I approached Purgatory in the morning along with everyone else. The city had been rebuilt in the wake of the disaster that the upgrade had left it in. I walked with Clarissa and the rest of the people trailed behind. More people were also showing up as well from other nearby campsites.
One thing I had missed, was that the arrivals in Purgatory had been killed off on day 870 while I had been running around. I hadn’t even thought of them. Since the tower, my day counting hadn’t been that great.
They didn’t stand a chance, and all died. I didn’t even notice any of the super slimes going off to kill them. Clarissa didn’t want to risk pulling level 5 monsters into her people. That would have been a massacre. So, the 250 people who showed up on day 870 were wiped out by accident and I didn’t even notice.
It was a testament to how focused I was on the long fight with the super slimes that I had missed their deaths completely. It was similar to the mindset I had while grinding. Just getting into a combat flow state, where I would run and repeat the same actions while only paying a bit of attention to my surroundings.
Only the start of a fight tended to be complex. At a certain point, once I reached an equilibrium, it was just focusing on not making mistakes and maintaining what was already working. That was probably the first accidental murder I had ever done that was entirely my fault, so manslaughter.
I only felt bad about not feeling bad about what happened. I knew I should be more upset about people just accidentally dying due to being overconfident about the upgrade, but after all the killing I had done, I was numb to it all. That numbness was what I felt bad about, since I knew I should feel something more, but after two years in the Systemic Lands and two wars, against the Ritualist and the Divine Empress, it was hard to care about random people.
It was the same way, that people cared more about if their friend died than if 10,000 people staved to death somewhere in Africa. A person could logically understand the numbers, but feeling the impact of those numbers was not something most people did. The few that did succumb to worrying about every single death and bad thing that happened would probably be completely unhinged.
I noted that the building layout hadn’t been maintained after it had been wiped away when the Divine Empress had shown up and half the zone had vaporized along with the city. That would be another expense that would have to be paid for.
Checking the pillars again, seven were still damaged, and only one was working. Seven hundred million points, what a scam. I shuddered at the thought of a level 6 upgrade, and 1,000 level 6 monsters rushing the city. At least that upgrade could be accomplished in a couple of years.
Anything beyond that, the timeframe would stretch out considerably. I thought about how I could get a meta-point from the fight. It just wasn’t possible unless I had the stats to stay near the pillars while wiping out one super slime after another.
Well, if I could my skills up to level 5, then fully upgrade at that level, Acid Shot would only be 20 energy. I would be able to use it 500 times, not counting Regeneration. I could probably upgrade the city in a day if it had a shield.
The ability to pick cost upgrades had have those carry through on skills was incredibly broken at the higher combat levels. The hard part was getting a skill upgraded without the silent and gestureless upgrades until the very end.
Should I stop at level 5 or level 6, that was the real question. Stopping at level 5 meant I would only have to beat level 5 boss monsters in level 4 zones. Waiting until level 6 meant going into level 5 zones and beating level 6 boss monsters.
I hadn’t faced a level 6, but I wasn’t too worried. The main concern though was being swarmed if a monster in a zone behaved a certain way. I would also be down a skill, which would make things tough since I only had Acid Shot for my attack.
I purchased clothes to change into and made my way into a side building. Nothing too ornate, but just a robe like I had worn before while in the city, with the golden dragon symbol back on my clothing. It was my symbol, not the Divine Empress’s, no matter what she had said. She was dead so her opinion no longer mattered.
Shaking my head, I made my way to the throne that had been set up on a high table and stood in front of it on the lower table with the podium. Everyone began to assemble in a crowd in front of me. I had already talked to Clarissa about the ceremony on the way over and it would be kept simple.
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Clarissa went and stood in front of me at a podium that had been set up on a table in front of the throne. My throne was about three feet, about a meter, higher up than the podium, which was only a foot off the ground. Flags had been set up on either side of my throne as well. “People of the Empire of Purgatory, we have won!” There was cheering and shouting. The crowd wasn’t that large, but there was around 500 to 700 people if I had to guess.
“Many of you know me. My old title was that of Chief Administrator. Today, I stand before you as Clarissa to let you know and confirm the news that has already spread. Our Champion, our leader, Michael killed the Divine Empress in single combat ending her reign of terror!” The shouts and cheers this time were much louder, which made me happy.
“We now come back together on this day. Day 872 of the Purgatory Calendar to officially form our new government. A government founded on the requirements of the Systemic Lands we now live in. To provide the best possible future and safety.” There was another around of cheering.
“The Leadership Council has voted unanimously to form the Imperial Government and appoint the Council of Governors to manage the various cities within the Empire of Purgatory. In addition, the first official act and declaration is to declare Michael, the Emperor of Purgatory!” There was a lot of cheering at this. The podium was moved away and Clarissa was handed a crown.
The crown was three interlocking metal bands twisted around each other in the colors of dark blue, white, and dark gray. She took the crown and then placed it on top of my head, reaching up. I didn’t kneel or bow. I turned to the crowd and raised my hands up into the air as fists and everyone was shouting.
I made my way to the podium as Clarissa stood to the side. It was time for me to give a speech. It took a minute for people to quiet down. Looking out over the crowd, everyone was worn down, but there was a hopeful feeling in the air.
“My people, I want to thank you for fighting and never giving up in the face of the absolute evil of the Dragon Empire,” I said and bowed my head towards everyone. I had to reach up to make sure my crown didn’t fall off. There was more cheering. I straightened up. First thing as the supreme leader, thank everyone. It didn’t hurt and I wasn’t bowing my head to anyone specific. Better to make people think I was humble as I gobbled up their tax revenue to empower myself.
“Many people have perished. Friends, allies, true heroes. Their numbers are countless. I ask that a minute of silence be given for all these true heroes,” I said and lowered my head slightly. Next thing as the supreme leader and Emperor, was to thank people who died on my behalf, to not make me appear ungrateful or build resentment.
It only cost me a minute of my time and was expected. While I might not like politics, I knew what I needed to do to make myself appear acceptable as an Emperor. I wasn’t a complete idiot like the Divine Empress. She would have just murdered a bunch of people and told them all to kowtow to her and possibly motivate themselves.
Thanking people, mourning the dead, were easy things to do to make me appear caring and compassionate to these people so they didn’t question my position. I was above the pointless squabbles and wanted to present myself in that manner. Let the governors take the heat instead.
“Thank you, my people, for your sacrifices and perseverance in the face of overwhelming hardship. I shall address the most difficult question first, why form an Empire and take up the mantle of Emperor,” I said, and everyone was listening attentively. There was something intoxicating about speaking to a large crowd who paid attention to everything I was saying. I could easily understand why politicians got big heads and became conceited.
“This decision was one I made based on simple truths and our new reality. On Earth human technology and guns allowed for democracy to flourish and to move away from the rule of a few elites. Here in the Systemic Lands, only power, granted through skills and stats, allow a person to decide the future.”
“While I hold no love for the Divine Empress and killed her personally in a hard-fought battle, there are other people like her out there. Numbers don’t matter after a certain point. Only the power of an individual can combat another such individual.”
“That is why I must take up the mantle of Emperor. To ensure stability and good governance of all cities that have fallen under our control. That is why our nation’s new motto is Peace Through Strength!”
“Peace Through Strength!” People shouted and cheered. Eventually they quieted down.
“But I am a fighter, not a true leader. That is why there will be a central Imperial Government headed up by Supreme Governor Clarissa. Each city will be managed by an appointed Governor. In addition, the war time taxes are now officially over!”
The cheering was the loudest it had been since the start of the speeches. No liked taxes. That was a universal sentiment apparently. “There will be a standard tax rate of thirty percent, to build city buildings, upgrades, and maintain the strength of our new nation. There will be no slavery, let all people come together as one nation, one empire!”
There was more cheering at this. I smiled as it was time to wrap things up. Long pointless speeches were boring and exhausting for everyone. While I didn’t mind public speaking, I wasn’t that in love with the sound of my own voice to keep dragging things out pointlessly.
“Let us feast and celebrate our victory, our new nation!” I raised my hands up again and there was more cheering. Clarissa had already put people on preparing food. They had portable stoves, due to being in the wilderness, so it wasn’t that hard to have grills going and food was already being laid out on buffet tables.
I went up to my throne and took a seat. The next part was to allow people to eat and to come and speak with me. The podium was cleared away as people spread out.