“It is over?” Clarissa asked me over breakfast. I had returned late, the night before.

“The city was purged and the level 1 zone around the city of all hostile forces. There might be a few grinding groups hiding out, but the message has been sent. I want word to spread since doing this should not be a regular occurrence,” I replied while having a blueberry muffin.

“I know you didn’t want to do such a thing, but I am grateful anyways,” she said. I shook my head.

“There appeared to be problems with the governor placed in charge,” I replied, and she let out a sigh at that.

“While I try to vet everyone, sometimes people slip through. Hard to know how they will react in all situations. But it is still on me and the forces I had in East Bastion,” Clarissa said and inclined her head towards me.

“How is everything else going?” I asked.

“Stabilized for the most part. It is all hands on deck reclaiming the cities before the next arrival. A lot of rapid promotions. Which could lead to problems in the future. We lost a lot of competent people in the cities around Purgatory,” Clarissa said.

“We should set up a memorial or monument for what happened,” I said.

“I will. But it isn’t over. Jacob is still investigating,” Clarissa added.

“Any update there?” I asked.

“Only that the energy levels are swinging back in the System’s favor. But the lower layer is still locked out in the zones around where the sphere was. He is working on creating a way to breathe long term, and a way to return,” Clarissa explained.

“Any time frame?” I asked.

“I am getting regular updates, but he needs resources. And everything else needs resources just to stabilize,” she explained.

“I guess that means I am on the hook,” I muttered.

“Michelle is off grinding crafting crystals and points, but more is better. We can’t suffer another loss like we already have. The owned buildings were lost, which is the biggest hassle. Spreading out ownership spread out the risk, but with mass casualties, it is a huge loss of points,” she explained.

“I will be clearing out high level zones regardless for more skill upgrades. I need to prepare as well,” I said while thinking about how I got saved by the Avatar last time. It was honestly frustrating. “Doctor Katz in, I need more work on my arm?”

“He is. The plants struggled while the shield was up, and we are looking at if there were any residual effects. Same for the people. There doesn’t appear to be physical issues, but there are mental concerns. Lack of ability to sleep, nightmares, headaches.” That didn’t sound good.

I rubbed my forehead and then picked up a piece of bacon to munch on. There were always more problems and more factors I needed to take into account. It was exhausting on the best of days.

“Well send for him. I want to get my arm back as quickly as possible. It is impacting my combat ability,” I ordered. Clarissa rang a bell on the table and sent a message with a soldier to go get Doctor Katz.

“The Avatar is recovering, but still mumbling away. I have a rotating group of servants recording what she says, but there has been nothing but portents of doom,” Clarissa said, and I shook my head.

“She will be coming along regardless. Her ability to call on the System is not to be underestimated if we find ourselves in a corner. Once my arm is healed up, then I will check my stats with the store, and then start grinding again. That should be everything?” I asked.

“There is one outstanding issue. You promised to hear out your namesake,” Clarissa said. I nodded at this and recalled what I had said at my public talk.

“I am guessing he is anxious?” I asked.

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“It will have major policy implications whatever you decide. So I will be listening in,” Clarissa added.

“That is fine. I am about done with breakfast,” I said. We left for my office while she sent a runner to get young Michael. We both waited in my office. Doctor Katz showed up before him and began slowly building out the remainder of my arm.

“Any issues Doctor?” I asked.

“Just some minor health concerns about long term shield exposure, but nothing physical. If anything, there appears to be a mental component. I wouldn’t recommend using the shield for a long time. Without an MRI or CAT scan it is hard to give anything in more detail,” he replied.

“And energy wise? Has anything been found?” I asked.

“Not as far as I can tell or the other researchers and doctors. A lot of it could be stress and the environment. I would recommend time off for the people affected, but that isn’t possible. We are looking at widespread stress disorders most likely,” Doctor Katz informed me.

“Mental health services?” I asked and looked at Clarissa.

“Before, that might have been a consideration, now we don’t have the budget,” she answered. I let out a long sigh at that.

“Long term, it should be something to take into consideration if we survive,” I said. As always survival took the highest priority.

“It is on a list of things to implement,” Clarissa replied. “And there are mental health considerations for soldiers and the military, but beyond that we don’t have the trained personnel.”

There was a knock on the door. The current conversation was about over. “You want me to leave?” Doctor Katz asked me.

“You can stay. This discussion will have long term implications and a moral perspective from another person would be useful,” I said. Clarissa went over and opened the door.

I looked at the boy that entered. The first child born in Purgatory. He was around 13 years old. And he looked like an athlete, not a gangly teen. I was glad to see that the physical education was paying off. He looked nervous and quickly bowed.

“Rise. So, Michael, you wanted to speak on letting younger people like yourself go off and fight?” I asked.

“Yes, Emperor Michael. I am ready to explain my idea,” I waved my hand for him to continue. At least he wasn’t stuttering. That was a good sign.

“Um, well, you mentioned age being a primary concern and the impact of stats on a person. I was thinking that most of the issues could be solved with a mentorship program. Um, people mentioned knights or warriors having squires in the past? So, something like that, where young people like myself who are trusted can get points, and build up a bunch before we can buy stats,” he said.

I waited for him to say more but that was it. I guess my expectations were off on what was expected of a presentation. “So, you want some senior grinder, take responsibility for you, and allow you to fight level 2 monsters?” I asked.

“Yes,” he said. “And the idea is that people who know what they would be doing, like myself would be able to get points and prepare for when we are of age. It would also make transitioning to grinding much easier. Also, people who go through the program can pay it back, like we do at the school,” he said.

“It does sound like a decent idea. Clarissa?” I looked at her.

“It could be implemented. It would require someone to set things up and vet people. Also, some kind of compensation handed out to these mentors,” Clarissa said.

“We can set the compensation to hundred thousand points easily enough. Out of my accounts. To be paid out once someone graduates from this program. A max of one-on-one mentorship at best,” I said. The idea being if a kid died, the person wouldn’t get paid. “What do you think Doctor?”

“There is a reason that there were apprenticeships in the past. Especially in hand-to-hand combat professions. I think it would be a good idea,” Doctor Katz said. I nodded at this as he gave my arm another poke. There was still a way to go until I had a hand.

“Samantha can set it up under my name. There will need to be a test for any kids entering the program. Let’s allow Michael here and anyone over the age of thirteen,” I said.

“Really?” Young Michael asked and I focused on him. “I mean, sorry to interrupt, Emperor Michael.” I shook my head.

“Fighting monsters isn’t a game, as much as some people might think. But I can understand wanting to decide your own future and get points to progress. If there are problems, they need to be reported. So, a full-time position monitoring this. If it works, other cities can send their kids here. Also there needs to be a combat test of some kind as well for the kids allowed into the program. They have had to go to school here in the Systemic Lands for at least four years,” I added. New arrivals would mentally struggle with the wrong kind of mindset.

“I will draw something up,” Clarissa said.

“It was a good idea. You managed to convince me,” I gave my namesake a smile.

“Um, I was wondering. Um, if you could mentor me?” he asked, and I shook my head. I could understand the hero worship, but that would just be foolish. It did make me feel happy.

“When you can kill a level 4 monster in single combat then you can ask that question of me. But the skill, stat, and combat gap is too high. I have other duties. But if you can fight level 4 monsters, then you can ask that question of me again,” I replied.

“Thank you!” he said. He left along with Clarissa after that. She would make arrangements for the program. I needed to focus on healing.

By having a single individual responsible for a single teen, it would make people accountable. And still keep the legal age limit of fourteen. Not allowing it to regress, which was my main concern. The young kids would be able to build up points. While some might get stats, they would all have to explain why they weren’t allowed to buy stats until they were older.

It wouldn’t fix the problem, but at least it would make them take the issue seriously.