With 10% of borrowed stats coursing through Ember, we fly through the desert faster than I've ever traveled, making it to the center of the dark continent in under a minute; coming to a halt right above the crater made by Arie and the Demon General's clash.
Ember reverts to his human form, and we float down to begin restoring the immobilized demons scattered across the desert.
Green restoration circles powered by 1% borrowed stats and Abby's yellow divine threads form beneath the paralyzed and dying demonic soldiers, neutralizing the poison and healing the lost limbs of some of the knights Luna sliced through.
I follow behind Abby, pulling out Qi crystals that I farmed from the desert floor below Palmyra, using my True Core's divine energy manipulation ability to crush the white energy into a digestible microscopic mist, and streamlining pure Qi into their cores.
For the orange-cored commanders, I pull a few orange divine fragments out, careful not to accidentally inject any of my own yellow thread into their bodies, and use red fragments to do the same with the knights.
All of the demons stand to their feet once we're done, and I hear a telepathy channel open for all of them; their leader is letting me in to hear their orders.
"Stand down, men. You may do what you wish with them once I enter the throne. For now, we do not engage."
The link is severed, and all of the demons leave without saying a word.
The yellow-core General gives Arie a glare as he leaves, but the others are shaken and keep their heads down.
I float over to Arie and Luna next, a smile across my face, and Arie speaks aloud.
"Sorry to put you in this position. I didn't know there would be—"
I shake my head and extend a hand.
"Don't worry about it; your stunt actually gave me the perfect moment to talk to their leader. It might have been much worse if I was the one to make the first move."
We shake hands, and I speak again, glancing over at Luna standing behind him.
"Glad to have you back, and I'm also glad I got the chance to see you two in real action. You've grown strong."
Ember and Abby float down to greet them next, and we have a brief reunion, interrupted by more telepathic messages from across the 8 Great Regions and Dark Continent—as people still worried about the aura I released moments ago.
I quickly respond now that their lives aren't in danger of the head Demon's wrath.
"Meet me above the Crimson Dome. It's not an emergency; don't be frightened by the aura I just released. This will be quick but necessary. There's someone I want to welcome back and an update to the incoming battle plan."
---
As requested, all notable figures come to the Crimson City.
Bri, Rodrigo, Maria, Raven, Monk, The Saint, Lith, Chester, Abby, Ember, Luna, and Arie all float before me in the air above the red dome in the dark desert.
Lydia and Fisher even emerge from the bunker for a few minutes to listen in, and I invite the dozens of high-level members of the Crimson Army to partake in this briefing as well.
We start by getting comfortable with the familiar faces here. Many reunite with Luna and Arie, while others like Bri, Chester, and Lith reconnect after years apart in the trade scene, even before they met me.
I quietly wait for everyone to get comfortable, scanning the crowd repeatedly, checking my status to see links of loyalty rise, using my all-seeing eye to monitor everything within a 5,000 km radius. Part of my mind keeps examining the interesting new gear Maria is wearing, from which I can't get a status reading, all while thinking carefully about the next words out of my mouth.
"Less than 30 hours remain... The first threat has shown its face, but we're at a stalemate until the Abyss completely recedes..."
I tell everyone here everything I know about the Big Three and the Demons, leaving out one small detail about my arrangement with the Demon in the Crimson City Labyrinth.
Many eyes widen, hearing for the first time about Divine Energy, a Demonic Realm, or even the Association being run by pseudo-gods who believe they can take over the world because they've been in control for hundreds of years.
[10,014,679/10,000,000 Links of Loyalty Created]
[New Perk Unlocked: Rising Emperor's Expansion]
Info:
All 5 Generals may select 2 commanders and share 50% of their total (Currently 1%) borrowed stats. Each Commander may take up to 25% max.
The caster may borrow 5% of all Base Stat Points and Mana Control efficiency from Party Members under the allegiance of the Rising Emperor. Additionally, 5% of the caster's Base Stat Points and Mana Control may be temporarily distributed to any Party Members under the allegiance of the Rising Emperor.
The caster may only borrow or share exclusively; both actions cannot be performed simultaneously.
Members affected by this perk are not required to be within range of the Rising Emperor's Domain.
This buff stacks with the [Dominance] perk, [Authority] perk, [Power Holder] perk, and [Ruler's Gaze] perk if used simultaneously.
---
Now, I have up to 35% of stats available to me, and the Generals are able to share half of the 1% they're borrowing with any two people they appoint as commanders.
I beam this information to Maria, Arie, and Abby, but continue to stare off into the open desert, my heart pounding.
Two slots remain, but something in the back of my mind intuitively makes me hold off and not fill them just yet.
The hot sun makes the air bend on the horizon, but my All-Seeing Eye still sees everything crystal clear.
Ember floats beside me in silence, and the citizens of the Crimson City go on with their daily lives as though nothing is happening.
Across the world, everything seems normal.
Even after my announcements in capital cities, asking for support and basically telling the nation a war is near, there are smiles everywhere—groceries and toys being bought, friends going out for drinks, even local newspapers still running their routes.
One in every five people has given a loyalty link to me, and the word keeps spreading. Some even mention a strange feeling that they felt in the night during a family walk in the park or as others eat a late breakfast together after a long night out partying.
The world is about to end or be saved within the next 24 hours, but only those with the power to grasp the enormity of this threat seem to care.
People are especially carefree in the Dark Continent, where new rulers, lords, and black market dealers constantly shift control, people just follow the continuously changing rules to support themselves or their families.
No one understands that this time is different.
I continue listening to my heartbeat as I watch the nation's day unfold, the Abyss receding faster toward the black tower at its center.
The Vermillion Family head watches silently too.
Even the Association's team remains in their structures, unmoving at their stations.
The world goes on, even as the sun sets and the final hours draw near. Everyone who will soon fight for control stand still in their bases, waiting for the throne to awaken or for someone to make the first move.
The Crimson Army, Luna, Arie, and all fighters in the Inner Circle who wield Divine Energy regroup above the Crimson Dome one last time to make plans to head toward the center of the continent.
While I make up my mind on the next order I'll make, the Demon's last words to me still linger in the back of my mind. It was a warning that he'll deal with our dispute inside the throne, as long as Redgrave doesn't get to me first.