Tara, Stevens, and Audrey were back in Crater Town and marveling at how much it had grown again in just the day they had been gone. There was now the main stone hut, Eli’s house, and 31 smaller huts, that were all bigger than Eli’s house when the town was first made. Tara knew he didn’t want this place to keep growing so he would probably do something when he got back. The three were resting in the courtyard by the fountain, the last part of it had been actually stressful since all of the ghost's people left with 3 hours to go and the regular people were getting overrun. They had to stop making it look like they were struggling and actually struggle. A lot of people died because of those who retreated, but Ghost and his top people haven’t been seen since the monster horde ended.
What had really been causing most of their weariness was the giant list of system windows announcing the end of phase 2 of the tutorial along with many other changes and additions. They were discussing them starting with the fact that their experience from the monster is paused while their lord is in a dungeon. Next, they discussed their relief that the monster hordes were every 36 days from now on and would last for twelve hours. This made it seem like they would be weaker than before but none of them believed that, they all agreed that those 12 hours were going to be hell. In line with those was an announcement that every other monster horde, starting with the one that just happened, there will be a lord system refresh.
The lord system refresh would promote people based on strength to make sure that the top 100 strongest were given the title. The title is not taken away from those who fall below this line, but instead it's considered a ‘stale’ title. All the benefits are kept, but the title no longer grows. This was new information, no one knew that the titles were going to grow, the system windows said that every time the refresh happens and an active title holder remains in the top 100, the title grows. It did not say how it grew or what it meant for it to grow or any details at all really, but it was worth considering since they were certain Eli would never be below that line. Audrey was convinced that after his title grew for a year that they would be able to feel the benefits of his increased title. Since Audrey was the only one of them that could sense magic, even if only a little, they believed her.
Next the system windows explained that the surface world’s difficulty would now stagnate from level 1 to 100. Level 1 would be close to safe zones and the higher level areas would be near the raid dungeons, which most people didn’t know existed. Any time the system gave out more information than it needed to, Tara felt that it was doing so because the planet as a whole was further behind than it needed to be. Like it was giving a nudge or secret clue to those clever enough to figure it out. She was sure that everyone would know about them soon because the very next window stated that all lords, as in every single one, will involuntarily have their activity and achievements viewable to everyone. This would mainly be kills, dungeons, raids, events, etc.
Tara was livid at the system for this since it wouldn’t be long after this that Eli would complete a raid dungeon. And that achievement would be announced to the world a short time after the monster horde event, making people think he is impossibly strong or cheating somehow. The only part that she felt would soften the attention on Eli is that the activity list will only be the last 3 days and just lists the chosen name of the lord and what they did on a scrolling list. So far it was just a few of them gaining a level, but all of them seemed to have sudonyms which would further help hide Eli from the public. A lump that always seemed to catch in her throat was that she felt that Eli was one betrayal or death away from becoming a supervillain and she was not able to help. Despite the nausea she felt at the thought of Bethany and Eli being together, if it kept him sane and grounded, she would stomach it, for everyone’s sake.
The system windows that Stevens wanted to discuss the most was the warning that they got that only level 90+ were supposed to get. First, he was sure that they had hit 90 from the monster horde and the system was pausing their leveling since Eli was in a time compressed dungeon making his exact progress a nebulous thing. Secondly he was worried about the warning it contained. Simply put, it said that two things were required to surpass level 99, a feat of strength and a bond with a realm creature stating that only half of those who attempt those two things survive. After completing a feat of strength and reaching level 99, the option for the creature bond will appear in the system menu.
Nothing else about the process of reaching level 100 was explained which infuriated Stevens since it could be interpreted in different ways. He made a mental list of the possibilities, which included, everyone who reaches level 99 and tries for 100 has a 50% chance of dying, or only those who attempt a feat of strength and a creature bond would have that chance. The list went on and on, with many different variations and the only thing he knew for certain is it would not be easy and it would involve risking death. He bet that if people haven't changed too much from the old world, over half of the populace won’t even try, they will just get to 99 and find a way to live their lives without the risk. On the opposite side of that, there was, to his best guess, about 20 to 25 percent of people who will rise to that challenge or won’t be happy being stuck at level 99 as others surpass it.
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From context clues in the system windows message and from everything he knew about magic so far, he guessed that the realm creature bond was necessary to progress beyond level 99. This seemed like an inherent human limitation, his math was a bit complex but simply put, the system's level cap at 99 was based on someone with perfect starting stats and the highest rarity class. A human could only take that to level 99 before the magic’s intensity would be too much for a human soul to manage, control, or contain. He wasn’t certain what was causing the limitation but from his conversations with everyone on how their magic was different, he also bet that there was a total stat point limit as well. It felt to him like Eli would be an exception to every rule so he didn’t include what he knew about him in any of his guess work.
The last window of significance that they discussed together was the notice that the safe zone barriers will begin to shrink after each monster horde by 3%. They didn’t see what the big deal was until Audrey told them what it was like living in the barrier when all of this started. When the new world started and there were monsters and dangers everywhere, the barrier felt like a warm blanket, a place where you could catch your breath and sleep without the fear of being eaten. Even though 3 percent isn’t very much, it creates a panic in people's minds, she had explained to them.
“I think it's bigger than that,” Tara said, she hadn’t been speaking much during the discussion since the fighting was over for now, she was letting her mind roam her thoughts of worry for Eli. “I think it's designed to push people to seek protection by the strong instead of the system. It could be slowly pushing people away from being reliant on the system, or it could be pushing people towards rallying around a few strong individuals.”
They were all quiet for a while while they let Tara’s words sink in, either way they looked at it, the system was shaping society into a feudal system. All the power in the hands of the few with everyone following a noble for protection against other nobles. Only with the kind of power these nobles would hold, the peasants, meaning himself, would eventually be unnecessary since the powerful leader could wipe out an invading army with a gesture. However, the more chilling thoughts were in Stevens’ head, he was imagining the aftermath of powerful lords fighting each other. Wiping out vast areas of land leaving entire cities vaporized, he just hoped that the system would restrict this somehow or put some kind of limitation on it.
After several minutes of silence, Audrey started a new topic, “What are we going to do about Ghost? He's probably dead and his backstabbing weaklings are probably already working to solidify their control over the city. The estimates are that there are just under 10 million people living in or around this safe zone. Do we let immoral traitorous cheats stay in power or do we do something to help these people?”
Tara pinched the bridge of her nose, “I don’t think we can respond without Eli’s two cents on the matter. What do you think?” She asked, looking at Stevens.
“Well I think we shouldn’t do anything at all, at least not yet. We don’t have enough information. Forcing them to change something would be like going to your neighbors house and demanding they repaint because you don't like it. We have to remember that we are outsiders, not members of this safe zone. Unless they commit crimes against humanity, something we are a part of, then I say we leave them be and just keep an eye on it.”
The three of them looked at Arinya as if saying it was time for her to say her opinion, she wasn’t officially part of the group but they had started including her in things. “I’m not sure what you would consider the ‘right’ or ‘moral’ thing is,” Arinya said using air quotes. She took a breath and continued, finding her confidence, “As far as I’m concerned, the safe zone towns are just for shopping and maybe finding a husband I can boss around, other than that they are on their own. There are a lot of people there that were not nice to me and my family.”
Tara clapped her hands once for effect and spoke in a serious tone, “So it looks like we all are going to keep to ourselves until Eli returns.” She was glaring at Audrey, small purple lighting dancing around the scar on her face.
Audrey gulped audibly and smirked at her, “I don't answer to you, I answer to Eli and I think he would want me to provide a demonstration of the reach of his power.”
An ax appeared in Tara’s right hand and she took a step closer to Audrey, “I think it would be best to avoid getting involved so soon after a power struggle.” She was speaking through a clenched jaw, wanting Audrey to know how serious she was about this.
“Ladies, please,” Stevens said, standing up and getting between them. They both growled at him. “Let’s take a second and think, you are both right. We need to stay out of it but we need to remind them that they only get to have the power they have because we let them. I think I have an idea that will make both of you happy. However, it’s unethical and a bit tyrannical.”
The two women look at each other, then back to Stevens, both sporting new posture and facial expressions, excited eyes and fiendish smirks.
