Arthur stood atop the highest spire of Xerxes, the dry salt of the Pacific Ocean still clinging to his boots. The Trident of Poseidon, now stripped of its divine glow, lay at his feet like a piece of worthless driftwood. He looked out over the world, but he didn't see continents or countries; he saw a planet that was vibrating with a new, terrifying potential.
[Ding!]
[You have achieved 'Total Dominion' over the Sea God's Territory.]
[100x Multiplier Activated!]
[Planetary Integration: 15% -> 45%.]
"The Sea God was just a test," Arthur whispered, his voice resonating through the cold Himalayan air. "The Great Twelve are terrified of the Multiplier. They aren't coming to harvest humanity anymore; they are coming to delete the Earth before I become a threat to the Higher Heavens."
Suddenly, a notification flashed in red, darker than any Arthur had seen before.
[Warning!]
[Forbidden Knowledge Unlocked: The Truth of the System.]
[100x Multiplier has bypassed the 'Soul Lock' on the Creator's Records.]
Arthur's eyes widened as a flood of images rushed into his mind. He saw a million worlds like Earth, all used as 'farms' for the Great Twelve. The dungeons weren't just for mana; they were meant to filter out the strongest souls so the gods could consume them to maintain their immortality. Every S-Rank hunter who had ever 'vanished' in a high-level dungeon hadn't died—they had been eaten.
"So that's why Zane and Elara were so desperate for power," Arthur growled, his aura flaring up into a dark gold flame that melted the obsidian floor beneath him. "They were just sheep trying to be the favorite pet of the butcher."
Igris appeared behind him, his Deity-grade armor humming with a violet light. "My King, the leaders of the five major human nations have arrived at the base of the mountain. They saw what you did to the Pacific. They are no longer asking for an audience; they are begging for mercy."
"Mercy?" Arthur turned around, his 'Concept Blade' appearing in his hand. "Mercy is for the weak, and I have just made humanity the strongest race in the galaxy. Tell them to come up. But tell them to leave their bodyguards behind. If a single weapon is drawn in Xerxes, I will delete their country from the map."
A few hours later, the throne room of Xerxes was filled with the most powerful men and women on Earth. The Presidents and Prime Ministers, who used to command armies of millions, were now trembling like children as they looked at the Twelve Shadow Generals standing behind Arthur's throne.
Arthur didn't stand up. He looked down at them with a cold, majestic gaze.
"I have just repelled a God," Arthur began, his voice sounding like a mountain collapsing. "While your scientists were calculating the tides, I was erasing the ocean. You tried to kill me with nukes, and I fed that energy to my soldiers. You are obsolete."
The President of the United States stepped forward, his voice shaking. "Arthur... we recognize your power. We are ready to accept Xerxes as the new global capital. But what do you want from us? We are just humans."
"I want your cooperation for the next 27 days," Arthur said, leaning forward. "I have given every human on this planet the power to awaken. But power without discipline is just a mess. I am establishing the 'Monarch's Decree'."
He raised his hand, and a massive holographic screen appeared, listing the new laws of Earth.
The Abolishment of Guilds: All hunters are now part of the 'Monarch's Legion'.
The Mandatory Trials: Every awakened human must enter the Tower of Eternal Trials for at least one day (which equals one year of training).
The Resource Tax: All mana crystals and artifacts found in dungeons must be delivered to Xerxes for multiplication and redistribution.
"If you follow these rules," Arthur continued, "I will ensure that Earth survives the arrival of the Great Twelve. If you don't... I will let the gods have you."
"But this is a dictatorship!" a European leader cried out. "You are taking away our freedom!"
Arthur disappeared from his throne and reappeared an inch away from the leader's face. The pressure was so intense that the man fell to his knees, unable to breathe.
"Freedom is a luxury for those who aren't about to be slaughtered," Arthur whispered in his ear. "In 27 days, a god will descend who can blow up this planet like a balloon. Do you want your 'freedom' to be ash in the wind, or do you want to be a soldier in my army?"
The leader didn't answer. He couldn't.
Arthur returned to his throne. "Igris, take them to the Tower. Let them see what my commanders are becoming. Let them see that the 'weak' porter they once ignored is now the only thing standing between them and extinction."
As the world leaders were led away, Arthur looked at his inventory. He had 100 'Sun God's Essences' and 100 'Tridents of Poseidon' (multiplied). He began to crush them together, fusing the power of the Sun and the Sea.
[Ding!]
[Synthesis Initiated...]
[Forging the 'World-Shield of the Omni-Monarch'...]
[Multiplier Activated!]
"I have 27 days," Arthur said, his eyes glowing with a power that could outshine the sun. "By the time the Great Twelve get here, I'll have turned the Earth into a weapon that can kill the Creator himself."
Suddenly, a new rift appeared in the center of the throne room. It wasn't golden or blue. It was red, smelling of blood and ancient wars.
A figure stepped out—a man covered in scars, holding a broken sword. He didn't look like a god; he looked like a survivor.
"Arthur," the man rasped, "Don't trust the system. The 100x Multiplier... it's not a gift. It's a tracking beacon. They know where you are. And they are sending the War God, Ares, to finish what Poseidon started."
Arthur narrowed his eyes, his 'Concept Blade' humming with excitement. "Ares? Good. I was wondering when the real fun would start."