"There will be a change of plans..." President Cain announced coldly. Everyone went silent.
As the stifling aura billowing from his frame calmed, diffusing into nothing...
Everyone glanced at themselves in confusion. Here they were about to finalize their moves. One might assume plans for this war were only beginning now, but that was very wrong.
Instead, today at most could only be called the day of appointment.
Strongholds and bases had been built across the reachable parts of the supercontinents.
The government had expended all means, utilizing all great families — the Big Three included — various surviving private powers from allied nations.
And countless more means, to this expense...
From war weapons to vehicles, even tameable beasts had been acquired, all for the sake of this war.
Strategic locations had been marked, the accessible shorelines secured and reinforced, naval forces laid in wait for possible marine lifeforms.
Even dragon‑slaying units had been prepared, just awaiting the scientists to finish with the mecha products.
So what did the president mean by there had been a change of plans?
There was literally nothing to be changed!
But still, everyone remained hushed, awaiting further explanation from the president.
Meanwhile, on the apex side near the end of the conference table, Brandon leaned close to Seth, cupping his hand to whisper.
"What do you think is happening?"
Seth remained silent for a second, his gaze lingering on the small sparkling motes of light, remnants of the letters the president had just received.
His gaze narrowed as he replied in a hushed tone, his friends’ ears perking up to listen. "I think we might be getting guests soon, or the president has been summoned... it has to be one of the two."
His friends’ brows furrowed in confusion, not understanding how Seth was coming to that conclusion.
But before they could voice another word, the president spoke.
"Some friends want to meet..." the president suddenly announced.
Silence held for a beat before officials burst into rowdy chatter...
"Your Excellency, is it those Soviet scums? After all this time they just decide it’s finally time to meet?" a general barked.
"I agree we shouldn’t give those fools the time of day. Order is a critical element to winning a war. If we add those fools, we will never attain order!" another passionately supported.
The room suddenly filled with voices rejecting any dealings with China and Russia.
Those two were superpowers identified at the same level as the US. They could be seen as powers in their own right.
Yet when it came to it, when their entire species faced an extinction‑level threat, those two refused to establish communication.
All agents sent in were lost, resources poured into envoys gone!
Saying everyone held a grudge was an understatement. Malice, disappointment, and fury consumed the officials.
President Cain smiled faintly, raising his hand to silence the room instantly...
"Regardless of how you all feel, we need all the help we can get. If inviting them over can guarantee cooperation, I will take it." The president spoke with finality, his tone leaving no room for questions.
The room went still, government officials wearing reluctant frowns. Then one spoke up, not to object but to ask.
"How are they going to arrive? The air is strictly off limits for long flights, and the sea is riddled with corruption zones bigger than nations. We can’t possibly wait for them to travel by foot from the other end of the continent, right?"
Seth’s pupils gleamed at this question, recalling a certain warp gate they used back during their journey to confront the Blood Order.
He squinted, muttering, "Those letters probably contained coordinates..." whispering silently in deep thought.
The president replied, "That’s left for me to worry about. As for you all, you are dismissed!" He finalized before turning his gaze to Seth in particular.
"Except you..."
Unsatisfied and disgruntled, the officials had no choice but to follow orders.
From Seth’s side, his teammates got up one after the other. Before they left, Seth quickly established spatial connections with Uriel, Elaine, and Jack, transferring their battle suits to each of them.
And within seconds, the situation room had been evacuated, leaving Seth and the president alone.
The president let out a weary sigh, massaging his brows.
Seth glanced at him and curiously asked, "You said old friends... Does that mean what I think it means?"
The president remained silent for a few deliberating seconds before nodding.
Seth’s gaze brightened. "Mythical figures are all back?"
President Cain quickly shook his head. "Not that. Mainly the greatest monarchs are back — those that embody the providence of their regions..."
Seth grimaced in confusion. "Isn’t that all the same?"
The president chuckled, finding the question silly. "If all mythical figures arrived, this war would be over long before it starts."
Seth’s brows rose at those words. He was just about to ask why they weren’t making a move, but he quickly recalled the conversation he and the president had earlier.
Thinking for a bit, he still had to ask, "Then what are these greatest monarchs you speak of?"
The president smiled, clasping his hands as he started. "I’m only explaining this because you will be acting as my aide during the coming meeting."
"You’re what now?" Seth asked with wide eyes. He hadn’t signed up for that.
President Cain barely acted like he heard Seth and proceeded to explain. "There are four great monarchs that attained immortality during the ancient days... True emperors that brought fear into the hearts of gods and men. They were supposed to rule for all eternity, but as we all know, nothing ever goes as planned."
The president sighed grimly, as though recollecting something tragic. "It turned out living for so long tends to corrupt the mind, twisting one’s will. The first to suffer was the first emperor to attain the Great Monarch title — an emperor from the West."
Seth listened with rapt attention, trying to understand where this story was leading.
The president sighed. "The emperor grew mad, his tyranny so vile that Father intervened and ended him for good. Learning from this example, Father passed a rule that once an emperor reached the level of a Great Monarch, they would be cursed to fall into endless slumber. Only an event like the Origin’s descent would be able to break such a curse..."
Seth’s pupils gleamed, instantly understanding. The president was implying... "Are they good news? Or bad news?"