I sat on my throne, the entire room around me empty for once. With how many women lived in my palace, and with how often some of my high-ranking subordinates came to make reports, the throne room was almost never empty.
But, for the moment, I had sent everyone away with the order to not bother me for a while. I needed to go through the rewards I had just gotten, think on them, and fully understand just what had been opened to me.
The first thing I focused on was my new title: [Underworld Monarch]
The reward window was still floating in the air to my side, listing out what I gained by having the title.
[Underworld Monarch] [Title] has been unlocked!
[Underworld Monarch] - A title denoting the Monarch of the Underworld. While this title is equipped, the following buffs will be applied to the user:
+250% increase to all stats!
+Raise [Presence] by two stages!
+10 LVL to all skills!
+20 LVL to all [Underworld] related skills!
+250% increase to all stats when facing a [Undead] opponent!
+250% increase to all stats when facing a [Devil] opponent!
+250% increase to all stats when facing a [Fallen Angel] opponent!
+250% increase to all stats when facing a [Divine] opponent!
+Raise [Presence] by ten stages when interacting with [Undead]!
+Raise [Presence] by ten stages when interacting with [Devil]'s!
+Raise [Presence] by ten stages when interacting with [Fallen Angel]'s!
+Raise [Presence] by ten stages when interacting with [Divine]!
+100% increase to all stats when facing a [Monarch] opponent!
+100% increase to all stats when facing a [Leader] opponent!
+Increased reputation with all [Undead]!
+Increased reputation with all [Devil]'s!
+Increased reputation with all [Fallen Angel]'s!
+Increased reputation with all [Divine]!
+Increased reputation with all [Monarch]'s!
+Increased reputation with all [Leader]'s!
+50% stat increase when in a non-owned [Territory]
+50% stat increase when in an owned [Territory]
The title was very good, as it was pretty similar to my [Beast King] title but was geared toward Underworld-esque things. The titles stacked, which meant the range of buffs I got had expanded to include more different types of creatures, as well as the overall buffs stacking.
That meant that I had a 350% increase in my stats at all times, along with all my skills functioning as if they were 20 levels higher. Inside my own territory, that increased to a 500% boost, which then increased further to 700% if I was against another [Monarch] opponent.
Essentially, if any big-dogs wanted to try and invade my territory, they were fucked.
I still didn't know how the game categorized my opponents, as there wasn't a tag when I looked at their level or anything. I didn't need help with most of them, as it wasn't hard to distinguish who was a [Fallen Angel] or a [Devil], but for [Monarch] it would've been helpful.
However, despite the pretty insane strength gains I got for the title, it actually wasn't the reward I was the most excited about at the moment. That was also floating in the corner of my vision, and was much longer than even the [Underworld Monarch]'s effects description overall.
+World Travel System
The [World Travel System] will allow you to travel to different worlds!
[World Gate] has been unlocked!
[World Gate] - A gate that connects worlds!
[Mainline Quests] will naturally guide you to different worlds!
[Guidebook] has been updated to include the [World Travel System]!
Would you like to access [Guidebook]?
Y/N
I hadn't used the [Guidebook] in a while, though it had been sitting in my system display for a long time. It was my first reward from the gacha I opened on my first day in this world, and it essentially just recorded all the game system-related information that was dumped on me.
I had accessed it a few times after beating the tutorial, as the [Faction System] had confused me with how simple and automated it was. Now, I raised my finger and pressed the 'Y' to access the book again.
[World Travel System] overview!
The [World Travel System] will allow you to travel to different worlds!
Those [Worlds] will be similar to the one you are in now, as they will directly correlate with media-based worlds from your original world!
The [Worlds] are rated on a scale! The ratings are based upon the progress needed to access the world!
For example: The starter worlds you will soon access are based upon the strength needed to complete the 'Conquer the Underworld' [Mainline Quest]!
Here is the [Rating Guide]!
[F-Rank] - Based upon the requirements needed to access this world, it is considered far too easy for the system user! Enemies in these worlds are far weaker than the system user, and you will have no risk of death!
[E-Rank] - Based upon the requirements needed to access this world, it is considered too easy for the system user! Enemies in these worlds are weaker than the system user, and the risk of death is very low!
[D-Rank] - Based upon the requirements needed to access this world, it is moderately easy for the system user! Enemies in these worlds are weaker than the system user, but top-tier beings may be able to threaten them! In these worlds, the risk of death is present but low!
[C-Rank] - Based upon the requirements needed to access this world, it is considered a balanced difficulty for the system user! High-ranking enemies in these worlds are of a similar tier as the system user, and top-tier beings may surpass them! In these worlds, death is plausible if the system user is not skillful!
[B-Rank] - Based upon the requirements needed to access this world, it is considered difficult for the system user! High-ranking enemies in these worlds will match or surpass the system user, and top-tier beings may far exceed the system user! Death is more likely than it is not!
[A-Rank] - Based upon the requirements needed to access this world, it is considered very difficult for the system user! Most enemies in these worlds will surpass the system user, and top-tier beings will far exceed the system user! Death is very likely in these worlds!
[S-Rank] - Based upon the requirements needed to access this world, it is considered near-impossible for the system user! Most enemies in these worlds will surpass the system user greatly, and top-tier beings will be unkillable for the system user! Death is near-guaranteed in these worlds!
[S+Rank] - Based upon the requirements needed to access this world, it is considered impossible for the system user! You will die!
Note: It is not recommended to enter worlds exceeding C-Rank without proper preparation.
Note: It is never recommended to enter S-Rank or S+Rank worlds.
My eyes glanced over the information quickly, and I just nodded as I processed it.
The rating system was actually nice - while I was becoming pretty powerful in the DxD world, as I was at least within the top ten after taking down Sirzechs, I didn't know how that would translate to other worlds.
I imagined that the [F-Rank] worlds were probably non-combat-based ones, or ones with very little combat at least. By comparison, an [S-Rank] or [S+Rank] world would be something like Dragon Ball, where the top tiers like Zeno could destroy entire universes with ease, or something like DC which had a shit-ton of beings who could casually destroy planets, and top tiers who were so powerful they were border-line unkillable.
However, the already long explanation in front of me didn't end there, and it continued scrolling down as the text box floated in the air.
Along with those ratings, the various ranked worlds are also categorized based on how they fit into their ranks!
For example: [F-Rank] worlds that are considered 'easy' will be available first, with increasingly difficult ones appearing after clearing the first one!
Your access to other worlds will also be split into 8 different paths!
Each of these paths will be categorized based on the rating of the world! As such, you will have 8 worlds to choose from upon using the [World Gate] for the first time!
One [F-Rank], one [D-Rank], one [E-Rank], one [C-Rank], one [B-Rank], one [A-Rank], one [S-Rank], and one [S+Rank] world will be available!
Upon choosing one world, the others will remain open! However, to access the second tier of worlds, you will need to complete an increasing total clearance requirement!
For example: If you cleared the first [F-Rank] world, the second one would not unlock! That is because the first-tier total clearance requirement is [2], meaning you would need to clear one of the other higher-rated worlds to unlock the next [F-Rank] world!
Here is a visual representation!
My brain hurt for a moment as I took in all the information, but in the end, despite the flood of words in front of me, it wasn't actually that complicated. The visual representation helped, too, as another screen appeared in front of me.
In the center of the screen, there was a large, bright-yellow circle, which looked almost like a sun, labeled 'World 0 - DxD.' Then, eight lines stretched out, connecting to eight different but similar-looking circles that were labeled 'F-Rank 1,' 'E-Rank 1,' 'D-Rank 1,' etc.
Beyond those circles were lines connecting to different circles, each of which was similarly labeled with 'F-Rank 2,' 'E-Rank 2,' 'D-Rank 2,' etc.
Overall, I got the gist of it. I had access to a world from each rank, and upon completing a [Mainline Quest] in that world, I'd have access to the next one in that particular rank - if I already completed the 'total clear' condition, which forced me to complete other worlds and not just bum-rush through all of F-Rank ones at the start.
It wasn't what I expected, but I wasn't complaining either. I had thought the [World Gate] would just give me access to one world, which I could then visit until I reached a clear condition and got access to the next one.
It was nice to have some choice in the matter, as the system was more complex than just 'do this world, then this one, now this one' over and over again. However, the lack of names for each world was a bit concerning.
The ranks were based on my strength when I completed the 'Conquer the [Underworld]' quest, meaning they were probably underestimating me. My new title powered me up a lot, which meant for all I knew, I was already ready to take on an A-Rank world.
If I could know what each world was, such as one being named the 'Dragon Ball World', or the 'One Piece World', or the whatever series name world, then I could judge for myself if I was ready to go in based on my knowledge of those worlds.
I had a few other concerns as well, mainly if I could leave the world whenever I wanted, but luckily, the explanation from the [Guidebook] didn't end there.
Upon entering a world, time will slow down in the other already visited worlds! It will continue to pass, but at 0.5x speed!
So, the system can just casually control time?
Considering it allowed me to become so powerful, as well as literally let me travel between worlds, I guess it wasn't that crazy, but I still didn't expect it.
Overall, that was a good thing. I'd been concerned that when I did go to another world, I'd leave my forces here defenseless and without guidance. If time slowed down, then it was like that time I was gone had been cut in half.
You can create a [World Gate] wherever and whenever in another world, as long as you have the strength in your body to do so!
However, to prevent combat-logging, the gate will take 1 hour to be functional!
I stared at the last line blandly. Did the system just say 'combat logging?'
But it was fair enough. If I could just jump between worlds whenever I wanted, then I would never be in any real danger.
What's that? Frieza's got a death beam pointed at my chest? Sorry, gotta head back to the DxD world real quick to heal up while you're stuck in 0.5x speed.
This was overall good for me as well, as if I needed to fully complete a world to get back to the DxD one, then everything I'd built up here could be destroyed while I was gone. By being able to head back whenever I wanted, I could use my Kingdom as a main world and hub of sorts.
To access your first world, go to the [World Travel System] hub in your system and access the [World Gate]! The following screen will be similar to the visual representation, and you can create a portal to whatever world you desire with one tap!
Note: The [World Gate] will take energy from the user's body to create the connecting portal. It is not recommended to create a portal if you are in a state of near-death.
You will obtain more information about the [World Travel System] by interacting with other worlds, which will appear in this guidebook!
With that final line, the screen disappeared, leaving me alone in my palace once more to mull over what I had learned.
I wouldn't leave yet, as I was still working on stabilizing my Kingdom after the inclusion of my new sub-factions, but I would start preparing.
Once Vargan was finished with preparing my armor, at least checking out an F-Rank world would be fine, right?
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AN: Thank you for reading! The next chapter will be posted tomorrow!
For anyone interested, I posted the simple visual representation of the world-system on my Patreon, as well as some visual references for Velrissa, Kyon, and Momo (with more characters to come). I'm working on a page that'll list out all the characters with pictures, but while that's a WIP the images will be posted to Patreon!
You can see those and read the next 7 chapters right now at Patreon.com/Koyon !