After reading the new message that appeared, Adam's jaw clenched. It was obviously not sent to him alone. That meant that it was going out to everyone. Not just all humans, but everyone on the planet. Adam wouldn't even be surprised if it went to people in other worlds.

Clearly, Adam had underestimated how important the [System Conduits] were to the [System] and how much it wanted to keep their information silent. All the invaders were already intending to kill or capture Adam, but this message made it clear that things were about to get worse.

Yet another example of the [System] being powerful without directly acting. Its benefits were so great that just the hint of denying them got people to move on its behalf. Throwing in some rewards would make them move even more.

ALERT: The [System] is placing a bounty on Adam Clemens, also known as the Aberration by the Scyrric and the General by the natives of this new world that is under contest. He is the leader of the natives, who refer to themselves as humans.

Adam Clemens must be executed. It is strongly encouraged that the natives in his faction be executed.

REWARDS: The individual who kills Adam Clemens will be rewarded with a plan on how to evolve their class to Legendary rarity.

The race of the one who fulfills this bounty will receive a list of all Mythical and Legendary classes that were discovered by Adam Clemens. Unlocking requirements will be included.

Notes: Should a native of this world fulfill the bounty, then they will also be rewarded with safe transport to another world where they and 20 humans of their choice will find amnesty.

Wasting no time, Adam rushed out of the prison base. Once outside he opened a portal directly to the meeting room. It was fortunate that the [System] didn't seem in control of the Rift bases, or Adam would have been in even more trouble. Although that thought did lead to some questions about the Rifts' origin if the [System] didn't have a way to control them like it did with people.

For once, Adam wasn't the last one in the room. As Adam stepped out of the portal, appearing behind his throne, he saw the door left open with people streaming in. Some had hastily grabbed papers, showing that this had come unexpectedly for them as well.

Everyone who entered looked at Adam as he stood there. Some of the people looked at him with sympathy, while others looked accusingly. Adam wondered how many humans were considering the extra reward on the bounty.

It was quite a feat of manipulation. Nearby invaders were already wary of Adam and the Sentinel Army, preparing for when the Sentinel Army might attack them. Invaders further away were already trying to extend their reach faster than normal, as shown by the Drathan appearing, and solidify their control so they could challenge the aberration. Adam wouldn't be surprised if he was being looked at as a boogie man, some boss to overcome to prove their superiority over the other races.

The new message and its rewards were enough to hasten everyone to attack the Sentinel Army. Even worse, there was a direct incentive to other humans to take out Adam.

This would have consequences that extended beyond just more danger to Adam and his army. If more attacks happened, then they would need to play defensively and would no longer be able to continue expanding. That would limit their conquering of invader bases, and more importantly the stat gains from the conquest titles.

The rewards were also enough that races would be willing to eat whatever cost it was to increase their numbers on Earth, sending more and stronger soldiers through their portals. For a list of mythical and legendary classes they would gladly eat whatever extra cost there was.

There would also be a question of whether the [System] would continue working with any humans by helping them level and evolve their classes. Would Adam's race get cut out of the normal advancement?

The Sentinel Army was about to be more isolated, have more combat, and the territory as a whole was about to become nearly impossible to defend. If a stream of enemies attacked from different directions, there wouldn't be enough humans to defend such a large area. The attacks would lock down the Rift menu so they wouldn't be able to portal troops around to defend the areas that needed reinforcements.

It was almost guaranteed that they would be under siege, and their territory would shrink rapidly.

This wasn't a matter where Adam's advantages, or even the strength of his friends as a group, would be able to overcome. They could only be in one place at a time, and defeating a Tier 4 required most of Adam's friends if he wasn't around. This would require everyone to find a way to overcome it, even though the attrition would wear down the humans much faster than the invaders.

Adam cursed under his breath. What had seemed like an annoying challenge by the [System] to Adam had quickly grown in his mind into a worse case scenario. The defiant act that Adam had committed could spell the defeat of humanity. All that Adam had fought to accomplish, struggled to overcome, wiped out. He no longer had any control in this fight. Just like every other human left on Earth.

The steam was rising from Adam as his thoughts made him angrier and angrier. He didn't realize the furious face he was making or how hard he was breathing until a voice brought him out of it.

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"ADAM!" shouted his mother.

"What?" cried Adam in surprise as he looked up.

The table was now filled with all the regulars. Leaders from the city, the Sentinel Army, and the civilians were there, everyone looking anxious.

"Sorry, I was just thinking about things," said Adam lamely, taking his own oversized seat.

"Obviously not good thoughts," muttered Colonel Davian, watching Adam's skin lighten.

"What did you even do, son?" asked Adam's dad.

The question caused Adam's face to screw into a rictus, and many looked away, not wanting to see such hatred.

"I'll say this once," said Adam, drawing all eyes back to him. "It will be better for you all not to know what I did. However, if I had not done it, then I would have been forced to leave the Sentinel Army on its own. I could have taken my parents and sister to safety, leaving everyone else behind. Instead, I chose to continue fighting for the Sentinel Army and Earth."

"Even the noblest of sentiments can end in ruin," said General Carmichael. "Tell me, Adam, what would our chances be of surviving without you?"

"Pretty slim," answered Lucas before Adam could respond. "You didn't see the fight with Sgolkr. Our full group probably could have come out on top, but we might have lost someone. Then we would have been weakened for our next fight. Then the one after that. The invaders always have the chance to retreat to their worlds. We don't. For us, it's all or nothing."

"I accept that, young man," replied Carmichael. "But now tell me, what are our chances after whatever Adam did to earn that bounty?"

Adam sat there glaring at Carmichael. The distinguished military man stared back, his expression unreadable. A cough got both their attention as Davian spoke up.

"I believe that is what we're here to figure out. Now, what are our options and what do we need to do now?"

"I would never throw the General out," spoke up Mr. Fenton, Lucas's father and leader of the unit called the Demo men, "but if he went off, maybe with a group or unit, would the invaders chase him and leave the rest alone? That time could be spent raiding, gaining personal strength for our soldiers, while also building our defenses."

Everyone looked towards Adam. At least half of those present seemed to expect his anger to explode at that question. Instead, looking upwards in thought, Adam considered.

"I don't think it would help," said Adam before quickly adding, "and going on my own would make things easier for me. The [System] can't directly track me anymore, so personally disappearing would be easy. That means you all would be the next target, either for information, or because the message also said to take out my faction. An attempt to lure me in, maybe. Does anyone believe they would be left alone by telling invaders they didn't know where I was?"

A few weak chuckles were made at that argument. Adam then continued.

"Instead, I recommend Lucas go out and hide. Survive. If, by chance, we get wiped out here in Jackson, Lucas will need to make it to the end."

At Adam's statement, a lot of confused faces glanced around. Lucas, though, stared angrily at Adam.

"That isn't happening!" shouted Lucas. "You know I won't hide."

"It's the best choice," argued Adam. "I've thought about it."

"No!" denied Lucas flatly. "Brittney is smarter than me, and Tom is clever. Send them."

"You know that wouldn't work." Adam's dismissal caused Brittney and Tom to rise in their seats, ready to counter. He raised his hand and stopped them. "Tom had caused too much distrust back then to make it work. While I agree Brittney is a good choice right now, she wouldn't be strong enough to survive in the beginning without help. Where would she get it?"

Lucas frowned at Adam but didn't disagree.

"What're we talking about, boys?" asked Carmichael, eying them suspiciously.

"It doesn't matter," answered Lucas, still locking eyes with Adam. "It can't be me. Adam, there is another thing to consider. I don't know if anyone else is as mentally tough as you. We've all only stuck with it because you always diving in, keeping the pressure off us. I can't take losing by that much, especially with it seeming so hopeless. I don't have the patience for a replay."

Several of Adam's friends nodded and muttered agreements.

"Then, Nick?" asked Adam, who shook his head. "Carlos? Lamar?"

"Sorry, buddy, but it won't work," said Nick. "Honestly, I don't know how you did it. Starting from scratch every time. Trying to build different things. None of us have what you have, and we start with what you had."

"He's right, Adam," said Lamar. "As you've said, this is the last time. Do or die."

"I sure couldn't do it," added Randall.

"What're we even talking about?" asked Joseph. "I wasn't paying attention."

"See, Darling," smiled Andrea at Adam. "We're all together and we're staying together. If we don't find a way now, then we'll all go out together and leave the memories behind. We're either all in, or not at all."

Adam sighed and then leaned back in his chain. His shoulders slumped and his body language screamed of loss. A tension that everyone noticed had been building between the group was released. After a moment, Adam sat back up and looked around the room.

"Fine then," conceded Adam, his eyes returned to intense determination. "There is no escape. We need this to work."

"I'm not sure what you all were talking about, but it seems you worked it out," said Carmichael. "This means the only option is defense. How are we with resources?"

"We have enough food stored to last about two months with our current population," spoke up a logistics officer. "We can be self sufficient with the territory we have, but if we end up needing to pull back to Jackson, then we lose that."

"Cataloging the gains from our new base, we have enough to do some building. But what should I use it on?" asked Jordan's voice, still watching from afar instead of joining the meeting.

"I don't suppose we have enough for a wall or physical obstruction around the territory?" asked Davian.

"Not even close," responded Jordan.

"The biggest problem," said Adam, "will soon be transportation. Once the portals stop working, we need a way to move people and goods quickly."

"Is there any way around that?" asked Davian.

"Garrett and the Unklarn need to get the movement for the floating island smoother and faster. That can serve as a staging area, a way to transport supplies and reinforcements, and even an escape method," suggested Adam, the commanding part of his coming to the fore. "We also need a method to get people up and down from it quickly. Get all the crafters working on it. If there are any difficult to use but fast personal transportation methods like jetpacks, get them set up for me and those of my team able to use them.

"Beyond that, I think he need more towers and guns built in layers moving towards Jackson, since the bullets can't exist outside our territory. We'll need to use them if retreating is required. From there, fortify Jackson as thoroughly as possible and make sure the people all know the evacuation plan if we're required to pull in.

"If even one side of our territory gets overrun, all sides will need to pull back. With whatever time we have, make a system of creating our own bullets. Assign a few Unklarn for that too. They know better ways to work with stronger materials. We can't rely on the Rift to create the bullets anymore."

"If there are other suggestions then please make them," said Adam. "I'll leave the details to those better suited for them. It won't take long until the invaders are at our doors. Until then, I've got some other things I'm going to work on. I know we can't last long against all our enemies at once, but we'll dig in for as long as we can."

"Exactly right," said Carmichael with a stoic nod. "It's still our world until each of us falls. However, I have a word of caution. Make sure you're protected, Adam. With those rewards, it might be someone closer to home that might take a shot at you."

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