The silence spread across Ark City.

  In this moment, it was as if every individual had been granted a new understanding.

  Just as the Emperor had said, they were the elite who survived among 8.5 billion people.

  If reality is a game, then they are the top players.

  These players, about to embark on their journey, firmly believed—victory was theirs to claim!

  This confidence stemmed from their faith—in the Emperor.

  His presence was like a lighthouse, igniting hope in the darkness of the apocalypse.

  His every word was like a horn shattering despair, stirring their hearts.

  Their blood boiled for the Emperor; their souls burned because of him.

  If the world had truly become a game, then the Emperor would be their ultimate game strategy to victory.

  Elo's voice resonated within everyone's soul—calm and resolute.

  "The system has indeed granted us many conveniences, but we must not become overly dependent on it.

  Because one day, you and I will inevitably—part ways."

  The expressions of the cabinet members froze slightly.

  Vian frowned, as if wanting to speak, but ultimately remained silent.

  His mother sighed softly in her heart but did not attempt to dissuade him.

  Elo took in the reactions around him, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

  "Nothing lasts forever. Even I am destined to reincarnate—

  again and again, embarking on countless journeys without pause, until this very moment.

  We must face this reality and prepare for that day."

  He paused, his gaze falling upon the Prime Minister.

  His voice turned low and unwavering:

  "That is precisely why I don't want you to place all your hopes on me or the system.

  You must become truly strong.

  No matter what the future holds, I hope this nation can stand—sovereign, unyielding, and flourishing."

  Upon hearing his words, everyone instinctively straightened their backs, their postures firm with newfound resolve.

  Elo's gaze was sharp, as if piercing through the veil of the future.

  "You must advance both science and transcendence.

  You must nurture talent across every field.

  You must develop industry and agriculture—

  not merely for survival, but to seize control of your own destiny.

  If you indulge in the system's protection and forget what it means to be truly strong,

  then the system will no longer shield you, for I want you to possess genuine strength.

  So, before this golden era draws to a close, seize every moment—sprint forward with all your might."

  A flicker of emotion passed through the Prime Minister's eyes as he lowered his head slightly in respect.

  The cabinet members wore complicated expressions, fully aware of the weight behind Elo's words.

  Among the citizens, emotions surged like a rising tide.

  Some had reddened eyes, while others clenched their fists in silent resolve.

  No one wished for this era to end. They hoped it could last forever.

  But, as the Emperor had said—nothing in this world is eternal.

  They understood: humanity must not squander this era, nor fail the Emperor's expectations.

  They hoped that one day, when they look back on this moment, each of them could stand tall and, with unyielding pride, declare—

  "We did not fail this era."

  Elo smiled faintly, the corners of his mouth lifting, as if gently tearing apart the oppressive atmosphere that had weighed on them for so long.

  "That day is still far away. We don't need to be trapped by a future beyond our reach.

  The present—this is where our focus should truly lie."

  He paused slightly, then let the smile fade.

  His gaze turned calm, vast like an endless sea.

  "So, let's get back to the point—"

  His voice, steady yet powerful, was like a bell tolling deep within the hearts of everyone present.

  "For us, labor has never been an insurmountable obstacle.

  The fusion of transcendence and technology is more than enough to resolve this challenge.

  Natural resources and energy? Equally insignificant.

  This world is vast enough—countless ownerless lands await us, ready to be explored and mastered.

  As long as we complete the system's tasks, the system can integrate those ownerless territories into Ark Little World:

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Islands, continents, entire planets, even entire star systems or even entire galaxies—far from unattainable.

  In fact, we don't even need to actively seek out these ownerless lands.

  So long as we fulfill the system's tasks, it can create new land out of nothing—

  An island, a continent, a planet, a star system, a galaxy."

  Elo's gaze grew deep, his voice laced with an undeniable conviction and strength.

  "Labor is not the problem. Resources and energy are not the problem.

  So, what is the real problem?"

  He paused and let his gaze slowly sweep across the room.

  "Talent. That is the greatest bottleneck hindering our progress.

  It may sound simple, but I must emphasize it again and again—

  we must go all in to cultivate talent, especially in the field of transcendence."

  He clenched his fist, his voice growing more resolute:

  "What is transcendence? War? Destruction?

  If that's what you think—then you're being far too shallow.

  The true value of transcendence lies in its ability to drive civilization forward.

  Imagine it—

  a transcendent scientist applying their abilities to research and discovery. What miracles might they create?

  A transcendent artist channeling their power into artistic expression. What breathtaking masterpieces might they bring forth?

  This—this is the future we should strive for."

  He paused for a moment, the corners of his mouth lifting into a faint smile.

  "So, when someone questions you:

  'With only ten thousand people, how can you possibly develop a nation?'

  You should answer them—'We shall rise through transcendence.'"

  The cabinet members nodded in unison, their eyes filled with deep understanding.

  They knew all too well the inevitability of this path.

  Yet, Elo's smile vanished in an instant.

  His tone shifted subtly, laced with a trace of cold severity.

  He had always been wary of the Pandora's box named 'Transcendence'.

  "But we must never forget—transcendence is a double-edged sword.

  It can bring hope, but it can just as easily unleash disaster.

  Ultimately, this is a question of human nature."

  He swept his gaze across the room, his eyes deep and piercing.

  "Transcendents are not flawless saints. They, too, are driven by emotions, desires, and weaknesses.

  I'm not here to delve into the complexities of human nature, but I know one thing for certain—

  we must ensure this sword never slips beyond our control."

  Everyone understood the Emperor's intent.

  And they knew this concern was no baseless worry.

  Transcendence was indeed a double-edged sword—one that only the truly strong could wield.

  Elo paused slightly, his gaze calm yet impossible to ignore.

  "Of course, I don't believe that, in this era, anyone would be foolish enough to challenge the authority of the government.

  After all, I'm still sitting here—watching you."

  His voice was indifferent, yet it carried an undeniable sense of oppressive power.

  "But I hope that, after I'm gone, the Federation will still maintain a firm grip on this sword called Transcendence.

  Therefore, you must face this issue head-on and find a solution in advance.

  At the same time, the government must always remember—every citizen must be treated with the respect they are owed.

  Whether they are Transcendents or not, they should never be treated as cold, lifeless tools."

  As his words fell, the Prime Minister bowed his head slightly in respectful acknowledgment.

  "Yes, Your Majesty."

  In truth, even without the Emperor's command, the Federation would do everything in its power to master this sword known as Transcendence.

  As for respecting Transcendents—that was self-evident.

  After all, the Emperor himself was a Transcendent.

  More importantly, there was no reason not to respect them.

  In this golden age, transcendence had become the driving force of societal progress and the key to humanity's exploration of the unknown.

  And beyond that, there was a deeper reason—

  All citizens of the Federation, no matter how great their abilities, will stand united beneath the Emperor's banner.

  Because every citizen of the Federation understands one thing clearly—this is the Age of Gods.

  And to stand against the gods—was to court annihilation.

  Having said this, Elo felt he had said enough.

  He was beginning to feel the weight of fatigue and was ready to bring the meeting to an end.

  "Everyone's energy is limited, There are only twenty-four hours in a day.

  In the past thirty years of my life, I have never been involved in politics, nor have I had any interest in it.

  I've always believed that professionals should handle professional matters.

  When amateurs command experts, chaos and disaster are inevitable.

  So, I have no intention of meddling in politics.

  Unless a major event occurs, do not come to me—handle it yourselves."

  As his words faded, the conference room fell into a brief silence.

  Neither the cabinet members nor the citizens watching the live broadcast could easily accept the Emperor's decision.

  They understood clearly that the Emperor must hold real power.

  Otherwise, as time passed, he would inevitably drift away from this nation—until he forgot it completely.

  At this moment, a soft yet unquestionable voice rang out:

  "There are indeed many matters that need your attention lately, but once everything is on track, there won’t be so many things to trouble you."

  His mother's tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable authority that forced the Prime Minister to swallow the words he had been about to speak.

  Elo responded casually:

  "So, what exactly needs to be handled right now?

  The moment the words left his mouth, Vian rolled her eyes, her voice tinged with exasperation:

  "What do you think?The entire national framework is still provisional. Even citizenship status is only temporary.

  You need to sign an entire set of legal documents to officially declare the nation's establishment.

  The nation's name, flag, anthem, and emblem—none of these have been finalized yet.

  Beyond that, you'll have to meet with representatives from various sectors and personally inspect key regions."

  When Vian finished speaking, his mother spoke again.

  Her voice remained gentle, yet carried an undeniable authority:

  "These things—must be done."

  Elo gave a slight nod.

  He understood perfectly—if these tasks were left undone, many would be left deeply disappointed.

  Elo hadn’t planned to say anything more, but when Vian mentioned the word "nation's name", a sudden thought flashed through his mind.

  He fell silent for a moment, then finally spoke:

  "What is our nation's name?"

  The Prime Minister froze slightly, then responded with respectful certainty:

  "The United Human Federation."

  The moment he finished speaking, he keenly noticed a subtle change in Elo's expression.

  "Your Majesty, is there something wrong?"

  Elo shook his head gently and said, "The name is good. There's nothing wrong with it."

  He paused for a moment, his tone steady, yet with a slight trace of contemplation.

  "But I have a feeling—

  that on the road ahead, we may very well encounter other nations that also call themselves the 'United Human Federation'.

  And I suspect… this possibility is far from small.

  Therefore, I believe we should change our nation's name to avoid potential confusion down the line."

  The moment those words were spoken, a spark lit up in the Prime Minister's eyes.

  In truth, he had long supported the idea of changing the nation's name.

  And it wasn’t just him—

  From the upper echelons of the government to ordinary citizens, many had quietly hoped for a new name.

  The issue wasn't with the word "Human"—it was with "Federation".

  They preferred "Empire" instead.

  The choice of the word 'Federation' back then was merely a compromise made because of the Emperor's temperament.

  They believed he would find it easier to accept a nation that was "a federation in name, but an empire in essence."

  Vian chuckled at his words, her tone casual, laced with a hint of teasing.

  "So, what name do you think would be more fitting?"

  Elo smiled, his voice light but noticeably perfunctory.

  "You shouldn't be asking me. Let the people decide for themselves."

  Vian couldn't help but scoff."If you really let them decide for themselves, they would definitely choose 'the Empire'."

  Elo's smile froze on his face, and his brow furrowed slightly—this was far from his intention.

  He sighed, resignation lacing his tone."Then let's go with 'Ark Republic'."

  Vian's lips curved into a knowing smile, her voice tinged with playful mockery.

  "Oh? Planning to be an emperor in a Republic, are you?

  Besides, with your influence, give it a few centuries and 'Republic' will just become another word for 'Empire'."

  Elo raised his hand and rubbed his brow, his expression betraying an unmistakable exhaustion.

  At that moment, mother's voice gently sounded, soft yet comforting: "Use 'the Empire'."

  Elo was slightly stunned and turned his head to look at his mother.

  In that instant, as their gazes met, he saw the determination in his mother's eyes.

  He fell silent for a moment, drawing a deep breath, as though making one last stand against the stubbornness within his heart.

  At last, he gave a slow nod, his voice calm:

  "Then… Ark Empire."