300,000 (+0); Mind-60,000 (+0); Spirit-300,000 (+26,000x3); Perception-60,000 (+0); Aura-60,000 (0); Regeneration-60,000 (+0); Endurance-60,000 (+0); Absorption-60,000 (+0); Sense-60,000 (+0); Channel-60,000 (+0) for a total of 360,000 total stat upgrades, or 1,080,000 after my meta-point.

I looked at my stats after I finished cashing in hundred days' worth of points. I had more than enough energy now to send out several massive attacks in quick succession, which was what I wanted. Around 45 billion points and only 26,000 stat points. It was painful how slow adding stat points was.

It was also mentally exhausting to grind day after day. While I took a break every 25 days, that was not enough. I was putting in 14 hour work days constantly, one after another. The improvement was nice, but it felt slow, incredibly slow. Without a meta-point it would be more than three times as slow. That was why picking a meta-point that had continual use was incredibly important in my mind. Unlike some skill or knowledge, my meta-point would continue to remain useful.

Dylan owed me another 50 days of picking up crystals. He was already purchasing food and filling up the chests I had emptied of crystals. I could tell he was being mentally worn down by the constant grinding. It was constant, exhausting work. The environment in a level 7 zone did not make things any easier.

Past Dylan were the soldiers from the Leader's Domain. They had easily waved me through all procedures to let me turn in my crystals and purchase items. Everyone else had to pay a tax. I don't know why I expected anything different. I guess I had been disappointed too many times in the past by idiots trying to exert control over me.

I refused to pay taxes to anyone. If anything, I should be getting the tribute of a grateful populace from saving all of them from evil people and spheres. At least there was no Sword this time. Probably trying to find a new wielder somewhere.

"Excuse me, sir, I was wondering if you would be interested in any of our specialty food products?" A woman who was around combat level 4 had come up towards me while I stood around, waiting for Dylan to finish loading up so we could head out again.

"What kind of products?" I asked.

"Spices, drinks, sauces, pasta, and other types of food that requires a lot of work to prepare," the woman said. I noticed she made a discrete hand motion at her side. There was no energy use, but that was a signal that had been set up in the past. Clearly this woman had more than food products to give me.

"Dylan, I am going to take a look," I told him.

"Since I am doing the cooking, shouldn't we go togeather," he countered.

"Someone has to watch the Crystal Vortex," I countered.

"Alright," he replied. I followed the woman to a large four story building at the side of the plaza. I noticed a lot of high combat level guards protecting the building, even on the roof. I wasn't worried about a trap. Even if they had a large bomb, I was confident I should escape or shield myself enough to survive.

There was a sign over the building, calling it Manufactured Food Corporation, or MFC. Really Clarissa, you couldn't get any more obvious. Well, I suppose that is if you had knowledge about how much she had cornered the food market back in my Empire. So, she had something to tell me.

The first floor was a restaurant, which was empty, and we passed through. The second floor was a kitchen and sleeping quarters. The floors above that had storage for items and an office which I entered.

"Greetings, Emperor Michael. I am Director Carlson here of this branch of our corporation in New Kochi," he said." His combat level was only 3, which was a bit low in my opinion, compared to the woman who had escorted me. "You have already met Vice-Director Izabella."

"Clarissa is behind all of this?" I asked to confirm.

"Yes. She asked that we deliver a message, and this crate to you. Sorry we didn't reach out sooner, but you were grinding and we had no way to contact you," Carlson said as I took the message from him. I casually opened it up.

Michael,

I know we did not part ways on the best of terms. But that does not mean, I don't understand what your presence means for the Systemic Lands and handling threats. I will not ask you to handle my problems or support me in any way going forward. However I hope we can remain cordial with each other.

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The first thing is to let you know, that my Manufactured Food Corporation has been instructed to sell to you at the cheapest rate. If you desire any specific food items, let me know, and my researchers will work on producing them. In exchange, I hope you will remain in contact with me.

That brings up the second issue that needs to be brought to your attention. The Master Fleshcrafter, Jacob, did a lot of research before he betrayed us. I was able to recover quite a bit of it when the Empire collapsed and have continued it. Specifically, the threat of the sphere.

There are indications that the Astrologer somehow tapped into its power to wipe out a city and he was looking at that as a possibility once again. The effect of lensing as he called it. I have included all his notes. While normally I would consider the problem, out of sight out of mind, the ambient energy levels of the Systemic Lands are dipping ever so slightly.

While it isn't immediately noticeable and will impact higher energy zones first, by day 6,000 he estimated the ambient energy levels will reach the point where the sphere appeared before. My current staff has confirmed these results.

With the Avatar gone, there is only one option left to confront such a threat, you. Any assistance, resources, or information that I can provide to help you confront this threat, I will. I know you probably want to focus on grinding, but I have no options. If this was ten or twenty years from now, I would have the forces necessary to confront such a threat on my own and wouldn't need to involve you.

All the information I have, including Jacob's research, and the gear he produced have been included with this letter.

Sincerely, Clarissa

After reading the letter I was both annoyed and impressed by Clarissa's shamelessness. She was dumping the problem in my lap. But she was right that there was no one other than myself to deal with this problem. If the sphere came back, it would be an utter disaster of epic proportions.

Another mass casualty event was not something that the Systemic Lands could handle, without making things a lot worse. I pocketed the letter as I considered the situation. "Here is the chest that came with the message," Carlson got out a large chest set down on a nearby table. "It has remained closed since it arrived."

I went over and opened it. Inside, there was a mask, three disassembled astrolabes, and a massive stack of research notes. I let out a long sigh. "Get Dylan out there a range of your spices, fresh bread, and a range of products I can enjoy." I closed the chest. I didn't want to deal with this. I pulled out a crystal and tossed it over to Director Carlson. "That should cover everything."

"A level 7 crystal?" he asked.

"Yes, 756,000 points."

"Vice Director Izabella, can you see to the arrangements." She gave a nod and departed the office. "Is there anything else I can assist you with?" he asked me.

"Paper and something to write with. I plan to send Clarissa a message back," I replied.

"Of course, please use my desk," he said and made room for me to sit down. I took a seat as he laid out a pen and paper in front of me. I hesitated for a moment before I started writing to get my thoughts in order. Carlson went over to the side of the room to stand there quietly.

Clarissa,

I am glad you are well. I appreciate the support. I would like to know what is going on in the Systemic Lands, so if there is an overall intelligence briefing or packet, that would be appreciated. In exchange, I won't mess up your Manufactured Food Corporation.

There is a lot of information to go through, specifically the research notes. I am going to take my time to understand what Jacob has written down before taking any action. While I doubt your goal is to send me on a one way trip, that is a possibility I have to guard against.

I won't ask you to return to a leadership role and I don't plan to restart my Empire. I will however take an interest in any kind of non-human threats going forward like the sphere and ask that you keep me up to date with such things. Specifically the Sword of Ascalon. Any information that your people can gather on that weapon, would be incredibly useful and appreciated.

Sincerely, Michael

I folded up the letter and then put it an envelope that Carlson had on his desk. I got up and handed it over to him. "This is for Clarissa. Please make sure it gets to her," I said as he took the letter.

"Of course. If you are expecting a reply, that will take at least 20 days," Carlson said.

"That long?" I asked.

"She is moving constantly," he replied. I wanted to scoff at that. She had a pickup or contact point moving about, but her main base was static somewhere. That was how she operated during the war against the Divine Empress. It was too much work for her to move about and keep everything organized.

Better to create a nexus point that was just a nexus point to stop anyone from following the messenger back to Clarissa and wherever she was hiding. The fact that her own people thought she moved about was a clever deception on her part and clearly showed that all of these people working for her and her front company were expendable.

That was Clarissa, always taking precautions to protect her life. I had to give her a lot of respect for taking her safety as seriously as possible. Other people would be content with the illusion of safety, but it was clear I would never speak to her in person again. She would not risk me killing her.

Also having a working relationship would be much better for both of us. I would get decent food while grinding and access to an information network that covered everywhere. Clarissa would have me around to throw at super dangerous threats like the sphere. As long as I didn't try to find her, she would be content in whatever super bunker she had built to safe guard her life.

It could be under this very city. Doubtful but possible. Clarissa and her people had a lot of experience in building hidden bunkers and I had no doubt she had improved on the methods available since the war.

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