Infinite Mana in the Apocalypse

Words filled with conviction and strength continued to come out of the mouth of the System as the planetary core talked with me for the first time in a while. Much of the topic this time around revolved around the memories that allowed us to see the grander picture all around us, and the different ways to move forward from now.

I still had a few events to finish in the Frozen Kingdom before I began moving to another phase of this adventure. There were two paths for me to take after this, and I was pondering on just which one to take.

"The memories from the hundreds of years old Demon Kings were actually the biggest prize to receive so far, and they're showing two very clear ways to move forward, but I can't decide on the path to choose."

I was weighing the risks and rewards, and maybe I just needed a push from someone else before taking the leap.

[Yes. The two best possibilities are heading to the Demon World, or to the Lost World of Atlantis where powerful demons and other beings are congregating to look for a supreme treasure. Atlantis will be much riskier, as the levels of power are extremely high, but the rewards are that much higher.]

From the memories of the Demon Kings, I knew many of the hidden secrets, especially the recently plundered Orias who had even more spectacular ones. One of the main objectives of the Rulers of the Demon World currently was to obtain the Supreme Treasure in the Lost World of Atlantis, the Trident of Neptune.

This meant many powerful Demon Kings and Demon Lords would be running rampant in that large world, and their power levels were nothing to scoff at. It would be much riskier, but as long as I clashed with the demons and killed them, I would continue to obtain the [Ruler's Medals] from them that gave me direct authority over the Demon World even without having gone there.

As long as I continue collecting these medals, along with the possibility of obtaining something even more spectacular in this large world, Atlantis was the better path to take for now. The Lost World of Atlantis...a dangerous light passed through my eyes as I pondered the time when I would descend in that world and disrupt the plans of demons yet again.

Some time passed as ideas were thrown back and forth, and I asked about how the world I left behind some time ago was doing. Hunters from all over the Blessed Empire and United Federation were doing their best to advance through the ranks by combining their skills.

Kazuhiko and Steel Mikhail had already obtained their first EPIC skill from combination allowing them to lead the world forward in strength once more. Other hunters were closing in as time passed, but there was a slight delay as a few days back, many dungeons the hunters had been diving in became permanently destroyed as the demons stopped providing any more essence to replenish the origins of the beasts in the dungeons.

This caused the slow process across the world where the dungeons that were always shining orange or red gradually became light blue until they exploded. A new set of system to increase the hunter's strength needed to be introduced.

[The hunter's rise in power will only get faster, as I will be instituting dungeons similarly to the ones in the Beast World. I have absorbed enough essence from beasts and demons that you've killed to recreate versions of them into these new dungeons. The beings in the Beast World would also benefit from the same system of skills that you've been used to after the new connection is established successfully.]

There were many things being looked at ahead of time as the planetary core continued to strategize and introduce new ways to bolster the strength of everything it was connected to.

I thought about going back myself just to see some of the faces I had been around briefly when I began this adventure, but shook my head with a smile as I looked forward to moving in the next direction. The most powerful hunters in my homeworld were already at EPIC rank, and I was only touching the bounds of LEGENDARY. We still had a long way to go before we could be considered somewhat strong in this wide universe. I would go back and look at everyone else after I've accomplished something even more spectacular.

The day after all of these events finished spectacularly, having taken down another Demon King and even starting with grander plans that involved multiple worlds. Tomorrow would be another eventful day where the coronation of a certain princess was occurring.

I had already begun leaving my footprint behind in the Frozen Kingdom, and still wanted to see just how far the calculating princess could go in expanding the kingdom. Someone of her caliber wasn't too bad to have at the helm as one of the people leading the masses of people in the future.

My homeworld and the Beast World still needed competent leaders, and acting as the individual to choose them was an exciting role, to say the least.

---

As things continued to occur in the background, the morning of the next day was celebratory as masses of people gathered around the kingdom and especially so around the Snowy Peak, where a grand coronation was taking place.

The coronation came with the news of the retreat of demons, confirming the actions I thought would occur after the true death of yet another Ruler of the Demon World. There were too many things they didn't know, and could not continue to risk the lives of more of their people to an enemy they had no information about. I smiled as I found the success of my plans while I watched the ceremony taking place.

Adelaide chose to stay in the peak she had been occupying, leaving her father to remain on the King's Crown. All she wanted was authority, and now she was receiving it. After this, one can only imagine how rapidly the Frozen Kingdom can develop.

Important figures were standing in a large hall in the manor located in the middle of Snowy Peak as they watched King Roark pass down a symbolic crown on Adelaide's head.

The moment the crown touched her head, a boisterous voice from one of the EPIC commanders rang out.

"RESPECTS TO THE QUEEN!"

"Respects to the Queen!"

WOOOO!

Cheers and exclamations rose out from all beings in the Frozen Kingdom as they watched their old king move to the back and prop up the new Queen. Even with the old king not making it an option for the people, almost everyone unanimously went along with the anointment, as the person being made ruler was the one to rescue them miraculously from a famine, cutting it off before it could even spread.

With power like this, they saw their lands only heading in the right direction thereafter. The nobles and knights found themselves kneeling down towards the new ruler, as a new chapter began for the Frozen Kingdom.

The new Queen looked at her father with thankfulness as she looked at the people below her. Humans and beastmen were kneeling on the ground submitting themselves to her, and yet she didn't feel any exhilaration. There was just one person she wanted to see and enjoy the company of right now, as her intuition was giving her a foreboding feeling.

She had just given her aid in detecting a Demon King and contributing to her downfall, with the continent receiving the news of a retreat soon after that. She was smart and knew there should have been a link to these two rapid events, realizing the Esteemed Sir had most likely done something even more incredible that she had no idea about.

With the retreat of demons, as well as the plans for the expansion of the kingdom with the bountiful explosion of the agricultural sector, she should be feeling great and looking forward into the future.

So then, why was she experiencing a feeling as if she was about to lose something?