Botanica adjusted her posture slightly, golden eye sliding slowly across each of them as if assessing their worth in a vast mental ledger. "Before I assign any of you your official roles as Liberators," she began, voice measured and calm, "You must understand precisely what that entails. The tiers we maintain are not arbitrary. They are rather structured to measure one's potential and power accurately, as well as one's value to the Liberatorium."

Kaiser lifted an eyebrow slightly, curiosity coloring his voice as he interjected, "Do you not require some sort of confirmation of our past? Our titles, our background or our names, even?"

Botanica's mouth curled into the faintest ghost of a smile. "Typically, yes. But these are not typical days. The Liberatorium values strength, first and foremost. Other details, while essential, can wait." Her gaze lingered briefly on Kaiser, her tone dipping slightly into subtle amusement. "Consider this trust… A preliminary investment."

Kaiser gave a small, respectful nod, though his expression remained carefully neutral. "Continue, then."

Botanica lifted her chin slightly, her tone precise, as though reciting a passage from memory. "The tiers of Liberators are as follows: Liberators, Heroes, Saints, Angels, Titans, and finally, the Ten Hopes. Each tier has very specific requirements and privileges."

She paused just long enough to gauge their understanding. Celestine looked on patiently, already intimately familiar with these terms. The others nodded in vague recognition, clearly having heard something of these titles before, though details still eluded them. Kaiser, however, appeared unsatisfied. He stepped forward slightly.

"I would prefer specifics," he said clearly, his voice firm yet courteous. "Names alone tell me nothing. If we are to live or die by these distinctions, we should know precisely what separates one tier from the next."

Botanica's eyes gleamed with something akin to approval, a silent acknowledgment of Kaiser's demand for clarity. "Certainly. Details matter."

She took a breath and began in earnest, her voice clear and deliberate:

"First are the Liberators, the foundation of all higher ranks. Their sole requirement is awakening a Green Sol Core. This occurs through exposure to Sol and is marked by the unlocking of one's innate potential. A Liberator is the very entry point into ascension. You are recognized officially as someone who can shape the world around you, even if only slightly."

Botanica continued. "Next comes the rank of Hero. There are two recognized paths to promotion. The conventional method requires completing one Marked-level Tale, receiving recommendations from five Saints or a single Angel, and ascending your Sol Core to Blue."

Botanica smoothly pressed on. "The second path to Hero status is known as 'Instantaneous Promotion.' This occurs if you're of great use while completing a Stirring-level Tale or awaken a 'Fragmented Origin'—a rare, incomplete manifestation of an Origin from a powerful past life."

She paused briefly, allowing the gravity of this information to sink in. "Next, we arrive at the rank of Saint. To achieve Sainthood by standard measures, you must be capable of completing a Marked-level quest entirely alone, slay at least twenty low-tier Unborn in single combat, receive five recommendations from Angels, and awaken an Orange Sol Core."

Botanica shifted slightly, as if highlighting the gravity of her next point. "However, there exists a second route known as the Legend Route. Through this, one may instantly ascend to Sainthood by awakening a true Origin, performing a genuine Miracle while still ranked a Hero, or by defeating a Saint in fair combat and claiming their title—an uncommon but fully recognized practice under Southern law."

Her eyes sharpened briefly, lending weight to her next clarification. "It is critical to note that Saints who have awakened their Origin hold unquestionable superiority over those without one. There exist Saints we call 'Nameless'—those possessing raw strength but lacking the mythos an Origin provides. They are respected, certainly, but almost never feared."

Botanica paused then, as if she had reached the end of an important ledger entry, folding her hands neatly before her. The silence that followed was heavy, full of both awe and tension.

Elsie's eyes glittered as she whispered to herself. Aria tugged thoughtfully at a strand of hair, visibly processing these requirements, while Ivan looked almost overwhelmed, pale and speechless, clearly calculating how far they were from any of those goals.

Celestine's expression, predictably, held only calm assurance; this knowledge was second nature to her. But Kaiser's reaction, though outwardly controlled, was the most profound. Behind his impassive mask, his thoughts raced rapidly, dissecting Botanica's words.

He had suspected the hierarchy would be strict, but this surpassed even his expectations. The path from Liberator to Saint alone was an almost impossible gauntlet. Yet what intrigued him most were the Origins: true and fragmented. They seemed a central component to this system.

Kaiser had always believed power should be an arbiter of one's place in the world. Here, at last, he had found a system mirroring his values, where mediocrity was rightly scorned, and ambition rewarded not merely with status, but near-divine reverence.

A faint, involuntary smile curved his lips before he realized it. Yes, this system appealed to him deeply. To achieve true supremacy here, he would need to embrace the enigmatic notion of Origins fully, perhaps even quicker than he had anticipated. Yet the promise of such undisputed power was an irresistible lure.

Botanica watched his reaction keenly, seeming to sense his contemplation. Her smile widened slightly. "Does that satisfy your curiosity?"

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

He inclined his head slowly, returning her knowing look. "For now," he replied smoothly. "Though, you've left the highest tiers unexplained."

Botanica tilted her head slightly, a hint of admiration glinting in her eyes. "Precisely. One must first grasp the fundamentals before reaching for the heights."

He acknowledged this wisdom silently. The path was laid before him clearly now. And for the first time since awakening in this world, Kaiser Dios found himself truly satisfied with the rules of the game he had been thrust into.

Botanica inclined her head slightly, considering Kaiser thoughtfully as she continued in her steady, precise voice.

"Now, of course, your tiers matter—but equally critical are the Tales you undertake. We classify these Tales by their scale and severity, each ascending step an exponential rise in danger, complexity, and reward."

Kaiser nodded slowly, giving her a gesture to continue, clearly invested.

"The lowest level," she began carefully, "Are called Subtle. These Tales are often handled by entry-level Liberators, and typically revolve around protecting or rescuing a small number of individuals—usually fewer than ten. Think of scenarios such as clearing bandit camps, retrieving missing persons in stable regions, minor escort missions for unimportant targets, or simple body recovery. Difficulty varies widely, ranging from tasks easily handled by a single Liberator, to jobs needing a full team of ten. Occasionally, a single Hero might be required, but that remains rare."

Ivan exhaled in relief. "That sounds manageable enough."

Botanica raised an eyebrow slightly. "Perhaps. However, next comes the Stirring level. More demanding, these Tales frequently entail threats that endanger entire regions or significant localities. Common tasks include dealing with Beasts—Grounded who've lost themselves to primal instincts, accompanying groups through compromised areas, or reclaiming territory overrun by hostile forces. Typically, these require teams of five Heroes. Alternatively, a single Liberator may accompany a council of five Heroes; if three of those Heroes deem that Liberator instrumental, they may ascend immediately upon their Sol Core reaching blue."

Aria's eyes sparkled excitedly. "That sounds challenging, but exciting!"

Botanica glanced at her coolly, continuing smoothly. "Then we have Marked Tales, where the stakes rise dramatically. These quests involve threats severe enough to endanger entire cities. They typically include confrontations with the weakest ranks of Unborn, tackling organized rebellions, exploring forbidden territories, or dismantling entrenched insurgencies. Due to their high risk, they're almost exclusively handled by groups of three Saints. Any more is considered inefficient. Notably, these quests frequently have permanent world-altering consequences, which makes them especially appealing. Many ambitious Heroes attempt Marked quests because surviving such an endeavor ensures instantaneous promotion to Saint rank."

Elsie said nothing, her gaze far away and her lips parted in a faint, greedy smile. She had heard most of this before, but hearing it spoken aloud by a Liberatorium official only sharpened her hunger for greatness.

Kaiser ignored Elsie's reaction entirely, fully attentive. Botanica's golden gaze met his as she continued. "Beyond these, there are quests classified as Blatant. These are overt and unmistakably severe situations, apparent the moment you arrive on-site. Each quest at this level is unique and extreme, typically involving threats such as floods of Unborn, direct interventions from divine races known as Angels—not the rank, but literal chilren of the gods—or internal wars threatening multiple cities or regions. Only Angels may handle these. Each Blatant quest requires explicit approval from the king himself."

Ivan swallowed audibly. "Direct approval from the king?"

Celestine merely nodded quietly, having known this detail for years. Botanica continued. "The next tier is the Glaring level—quests of world-changing consequence, heavily intertwined with politics and power. They represent threats capable of destabilizing or destroying entire Liberatoriums. Examples include large-scale Grounded rebellions, attacks by high-ranking dragons or vampires, or the resurgence of one of the Seven Overlords. To safely clear these quests, the direct intervention of a Hope is typically required, or at minimum, ten Titans. Clearing a Glaring quest successfully is mandatory for any Angel aspiring to become a Titan, thus these quests often involve nine established Titans accompanying a single top-ranked Angel who has conquered the Partizan Trial."

She paused deliberately, letting the full gravity of her words settle on the group.

Botanica finally spoke again, her voice dipping lower into a near-whisper, reverential. "Lastly, we have Evident quests. These events threaten the very existence of our world. Only extreme emergencies fall into this classification: the awakening of one of the ten Supreme Beings, emergence of a Deep One, or overt aggression by the Gods themselves. In such situations, every Liberator, regardless of rank, is mobilized. Not even the Hopes are exempt from mandatory participation. To have even a chance at resolving such a catastrophe, the minimum requirement is the presence of at least five Hopes."

A deep silence followed her words, broken only by the faint hum of energy from the enormous tree behind them. Ivan and Aria were pale, clearly overwhelmed. Elsie, greed momentarily replaced by fearful awe, had finally ceased her muttering. Celestine stood quietly, expression composed yet reflective, clearly grasping the immensity of the burden she bore as princess.

Yet, among them, Kaiser's reaction was uniquely intense. His pulse quickened in a blend of reverence and anticipation. He had faced countless battles, commanded innumerable armies, fought threats of unimaginable scale, but this classification brought a structure, a formality, a legitimacy that he respected deeply. The idea of quests severe enough to require direct royal approval intrigued him greatly. It spoke clearly to a world familiar with apocalypse, one shaped by calamity into something he found dangerously enticing.

He reflected briefly on Botanica's ledger-like precision in her speech, her cold, methodical grasp of how life and death balanced against risk and reward. Yes, he thought, these rules suited him.

Botanica watched him closely, reading his thoughtful silence easily. Her lips curled gently, almost imperceptibly, into a knowing smile. "Does that give you the clarity you sought, Kaiser?"

He slowly inclined his head again, returning her subtle smile. "Perfectly clear," he replied evenly, his voice rich with a rare satisfaction.

"Good," she said calmly, folding her hands delicately before her. "Understanding is the first step towards true strength. Welcome to the Southern Liberatorium."

But even as Botanica spoke, another detail had taken root in his mind. The Unborn—it was the first time he'd heard that, yet he sensed, instinctively, the weight behind it. The Unborn were not common threats; they were calamities, enemies of such scale that even seasoned Saints treated them with the respect reserved for living nightmares.

A faint chill ran down his spine, not of fear but of anticipation. 'How powerful are these Unborn? What made them so dangerous that entire ranks existed just to survive their appearance?'

He would ask Celestine about them later, about their nature, their origin, and most of all, about their weaknesses. If the Unborn were to stand in his way, then he would need to know everything. For now, though, he simply memorized the name, letting the word echo quietly in his mind

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.