Even then... there was no shortage of Rifters since the incentives and rewards of becoming high noble in the Boundless Expanse were simply the sole available method to own a nation or even an empire.
Many current powerful Lineages in the Chained Universe originated from the Boundless Expanse... their ancestors reached the highest noble ranks and were able to build a nation with the wholehearted support of Nocturn’s Administration and their protection.
Then, they expanded their roots to the Chained Universe... whether their nation in the universe was erased or not, they always had their home in the Boundless Expanse... unchanging, unaffected by the war outside.
Who wouldn’t keep climbing on this platform even if it brought their downfall? At least, the rewards were promised for their efforts and the risk.
Now that Levi was a Baron and was going to be part of this new system, he realized that his situation was quite different... he didn’t own Shadowlife seeds, but Origin seeds!
He had signed the contract using only one of them.
In addition, this whole knowledge transfer process didn’t concern them one bit since they had an individual will, not like the Shadowlife seeds.
"Ash... what did your ex-partners do in the Baron rank to deal with the Aspect Fruits situation?" Levi inquired.
"It wasn’t a problem for them."
"Hmm? Why?"
"Because only Magus got to fight in the Baron rank, and he killed himself at the start of the game after the three Ancestral Trees punished him for daring to put their Fruits in danger."
"..." Levi was left speechless.
Levi already knew it was going to take a while for him to play any game in the Baron rank... but now, he started wondering if he should back out and never touch the platform ever again.
Punishment from the Three Ancestral Trees? Levi didn’t even dare to imagine what kind of agony Ash’Kral’s partner, Magus, went through to commit suicide at the start of the game under billions of watchers.
"Though your situation is different... Magus might have achieved Warden rank by toughing through the punishments and pain. You are currently on the right path." Ash’Kral said calmly, "Maybe the three Ancestral Trees will allow it if you manage to deliver your promise and give them their personal spiritual space."
"You think?" Levi’s brow twitched, not too assured.
He could tell that Ash’Kral was winging it at the moment, just like him... both of them were treading on untested waters the moment Levi chose the soul-split theory as his solution. This gave him some peace of mind when dealing with the Ancestral Trees, something the past partners didn’t have and had to battle through hot and cold flares daily.
"We will think things through after we succeed in my next evolution."
Levi realized that nothing mattered at the moment if he failed the soul-split theory... if he survived it and succeeded, options would open up to him.
If he failed, well... he was dead either during the process or killed by the three Ancestral Trees after talking so much big game and dropping the ball in the end.
For now, Levi ignored his future in the Nocturnal Ring and pressed on the Baron rank in his profile interface... immediately after, he was shown a list of benefits and additional access he was eligible for.
There was quite a lot...
// Right to Found a Settlement:
1- Permission to establish a Baronial Town anywhere within the Boundless Expanse... except Citadel-rated territories.
Automatic allocation of basic territorial protection wards from Nocturn’s Administration.
Access to starter construction blueprints (housing sectors, departments, and such)... architecture designs are limited.
Ability to promote your town and attract wandering settlers, artisans, and merchants.
2- Infinity Shop Privileges:
Unlock the Baron Level of Infinity Shop... (Higher graded treasures and better discounted displayed items.)
Access to Infinity Shop Auction House Tier 1 under Nocturn’s Administration.
Access to private auctions held by private organizations that recognize only nobles as customers.
Right to reserve one treasure per year before other nobles see it in the shop. (Barons only)
3- Mobility & Transportation Rights:
Unlimited use of Skyline Caravans (flying transport beasts/ships).
Priority boarding on Voidrails (dimensional trains connected to all provinces).
Reduced fees on Teleportation Gates... first 3 jumps each month are free. (Boundless Expanse-wide... used for straight teleportation from one’s location to their private territory)
4- Governance & Authority:
Right to enforce town laws under Nocturn’s authority.
Small local militia automatically provided by Nocturn’s Administration.
Etc.
5- Administrative Benefits:
Boundless Expanse Noble Network
Access to the Noble Communication Nexus... a cross-realm messaging system.
Invitations to baron-tier gatherings, auctions, and political councils.
6- Tax Benefits:
20–30% of all trade done inside his town returns as noble revenue.
Business starters receive tax reductions... encouraging growth under your rule.//
The list was much longer and included many finer details related to each section... but, Levi left reading these for later.
What he read was more than enough to paint a wide smile on his face... usually, being a noble wasn’t really looked at kindly since most nobles were born into it... one earned the status and the next generations got to leech off for eternity or until the system collapsed.
But in the Boundless Expanse’s case? There was no such a thing.
Every noble had to earn his title and benefits with his own fists in battles that went beyond just death... even if that noble gave birth, his children didn’t inherit his status unless they joined the platform too and reached a single rank lower than their father or mother’s noble status.
Only then could they obtain control of their parent’s kingdom or empire... if they didn’t achieve these conditions, they could only enjoy the noble status they obtained with their own hands.
In this manner, the political struggle of heirs for the throne was fair and square, focused on who would reach the highest noble rank and establish his worthiness of the throne.
That’s why Levi’s Joker game was so intense... most of the Rifters were fighting to return as nobles to their lineages and kick off their climb to the throne.
"My noble status allows me to build a town and if I keep increasing my noble rank, the limitations will slowly lift." Levi held his chin, "It might not be so bad to start a nation from a town in case things went to shit in our planet... I will be able to bring in as many citizens as my rank allows me."
Although Levi wasn’t too fond of starting a Boundless Nation considering the immense effort it would take to manage it, he would rather have a back-up plan for himself, friends, and citizens of his home region in case they weren’t able to save the planet from the corruption.
He knew... he would regret it deeply if he didn’t do it since there were many other powerful Daywalkers from Earth with towns and small nations spread across the realm acting mostly as refuge camps.
They might not be investing too much in them, but it was still something prepared for rainy days.
"Not now though... I still need to set up my Leviathan’s business in the capital to start printing some money off my title’s privileges."
Levi decided to prioritize his business first. He understood that if it was up and running, the profits would help him with his evolutionary paths and also funnel the excess to his nation.
"Speaking of money... how much was I awarded from the streaming rights?"
Levi’s mouth thinned into a smile as he swiftly accessed his bank account... immediately after spotting his new balance, Levi’s smile froze.
"Huh... what do you mean two million credits wired... was there a mistake?"
Levi was left stunned at the amount of zeros displayed before him in his latest wire transfer... it was from the platform, and it included all the profits he made from the win, the promotion bonus, the streaming revenue, and even the eliminations’ bonuses.
"Not bad... your Celestial Persona is a cash cow... you better start milking it with merchandises, sponsorships, and such, if you really want to earn some big figures." Ash’Kral advised, "It’s going to be a while since your return to the platform... you better make the best of the hype and empty your fans’ pockets."
Levi remained silent, thinking about the prospects of turning himself into a dimensional network superstar... he noticed that many Star Rifters had a massive following even when there were many other Rifters, better and stronger than them.
They earned a killing from their persona more than in the games... however, after giving it some thought, Levi shook his head in rejection.
"The reason I am this famous besides my powers and strength is my mysterious solemn persona... the moment I start accepting sponsorships or create a profile in the network, I feel like it will cheapen me... turn me into one of many." Levi said calmly, "I don’t want that... I want to remain as secretive as possible, nothing official to my name... this secrecy will keep increasing my followers to the point I will never struggle to get help from anyone."
Levi wasn’t aiming for quick bucks from running ads with his persona... there might be money in it, but he wasn’t doing this for money alone.
The more he learned about the universe and the war, the more he realized that the best currencies were knowledge and network.
No one would take him seriously in the upper realm networks if he presented himself as a dancing clown for credits.
"As you wish." Ash’Kral shrugged his shoulders, "Then, you better get your business running as soon as possible... if you succeed in your next evolution by some miracle, you will understand the value of money."
"I have now all I need to kickstart the project... I will get on it after I deal with my evolution first." Levi said solemnly, "My soul is going to finish devouring the Leviathan’s soul in no time..."