Adam understood all that had happened. He had felt how he could trigger other people's skills through their conduits. The flows of energy, from nature, to magic, to souls had been revealed. How the [System] existed even began to make sense now.

Based on the network that Adam had formed by taking over the [System Conduits], he suspected that the [System] had a piece within each person it was connected to. Like a parasite, it burrowed deep into their souls to use as both an anchor and an offshoot of its mind.

The part of the [System] within people gathered knowledge from them, through watching their memories and tracking the energy within their souls. It probably also powered itself through the energy that everyone gathered, giving the [System] more power, thought capability, and knowledge by infesting them.

Obviously, it wasn't exactly a parasite. The [System] gave people what they wanted and made them dependent on it. Yet, it also limited what they could do with their own energy. It controlled and guided them, preventing them from becoming more than what it wanted them to be. That didn't sit well with Adam.

It also meant that the only way to truly destroy the [System] was to hack every single [System Conduit] in the universe. Either that, or to truly eradicate all the other races out there.

CONQUER!

Yes, Adam wasn't sure which option he preferred due to the corruption, but he was in control of his thoughts enough to know that becoming a genocidal monster wasn't within his desires for the future. Securing and protecting Earth, humanity, and his loved ones had always been the goal. Maybe once all the invaders were off his world then the voice inside would calm down and let him just live his life.

For now, just living wasn't possible. Adam knew where the world ending bomb was being constructed, and that someone stronger than him was protecting it. That meant Adam needed to become stronger.

But how could Adam become stronger? The more connections he had, the more skills he could use. Unfortunately, none of those skills were on par with a Tier 6, even when enhanced though Adam's stats and modifiers. There was also the need to stabilize the energy within and without. He needed there to be enough energy for him to power all his connections. The more connections he created, the more energy he would need.

That was another difference between the network Adam was building and what the [System] could do. As a non-physical entity, the [System] couldn't take direct action. It wouldn't be able to see and use the world energy that existed all around them.

At most, the [System] would be able to craft a skill for other people to absorb the energy, but without being able to see it, there wasn't much chance that it knew how to design that type of skill.

Which was good news for Adam. He gained new resources. And Adam could act directly within the world since he was a physical entity, using the skills and abilities of those connected to him in a more impactful way than the [System] could. Adam could influence the world, while the [System] had to negotiate and allow things to be done how its minions chose.

None of that meant that Adam was stronger than the [System]. For all that he was gaining, and at a surprisingly fast rate, the [System] had all the knowledge and experience. Adam believed he was beyond making catastrophic mistakes, but he couldn't just whip up specific skills like the [System] could. Or understand how others fight.

Adam would use whatever he did have though.

It was clear that Adam could strengthen, or evolve, classes. Even if the result was based on his limited understanding and experience. The same was true with skills. That meant that for Adam to become stronger, the Sentinel Army needed to be stronger.

Hoping that he wouldn't be considered a parasite like he thought the [System] was, Adam took the next steps. While the fighting to protect the Tennessee territory continued, those who were on resting shifts would take turns within the Sentinel Army headquarters to meet with Adam.

One at a time, he would strengthen their classes, improve their skills, and take over their [System Conduits]. The process began with those rescued from the Juungii. Adam made those who wanted power capable of fighting in the army. Then he would work on those already in the army.

As the months passed, Adam became more familiar with the skills and classes of those he connected to. With that came improvement. He learned more about shaping the energy to give it specific purpose or just to make it more powerful. It became common for those that Adam had already built up to return after a few months to see if they could be further upgraded.

Making everyone else stronger was a slow endeavor, but the enthusiasm he could sense from those he enhanced was infectious. Everyone wanted it.

Surprising to Adam, even with the repetitiveness of his task, Adam didn't find it tedious. He began to enjoy the process of exploring and creating within other people's souls. Much like a blacksmith trying to make the best weapons, Adam enjoyed finding the best shapes that fit with each person he worked with.

Not only that, but he felt the echoes of the violent and successful battles that those connected to him experienced. It was enough to keep the voice of the corruption satisfied.

After two months of Adam enhancing his troops, the situation in their territory stabilized. He had only gotten through a couple of thousands of his troops, but that combined with Adam's main group was enough to repel the incoming attacks. They split the newly enhanced among the different companies of troops, giving more powerhouses to each.

Adam became convinced that the invaders were actively importing more of their races to the world. Otherwise, there would never have been enough invaders to continue to challenge the Sentinel Army. He didn't know whether it was due to the bounty or if the [System] was actively enticing the races to portal more and stronger troops to entrap the humans in their current territory, but after four months of upgrading people, it didn't matter anymore.

Once enough of the Sentinel Army had become stronger thanks to both the endless supply of XP and Adam's class manipulations, defending the territory became easy. Occasionally a Tier 4 would appear, and Adam's friends would need to deal with it, but people weren't the only improvements that had been made within the territory.

Even without the help of the Rift Menu's capabilities, due to the features being locked down from the siege rules, the human and Unklarn crafters hadn't been idle. When Adam needed breaks from his work, he would often spend time with the main crafters to discuss the rune patterns he had seen. They did what they could to enhance their weapons, armor, and some general equipment.

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Motion and presence detection were connected to the telescopic view using the Rift display's magnification. Adam and the crafters were even able to create a runic formation, thanks to the runes he had taken from the Red Clan's memories, that acted like a rudimentary version of Adam's soul map. It could sense incoming presences, their hostility intent, and the strength of their presence that imprecisely indicated their level.

That detection grid meant that the Sentinel Army was always ready and waiting for the incoming invaders. It created less of a rush to get to the attacked areas in the vast territory, while also letting them know in advance if they would need some of their powerhouses to face a Tier 4. Even some infiltrators with skills that obscured them from the Rift Menu were caught before they could make it deep into the territory.

By the sixth month, enough people had been enhanced that groups were forming to leave the territory and restart base conquests. Collecting the conqueror titles still mattered, but the humans didn't have the time to move all their forces to a captured Rift, which would also leave the territory undefended.

Instead, bases were taken, control crystals gathered for when Adam could lead an excursion to claim a bunch to connect them to the Rift network. They also found that some races would surrender as soon as the humans showed up, often agreeing to leave Earth while leaving their collected resources behind.

Many subservient races saw the strength that the natives, and more importantly the Leputi, had gained and gladly agreed to join the Sentinel Army. Without [System Contracts], there was a lot more vigilance paid to these new races, and their enhancements were saved for later. However, Adam was quick to take over their [System Conduits], cutting them off from possible influence and leaving them more hesitant to betray the humans.

Things continued to improve, and Adam put a great amount of effort into almost every day to keep things rolling. Even with all the good news, he couldn't ditch the concern towards the future. There was no telling what the [System] or the Scyrric might do. And at the end of it all would be the bomb. If they couldn't get strong enough before it went off, then everything would amount to nothing.

Adam's girls and family often had to intervene and force Adam to take breaks. Even Fido would get worried he was stretched too thin and would check on him or force Adam to take walks through Tennessee together.

It was almost a year after Adam began enhancing people that he received a surprising visitor.

When Adam finished up with his current patient, a young warrior who smiled broadly as he flexed his muscles to feel the increased power that Adam had bestowed on him, he sent him out of the room.

"Next!" bellowed Adam like always when he was ready for the next person.

Inside the room with Adam were two enhanced General's Guards, a powerful healer, and one of his friends. This was to ensure that Adam was kept safe while he worked and to prepare for any unexpected issues. Adam was fine with the company and having people to send on errands when he needed something, so he never complained about their presence.

When the door opened for the next soldier to come in, Adam frowned when he saw who came in next.

General Carmichael walked into the room. His expression was one of disapproval and he looked at everyone and everything inside the room with a harsh, judgmental glare.

"Something wrong, Carmichael?" asked Adam, concerned that his primary antagonist among the humans was entering without any request for a meeting.

The general sighed, crossed his arms, and looked down at Adam in his seat.

"Have you heard the latest news?" asked Carmichael.

"No, I've been in here all day."

"Well, you might be pleased to know that your forces," then Carmichael coughed and corrected himself hesitantly, "our forces have reached Washington. They met up with Gregor. His group managed to capture a Rift early on there, way before your bounty and the invader attack frenzy. There was a resistance in DC since the beginning of the invasions that managed to rescue quite a few civilians, politicians, and military personnel. They are currently being transported here."

"Nice!" exclaimed Adam at the good news.

The Sentinel Army had been bringing in humans by the thousands as they spread out across the county, some who had hidden or lived in remote areas as well as captives that some invaders had taken, so finding more refugee humans didn't come as a surprise. Nor did it take up much thought for Adam. More humans surviving was always better in his opinion.

"I assume that since you brought the news personally there is more to it," suggested Brittney, who had been leaning against the back wall.

"Smart girl," said Carmichael with a bit of pomp, before he sighed and allowed his arms to relax. "As you say, it is less about finding people and more about who was found. General Gervin managed to set up an escape plan in a short time before the invaders attacked, thanks to all your warnings and info. In fact, he did it without anyone else of note knowing about it. He and some of his men evacuated everyone they could, though in the end he was hit by an explosion."

"Does that mean he…" questioned Adam solemnly.

"The man survived. He's a tough one. Even crippled during the escape, he led a campaign of resistance and rescue throughout the area, until Gregor found them. Everyone was sheltered in Gregor's Rift until they were found by our troops. Gervin even managed to save his own children and grandchildren."

"That's great!" grinned Adam. "Elouise with be thrilled."

"Yes, I did tell her first. She wanted to commandeer people to escort her to him, but I was able to convince her to wait here. She has Jordan building a residence for their family now that we have control of the Rift again."

"That isn't all, is it?" asked Brittney skeptically. She had never interacted with General Gervin, and even though she was happy for Elouise, she wouldn't be tricked by the good news. Inevitably, bad news would followed.

"No, that isn't all," said Carmichael wearily as he plopped himself in the chair opposite Adam. It was usually used for those Adam was working with. "Gervin managed to rescue quite a few congressmen…and the president. They were excited to find out that part of America hadn't fallen and are looking forward to rebuilding our country from here. At least until the Capital can be restored. Which they learned that the Rift could do once your territory expands enough."

The guards in the room tensed up, and their hands gripped their weapons. They looked at Carmichael as though he were an invader that needed killing. Adam just sat up straighter, almost not registering what had been said.

Then Carmichael barked out laughter as he looked at Adam's fanatical guards.

"Calm down. That notion was quickly put to rest by the Sentinel Army troops that were escorting them. I'm sure Colonel Davian will tell them what he told me. This base belongs to Adam. Even if the base becomes the size of a country. They might not take it well but considering you lead the strongest force on this planet as the strongest individual, I think they will settle for safety."

Adam released the breath he didn't realize he was holding. The Guards also let go of their weapons and fist bumped, as if some game had been won.

"As long as there isn't conflict, we'll accept them in," said Adam. Then he turned a complicated expression at Carmichael sitting there. "Uh, thanks for the news. I appreciate you delivering it personally, but I should get back to enhancing people now."

Carmichael's mouth tightened and he narrowed his eyes at Adam. It was clear he wanted to say something else and that it was hard for him. After the two stared at each other for another minute, Carmichael exhaled. He was angry when he spoke next, even if the content was different than Adam expected.

"I'm your next enhancement! That's why I told you personally."

Adam began laughing. Carmichael just frowned at him as Adam almost laughed himself to tears.

"You?" asked Brittney, again skeptically. "You want Adam to rebuild your soul?"

"Give me a break!" snapped the man. "Adam has proven himself and turned everything around here. Why shouldn't I get the same boost as everyone else?"

That only made Adam laugh even harder. And when Adam finished his work on Carmichael and looked at the changed class tag above him, he had trouble stifling more laughter until the man left the room. He wished he could see Carmichael's face once he saw his own tag. Though, thanks to the Rift, he would be able to see it. As many times as he wanted. This was something he would hold over the antagonistic man for a long time.

The general's class had changed to "The Sovereign's General."

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