Amari's Ascension A Cultivation Litrpg Apocalypse Adventure

The journey back took two days. It wasn't just that the group I led was weak but they were afraid of everything. We spent nearly an hour after one of the older men thought he saw a monster. He refused to walk on the outside of the rows because the monster was going to get him. He also refused to go and hunt the monster. He and a group of people argued with each other until Aaliyah stepped out of line and went into the building in question. She came out ten minutes later with no monster in sight. I tried to let them solve their problems but after the third person refused to fight. I was forced to step in. I unleashed a portion of my aura and threatened to throw the next person who refused off a building which in the grand scheme probably didn't help but it made me feel better.

Fortunately, my goal was met. Nearly everyone got at least one level with Aaliyah gaining two and Trey managed to kill something. Unfortunately for him, it didn't count. There was no kill energy and since he couldn't access a status screen there was no way to confirm any titles. He also couldn't see his dantian no matter how long he meditated. Altogether I was glad when Christopher and Desbera met me outside.

"Listen, I need you to get all of these people squared away. Let's take care of them like your group. Give them a day off to rest, recover and cultivate. If possible let's try and get them so good clothes but clean will do. Get them set up on the lower floors except for Trey and Aaliyah. They are going to be staying on the upper floors. Aaliyah is our second highest level and Trey is." I paused for a moment as I thought about my answer. "I guess he is my apprentice? I am trying to train him but he isn't old enough to cultivate."

Christopher's eyes were as big as saucers by the time I finished. He looked between me and the group several times before nodding. "Uh alright. Do you want me to guide them upstairs or can you handle that?"

"No, I am heading up anyway. I also need to go over a system of laws with Saanite."

"Yeah, while you were gone we got a couple more people to level up. They and I were wondering if you were going to control how people spent their points?" Christopher shrugged when to my unasked question.

"Absolutely Not. I trust that everyone here is capable of taking care of that themselves. Have parents work with children or older people to plan it out. Although kids won't be able to spend them anytime soon. For now, just take care of these people. The academy is open to them."

"Do you want me to test the child's affinities? Or would you like him to focus on general education?"

"If you can test his affinities please do so after that start with the education and move on from there. I am not sure what all you can do for him but do it."

"Alright, I can manage that. I can have things arranged for tomorrow if that suits you?" I nodded and she continued. "I have finished preparations for your cultivation chamber. I was forced to renovate the entire room to get the energy flows correct but you should experience a sizable improvement in cultivation speed. I was even able to set up additional areas for natural treasures. I do not which tao you cultivate but you should be able to add any treasures to the area. Lastly, I added a noise-dampening array that should prevent people from disturbing you while in a session. If anyone needs you there is a light bell that will gradually bring you out of a session."

"That sounds perfect. I will leave you to the academy then. I have been traveling nonstop for several days now and I am going to rest." I gestured for Aaliyah and Trey to follow as I walked over to the elevator.

"How do you have power here?" Trey was the first to speak up.

I chuckled and gestured to the walls. "A special kind of array. More people should be able to get it soon."

"Where do you get these 'Arrays' from? I remember the educators mentioning them as well but I don't know anyone that got one as a reward." Aaliyah asked as the elevator started to move.

"Hmm well you can make them much like anything else but I got mine as a reward. The System shop can also provide some but those are very expensive." I added as we passed through the middle ring of floors and into my private section.

"So what did you mean by we could live with you?" Aaliyah asked with a tinge of something that sounded like fear in her voice.

I looked at the pair of them and sighed. "Simple. Amara is the entire building we are in and before you ask I have no idea how many floors or rooms there are. The System combined several buildings for this behemoth but you can roughly divide it into three tiers. The bottom tier is where most people live, the second tier is mostly for commercial and other projects. Lastly, you have the third tier which at the moment is just me. I plan to hold council meetings up here once I have a council but for now, it's me and my assistant. Other people aren't allowed up here though that's more of an agreed-upon thing and not an official rule."

"You didn't answer my question." She folded her arms in front of her. "Just so you are aware I am not into men."

I stared at her blankly for a moment before shaking my head. "Trey is allowed up here because I plan on training him. If things go well he will raise his level and join me. I have only been doing this for a couple of months and it's already lonely. You are being given the privilege because you have the second highest level. Make no mistake though my goal is to form a team to explore the wide multiverse. For now, I would appreciate you working with me to protect these people and to get stronger."

"I can do that assuming some of that training is going to be for me as well? I don't know about traveling the stars or whatever but someone's got to do right in this world. Preferably while not slaughtering everything around them." She gave me a playfully judgemental glare that made me chuckle.

"I don't enjoy killing people but what else was I supposed to do? I don't have a prison. Technically the only law is don't make me angry which isn't a law." I ran my hand down my face and sighed again. "Why do the movies never show this part."

"Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown," Trey mumbled as we reached the top floor.

"What does that mean?"

"Oh, It's Shakespeare. It just means that being the ruler is a difficult task. It's heavy on the shoulders."

I chuckled. "Right well, you both are free to take a room on any floor below this one. I would suggest the one right below since it will be faster to get up here if I need you but it's your call."

"So that's it? We are free to do what we want now?" Aaliyah asked while leaning against the glass.

I shrugged and nodded. "As long as you don't break the law."

"Laws that you can create on a whim?" She laughed as the doors shut.

I rolled my eyes and watched the elevator disappear. "Well, that was much more fun than I thought it would be." I made my way into my boardroom where I found Saanite waiting for me. "I have a few things I want to go over with you."

"It is good that you have returned. You have recruited more people as well."

I nodded and took my seat. "Yeah, now that the population has increased by quite a bit I think it's time for a system of laws. My instinct is to use a system based on the laws of our old world but is there anything similar in the multiverse?"

"There are other human kingdoms that tend to follow similar laws. If you would like I could try to gain an information stone on them. I would have to go through the System shop since you have no other mercantile businesses."

I flinched at that before reluctantly nodding my head. "I know. Do what you can. Please tell me it's common for a faction like mine to be using the store at this juncture."

"It is not uncommon. Typically the first few years of the assimilation rely heaviest on the System. As soon as you are able I would suggest you upgrade beyond it."

I nodded. "Alright, is there anything that I need to know about?"

"Educator Desbera has completed the renovations to your cultivation chamber. I have managed to make additional purchases including a basic detection array. It isn't of high quality but for a planet like this it should prevent people from sneaking inside the building."

I raised an eyebrow at that. "Explain."

"I used the credits you provided to improve the defenses of the city. The detection array is based on the aura signature. As people come and go I and anyone else you designate will be aware. It isn't capable of distinguishing identity so it is not as useful as the higher quality ones. It will prevent people from sneaking in during the night or some other scenario."

"I didn't notice anything when I arrived?"

"It is of lower quality and the System didn't place the array so it was done through array flags. They have been spread throughout the building at the behest of Christopher. I would suggest that you take note of who placed them. If the flags are destroyed or otherwise moved it would make the whole thing stop working."

"Is that true for all arrays or just the lower-quality ones?" I asked and took a look at the walls. I didn't think that destroying the walls could destroy that array and even if it could did it matter? I mean if all the walls were gone the whole thing would fall.

"Most arrays. Experienced array masters can engrave smaller and more complex items. For example, engraving the arrays in the very building you are creating. Different Taos could allow for more unique methods as well."

"So I would need to buy a set of these array flags as well as array engraving tools to start practicing?"

"I would say so though it is more common for people to start with the study of theory. Theory and the language of sigils."

I nodded absentmindedly. "Alright, are we able to have additional cultivation chambers made? Now that we have more cultivators around I would like for them to have proper space but I don't think we can afford custom rooms for every single person."

"You are likely correct. It is a common practice to have general cultivation rooms set up where people can bring their treasures. It can even be a source of income if you decide to rent the rooms out."

"Does the System run that aspect of the economy?" I asked as I pulled up my status screen. "Would that funds go to me or the city?"

"Yes and no. It is common for different factions to employ faction merit systems. This way people are encouraged to take actions that would benefit the faction as a whole."

I stared at the floating assistant for several seconds before I found the words. "Why haven't you brought this up before?"

"You are currently ineligible for purchase of any of the available merit exchanges. Once your civilization's population surpasses a certain benchmark you would have been informed."

I was about to ask why he decided to tell me now in that case but decided against it. Talking to Saanite often felt like talking to a computer and I wasn't in the mood. "Alright, well for now I doubt we can provide anything amazing but we will transform some rooms in the middle section into cultivation chambers. People will also be free to do whatever they want with their apartments. Within reason of course I don't want people destroying walls or anything. As for the laws regardless of what else we settle on things like rape, enslavement, and trafficking will be illegal regardless of what the rest of the multiverse does."

"Very well. I will have things arranged as soon as I can."

"Also do you have any information on what happens next? I haven't received a lot of quests since the tutorial ended. Not counting my class quests and the area quest." I checked my quest log to be sure and nodded.

"That is because the world trial has not begun yet," Saanite responded matter of factually. I stared at him intending for him to get the hint and explain but he did not.

"Alright, I will bite. What is a world trial?"

"The educators likely mentioned it but you all will have to battle for control over the planet. Once a single leader arises or the beast gains domain over the world it will end."

"The beasts could take over the planet?" I bolted up at that. The memory of the ape and fungal creature is vivid in my mind. "Are the beasts getting stronger alongside us?"

"Of course, it wouldn't be much of a trial if that wasn't the case."

"Um, so how long until the beasts become too strong for us to deal with?"

"It is hard to say but if a strong enough beast were to survive long enough to purify its bloodline and or evolve to the 2nd realm it would be nearly impossible for you all to handle. If it gets into the later stages then your chances of survival would become virtually zero."

I sighed. "Can I assume that the other assistants will tell their governors about this threat?" I rubbed my temples and only partially listened for Saanite's answer. We were going to kill each other long before the monsters got to us.

"If they are asked they would reveal it. The System will do a world announcement alongside the launch of the world rankings."

I perked up at that. "Rankings? You mean like a tier list?"

"I believe so. It will list the strongest people in your world in three different aspects. Level, economics, and comprehension. On top of that, there is an aggregate list."

I grinned. "So everyone in the world would know I have the highest level? That I am the strongest?"

"Everyone of age would be able to access the list. They would not just know who you are though. You would be little more than a name on a list."

I waved a hand to quiet him down and thought about what that would mean. It should make recruiting easier after all no one wanted to be on the losing side of anything. It might even protect Amara against small attacks. It would also mean I was going to be involved in the big battle. Whatever remained of the World's governments weren't going to let me do whatever I wanted forever. Of course, I was already on a crash course with them so this would be a net positive. If I was being honest about it, I liked it. "What is the world trial exactly? Is it just a free for all or would the System change it?"

"According to the information I have available the System only alters the trial if there is already someone in charge of the planet. It is highly unusual in any other case."

I nodded and rubbed my hands together. If I assumed the System's goal was really to create the strongest cultivators possible then it would make sense that Earth's trial could change. What better way to motivate a world than a hunt to kill the man that's been going on a tear? What better way to motivate that man than to have him hunted? I couldn't help but laugh at the idea. "We are going to shift priorities slightly. The Kingdom of Amara is going to need to be self-sufficient. Which means we are going to have to spread out into the surrounding city."

"Very well. You will need to eliminate the monsters and anyone else that would contest your ownership over the space. Once that's done the System will consider your borders to have expanded."

"Tomorrow I am going to map out where I want us to expand to. How long do you think it would take assuming that the monsters are only as strong as what we've seen so far."

"It would be hard to say and would depend largely on whether or not you lead the charge."

I nodded at the unsaid implications of that statement. If I did it myself the battles would go faster assuming I didn't have another Giant Ape and I would get much stronger. It would also leave my new followers weaker. They wouldn't gain anywhere near enough levels to survive the shit storm this might cause and I doubted I would be there to save them every time. "What would other leaders do?"

"It is uncommon for factions to worry too much about their underlings. The academy you have provided would be considered a unique and prized opportunity in this section of space."

I nodded and that cemented my choice. "I am going to give everyone a chance to follow me. Those that come will get stronger and those who don't won't. It won't be my job to defend them like a parent. I will open the door and they will have to choose if they go through."