POV Raizen

"Alright, Elder Zal, we can return."

"Understood."

Well, she was definitely right in that this changes my plans—

Oh, we're back on the surface. Ah, these people are still here.

"You! It was you, right? The one who triggered the Planetary Leader crap?"

Trigger? How did she know that?

"What are you talking about?"

"Listen, don't try to play coy. All of us got the notification to either submit or fight against a supposed Planetary Leader. And it didn't pop up until after you jumped into that hole, so you must've did something."

Ah.

I'm assuming the entire Planet likely got the same notification then.

Hmm, I hope that City Lord Johnson doesn't take it the wrong way. I would hate for that relationship to sour.

But since they already know, and I think this is one of the Cities, then that makes this a bit easier. I'll just start here.

"Well, you're not wrong. Honestly, I didn't think everyone would get notified. Anyway. What will it be then?"

"Wait, what…"

"What will it be? Will you submit? Or will you fight?"

I kept my gaze focused on her as I sensed her friends grabbing their weapons and prepping themselves for a fight, but I wasn't all that worried about them at the moment.

Not necessarily arrogance, but I could tell the girl in front of me was the one I needed to convince. Or at least that's how it felt.

She was a little nervous, but she kept those nerves in check for the most part and met my gaze without looking away.

"Do you plan to rule us like a tyrant, Raizen?"

Wait, what… did the system also tell everyone my name?

…I suppose it isn't the first time the system has broadcasted my name to everyone, but that caught me off guard a little.

And to answer her question… I actually don't know what I planned to do with all of these Cities.

I'll probably let all of them do their own things… maybe just gather regularly to give reports or something? Yeah… I'm sure Richard would love all of the extra work.

"No. I don't plan on being a tyrant. In fact, I think this would be beneficial to this City and all the others on Earth. Sounds good?"

"…Will you be signing a system contract to prove that?"

This was an easy one.

"No."

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"Then how can you expect us to believe you?"

"I will be honest with you. It doesn't matter all that much. I can make you submit by force quite easily. But I don't really want to do that. A somewhat unified Earth sounds a whole lot better than a war-torn Planet.

"So I'll ask you again—what will it be? Submit? Or a fight?"

She tensed, and so too did her friends, but it only lasted a moment before she closed her eyes and sighed.

All the tension in her body left right then and there.

"…Fine. It's not like we have a choice. What do you need from us?"

Hm. I don't actually know. Probably the City Lord swearing or signing something, I'm guessing. I hope I wouldn't have to kill them.

"Are you the City Lord?"

"Uh, no…"

"Where are they then?"

"We kind of locked him up."

"…Why?"

"The bastard is the one who allowed the bloodsuckers to come here without an issue."

"Where is he?"

She tensed at the sudden sharpness in my voice, but she would have to deal with it.

In fact, I didn't need her to answer that question.

I took off towards the City and spread my senses as far as I could until…

There.

I took off in the direction of the largest building in the City and the lone, immobile presence that could be sensed within.

A few moments later and I was standing before a man with paling skin, black hair, and two protruding fangs.

He was also aggressively tied up in some type of black rope and glaring at me with dull red eyes.

"And who the hell are you supposed to be? Did that bitch Kim send you? Well, go back and tell her to kill me or release me! I've been tied up here for a week! A fucking week!"

"Shut up."

The weight of a Core Formation Cultivator descended in the room and pressed this pitiful excuse of a man into the floor.

There was nothing else that needed to be said here.

Flames rushed from my body and devoured the body that laid in front of me. Even his screams were burnt in the fires of the Eternal Flame.

Congratulations on Conquering The Valley Of Red

Please Assign a new City Lord!

I stared at the notification for a few moments before making my way back outside.

By the time I reached the borders of the City that led deeper in the valley towards the entrance of the Core, I ran into the girl from earlier and her entourage rushing towards me.

"WHAT HAPPENED?! DID YOU KILL HIM?!"

"Are you Kim?"

"ANSWER MY QU—"

Black flames danced around my body for a moment and she stopped herself mid-yell.

"Are you Kim?"

"…Yes."

"Good. You are now the City Lord of this City. Get your City in order. More instructions will eventually be sent to you. Elder Zal."

Maybe I should've stayed a bit longer to finalize things, but I wasn't in the mood. That City Lord of theirs is part of the reason people died.

My people.

Elder Zal brought me back to my office, and I didn't waste any time leaving to go find Richard, which didn't take very long at all.

"I'm assuming you heard the news?"

"Sure did. In fact, City Lord Johnson already sent some people over to let us know they will not be resisting one bit. The City Lord from the Dwarven City did the same as well. But why does it feel like this is shaping up to be more work for me?"

My mood calmed down a bit as I listened to the report from Richard.

Mainly because he wasn't wrong—this will indeed be more work.

"Good. I'll be visiting each of them soon, and you're not wrong. You will indeed have more work, but you can pay yourself whatever you want, Richard, and make sure to use the Government properly.

"In the meantime, I need work to begin on that new district for the Infernals immediately. I will get back to you before the day is over with a location. Don't worry too much about finding extra labor. Just get me the experts. Sounds good?"

"You're killing me, Raizen. I don't even think you offered me a benefits package! Where's my 401K?"

"Make one up yourself."

I left him alone after that and made my way to the camp outside of the City.

"Don't bother with a greeting. We have work to do. Lidaz, was a location found?"

"Yes, Patriarch. We have finalized two. There is a forest to the West where we can build our district. If not, there is plenty of open land to the North where we also found a wide-open cavern. Our scouts reported back many beings that dwell within.

"Some of them are particularly strong. I recommend building our district there, as well as a blockade to your City, Patriarch, and close proximity for our people to go train."

Huh… I figured there were things in the cavern, but I guess I should've also assumed there could be strong beings down there.

"Next to the cavern it is. Every single one of you will help with the build. The faster this is done, the faster we can move on to other things. Half of you pack up and move over there, the other half will stand by for instructions. Understood?"

"Yes, Patriarch!"

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