*Crash* The land in front on my crumbled down and buried the underground tomb.
This was the 15th grey zone I was sent to in the past 2 months in order to wipe it out of existence.
I was the best grey zone destroyer in the history of the empire. Send me in and a few minutes later the whole place collapses.
"Remind me why I am doing this again?" I spoke to Dexter in annoyance.
"You cooped up in your lab for the past 1 year without doing anything and had a bunch of accumulated mission you needed to do in order to gain favour from both the court and the people in our own faction to see that you have your worth.
And I have got to say the court and everyone in our faction is pretty impressed albeit not showing it. Clearing a grey zone of level 3 or above consistently and efficiently without any resources or outside help is excellent.
If only others weren't concerned about your lifespan and soulless condition you would have been declared the unchallenged next emperor due to your contribution to the empire with your inventions and rapid clearing of grey zone." Dexter had a smug look thinking I won't be alive much longer.
Unfortunately for him I no longer have the soulless condition anymore. It will be too late for them by the time they realise it.
I shrugged my shoulders. "You got the things I asked for?"
"Yeah just bring them over to my mansion when you come back." Dexter disconnected from the call.
I looked at Luke and Ellis.
During this 1 year, both of them had advanced in their magi rank due to constantly eating my food.
Ellis being just an average capacity user had reached the level of rank 3 magi and was close to being a rank 4 magi from rank 2 magi in 1 year.
While for Luke due to being a high capacity user he had barely managed to reach rank 4 magi from his rank 3.
It would seem soon Ellis would overtake Luke in accumulation speed due to not being a high capacity user.
I smiled at both of them. "How would both of you like the opportunity to be an award user?"
Both of them froze hearing me.
"Your highness, aren't memorial stone only available once every 5 years? And wasn't the last one brought 1 year ago?" Ellis asked in confusion.
"They are. However, some memorial stones which are given to commandments are occasionally not used. Due to my contribution, I manage to draw some favour out from Dexter to give you two the chance to awaken as award users.
How is it? Would you like to accept it?" I asked.
"Yes!"
"Yes!" Both of them readily replied. Especially Luke who seemed excited by the opportunity.
After all, an award user is usually much stronger than a magi no matter what.
'So, you were an award user in your past life then.' I concluded seeing the nostalgic look in his eyes.
"Well, let's move." We began moving.
We arrived back in the empire 2 days later.
I could literally see the excitement in Ellis' and Luke's face as we waited for Dexter to bring the memorial stone after both of them were forced to make an oath to not betray the empire and be loyal to it.
Dexter walked with Archer who held 2 small white square stones. Seeing the stones reminded me of what happened last year.
'How high the lowly has risen!' I smirked seeing the two stones which had rejected me but now I was wielding the very power it refused me.
"Place a drop of blood on the stone after which hold the stone with both hands," Archer instructed as he passed the stone to both of them along with 2 sharp needles.
Both dropped their blood on the stone and waited while Archer left the room as he received an alert on his PCD.
To be honest this was going to be my first time seeing what really happened when one awakened an award as nothing had happened for me last time.
Words began appearing on the stone describing their power.
For Luke, it was generating electricity from his fists. Seeing his reminiscent look, I figured he got the same power as his last life.
For Ellis, it was simply a second fuel tank. This allowed him to last beyond any person in an endurance fight as when he became tired and out of energy he could start supplying his body with energy from his second tank.
He could essentially use the second tank to double his speed and strength if needed as well until his tank ran out of fuel.
The fuel tank essentially grew with his limit, which meant as an award user increased his/her rank they physical capabilities grew including their stamina. This meant the higher his rank was the higher his stamina and endurance became which in return will cause his 2nd source of energy reserve to increase as well.
Ellis simply looked ecstatic with his ability which was to be expected as he was purely a physical fighter most of the time.
"Thank you, your highness." Ellis bowed toward me in gratitude.
"No problem." I smiled at him.
"Thank you, your highness." Luke followed Ellis' example to which I nodded with a smile.
"Well, I got to register both of your ability with the court so they are aware of your powers," Dexter informed us to which they nodded.
Dexter took a picture of both memorial stones before sending it forward.
The PCD has simply integrated into everyone's life way too much at this point in time.
Everyone was slowly figuring out tricks and tactics to use the PCD for their own personal gain along with the SAD. However, this is all going to be overhauled next year when the internet rolls out.
They will see a new world and the true face of every person. At that point, the nobles and every influential people will have to worry about what they do lest the emperor face extreme criticism from his subjects from the free speech online.
Just as I was about to walk out Dexter's PCD beeped as he answered the call.
"My lord we found the 2 accomplices of Dan Stands." Archer quickly reported which made me freeze.
"Where are they now?" Dexter asked in seriousness.
"Knocked out and being transported to the capital. They will arrive in 2 hours." Dexter looked at me having heard Archer's report.
Dan Stands had informed me that I was a candidate as the chosen one of the Almighty One. But before I could acquire more details about this chosen one he had chosen to disintegrate.
Now I don't believe I was a chosen one or any kind of bullshit like that cuz I wasn't. If anything, I was more of a threat to this whole universe rather than a saviour.
I already had a rough idea about who this chosen one might be.
There were 4 individuals who had the highest chance of being the chosen one.
Luke because of him travelling back to his past.
Dean because of his system.
Then there was Lawson.
I hadn't really noticed him much during the graduation exam, but it was only after he began using the PCD that I began noticing him.
After seeing Dean, I had set an algorithm in the PCD to point out to me any person who would use the PCD with extreme familiarity.
Needless to say, Dean name popped up very quickly shortly followed by Lawson soon after I rolled out the update.
After examining/spying on Lawson for few days I confirmed he was an earthling as well. From his occasional freezing and nodding at no one which I noticed from his webcam, I concluded he had some kind of system as well.
But this system was different from Dean's as this focused more on improving Lawson's skills rather than the strength and observation system that was provided to Dean. This explained how he could have excellent control over his spells while being a high capacity magi.
However, I suspected Ellis to have the highest chance of being this chosen one. The very first day I saw him in the alleyway bleeding to death I detected a surge of a minuscule amount of Divine energy around him.
This was the only reason I found him interesting as I wanted to know the source of this divine energy.
So far the only person that could use divine energy in this world was Zel and to my knowledge, Zel had most likely left far from the empire after he met me.
Just that tiny amount of that divine energy was enough to make me the strongest person in this world, yet it was used to boost his luck temporarily so he could survive and get stronger. This usage was commonly known as the plot armour aka protagonist halo found in novels.
This was why I said Ellis had the perfect qualities of a hero back when I was asked why I would choose Ellis out of everyone to be my bodyguard.
Truly the most blatant waste of divine energy. Not that I should complain since I literally used to use divine energy to clean my room while in heaven.
Regardless which of them were the chosen one all 4 of them were dangerous, especially Ellis.
His rapid growth in skills, strength and ability to survive any situation attested to the might of protagonist halo. Not to mention from the way Luke was constantly wary of Ellis I knew Ellis had become someone pretty terrifying in Luke's past life.
I wanted to know more about these chosen one and their purpose. For all, I know this 'Almighty One' could have sensed my presence, my activities and decided to send people to take care of me. If that was the case I needed to prepare for war.
This was one of the reasons why I kept Ellis very close to me and attached to me.
However, I had prepared for the worst-case scenario imagining all of them as the chosen ones sent to fight me and began my preparation accordingly 1 year ago. Them being award users was part of the preparation as well.
Why is all the chaos in the world attracting toward the only person who doesn't want them?