"Stand up first; let's find a place to talk, Your Majesty," Marvel stepped forward and helped the old man to his feet.
Despite the difference in strength, Marvel acknowledged the Sage who shouldered the burden of humanity since his youth.
In times of despair, it is easy to pass responsibility around like an unwanted plague. In times of peace, many scramble for power and authority under the guise of responsibility.
"I'm not worthy! I'm not worthy to assume the identity of a monarch in your presence!"
The old man shook with trepidation as he clutched Marvel's forearm. It was a desperate gesture, fearing to offend the powerful.
Let alone someone of Mavel's strength, any random citizen from a superior race would treat the Human Emperor as a slave; an ant to be trampled under foot.
To think someone as strong as an ancestor would address him with respect—the old man would rather die.
Marvel waved his hand and said, "Respect is a two way street, and accomplishments are heavier than strength. At least, in my eyes, and in the eyes of a civilization."
It was an undeniable truth that strength was reason in this world, but Marvel didn't want the embryonic form of domestic order to follow the laws of the jungle.
If anything, he already decided that the human civilization would be established on the foundation of two interdependent systems: The Guild's Authority and the Imperial Authority.
The Guild's authority would extend to safeguarding the progress of humanity and withstanding outside pressure.
The Imperial Authority would focus on domestic management and the political system.
All these thoughts clashed in Marvel's mind while he tried to soothe the old man's emotions.
Understanding that this was no place to talk, the group followed the old Emperor to his house.
"A small house for an imperial palace, this is truly…" someone said in th telepathic link.
Marvel caught bits and pieces of the activity in the chat, but he was mostly focused on the conversation with the Emperor.
Thanks to the healing and buffs from Reivera, the old man was no longer hunched back and weak in spirit.
He seemed heroic despite his black hair, and he exuded majesty despite his humble stature.
"Thanks to the Elf Kingdom in the north, Vampire Castle in the west, and Dragon Nest in the east; no major races dare cross into human territory…
"This leaves the threats from the sea to the south, especially when sea creatures go up to shore for hunting occasionally. If we're lucky, we can get help from Elves or Vampires through some means… If not, we can only suffer.
"The land is barren because we can't source enough water for irrigation and farming. The rivers are plentiful, but they're equally dangerous…
As the two walked, one spoke and th other listened.
Marvel thought about the guild's composition with the current members.
There were three players of each class: Mage, Archer, Soldier, and Lancer.
From the mage class, there was one healer and two combat mages.
From the archer class, there was one assassin and two scouts.
All soldiers were knights.
As for the lancer class, one of them was a templar, the other two were gladiators.
He was also a lancer, but he unlocked the hidden class—Dragon Slayer, as the guild leader of the guild that cleared the Last Dungeon.
1 Healer, 2 Combat Mages, 1 Assassin, 2 Scouts, 3 Knights, 1 Templar, 2 Gladiators, and a Dragon Slayer.
This is the power ceiling of the current human race, and their capital for survival.
Since the only conceivable threat for now was from the sea, that would also be the direction for expansion and expeditions to raise the overall power level of the humans in God's Ultimate Fantasy.
Bzzzt!
Suddenly, an overwhelming pressure fell from the above. Following which, the sky was dyed red in blood, crimson droplets raining down in a faint drizzle.
Marevl raised his head, eyes sharp.
His long ash-gray hair fluttered, a faint aura surrounding his sun-kissed chocolate skin.
Golden eyes shimmered, and the phantom of a dragon spreading its wings emerged from his body, crying to the sky.
ROAR!!!
A shockwave visible to the naked eye rippled out, negating the pressure. The blood, and red sky, and everything was swept clean.
Marvel's body blurred, and the next moment, he appeared in the sky.
"Vampire?" Marevl titled his head, examining the pale-skinned young man before him.
Sharp canines, black robes, shrouded by darkness that shields from the sun.
"Human?" Responded the vampire, equally curious. "Since when did humans have someone like you?"
Before Marvel could answer, twelve equally strong auras rose from beneath, as the rest of the guild's top players rose to the sky, flanking Marvel.
Loki, the young assassin, grinned. "Update that, little batty. Not just one, but thirteen."
"Is this why you're confident? Having thirteen Ultimate-tier experts is indeed some capital, but that doesn't make you a power to fear."
After the vampire finished talking, a gentle breeze accompanied by the illusion of a beautiful garden of eden, a towering World Tree, and hundreds of pixies, fairies, and elves dancing and singing entered everyone's mind.
By the time the illusion shattered, they noticed a verdant vine stretching from seemingly infinity.
Seated on the vine was a beautiful woman in nature's elegant green garments, a white crown, and pointed ears. Her eyes were topaz green, and skin fair like snow.
"How rude of you, to drop by and not say hi to your neighbors," her melodious voice was seven parts chiding and three parts teasing.
Obviously, just like the vampires, they had noticed the commotion.
"Apologies, priorities are the heart of decorum," Reivera stepped forward to handle the diplomacy talks. "We need to sort the affairs of our household before visiting another's, don't you agree?"
Marvel examined himself as Reivera took the helm. His mind was currently occupied by understanding his current limitations and strengths.
Goes without saying, flight wasn't an ability his previous character could use in game.
No, more like, flight without mounts or equipments like wings was impossible.
However, he intuitively knew how to channel his Reiki in tune with the world's laws to preform flight.
This made him realize deeply that while their in-game abilities had transmigrated over with their setting, this was no longer a game.
They were no longer limited by set parameters and game configurations.
In other words, the class system was as obsolete as could be. If anything, their previous classes had most likely determined their intrinsic affinity and talent.
For example, Loki's talent in the field of stealth and assassination related abilities could be rated as S+ or even SS.
On the other hand, his talents in the fields of healing and faith could be as low as F, E, and at most at D.
With this new understanding, it was of little surprise that Reivera mentioned handling domestic affairs before addressing external affairs.
Household affairs here wasn't limited to understanding the situation of humanity in the current era, but understanding how their abilities, talents, and affinities interact with the laws within God's Ultimate Fantasy.
Each and every one of them was itching to settle down in a secluded room and experiment for days, weeks, months, and maybe years at a time.
Reivera then glanced eastward and said, "Vampires and Elves have already showed up, what about the Dragons?"
"Those guys love to sleep all day and everyday, maybe for decades back to back. The active ones are the juniors, but they wouldn't dare show up just to be treated as the weakest group. Dragons are that proud after all."
The vampire answered, perhaps as gesture of goodwill.
"Well then," he smiled and waved. "I'll leave you to settle down in peace. Hopefully, we'll receive you with gifts when you come to visit."
His body then expanded and exploded into countless small bats, flying away in a flurry.
The elegant elf nodded her head lightly, still smiling, but she left without saying a word.
Obviously, she didn't plan on issuing an invitation or displaying any given attitude.
This in itself was a statement; even with thirteen Ultimate-tier experts, the elves didn't take humans seriously.
"Weird," Reivera frowned deeply. "Typically in an environment like this one, races of similar or equal strength shouldn't border one another. If anything, they should be surrounded by weaker, subservient races."
"Unless they're xenophobic by nature," Loki chimed in with his opinion. "If I didn't like pests buzzing around my head, I's rather have strong strangers around. Each minds their own business, achieving peaceful days."
Reivera thought that it made sense.
The dragons slept for an unknown amount of time, and they would hate being bothered by weaklings for favors or to bootlick.
Vampires were solitary creatures that spent most their time indoors.
Elves, on the other hand, were too proud and lived in nature, for nature, and with nature.
In a sense, these three races share glaring similarities and care little for the outside world.
Of course, those that dare test their bottom lines are in for a world of hurt.
"Okay, let's get down first," Marvel shook his head and sighed. "It seems wer'll be much busier than expected."