"It depends... but I’ll say mostly good, because I myself am merely filling the role of the dead Emperor of the West," the president replied.
Seth’s pupils gleamed — that explained why Cain was the only mythical presence that seemed to exist on the planet.
From this, Seth instantly understood that something about these four emperors had to be special, for Adam to send a replacement for one.
Leaning forward, Seth felt it was about time he asked, "Then who are the three monarchs?"
"Qin Shi Huang of the Qi Dynasty — the Unifier.
Gilgamesh, the Hero King.
And Mansa Musa, the Emperor of Heavenly Wealth."
The president patiently listed them. Seth’s ears perked up — the first two he recognized from memory.
Qin Shi Huang was hailed as the first Emperor of China, a real historical figure he was sure existed.
But the second, Gilgamesh — while he had heard of this king, he only knew him from the world’s oldest epic, a mythical figure.
He never expected he actually existed... well, glancing at President Cain, Seth reasoned it wasn’t unbelievable. After all, a figure with similar origins sat before him.
But when the last name was called, Seth’s brows furrowed. He wasn’t sure he knew of such a figure in history, nor had he heard myths about that name.
Mansa Musa... in the end, he had no choice but to ask, "The last emperor?"
President Cain grinned. "He is the first Great Emperor to originate from the African continent..."
"I see..." Seth mused, going silent for a moment before asking again. "Well then, why aren’t there more? I’m sure there were other great figures who could have claimed this title."
The president shook his head. "Claiming the Great Monarch title isn’t easy. You must have done something that influenced the Providence or fortune of the human race, or disrupted its flow entirely. Plus, there can only be one Great Monarch in a single region."
Seth nodded in understanding. If that was the case, then it was reasonable. Otherwise, someone like Genghis Khan would have been listed among them.
"Well then, are they coming here or what? Aren’t we supposed to go and receive them from the warp gate?" Feeling he had enough information on these figures, Seth felt ready to meet them.
A mysterious grin broke on the president’s face. "I said they wanted to meet. I never said it would be here..."
Seth blinked. Before he could even ask what that meant, the president vanished before his eyes. His ears twitched, sensing Cain’s presence behind him. Before he could react, a hand landed on his shoulder.
The president’s voice rang in his ears. "I did say you will be my aide now, didn’t I?"
The words barely spoken, Seth’s vision shifted. It was as though he suddenly fell into a tunnel of cascading stars, colors displaced, his sense of direction shattered.
And before he could even register the disorienting feeling, everything snapped back into order. He blinked, finding himself standing beside a throne.
"What the hell just happened?" His head whipped from left to right, the scene before his eyes different.
The surroundings were eerily dark, the only source of light seemingly the gleaming golden throne by his side.
Shifting his gaze upward, he found the smiling face of the president staring back at him. His heart almost jumped out of his chest in fright.
"Where are we?" he quickly asked, sweat beading at his temples. He really didn’t like a situation beyond his control.
Smiling, the president remained silent for a bit before walking to the throne and taking a seat. "This is where the Great Monarchs meet. Each leader is allowed to bring an aide or trusted confidant."
Glancing at Seth’s conflicted expression — awe mixed with nervousness — the president whispered, "No need to be nervous. You won’t fall under any harm as long as I’m here."
Only then did Seth collect himself, the president’s words bringing some semblance of assurance. Glancing at the darkness beyond, he couldn’t help but think.
Earth seems to have more mysteries than I can imagine. Not only are there ancient species, now ancient figures are awakening.
He had once thought this before, feeling Earth was shrouded in mysteries beyond his comprehension. Now he was even more certain.
Curiosity bloomed in his heart as he wondered...
Qin Shi Huang, Gilgamesh, and Mansa Musa. What would these great figures be like?
Would they possess ancient means that could help humans win this battle?
He had arrived here in confusion and fear, but now he couldn’t help but feel anticipation. What would figures like these speak about? How would they direct the flow of the war?
Luckily, he didn’t have to wait long. A brilliant burst of light flashed, reflecting off his retina.
On his far right, a golden throne similar to Cain’s glowed.
Before he could get a clear look at who had arrived, another burst of light flashed. Seth’s head whipped to the left.
A throne glowed in the darkness, distinct silhouettes of two figures appearing. Before their features registered, another flash ignited before him.
Directly parallel to Cain’s throne, another throne formed with regal glow. The golden flash ignited with grace, casting light onto two figures.
Seth’s heart skipped a beat. The three emperors were here, weren’t they?
Excitement, anticipation, and countless complex emotions surged in his chest as he silently observed three distinct silhouettes mount their thrones, their aides standing still beside them.
The glow of light fell on their regal frames, and Seth’s eyes widened in awe as he felt a heat of resonance in his blood...
A boil of genetic resonance — a distinct sign that his bloodline itself recognized these human royals.
It wasn’t resonating out of submission. It was a feeling hard to put into words. If Seth had to describe it, he would say... awe.
As the World Saint, Seth could feel the overwhelming force of Providence wafting off their frames, coiling around their thrones, forming a fearful presence.
Seth understood at that moment... Back when the system gave him the option to bind with humanity’s Providence... was this what it meant?