Maximilian had expected Justinian's arrival to mark the end of interesting events, but he was wrong. Pleasantly wrong. Soon after, a procession of harpies and lizardfolk entered. He recognized a few of the harpies from the settlement he had befriended. Though most of them weren't. He couldn't tell if they were all here representing their species or not, but they seemed to be on the same page. Each group took their spots among the stands, something that he just realized was insulting. The strongest members of humanity could literally look down on the other species. Regardless of their strength. Something that Maximilian detested. He couldn't say for sure that it was on purpose, but he doubted someone would make that mistake. Part of him wanted to leave and sit down there as well, but he knew that could cause even more problems. Regardless, he had already decided that anyone and everyone in Nubia would be treated the same.

  From there, the stadium fell into the controlled chaos of large groups. People moved around a lot within their groups as they chased conversations with whoever they could. Maximilian considered going down himself to make friends, but decided against it. He was worried his presence would have unintended consequences. No one left the booths had gone down. They had all entered a kind of unofficial agreement that they weren't to join those people. At least that's what he thought. Fortunately, the status quo didn't last for very long. The lights in the room dimmed as two women walked out onto the platform. The first was Elsie Henderson. His gaze lingered on the second woman for a time, but he quickly moved on. He had no idea who she was, and she didn't seem too strong. Based on her appearance, it was clear she was a fighter, likely in hand-to-hand combat. The fact that she wore a suit only made her stranger. Like she was trying to look like an old-world bodyguard for some reason.

  "Greetings," Elsie began. "My name is Elsie Henderson, and it is my great honor to stand before you today. Some of you know me, but most of you do not. To those who already know, I ask you to bear with me as I reintroduce myself. I am the leader of the United World Government. A combination of all the governments of the old world. Naturally, we cannot lay claim to govern the Earth. There are more of us than before. Species that were unknown to us all before the arrival of the Network. Yet our mission remains the same. We cannot and will not be safe until we unite. The monster hordes are at all of our doors. Some of us have fared better than others, but we have all lost something. Lost someone. Losses that will continue until we do something about them. Our enemy is legion. They will not hesitate while we get stronger. They will not show us mercy. We have formed this congress to facilitate that union."

  Maximilian glanced at the crowd and was surprised to see that many people were nodding along. Both human and non-human. He didn't know where she learned her communication skills, but it showed the government could do something right. That being said, her intro wasn't enough to change his mind. He would help wherever he could, but he wasn't convinced that talk of coming together was worth anything. He didn't need to be a historian to know that people often talked about unity only to make sure that they occupied the top seat. He glanced toward the other boxes but couldn't see the inhabitants. Something that seemed purposeful. It made it harder to know what the others would do.

  "We have gathered information we feel is crucial to the survival of every one of us. Information that we will share with you throughout the day. We will begin with the state of the planet. Thanks to the hard work of our scientists and scouts, we discovered that New Earth has divided into three major continents." As she spoke, a projector flickered on and displayed an image on the ground behind her of three large landmasses. Two were side by side, separated by a single body of water, while the third sat above them almost like a hat. "We believe the northernmost continent is mostly a world of ice. Like the North Pole before things happened, though we have been unable to confirm anything outside the coasts. Any attempts to go further with unmanned drones have resulted in them icing over. As for the second continent, we believe it is mostly forests, though we cannot say for sure. It has beasts that are more powerful on average than here. At least we believe that is the case. I am sure many of you have noticed the sizable mountain in our midst." Next came a picture of this mountain, though fortunately it was the base of the mountain and did not include any parts of Nubia.

  Maximilian listened as she explained that they only had details for three of the four cardinal directions from the mountain. Every direction except for the desert side. Which was also the direction that made him worried. He could tell that the monsters in that region were strong. That and he was pretty sure they were all poisonous. Or at least toxic. His gaze narrowed the more the woman spoke. He assumed that her goal was to spread interest in that area, though he wasn't sure why. Sure, the area could likely make a strong hunting ground, but how many people could go there? He was pretty sure that he and the other top ten could survive. At least for a while. Assuming they weren't poisoned too badly. No, it turned out her goal was different. She wanted to expand the area that they could operate in. In other words, they wanted to operate in the mountains to explore in the name of finding survivors. Of course, if they were going to work in the mountains, they would need a staging ground. It was pressure, plain and simple. Not a lot of it, to be honest, but it was pressure. Pressure that intensified as several other humans stood up to rally the troops, so to speak. He could understand why, of course. There was a chance that people who had lost their families could find them in that desert. It was also true that the weaker warriors wouldn't survive the journey, but if the elites led the way?

  "It is with that in mind that we reach out to trailblazers. The leaders of tomorrow, to take up the sword of our ancestors. " To dive into the unknown, gather resources, save survivors, and show we can unite when needed." Elsie's gaze passed over four of the five boxes as her words hung heavy in the air. Soon after, he felt hundreds of eyes fall on their box. They couldn't see them, but it didn't matter. He glanced at the other boxes but was reasonably certain that none of them would say anything. Part of him wondered if it was because they knew about it already. After all, he doubted that region was the only one where they could do all this. It also didn't matter. Nubia was his. He wasn't sure if it was paranoia or just his own beliefs reflected on them, but he knew what would happen. If he offered them a foot, they would take a mile. No, he would need to be strong. He placed his hands on the edges of the box and stared down at the people below him. The people around him. Neither the harpies nor the lizardfolk had taken any action, which made him think that they either didn't know or didn't care. That made him happier. Maximilian was pleased with his decision to practice control over his aura. The last thing he wanted to do was kill people today.

  "Stay here and don't move. I think it is about time I greet the rest of the world." A slight smile tugged at the edge of his face as he placed his palm against the glass. "It should be exciting."

  Yao stood next to his father as the United World Government continued its pointless charade. These were things that should have been left in the old world. The pointless political posturing and manipulations. He had already traveled to the desert region and knew that it would be unwise to go there in force. If anyone could survive there for a prolonged period, they would be on the Leaderboard. It was all so pointless. Yet the patriarch had agreed. He knew better than to question him, but it bothered him nonetheless.

  "You are upset." The Patriarch stated.

  "I do not mean to question." His words were cut off as his father raised his hand.

  "I already told you. You are the next leader of the clan. It is your duty to ask questions. You must learn."

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  "I do not understand why we agreed to these pointless games. There are no survivors in that desert. Not unless one of the other species can survive there. Perhaps the tree people could if they are resistant to poisonous creatures. Yet they speak about saving people. I doubt Justinian or Maximilian will believe such nonsense."

  "I am aware. Yet the move still provides valuable information. His actions will reveal his character, and that is worth much more than whatever we may lose."

  "I understand, but what if he takes offense?"

  His father smiled a smile that didn't reach the edges of his face. "Then you sacrifice one piece to appease another." Yao was about to reply when something changed. His instinct reacted before he could understand what. An incredible pressure blasted outward from one of the other booths. A pressure that made him feel like he had been trapped in the eye of a primordial storm. One that could rip him apart as easily as turning his hand. It wasn't the pressure that terrified him. It was what came next. Killing intent bathed the world in a maelstrom of blood. It was as if they had appeared in the middle of a battlefield. Yao released his aura just to buy time to process what was going on.

  "You will have to forgive me for this display. I have often been told I speak softly, so this will help make sure you can hear me." A voice far too soft to be the originator of the chaos around them called a second before the box's window shattered. The spiritual energy required to power its array faded as a man stood up. He had finally laid eyes on the so-called strongest man in the world, and Yao wished he hadn't. He looked like an emissary from heaven. One was so far above the rest of them that they could do nothing but listen. He averted his gaze and took in the rest of the gathering, and what he saw made no sense.

  "He's controlling his presence so that everyone feels the same thing?" He asked, though there was no one to answer. His father had been forced to his knees along with just about everyone else.

  "If it is the will of the rest of the world to visit Nubia, you are all welcome. Nubia is open to everyone, be they human, lizardfolk, harpy, or treant. Like everyone else, you are protected by and subject to its rules. To my rules. In the future, if you want to discuss such cooperation, it would be wiser to speak about it with me beforehand. Of course, we are in unprecedented times, and long-distance communication is incredibly difficult. So I will consider it an error in logistics. As I am also in a good mood, I will offer more information. I have taken a brief jaunt into the region and can confirm the beasts there are stronger, though not overly so. I would put them around level ten or so. They are creatures that rely on toxins and poisons. I encountered large scorpions during my trip, so I would recommend you prepare yourself for all manner of desert creatures." He flashed a smile as if everything had just been a pleasant conversation. Only to pause. Yao braced himself for an attack, but none came. The man only paused and then returned to his booth. A wall of wind formed to replace the now-shattered window. A second after he was gone, the presence faded.

  Yao stared at the booth for several more seconds before he knelt to help his father back to his seat. No one spoke for several seconds before his father started laughing. For a moment, Yao was convinced his father had gone mad and prepared to take him away, only for him to raise his hand. "That hadn't been what I expected, but it did reveal quite a bit. Tell me, Yao, what do you think of him?"

  His initial thoughts were that the man was arrogant and foolish, but he doubted that a simple answer was enough. Instead of providing one, he took a seat to process what had happened. The government woman started talking again, but he no longer cared about that. "He hadn't attacked anyone. His presence was impressive, but it was limited. As if he gave each person what he felt they could handle." He glanced at the few clansmen they brought with them. They had paled after the initial outburst, but their color had returned. They likely wouldn't be able to fight anytime soon, but that was fine. "He believes himself stronger than us, and he has great confidence in his abilities. He believed that he understood the rest of us well enough to pressure us without serious injury. He also believed that we wouldn't attack. Either that or he believed he was strong enough to force us all to back off. He also didn't seem surprised by what happened. He hadn't known what the government was planning, if we assume his words were true. Which shows he is decisive. He saw what he needed to do and did it. I believe he is a powerful opponent. One we shouldn't antagonize if we can avoid it."

  "I can't disagree with your assessment. Though I will add something you may have missed. Or let me present it to you as a question. Why did he bother to limit his display of power?"

  Yao paused for a moment. His initial answer was not to kill the people here, but he knew that wasn't what his father wanted. So he thought about it longer. "He does not want to offend the rest of the world or perhaps the outsiders? We don't have access to their leaderboard; therefore, they may have someone stronger than him. Stronger than any of us."

  "Astute but no. I don't believe that was why he did it. After all, he could've just not harmed them. It would be reckless to assume the government's scouts gained any truly valuable information, so not hurting them would be the cautious approach. No, I believe that we are dealing with someone far too naive. He strikes me as someone afraid to display his strength. The clan has gathered a short portfolio of his actions and a small handful of his fights. It was difficult to form a complete picture, but something has become clear in the meantime. He has a soft heart. One, he has hidden behind an aura of invincibility. I believe he wanted to show us how strong he was. That he could've crushed us without a problem, but he also showed that he isn't likely to. Not unless he is forced. I can't say for sure, but I believe he is stuck with his self-perception. He views himself as some sort of beacon or hero. He has killed, but he has shown mercy even to enemies. We will never be weaker than we are today. The pragmatic approach would be to kill us all now. Or at least hurt the other members of the top ten. He could turn his lead into an insurmountable gulf. Even the last thing he said lends itself to my interpretation. He offended us and then offered a gift."

  Yao stared at his father for a moment before he looked at the wall of wind that now separated Maximilian from the rest of them. Was it that simple? He had met more than a few idealists in his time, but that couldn't be it. Yao was never one to question his father, and in truth, he didn't want to now, but his justification did make some sense. He wouldn't call it perfect. Most of it could be explained away as a person who didn't know what they were doing, but it's also possible that he was right. Yao took a moment to think about what he would do if he were in his position. It would no doubt be easier to eliminate potential threats. Especially now that they were all gathered. Yao wasn't confident he could take out Justinian cleanly, let alone the others. "So, what should we do?"

  Justinian stared at the meeting place beneath him. He hadn't wanted to attend the meeting if he were honest with himself. He felt it was pointless. He had people who relied on him. A settlement that needed him. Yet he was convinced that coming here was important. He needed to meet the rest of the world. Now he was pleased. He had seen the names on the leaderboard. Including the one that got further away from his own. Yet he didn't believe it. He had assumed the man was a shooting star. One that would burn out. That perhaps he had found a treasure or received one from the Network that would increase his level for a while. Now that he had seen him in person, he was pleased. Impressed even. That was a man he could accept leading the world for now. A figure he could point his spear at. Justinian stood up and placed his hand against the glass of his box but shook his head. He wasn't confident in copying what the man had done. He wasn't confident he could control himself that well, and he knew his aura wasn't the man's match. He could probably suppress the people beneath them. Terrify them and likely kill some. Yet he would only look like a pale imitation. A child in front of a master.

  His booth stayed silent as Henderson tried to reclaim control of the situation. The keyword being tried. The crowd had devolved like a bunch of children as they discussed what had just happened. Unfortunately, the woman wasn't strong enough to command their obedience. Neither of them was. She made a determined effort for another twenty minutes before deciding to take a break. They promised to share further information when they returned. Justinian wasn't particularly interested. He got to his feet, which prompted his general to speak. "Are you going to seek him out?"

  Justinian nodded. "Despite the intentions of the government, it is clear that the people at the top of the leaderboards will determine the way of the future."