Coming back from the East Bastion I was disappointed. I had expected Uday to be there. I had remembered him from my time the first delegation had visited my Empire to negotiate a treaty. If anyone knew where the Astrologer was it was him.

But it was odd. The city populace had been wiped, but the buildings had remained. Perhaps a second wipe of all the people. But a failed upgrade would reset a city, so that clearly wasn’t what had occurred. Most likely they rose up and the Astrologer crushed them.

A shame. I would have enjoyed putting him into my throne and listening to him scream. One of the last remnants of the once great UCS. It would be fitting. It was only slightly annoying he along with everyone else from the UCS had escaped me in death.

But it was done and there was no use. While there were green hills there was wood to burn. It was time to find this Champion Michael and get some answers from him. The Astrologer could only hide for so long.

Ah, some people killing monsters and one of them was quite strong compared to the others or someone who should be fighting in this area. I landed on the ground without a sound and began walking over to the man to question him.

“Hello there,” he called out but his stance clearly indicated he was ready for a fight as I approached him. The fact that he hadn’t dropped to his knees already sealed his fate.

“Oh, hello there young man. Killing monsters out here?” I asked with a smile.

“Yes, just helping some people. I am Naran, may I get your name?” What did his name matter. He was a dead man. To ask about me. I was the Divine Empress, not some dog.

“Oh, you don’t know me?” It had been a long time since I was disrespected so.

“I don’t think so. I am sorry, if I offended you.” You are sorry. Then kill yourself to apologize. I kept smiling, since I didn’t want to scare him off and torturing information out of him would take time.

“It is no big deal. I am just looking around for an old dear friend of mine. You see, he left a gift for me, that was quite a learning experience just to understand. I want to return the favor. Perhaps you have heard of him? He often uses his title, The Astrologer.” If he had any information, I might forgive him. Ah, he had frozen in place. Fear etched into his body.

“I can’t say that I know him personally.” It did not matter.

“Where did you hear about him?” I demanded.

“You still haven’t introduced yourself.” Well then. If you wanted to move past being nice than so will I. I casually moved and crushed the spines of his companions with a single flick of my finger. They were so weak their leg shattered from the force of my blows as well. I then returned in front of this man whose name was of no importance.

He swung his massive sword at me. So slow, so pathetic. I merely raised a hand and grasped it in the air. The force not even stirring the dirt around my feet or my clothing. I then let go and moved. I casually destroyed his lower spine.

“Now tell me about the Astrologer. Tell me everything.” I had taken one of his female companions and was waving her around in front of him as she screamed.

“And you would spare me and them?” Stop wasting my time you dog.

“Depending on how fast you talked.” I would leave him a present instead.

“I just know he was in Purgatory when the Ritualist attacked. I had some curse damage and he gave some information to help fix it.” So, he was hanging around that city. Well time to go there and find this Champion Michael. His name had come up enough that I would squeeze him for any information about the Astrologer since all roads led to him.

“And who is in charge of Purgatory?” I asked just to be sure.

“Champion Michael.”

“Now was that so hard?” I tossed the useless woman to the side and touched his cheek. My energy seeping into his body past his weak protections. The void energy would erase him after I left, but slowly so his suffering would last as long as possible. It was only a shame I wouldn’t be here to listen.

I departed and quickly arrived at the city. I left a present behind for the guard and was going to leave one for the man I was talking to when he pointed out Champion Michael. Well this was clearly the will of the Heavens, since I wouldn’t have to search for him any longer. It was time to drag the Astrologer out of hiding by whatever means necessary.

I moved in front of him, and he noticed. He was on par with my Envoy but still pathetically weak and no threat to me.

“Greetings to the Ruler of the West, the Divine Empress. I am Champion Michael of Purgatory.” At least he knew who I was, this would speed things up.

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“So, you are the dog that dares to bark. Yet you dare wear a dragon on your armor. You dare serve the Astrologer. You dare not grovel on the ground like the worm you are.” I could sense the fear building up in him. Good.

“He is traveling to gain another god-point before he returns.” Oh, now that was interesting. The Astrologer was looking to powerup and defeat me in some way. Or perhaps heal an injury from the Calamity. It all made sense. I just needed to know his location.

“Oh, how interesting. So he isn’t here? Do you know where?” If the dog told me quickly, I would quickly kill him since I was as kind as I was strong.

“I suspect a tower, but I cannot be sure. He keeps his own council,” the dog said. My eyes narrowed. He was covering for the Astrologer. I could just tell. I had seen countless people scream and beg before me. They all lied or hid truths. But their energy did not lie. The slight tremor I could feel as their thoughts did not align with the truth. That was why I never lied, for no weakness would ever run through me.

“How weak, how pathetic. No Valkyries. No United City States. Only dregs left behind. And you, a barking dog. Trying to keep the dragon away. Champion, what are you Champion of?” I asked questions to put more pressure on him.

“This city your Divine Majesty.”

“When was the last time you have seen the Astrologer?”

“I have never seen him. Only his proxy, which he uses to communicate.” So he truly had disappeared and was weak. To use his proxy for so long he had to be alive, but somewhere else. He might be in a tower, but I would not climb one until I could kill a level 6 monster. There was no return once a person entered.

“That is a shame. And where is his proxy?” If this man was useless then I would find the Homunculus and drag the information out of him.

“Hiding somewhere most likely. He likes to vanish and reappear.”

“So he has gone to ground and the real Astrologer seeks to gain strength for our next fight. Little does he know. I am already ready for our rematch. Even with another touch of divinity, he lacks good judgement.” Still no response. I was growing tired of this farce.

“But you clearly have not been blessed. For no dog would ever become the master. Now, what to do? He would not care about any message I would send. But he does allow violations of our treaty, when he was the one to insist on them. And he dared to insult me. What do you think I should do?”

“I would use a tech-deck.” I had purified myself and he thought that would work. How foolish! The insolence! I moved behind him and grabbed his armor, lifting this so called Champion into the air.

“An interesting choice of words. Now the bite of the dog is revealed and is found lacking.” I dropped him to the ground and put my boot on top of his head pinning him in place. I made sure not to accidentally crush his skull that contained the information I wanted. I did not look forward to racing around searching for the Astrologer.

“There, that is much better. A dog should be on the ground-“ I sensed the gathering energy. It was weak and I knew their locations. Null Barriers snapped up around me canceling out the weak attacks. I drew forth my throwing needles and pushed my energy into them. They were me and I was them. They easily shattered the sound barrier as I threw them, with the impacts shattering the buildings around the plaza and killing the annoyances.

“How brave and how foolish. To think such weak attacks would even move me. But back to your yapping. You think I would come here without purifying what the Astrologer did to me?”

“I was an idiot your Divine Majesty.” Another one begging for my mercy. Perhaps he needed some motivation to talk.

“An idiot. I am surrounded by idiots who dare to have thoughts enter their heads. But you still possess some use.” I moved my boot off his head, and he got to his feet. I would let him see the hopelessness of resisting me. To witness my absolute power. Then he would tell me where the Homunculus was hiding.

“For the Astrologer to entrust you with the activation words, meant that he trusts you and you must know something. You can either talk and die a quick death. Or I can take you back to my Master Fleshcrafter. He will get answers out of you one way or the other.” The threat of motivation would have to do for now since I did not want to sully my hands with his filth.

He launched melt type attacks at me. But they were slow and weak. His escape skill was interesting, but no match for my speed and skills. I easily moved above him and spoke to kill all hope he had. “Amusing, but pathetic.”

I slammed him into the ground. I made sure to be gentle so as to not kill him. “If a dog must be beaten first, I am happy to assist in your education. What do you know about the Astrologer?” Oh, they were using weak summons and not even System skills.

Foolishness. More of those beam attacks came at me. The beam attacks were nullified and I threw more needles while using my skill Imbue Force. The force explosions shredded the weak constructs. Ah the dog was trying to run again. I moved behind him and slammed him to the ground once more. “Did you have hope that time? That your friends would save you?”

So many people believed in their friends. But that was pointless. One could only believe in Kung-fu and the strength of their arm. Time to be slightly more forceful. I gently crushed his left knee, making sure not to sever his leg. I didn’t want him to bleed out.

“Just end it. Tell me about the Astrologer.” I sensed the energy contained in the bombs above. Compared to the concealed bombs of the UCS this was insulting! I threw more needles ripping the monsters and caused the bombs to detonate in mid-air.

“I am the Divine Empress. Not some pathetic piece of garbage you can defeat with cheap tricks, but keep trying. It amuses me. The Astrologer?” The dog began to speak, and I became quickly annoyed. It was a ploy to delay me. He required motivation.

“Enough. You think I am an idiot? You dare to think?” I plucked his left eye from his head and cast it to the ground to provide some motivation.

“I am more than happy to pluck pieces off you. It will make you lighter to carry back. Now the Astrologer. Speak.”

“I am dead anyways. Do your worst you old hag.” My smile left my face. The insolence had gone too far. I also noticed a very small energy disturbance that was in the air. Time for the real fight to start.

“So be it.” I moved forward to explode his heart out of his chest with a single strike using my most advanced move. An honor for such a dog. The Dragon’s Talon Piercing The Void! The words echoed in my mind as I closed in.

He shifted at the last moment, and I was already committed to the strike. A shame it would miss his heart just slightly, but he was still dead.