The Hegemon System had been quiet for a month.
No new quests. No upgrades. Just a single line at the bottom of Xiao Zhan's vision whenever he summoned it:
*[Final Path Available: Tributary Protocol - Locked. Requirement: All Throne Marks at Peak Loyalty]*
He checked it every night. Peak Loyalty. Not Absolute. Not Foundational. _Peak_. The system meant it literally. They had to choose him over their own lives, without order, without hesitation.
He didn't ask. You couldn't ask for that. It had to be given.
It was Qian Renxue who triggered it.
They were on the balcony, late, no guards. She'd been Consort for two months. She wore his crown-ring on her finger and nothing else when they were alone. She was still Pope to the world. To him, she was just Renxue.
"The God Realm is watching," she said, staring at the stars. "My Angel God inheritance is resonating. They know you're close. They don't like mortals who skip the line."
"I'm not skipping," Xiao Zhan said. "I'm building a new line."
She turned, red eyes meeting gold. "What happens when you become a god, Xiao Zhan? Do you leave?"
He'd been expecting the question. Not from her. From himself.
"No," he said. "I change what a god is."
She studied him for a long time. Then she nodded, once. "Then take it. Whatever you need."
*[Condition Met: All Throne Marks at Peak Loyalty]*
*[Tributary Protocol: Unlocked]*
*[Warning: This is irreversible. All Marked will permanently lose 10% of total soul power. Host will absorb sum. Process is lethal if Host's body cannot contain the influx]*
Eight windows opened in front of him. Not screens. Souls.
*Wei Lian - Rank 86. 10% = 8.6 Levels*
*Dugu Bo - Rank 91. 10% = 9.1 Levels*
*Dai Mubai - Rank 64. 10% = 6.4 Levels*
*Ning Fengzhi - Rank 79. 10% = 7.9 Levels*
*Su Yin - Rank 42. 10% = 4.2 Levels*
*Li Gou - Rank 45. 10% = 4.5 Levels*
*Ghost Blade - Rank 52. 10% = 5.2 Levels*
*Commander Yue - Rank 55. 10% = 5.5 Levels*
*Total Tributary: 51.4 Levels*
*[Current Soul Power: Rank 59]*
*[Projected Result: Rank 110.4]*
*[System Adjustment: Mortal Cap is 99. Excess will be held as 'Divine Reserve' until Trial Passed]*
*[Backlash Chance: 97% if Host activates without preparation. 0% if Host uses Consort as 'Grounding Anchor']*
He looked at Renxue. "It'll hurt you too. You'll feel it."
"I'm your Consort," she said. "Your pain is mine." She took his hand. "Do it."
*Xiao Zhan used the system's hidden function for the first time: Tributary Protocol.*
The world went white.
He felt them all at once. Wei Lian's 86 years of loyalty, given like a folded robe. Dugu Bo's poison and pride, poured like wine. Dai Mubai's royal arrogance, surrendered like a sword. Ning Fengzhi's calculation, gifted like a contract. Su Yin's quiet faith. Li Gou's street-rat gratitude. Ghost Blade's bloodlust. Commander Yue's discipline.
10% from each. Permanently. They didn't scream. They'd chosen.
It hit him like a continent falling from the sky.
His veins burned. His bones sang. The Monarch's Crown exploded out of his chest, four rings, five, six, ten, twenty — it stopped counting. His black hair turned white for three seconds, then black again. His red eyes became suns.
*[Soul Power: Rank 99]*
*[Status: Peak Demigod. One Trial Away From Becoming The God]*
*[Divine Reserve: 11.4 Levels - Sealed]*
*[All Marked: Survived. Soul Power Reduced. Loyalty: Unchanged]*
He fell to his knees. Renxue caught him. Her hands were bleeding light. Grounding Anchor. She'd taken 30% of the backlash into herself and didn't make a sound.
"Xiao Zhan," she whispered. "Your heart—"
It was beating once every ten seconds. Each beat shook the mountain.
*[System Notification]*
*[God Trial Initialized]*
*[Trial Name: The King's Question]*
*[Type: Divine Heart Demon]*
*[Warning: Failure = Soul Dispersal. Success = Godhood]*
*[Beginning...]*