"You summoned me, My High King?" Lyle questioned respectfully as he gazed upon Daz's seated figure.

He could sense a deep feeling of detachment coming from the young ruler and his eyes weren't even looking at him, just past him and seemingly at nothing in particular.

"Make arrangements. Tomorrow afternoon I will hold the promised press conference. Invite representatives from every news station in New Earth. Make sure to send an invitation to foreign ones as well. Every country, kingdom or government developed enough to receive our message must hear of the conference. Am I understood?" Daz ordered.

Lyle nodded. "I've already begun the process, however, My High King... should I inform the Hamilio Empire as well?"

With no emotion whatsoever, Daz inclined his head slightly in acknowledgement. "Yes. My father likely already knows everything I intend to say, so why should I exclude him and his empire now? Doing so would only worsen his people's public image of our kingdom. His people have absolute faith in him, sadly. I know how to separate my emotions from politics, Lyle."

"It relieves me to no end hearing that, My High King," Lyle said before bowing sharply. "I trust you wish to be left alone for now then?"

"... Yes. Thank you..." Daz looked down slowly to match his gaze with the middle-aged man's for the first time during their conversation. "We have had our differences and I have done little to you but made you work, regardless, I am thankful for your loyalty and it does not go unnoticed."

Lyle beamed from ear to ear in raw pleasure. "It brings me no greater joy than to hear those words come from your lips, My High King. I will excuse myself to save me from any potential embarrassment."

It was saddening to him that it had taken such a tragedy for his lord to praise him so, still, it was pleasing to hear nonetheless.

Daz nodded and watched as his personal advisor left the throne room. "Your loyalty still remains a mystery, but I appreciate it regardless... That being inside of you, however... I need to destroy it at some point. Lingering threats will only lead to further loss..."

He slowly lifted himself from his throne of iron and tungsten. He then walked softly and slowly through the unblemished and perfectly conditioned halls of his grand castle.

The servants, maids and patrolling soldiers stopped in his wake to bow, salute or respectfully greet him. All of which he hardly even registered beyond very brief nods of the head.

When he was finally outside of the symbolic structure of Fort Skip, he stared up into the night sky and said nothing as he focused on the distant stars. Several minutes passed before his mouth opened.

"How does one even begin to deal with a loss they were not prepared for?" he asked himself contemplatively.

"By moving on but never forgettin'," a deep and gruff yet feminine voice answered.

Daz didn't move nor look away from the cosmos as he responded, "That is but one of many ways I think it is handled, however, is that really how to definitively accept the death of a loved one and go forward that same way you did before?"

Crusher shrugged as she leaned her back against the castle's walls. "It's how I do it. I assume your plan to solo an army of cultist freaks is how you'll go about it?"

"No," Daz denied. "That is simply the karmic retribution of unjust actions. I am wise enough to know that revenge is not the answer to hatred and grief, regardless of how tempting that may seem."

"Man, you sound old as fuck sometimes," Crusher sighed. "You deal with your emotions however, I suppose. I ain't no therapist. Mu asked me to stay behind though and tell you he wants you to see him whenever you can. Wants to use his Embers on you. He's not in his home right now b-"

Daz shook his head, interrupting Crusher. "I do not wish to have my suffering removed. Not this suffering. I... have a lot to think about before I will allow Mu to do his job."

Crusher narrowed her eyes as she stared at the relatively tiny figure before her. "Okay. I'll relay that."

"Thank you, Crusher," Daz said before lowered his head. He then walked away from the Titan and his castle.

Crusher pursed her lips in thought as she watched him wander off.

"We're live in three, two, one, Your Majesty," the director of New Earth's largest news media outlet said to Daz through an earpiece.

The high king of New Earth looked at the dozens upon dozens of people seated in his throne room, all wearing formal attire and most of whom hailed from different lands and had varying allegiances.

They were all conveying the scene of him upon his throne through skills or technology back to their respective news stations.

"Friends, allies, guests, I welcome you to listen to me on this day," Daz said with power as his Ember of Majesty oozed out of every pore of his body.

The sheer regality of his very being even leaked through the cameras and skills projecting him all around the world, letting every person watching from the comfort of their own nations feel in awe at his kingly might.

Of course, those present got the brunt of it. The reporters and journalists in the throne room almost felt compelled to kneel and perform vows of loyalty at that very moment.

It was only thanks to Daz not forcing his will onto them through his Ember of Majesty that they were spared such an embarrassment.

While he was still only at the entry-level for his Ember of Majesty, so many other things were working in his favour to boost his powers. His stats, his throne, his ancient peridot companion, his skills... it all added up to present the image of a mighty ruler despite his clear youth.

"I am not known for mincing words. The finer details of politics are impractical in my eyes," Daz proclaimed. "Lies, deception, corruption... It is all so pointless on such a grand scale. I will speak my mind and you will listen."

His tone was grave and strong. Something about how he spoke compelling everyone to hang on his every word. "New Earth was attacked yesterday by a group of religious terrorists that call themselves the 'Church of Truth'."

Daz's eyes narrowed though his expression stayed like steel and didn't waver. "I am undoubtedly one of, if not, the strongest individual on this entire planet. With a wave of my hand, I could destroy a city. Nuclear bombs likely could not kill me. Many of my peers who I see as equals and who have near the same power as I are citizens of my great kingdom."

"How then, in a matter of a few hours, did this 'Church of Truth' murder exactly 132,436 individuals who called my kingdom home and who trusted me and my armies to keep them safe?" Daz could see that a good chunk of the foreign reporters were loving every moment of this.

He felt disturbed to see the clear lack of empathy for their fellow survivors in the throne room. Even some of the New Earthians journalists appeared unphased.

"These terrorists have the ability to disable a person's access to the system. They can activate this ability seemingly whenever they like as if it is a light switch though it does have some limits I have observed. Those within a 50 metre radius of them will find their skills, their class, their items... everything just... gone or unusable when directly looked at," Daz explained.

"Their leader, the pope of this cult, Mother Danielle, has declared war with my kingdom through the system. So while these people seem to have a distaste for the omnipotent being that now controls our lives, they seem very willing to use it at the same time. Hypocritical, no?" Daz asked.

He shook his head and said, "She has given me an ultimatum. Should I sacrifice myself, the war will end immediately."

All of the reporters were taking rapid notes as they prepared themselves for the eventual Q&A section of the conference.

This point was a major one all of them had questions about, however, Daz predicted that and answered most of their thoughts with his next words.

"Mother Danielle also used the system to relay the declaration of war stating this to every citizen of my kingdom. I can only assume she meant to put pressure on me by doing so. "If only he dies, we don't need another massacre..." I'm sure such thoughts entered the minds of some of my citizens. I do not blame you if that is how you feel," Daz said plainly and with power in his voice.

"I do not blame you, but I will not give in to the threats of a terrorist. Just as I didn't with Timothy Marglow, the former governor of California. No, I will dismantle the Church of Truth one member at a time until nothing is left of their worthless and evil terrorist organisation," Daz declared.

He slowly stood up but despite getting off his throne, the aura of majesty around him didn't diminish. No, instead, it grew even more fierce and commanding.

"Today, I make a declaration to the entire world." He held out a hand and reached into his Industrial Item Box. A severed head then appeared on his palm.

Gasps of shock ran through the crowd of journalists and officials. "This is what is left of one of the Church of Truth's cardinals. Someone whose power and strength only falters in the wake of Mother Danielle's. Killing her was easy, killing you, Danielle, will be even easier."

It had taken a good amount of work to restore the head of the cardinal after Rimmy had destroyed the woman's entire body but thankfully, Daz had managed to get it done before the press conference.

He put the head back in his storage skill before taking his place on the throne once more. "I hereby announce as High King Daz Crowthorne of New Earth that my victory condition for this war is the death of every single Truthian unwilling to reform and renounce their false faith as well as the destruction of the mythical city that they draw their power from."

Daz smiled cruelly. "No god favours you. Only a being from outer space who has left traces on our planet. Deceive your flock of fools as much as you want, Danielle. Your time left on this planet we both share is coming close to an end. You made a mistake by spitting in the face of my attempts at peace."

As soon as he said that, everyone from New Earth saw a system message. Man, woman, child, American, Korean, Taiwanese, El Doradian, no matter the difference, so long as they called New Earth their home, they all saw Daz's response to Mother Danielle's call for war.

Announcement! [High King Daz Crowthorne] has responded to the [Declaration of War] issued by [Mother Danielle]! [High King Daz Crowthorne]'s Conditions For Victory The death of every member of the [Church of Truth] who will not submit. The eradication of [Mother Danielle]'s body and soul. The destruction of the mythical city controlled by the [Church of Truth].

[High King Daz Crowthorne]'s Reward For Victory All of the territories and land the [Church of Truth] currently rules over.

Daz nodded slightly upon seeing those messages.

"I have one final thing to say before we move on to the question and answering section of this conference," he said.

After a small pause for everyone to regain their focus, Daz spoke. "To all Ember-wielders around the world listening to this... give me your strength. Fight with me against this evil. We here in New Earth welcome you and will treat you with respect. Rewards will be plentiful and if you are a wanderer with no place to call home... our arms are open."

He held his chin high as he added, "To nations, empires and the powers that lie watching this, I offer my hand to you in friendship. This war is a farce. We should be looking ahead, not behind. Only a fool would see any benefit in waging war against our own kind when we are so few already. We must stand united against what awaits us after these 'tests' end. Consider my words for I will unite this planet before the system has finished sinking its claws into our flesh and leaving us bare to the bones."

He closed his eyes for a brief moment before nodding. "You may begin with your questions."