I got back to the camp in the evening of day 910. “Identify yourself,” a soldier called out.

“Emperor Michael.” Acid Shot. I didn’t aim at the soldier, but he quickly nodded as I entered the campsite.

“Welcome back Emperor Michael,” he said and I nodded. I went over to a table that was set up and sat down at a chair as food was brought out. One of the small benefits of having a protection detail lugging things around. In time I would be using an airship, but a couple of carts was fine for now.

Clarissa and I had talked about me having a protection detail. It was a complicated issue. I was the absolute strongest, but there were other considerations. I was not the head of a nation, not just a city. I was an Emperor. That position had a certain level of prestige. I couldn’t just travel about as a bum as I had done before.

A protection detail was necessary for me to instantly establish my credentials. One thing that was a major concern was anyone trying to impersonate me. That could not be allowed to happen no matter what. I had pulled that trick on the Dragon Empire using Abs to pretend to be the Divine Empress.

There currently were 16 cities, soon to be 19 cities in my empire. It would be too easy for someone to pretend to be me to cause trouble. That was one reason I had a protection detail to prevent impersonations. I couldn’t just go to a city by myself and call myself Emperor Michael. It would be a massive incident and headache.

The second reason to have a protective detail was crowd control. I was the most powerful person that we knew about. The man who killed the Divine Empress and ended the threat of the terrorist Astrologer. The one who stood above all others. I had already seen people who were crazy about me.

Having a protective detail was important so that the crazies couldn’t rush me as I traveled about was important. While I didn’t mind killing idiots or people acting as entitled Karens. I had an image I needed to project. Clarissa wanted me to have distance and a softer image. I didn’t care that much, but I did agree that I didn’t want to waste my time with idiots.

The third reason was to monitor me and confirm that I was still alive. The entire government structure was stabilized by my existence at the top. This was a critical aspect of an empire, having an actual emperor. While I could be gone for long periods of time without issue, having a force with me that I had set up a check in time with was crucial.

It was more Clarissa’s concern, that if I ever died, or went missing for a long period of time, then there would be huge issues with how the government was run and things would most likely splinter. I would be dead, but I respected Clarissa enough to agree.

That was a key difference between the Divine Empress and myself. She went missing, and things immediately fell apart. But if I went missing or died, I knew Clarissa would figure something out in the interim. Things wouldn’t fall apart like the Dragon Empire.

Finally, it was nice to have cart pullers so I could sit in a chair, at a table, and eat prepared food in the wilderness. That was the personal benefit, having comforts while away from the city. It felt incredibly decadent, but I didn’t care that much anymore.

I used to be worried about losing my edge. I had my edge, just going out and fighting in level 4 zones. Those places were incredibly stressful and always a massive headache.

“Emperor Michael, your orders?” Captain Francis asked me as I finished up my meal. They had a stove they had brought out to cook packaged meat and vegetables. It was frankly amazing to eat a mystery steak out hear in the middle of a level 3 zone.

Soldiers cleared the plate away as I sipped my fruit flavored water. “We will advance towards First Seoul immediately tomorrow morning. The trek back took forever,” I replied.

“Do you want to prepare a message?” the Captain asked. I considered that for a moment. We were both still getting used to our respective roles.

“You can pass along that I didn’t encounter any serious resistance in two cities. No evidence of a third, but I didn’t look. A road connects the two.” I then detailed out the level 4 monsters I had encountered.

“Going North will put a road near a void zone which I know is something that Clarissa wants to avoid. There might not be any help for it, but she can decide. The mushrooms might kill people even with the road and the jungle would probably go over the top like these mistlands. Both are questionable. If monsters are present, then the Fox Clan and the Etheral Worms are impossible for soldiers to deal with.”

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Captain Francis recorded everything I spewed out in a more succinct format. Once we passed through a city, a messenger would be dispatched with this information back to Clarissa. And then she would decide from there.

It was a bit convoluted, but it was the system that had been decided on. She would be the only one to get my messages unless I ordered otherwise. That way there was no confusion. When I returned to Purgatory, the messages would be confirmed to see if any had been intercepted or not delivered. Also the time frames for delivery as well.

One of the many auditing processes that had been set up with my protection detail. It was nice that I didn’t have to worry about small things like that. I could focus on more important issues, like level 4 and level 5 monsters.

After the tower, I had an inflated sense of my ability, but it was clear that the variety out in the zones was its own challenge. The tower was limited and contained in many ways which made the fights more predictable.

Out here, the monsters could be anything. Which was where my headache had come from. It was tempting to go into that one zone with the Cult of Absorption and the Leaping Pigs to try and find the boss. But my main concern was getting lost in level 4 zones.

I could kill the monsters, but it was too easy to get turned around and lose any sense of direction. I couldn’t take that risk. That was another thing the tower had simplified. The terrain while a headache in various portions was very predictable. There was very little confusion about what I needed to do, or where I needed to go as I was climbing.

Even with my injuries and the tumor in my gut, it wasn’t that difficult with a bit of focus. But out in a massive zone, where it all looked the same and the light source could be hidden like in the jungle, or the darklands at night, it was a massive challenge.

I needed more stats to really test level 4 zones, but I was confident I could handle them as I currently was. What I really wanted to do was very carefully poke a level 5 zone, or at least look at the types of terrain they had.

“Any dessert?” the soldier preparing the meal asked me.

“Dessert?” I asked.

“Chopped assortment of fruit,” they replied.

“No, the steak was excellent with the broccoli,” I replied.

“Thank you, Emperor Michael.” They left me to go clean up as the soldiers either stood guard, or sat on the ground.

It felt a bit weird to be seated in a chair while they were on the ground, but that was the privilege of being Emperor. “How was your grinding session?” I asked Captain Francis.

“It was good. Everyone is happy to be earning points even if it was the mistlands and the frogs were annoying. No injuries or deaths,” he replied, and I nodded at that.

“All above a thousand stats?” I asked.

“Around twelve hundred, but I am around twenty two hundred,” Captain Francis replied. I nodded at that. “The soldiers were wondering about skills.” That was a tough question.

“We are still figuring out all the skills out there. Make up a list of skills for your men and women.” There were a couple of women in my protection detail. “And I will review them. We can talk about upgrades as well. Also, five skill slots, since Purgatory will be upgraded fairly soon.”

While the super slimes were dangerous, I could win if the city shield was turned on, no problem. We just needed to plan it out. I would fix my skills first, or at least Acid Shot. Do the upgrade, and then have my protection detail get upgraded skills as well.

I envisioned them each being at the level I was before the heist. About the same level as the Envoy. Around ten thousand stat points. That combined with upgraded skills would actually make them dependable and not just cannon fodder in my mind.

That would cost about a quarter of a billion worth of points each, just for the stats, but it was worth it. Even with fourteen soldiers, not counting Captain Francis, that would put the cost around three and a half billion points. Not horrible. It was a lot, but it would ensure my protection detail or honor guard were elites.

As for Captain Francis, he had a very special place in my heart after capturing the Avatar. Ten million points was just the start. But if I paid for the other soldiers, I would ensure he got a billion points. That would give him around twenty thousand stat points. Double the soldiers and put him in an elite category.

He more than deserved it in my mind. Because he had prevented a tremendous amount of future headache and got someone on my list. It was a list of one now, with just the Avatar left on it. I couldn’t kill her, but her box was checked off. He had done that, and I wasn’t about to forget it. Still, that was a long term plan.

“I will make sure to go over what is available and consider any synergies,” he replied.

“Movement skill is a must. I know the Astrologer used Astral Projection in a weird way, but Air Burst is another very good choice. Especially for altering your direction or cushioning a fall. Since we will be getting an airship, something to consider. But come up with lists and I will make it happen,” I told him.

“Thank you Emperor Michael. There is nothing else that I have for you. A bed has been prepared in a cart for you.”

“No. The ground is fine. I might enjoy sitting in a chair while I eat, but the carts are small. Once we get a proper airship, that might change, but for now I can tough it out. I have been doing this for a while,” I replied.

“Of course Emperor Michael,” he said and I got up and found a place next to a cart wheel, I could rest against and drift off.

It was nice not having to keep watch myself. There were always three soldiers on watch while in the wilderness in three shifts. So it wasn’t that bad. It was a nice change of pace from traveling by myself.

That was the final reason I had agreed to a protection detail at all times. It was lonely out here. And while there was some distance, since I was so much more powerful and the Emperor, it was still nice to have people around me. If I wanted a second opinion, I trusted Captain Francis enough to listen to his advice.