After the encounter with Warmonger, Alonso escorted the king back to the city lord's mansion. The entire city was in a state of panic; everyone had witnessed the meteor plummeting from the sky before it mysteriously transformed into icky sparkles, a sight that had rattled them to their core.
Upon their arrival, Marcel was immediately taken to the medical bay, and the city lord bombarded Alonso with a flood of questions. Alonso, clearly uninterested, waved him off without a word and walked away. The city lord, fuming at the disrespect, looked to the king for support, but the king simply raised a hand. "Let it go," he commanded, leaving the city lord with no choice but to swallow his pride.
Alonso then teleported back to his lab, eager to gather everyone and address the system missions. However, exhaustion got the better of him, and he retreated to his private chamber for a much-needed nap. When he awoke, he summoned Astra, Wyrmguard, Nova, Gerald, Lyra, Nexon, and Axle. They gathered in the information department around a sleek, round conference table made of polished wood, giving the room a modern, professional feel. Holographic displays flickered above the table, projecting various sections of the lab for everyone to see.
Alonso began, "Alright, let's get this meeting started."
Astra raised her hand slightly, her tone respectful but firm. "Master, what about Maria? It's been five days since she's been in there—that's five years in the VR world for her. It might be wise to log her out for a bit; staying too long without breaks could make her forget about her life in this reality."
Alonso frowned thoughtfully. "You're right. I thought she'd log out on her own, but it seems she's completely absorbed in the virtual world."
Wyrmguard, leaning back in his chair with his usual relaxed demeanor, smirked. "So, you evolved straight to mythical, huh? Skipped right past celestial. Impressive."
Lyra, ever the playful one, shot Alonso a wide grin. "That's our master! Probably the first mythical-ranked Oni! Ha ha!"
Nexon, already looking annoyed, rolled his eyes. "Can you shut that mouth of yours? Your laugh grates on my circuits."
Lyra shot back, a teasing glint in her eye. "What did you say, you antique? Just because you're designed like an old-timer doesn't mean the rest of us have to suffer your grouchy mood."
Nexon's brows furrowed. "Old? I'm not old! I was crafted this way."
Lyra laughed louder, clearly enjoying herself. "Yeah, yeah, keep telling yourself that, grandpa."
Nexon, standing up from his chair, clenched his fists. "You defective unit! Maybe you need a CPU check."
Lyra sprang to her feet as well, sparks practically flying. "Oh, I'd love to see you try, scrap heap."
Alonso's voice boomed across the table, instantly halting their bickering. "Enough, both of you! This is a meeting, not a playground." He turned to Wyrmguard, giving him a pointed look. "And you, Wyrmguard… all you do is sleep. I evolved a while back, and you're just noticing?"
Wyrmguard shrugged, a lazy smirk playing on his lips. "Hey, what's wrong with sleeping? Usually, an Oni can't reach mythical through evolution alone. You'd have to elove to higher being first, like a dragon or a phoenix then rank up."
Alonso's curiosity piqued. "So, there's a cap on what certain beings can rank up to? Interesting… I didn't realize that."
Astra, raising an eyebrow, smirked. "Master, you have access to the Vardosian Archive, yet you're lacking in some basic knowledge."
The whole room erupted in laughter. Alonso scratched his head, looking slightly embarrassed. "Well, it's a vast amount of data… I may have access to it, but you can't expect me to remember every detail."
Astra folded her arms, her expression smug. "Then what do you remember, Master?"
Alonso, eager to move on, cleared his throat. "Let's stay focused on the agenda here." Everyone exchanged amused glances, fully aware he was dodging Astra's question. They settled in, hiding their smirks, ready to get down to business.
"First of all," Alonso began, his tone shifting to one of authority, "I've spoken to Humphrey. He and a total of 5,437 others are ready to be part of New Vardosia. I haven't signed the deed for the land yet, but the king has already decided to grant it to me. It seems he's even considering giving me an official title, so I'll need to accompany him to the capital."
Lyra jumped in before Alonso could even finish. "Ooh, Master, can I go with you?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Alonso chuckled. "I'll need you to stay here, Lyra, and look after our new citizens. You're in charge of foreign relations, after all. I'll need you to catalog everyone's skills and delegate tasks suited to them."
Astra chimed in, raising an eyebrow. "Actually, Master, it might be a good idea to bring Lyra along to the capital. Her diplomatic skills are second to none, and no doubt you'll be handling political matters there. A skilled diplomat at your side could be invaluable."
Lyra shot Astra a grateful wink. "Exactly! Thank you, big sister! And don't worry, I can multitask. I'll leave a clone here to handle things." She closed her eyes, her body shifting and vibrating for a moment before a perfect duplicate of herself appeared, smiling just as mischievously.
Nexon groaned, rolling his eyes. "Great. Another one of you. Just what we needed."
Nova's expression remained stern, but she couldn't hide a hint of admiration. "That kind of skill would be useful for law enforcement. Imagine the reach…"
Gerald leaned back, nodding in agreement. "Not just for enforcement; it's invaluable for practically everything."
Everyone murmured in agreement. Nova turned her gaze to Alonso, her usual seriousness softening slightly. "Master, I'd like that power as well."
Alonso was momentarily taken aback, realizing he'd been so focused on their core abilities that he'd overlooked their unique skills. "Nova, don't be silly. You each have a special skill tailored to your function. When the Imperium Gene was integrated into each of you, it wasn't meant to be mixed with other abilities."
Nova gave a small nod, though a hint of disappointment lingered in her eyes. The rest of the team shifted their focus back to Alonso, eager to continue the meeting and dive deeper into New Vardosia's plans.
Alonso cleared his throat, looking around the table with purpose. "Alright, team. We need to get started on building the city. As you know, our new nation will be established where Slave City once stood. Unfortunately, we've drained most of our materials constructing the robots, drones, and—well—each of you. So, our first priority is resource collection."
Turning to Gerald, Alonso continued, "Gerald, as our Grand Architect and head of infrastructure, you'll launch the recon drones across the forest. Their sensors should be able to detect valuable metals within a 2,000-mile radius. With the vastness of the forest, I expect you'll uncover something promising. Additionally, salvage anything useful from the ruins of Slave City, and begin construction immediately you can deploy the construction bots; we've got 1,150 ready to go."
Gerald grinned, giving a quick salute. "It'll be done, Master."
Alonso nodded in approval. "Start with the essentials—the town hall, a hospital, residential areas, and well-constructed roads. The cold may be harsh, but I can rejuvenate the land for crops. Also, Nova, coordinate with Humphrey when he and the others arrive to distribute insulated braclets. They'll stay warm even if they're wandering the frozen land butt naked."
Next, Alonso turned to Nexon. "Nexon, you'll work closely with Gerald. As soon as he locates any precious metals, I want you to find buyers and establish trade. I'll also allocate 7 million gold coins for essential resources: use 5 million for necessary construction materials and invest the remaining 3 million. Make it work."
Nexon beamed with confidence, his eyes flashing. "Master, consider it done. That 3 million will turn into 100 million in no time! With the tech here, mass-producing a few items for the public will bring in a massive profit."
Alonso raised a hand, cutting him off. "Just don't bore me with the details. You and Astra can figure out which products to sell, but no weapons. Understood?"
Both Gerald and Astra nodded in agreement.
Alonso then addressed Nova. "Nova, as High Chancellor of Governance and Law, I'm trusting you with maintaining order. You have the ability to read minds, so keep an eye out for potential troublemakers. I won't dictate punishments to you—that judgment is up to you. Just remember, we're aiming for zero crime here."
Finally, Alonso turned to Axle and Wyrmguard. While Axle appeared focused and ready, Wyrmguard sat back, his expression dismissive. Alonso couldn't help but notice. "I see you're sulking, Wyrmguard," Alonso thought to himself, a faint smirk crossing his face. "I had a feeling he wouldn't be thrilled about sharing the protector role with Axle."
Alonso observed Wyrmguard with a knowing smirk, leaning back casually. "Hmm, Wyrmguard, here you are sulking, and I thought you were the best protector ever," he said with just the right touch of challenge in his tone.
Wyrmguard's ears perked up, his face lighting up instantly as he straightened in his seat. The others exchanged amused glances, chuckling quietly at how effortlessly Alonso had lifted Wyrmguard's spirits.
Alonso continued, "But… it seems you're not so thrilled with your role. Here I thought you'd be pleased I brought in a colleague to work under you, considering how great you are."
Wyrmguard's eyes gleamed with pride as he leapt to his feet, practically shouting with joy, "Really? So that's how it is? Ha ha ha! Of course, I'm the strongest after all!" He stood, arms planted on his waist, releasing a powerful wave of mana that shook the entire conference room. Everyone else was forced to brace themselves as they felt the overwhelming force pushing against them. He turned to Axle, grinning with confidence. "Don't worry, Axle, I'll show you the ropes!"
Alonso, raising a brow, gestured calmly. "Alright, we're getting it. Now, mind reeling in that power of yours before you wreck the room?"
Wyrmguard quickly withdrew his mana, sitting back down with a satisfied grin. The others, especially Astra, looked at him with exasperated amusement, but kept their thoughts to themselves.
Alonso looked between his two generals, his tone resolute. "Wyrmguard, you'll protect Vardosia openly, as the guardian seen by all. You're responsible for recruiting the strongest and most skilled for our army. From now on, you're the Inspector General."
He then turned to Axle, a subtle gleam in his eye. "Axle, you will operate in the shadows, unseen but ever-present. I want you to establish Vardosia's Black Ops unit, specializing in information gathering, infiltration, espionage, and, if necessary, assassination. We've dealt with enough rats lurking in the dark—the Dark Adventurers Guild, Red Raven—they need to be wiped out. If the king had been killed under my watch, it would've been a disaster. You'll be our Shadow General, and you'll make sure those who dare to harm us regret it."
Wyrmguard, eyes gleaming with excitement, let out an enthusiastic, "Ooo, Master! I won't disappoint you—I'll gather only the best!"
Axle nodded, determination flashing in his gaze. "Understood, Master. I'll handle this at once. I swear, those bastards who dared to lay a finger on you will be utterly destroyed."
Alonso's tone shifted, carrying a hint of authority. "Axle, I've gained an… unwilling ally. His name is Vox—a trained assassin, now under my control. He'll be under your wing for training. As for the newcomers arriving with Humphrey, coordinate with Lyra to identify anyone with the skills needed to support the Black Ops unit."
Axle replied with a smirk, "I'll make sure Vox gets the training he needs. We'll find the best suited for this task, Master."
Lyra leaned forward, a mischievous grin on her face. "Master, let me join the Black Ops unit! I'd be perfect for undercover work!"
Nexon scoffed, rolling his eyes. "You? A spy? Please. You'd get caught within minutes. Stealth doesn't exactly suit you."
Lyra glared at him. "I'll have you know, I can be very sneaky when I want to be!"
Nexon smirked. "Yeah, sneaky with that… 'noticeable' figure of yours." He chuckled, adding with a teasing grin, "And who's to say you wouldn't give us away with your endless chatter?"
Lyra, indignant, shot back, "Not as 'noticeable' as you, Grandpa! At least I don't look like I stepped out of a retirement home."
Nexon's smirk turned to a frown. "What did you just say?" They both stood, glaring at each other, looking ready to pounce.
Astra's voice cut through, sharp and authoritative. "Enough, both of you. Sit down before you turn this meeting into a circus."
The two exchanged one last glare but grudgingly returned to their seats, though their eyes still held a spark of challenge.
Alonso cleared his throat, turning to Astra. "Thank you, Astra. Now, any updates on locating the Vardosia ruins?"
Astra nodded. "I've gathered some promising leads, Master. I'll send you the information we have so far."
"Good," Alonso replied. "I think that covers most of what we need to tackle. You all have your assignments. Before we wrap up, does anyone have questions?"
Astra raised her hand slightly. "Master, I suggest we consider adding two more elite units. One to manage farming and agriculture, and a biochemist. While I can handle some of these tasks, having specialists would streamline things."
Alonso nodded thoughtfully. "You're right. There's a lot on our plate, and having extra hands wouldn't hurt."
Nova added, "Master, you'll need trusted individuals to manage your work while you're away. It's wise to have those who can carry on in your absence."
Alonso agreed. "Understood. Materials for elite androids aren't easy to come by, but as soon as we've secured what we need, I'll see to their creation."
As he spoke, Lyra opened her mouth as if to add something, but Astra shot her a pointed look. Lyra immediately closed her mouth, and the room burst into quiet laughter. The meeting concluded with everyone feeling ready and motivated to execute their tasks.