Rise of the Godking - Chapter 82

"So… what is this change in macro mission that you talked about before? And what is the mission mode?"

A day had passed since his stunt in the town which had resulted in an influx of people from the surface to all three layers, where production had started up quite efficiently. It wasn't at the level, yet, where it had been before the revolution as then, the enforcers had been driving the people too hard without even feeding them improperly, but with the progress he had made, Daneel was happy, and right now, he was sitting in a room in Harrold's mansion while waiting for his guest to arrive.

He hadn't gotten much sleep, but it couldn't be avoided. Now that he finally had some time to himself, he decided to talk to the system as it was never good to ignore a notification that it had given.

[Responding to host.

Previous macro mission: 

Dominate and conquer the world!

Present macro mission: 

Dominate and conquer the world!



Unveil secrets waiting in Mainland regarding the system, and host's transmigration.

Mission mode: Host is already familiar with the EXP mode, using which many functions of the system were unlocked. Going forward, it is possible for system's subsequent unlocks to be done by completing missions instead of accumulating EXP like host has done before. Once picked, the mode cannot be changed until the next upgrade, so host is requested to give some thought to the decision before making it.]



Daneel almost didn't hear the second part of the system's answer. His face had fallen slack and his eyes had shone when the changed macro mission of the system had echoed in his mind, and he had clutched the armrests of the chair he was sitting on so tightly that they creaked, ready to give in under his strength if he employed even an ounce more.

He controlled himself after a few moments, drawing in deep gasps as if he had run a marathon. Ever since he had transmigrated all those years ago, it had always been in the back of his mind that he had to find a way to Earth, and discover just why such a fantastical thing had happened to him. Before his journey to the Mainland, the system had given him a hint that something was waiting here that would help him along this quest… but he hadn't expected that it would be so straightforward.

Essentially, it didn't change anything, though. But on giving it further thought, he saw why it was still important.

In his first days after the transmigration, Daneel had used to get missions that helped him along his path, awarding him with the EXP that was used to unlock more capabilities of the system. He had struggled through that period, hoarding EXP so much that he had even foregone the temptations to unlock capabilities that might help him just so that he could upgrade its overall level, and make it so that it would be able to contest against those in realms higher than his.

The system had stopped giving him missions at one point, and when he had asked, it had told him that its creator decreed that it would only do so when its host was still too weak to be able to pursue EXP by himself. But now, apparently… things were different, and he wondered whether he should go back to the familiar pathway that had been frustrating, yet fulfilling at the same time.

A slight shudder went through him as soon as he thought of this, though. Would it really be all that bad to have a concrete goal, instead of a number that he kept striving for, and cursing whenever he fell short?

He couldn't decide, so he decided to take the system's advice and wait. After all, he knew that it would take time for him to catch up with its current capabilities, and it would only be then that he would start to seriously think about making it even more powerful.

He sat in silence for a few more minutes, and then, the door opened to usher in two guards with a man between them whose hands were tied.

Snapping his eyes up, Daneel got to his feet and waited with his hands behind his back. He had picked a small room that was reminiscent of the interrogation rooms back on earth; there was only enough space for two chairs and a table between them, and as the man sat in one of them, Daneel gestured at the enforcers who had had a reputation for being kind and helpful to the citizens of the town before to leave.

As the door closed, he turned to his guest. The man didn't seem all that menacing now that his strange, tall, pointed hat been removed. But when Daneel and Reese had spotted him at that fateful time, when they had been lying in wait on top of the mountain near the meeting spot, he had seemed like a dangerous existence they had to be cautious about. Yet, when the fight had broken out, he had strived to keep himself hidden as much as possible, before eventually being knocked out by the magical item that the dwarf king had used.

If it weren't for the fact that his hands and legs had been tied by the enforcers of the master as soon as the man had arrived at the meeting spot, the one sitting in front of him would have fled. He had been found trying to crawl away, and after being picked up by the enforcers whom Daneel had set to guard the town, the man had apparently been repeatedly asking to meet whoever was in charge.

Daneel had had a short conversation with Madeira to find out who he was. Apparently, he had come to them, talking about how anyone who had rebellious thoughts could speak with him to procure items that would save lives or take them, as needed, in exchange for food or other items. They hadn't had too many dealings with him, as it took time to accumulate the food that he quoted would be needed if they wanted to exchange it for something powerful… but from the power displayed by that thing that his brother had used, it was clear that the background of this man was not simple.

Daneel pulled out the gag covering his mouth. With a sneer, the man studied him even as he was studied, too.

He had red hair, different from anyone Daneel had seen in the town so far. He was tall and well-built, with broad shoulders worthy of a blacksmith and calloused hands that could belong to a refinery worker. The set of his face did not match any of these details, though; it was that of someone used to being in control of a situation akin to a general on the battlefield, and after a few moments, the man spoke and made this fact even more clear.

"For what has been done to me, I could call down assassins that would leave all the leaders here dead or dying. But I will do no such thing… for business is what we live for. I'm happy because your rebellion succeeded. Congratulations are in order."

Daneel frowned.

"Why are you happy? As the rebellion is done, we might not have any use for you."

A rich, deep laugh emanated from the man, echoing in the room over and over again until it felt like it was coming from everywhere. When he stopped, he had to use his tied hands to wipe away the tears of mirth that had come in his eyes.

"You are mistaken. Islanders who have succeeded in rebelling are actually those who pay us the most… because the new masters always grow greedy, and look for ways to enslave those that they lead. Oh, you might be different right now. But it always ends up happening. Always."

Daneel raised one eyebrow. It was his turn to sneer, now. He thought for a moment… and then found the perfect way to shut the man up.

"Come with me."

He walked out the door knowing that the man was following. He took a route that he had already walked through before, and soon, they came upon a steel door that had been hidden expertly behind a floor to ceiling painting of all the layers of the town.

Daneel opened it and stepped inside. The glow of crystals lit up his face, and as the outsider followed him, he heard a chuckle come from his mouth.

"Of course. The previous master's hoard. I expect that you want to use a small portion of it to buy magical items that will keep the people in control. You don't want another revolution to happen that will cause you to meet the same fate as Harrold, right? Well, we can—"

"I'll give all of this to you. In return, I want any machinery that you might have access to which will make the tasks of those in the layers below easier."

Daneel felt the man's widened eyes on his back. A lopsided came to his lips, and turning around, he untied the bonds around the man's hands.

"Go on, count them. When you're done, tell me what options are available."

The shock on the man's face didn't decrease by even a bit as Daneel stepped past him, to the door of the vault. Pausing there, he said in a mocking tone, "You might have seen a lot of rebels… but you've never seen me. This is just the beginning: there is still a lot more to come. I suggest that you snap your mouth shut, so that you can save your drool when you see the rest. I'll see you soon, outsider."

With that, Daneel left, his smile broadening as he heard the sharp intake of breath from one who had even stopped this essential function of human because of how stunned he was.

Stepping out of the mansion, he took a deep breath, himself. Then, he began to walk in the direction of the crystals of the Pit once again.

A sharp wind was rising. A wind of change, of growth, of a budding Kingdom that might even eclipse everything he had accomplished so far. Quickening his steps, he walked on.

There was much to be done.