring cloth for you.”

“Don’t get smart with me, I see your style.”

“I’d get stupid but we both know how the last guy ended up. And I was supposed to be a ‘witch’ you know? Dark and gloomy is in the package.”

Alan chuckled. “Fair enough.”

The World Temple awaited just the same as before, not a trace of change due to the sanctuary's leader being dead. Alan asked around while Mayra went inside, and was told there was a new quest for choosing a leader, which was expected. Someone had to make decisions. It took her only a few hours which Alan spent meditating upon the mysteries of the shadows and his desire to fight everyone and everything. The people were left to their devices. He didn’t really care what they did as long as they didn’t bother him.

It seemed to confuse them. Had they expected to be forced to work or something? This was their home in the new world, and he wouldn’t stop anyone from utilizing it. He knew very well that small groups would certainly try to take power until Rosalyn arrived. It’s how it went, usually. Maybe she could create her own policing force—an idea worth suggesting.

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It was quite surprising how few people Sanctuaries held, even this supposedly big one. Then again, Rust had probably killed off many. There would have to be millions to gather all of Earth’s population even if half were dead.

He opened his eyes as Mayra walked out, carrying a bundle of clothes. They were simple shirts and trousers, which was all he needed for now. A few more fights on the way back and he would be left butt-naked.

“So, how does traveling work?”

“It’s simple. We can just step through the World Temple into the other one I control. There’s no conflict between me being both a leader and a member of 142, but I don’t know how it will work. I can grant you guest rights?”

“Sure, let’s go. I’m sick of this place.”

And we got what we came for. All the wealth lost with Rust’s body… I forgot to ask him about it, but he was a goner either way. Whatever. My gains are literally unimaginable this time around.

“Wait! You’re leaving?” the woman, guard one, asked.

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“But… you took over? Don’t you want anything with us?”

She seemed almost incredulous, which annoyed Alan. He had been quite vocal about what he intended to do.

“Lady, I have enough annoying bastards to look after. I don’t need you to. Half of you probably deserve death for the things you’ve done under Rust, but it’s not like my hands are very clean. I’ll let another deal with this mess, as I said. Don’t be mistaken though… one fucking word that you’ve been misbehaving and I’ll purge this Sanctuary until it's spotless. Bye now! Nice meeting you!”

He gave the stupefied people a wave and followed after Mayra. The process was quite simple. They simply walked through the World Temple, as if it was a doorway. A moment covered in mists and days of mindlessly rushing through the forest were avoided.

“This is handy. We can create a network.”

“You should’ve asked them of the other Sanctuaries Rust had taken. There was more than one.”

“Rosey can deal with that. We have levels to get, skills to learn, and mysteries to solve. What happened to that guy from the forest, by the way?”

She shrugged, “How should I know? I was with you, napping. I still don’t know what happened in that place we went… It’s as if my mind is scrubbed clean. Was it you? My patron doesn’t like it at all.”

“I sweat it wasn’t me, though if it helps you can let your patron blame me. Now, onward sidekick!”

Mayra chuckled and rummaged through her backpack for a scroll but Alan grabbed her without warning and lifted her on his shoulder, before casting [Dark Step]. It worked seamlessly as he knew it would, but it was still a relief that nothing had gone awry. Mayra screamed a few times but shut down as they rushed through the forest at impossible speeds. Monsters fled in their wake while Alan kept his mind open for any signatures similar to the ones of the golden bugs, shadows rushing madly around him. The sliver of will was still trapped in his mind, granting him the ability to study their particular presence, which was very helpful.

None made an appearance which was great since they were quite close to their Sanctuary nevertheless. It took a short time until they reached it and Alan unceremoniously threw Mayra down at the edge of the forest. She stood up on wobbly legs but then gave up and hugged a tree.

“Thanks for the ride,” she grumbled.

“What, no ‘master’?”

“More like bastard…” she mumbled.

Alan grinned. Making friends was always a great thing. It took the Sanctuary mere moments to react, and Rosalyn went out to greet them on her own, trailed by a group of well-equipped men and women. None of the prominent names Alan knew were among them. Their armors shone with the glint of a familiar material, although there was only a little bit of it.

Jaderin Iron?! Mr. Muge has been a busy bee I see. And in such a short time… I can’t wait.

“Rosey, so good to see you again! Mayra, do your thing,”

“Yes, master.”

Alan grimaced. It was embarrassing being called that before the group, and Mayra did it in a way that made it all the more embarrassing. She was dark and gloomy, but when she opened her mouth it was only trouble with her. Alan watched her closely, but there was not an ounce of hesitation in her as she approached Rosalyn. She probably realized the responsibilities of a leader and wanted none of them, just like Alan.

“Alan, what is—”

Rosalyn’s eyes widened. She looked toward him, then toward Mayra.

“Accept it. Once you control those two Sanctuaries, we’ll be able to travel freely between them. You realize how important that is, right? One of them has about five hundred people or so. I’d like to think that I’ve put the fear of me in them, but if there’s trouble I take no responsibility whatsoever.”

“Please accept it, Miss Leader,” Mayra said sweetly. “I wouldn’t want to make Master wait.”

Rosalyn hesitated but then sighed.

“It’s not fair to put all of this on me,” she said.

“At least you won’t get any wrinkles from the stress. Probably…” Mayra said, then frowned.

Alan shook his head. “I wouldn’t know. I’ve been stress-free since the System came around. It’s been a breeze, really.”

“That’s a lie if there’s ever been one,” Rosalyn said and then nodded with reluctance. There was no indication the transfer of control had occurred, but judging by the tension leaving Mayra’s face, it probably was.

“Did you kill—”

“Yep.”

“Then, are there—”

“The spoils were lost in a tragic accident, unfortunately.”

“I wasn’t about to ask about that. I’m asking if there are any tier twos to be wary of. We’re close to getting a few more. Top Rabbit has hit the one-hundred mark, and so have I. One of the conditions is tough, but… you seem to have brought it to me on a silver platter.”

Alan’s eyes widened. “What is it?”

“To rule at least five Sanctuaries.”

That’s interesting. Her class is not one focused on leadership, but her actions are playing quite an important role. Worth noting.

“One of those, Mayra can tell you the corresponding numbers—”

“3552 and 701.”

“—is quite large. The people there should know of a few more Sanctuaries, that are little more than abandoned World Temples. If you see any blank-faced bastards there, don’t engage. Rust left a few rigged bodies to explode in the first one. I don’t know how things have changed since his death.”

3552? But it’s so close. Whatever, System, do your thing.

Alan left Mayra to share whatever else she deemed important and disappeared. He noticed how uncomfortable his billowing shadows made Rosalyn and her guards, and it was time to figure out what was going on with him and check up on Xil and Mr. Muge.