"It is not a trap," interrupted Ez, although his voice sounded flat, everyone in the room could feel the anxiety behind it. "This is the logic of predators. They have realized that there are beings other than the Mana Species growing as strong as them at an irrational speed. They have realized we are no longer mere pests to be ignored. They are uniting... to ensure we never see the sun of next year."
That’s the logic. In the Old World, humans as the dominant species would continue to fight and slaughter each other for ridiculous reasons. However, imagine if suddenly a troop of chimpanzees started speaking in a language they could understand and began to build their own civilization.
It is at that moment that all human wars would stop instantly. They would unite for a single purpose: to annihilate every primate that dares to challenge their throne in the world.
Now, the same thing is happening. Wilwatikta is the ’chimpanzee’ that has begun to speak, and the Mana Species are the humans who are now united to maintain their dominance.
The throne room erupted into chaos. Heated debates broke out; the scent of cold sweat and unstable dragon prana circulation filled the air. Anxiety began to haunt them. These leaders did not fear death, but the burden on their shoulders was immense. A single mistake in a decision born in this throne room would mean the destruction of the Wilwatikta Kingdom and the extinction of their species. In this situation, no caution was considered excessive, and no anxiety was deemed trivial.
Moku watched his advisors as they clashed in argument. He simply listened without interrupting even once. As a leader, Moku realized that he was not the most intelligent or the wisest among them. In terms of sharp analysis, he was surpassed by Boku or Mige. In matters of policy, he lacked the depth of thought possessed by Ez. Even regarding intuition, Moku had to admit the superiority of Goku and Swa.
However, the primary duty of a leader was not to fret over intricate technical details. His main task was to guide the way and establish the goals that must be achieved together. Though it appeared simple, this responsibility was the most perilous. Not infrequently, a dense shroud of doubt hindered him from choosing what he believed was right, ultimately triggering delays in decisions and the loss of opportunities. Moku knew he must never appear hesitant in the eyes of his subordinates; that self-confidence was the foundation he continued to build for his leadership.
When the debate began to subside, Moku knew it was time to intervene. He raised one hand into the air, and instantly, every voice in the room fell silent. The eyes of every monster were fixed upon him. Moku adjusted his seating position, ensuring that the pregnant Nezena remained comfortable in his lap.
He gazed at the faces of the high-ranking officials one by one. Previously, those faces were filled with anxiety, fear, and panic. Yet, when their eyes met Moku’s, only one feeling radiated: Conviction. They were convinced Moku would once again bring about a miracle; they were certain Moku would lead them onto the right path; they believed Moku would hold up the sky if it were to fall. The heavy burden—akin to carrying a giant mountain—once again weighed upon Moku’s shoulders, yet his face maintained an expression of absolute calm.
He did not shout, nor did he intimidate with his aura. He spoke with a casual tone, yet it was clearly audible to every inhabitant of the throne room.
"I know you are all anxious. I know you are all afraid," he began. "You are anxious not because of doubt, and you are afraid not because of a lack of understanding. You are trying to conceive the best possible outcome even though you know the worst is not an impossibility. I understand the heavy burden you carry. Every word that leaves your mouths in this room determines the life and death of our nation and species. You do not want to be reckless, yet you do not want to be caught unprepared."
Moku paused for a moment, his gaze sharpening. "However, never again shall you stake your safety upon the enemy’s mercy. That is the mentality of prey. And under my leadership, the term ’prey’ will no longer exist in Wilwatikta."
The intensity of his dragon prana erupted for an instant, causing the pillars of the great hall to tremble violently.
"Let them unite. Let them bring every army they possess. Let them build an alliance upon their fear of us. Because when they reach our gates, they will not find a city... they will find a black hole that will swallow their history!"
Moku extended his hand. A projection appeared in the air—a highly complex architectural design shaped like a spiral tower piercing into the earth while clawing at the sky, surrounded by dizzying geometric patterns.
The monsters stared at the projection without surprise, as this was not the first time they had seen the design. This was the Nest of Calamity, whose foundations were nearly complete. The high-ranking officials knew the Nest was capable of evolving every monster into a perfect form with power equivalent to an Asura.
Even so, the majority of the officials in the room were already Asuras or possessed equivalent strength. Valkyries like Nevare, Nedira, Nezena, and Nerphyl possessed power equal to a Fifth Gate Asura, or in this context, a Law Lord. The same applied to Mige, Swa, and Boku. Only Ez, uninterested in combat power, had not yet reached that level. In total, Wilwatikta had at least twenty individuals equivalent to a Law Lord.
However, compared to the number of Law Lords possessed by humans and other species worldwide, their numbers were tiny. Even if every monster in Wilwatikta evolved into an Asura, their numbers would not reach one-thousandth of the Mages in the world. While Asuras were stronger—a newly evolved Asura from an Orc could match a Level 3 Constellation Mage—if they had to fight a thousand Level 1 Constellation Mages at once, they would die of exhaustion.
Because of this, they did not view the Nest of Calamity as the ultimate key to defense. To them, the structure served more as a unifier for all monster species.
"This is the Nest of Calamity that we are building," Moku continued. "Perhaps you think this is merely a building with an Altar capable of evolving monsters into more perfect forms. But you are wrong... this is not just an Altar of Evolution. This is a Nest."
The monsters looked confused by Moku’s meaning, yet they remained silent. The principle of "We listen and we obey" was the absolute stance they took once Moku had reached a decision—even if that decision felt like it would plunge them into the pit of annihilation. To them, Moku was no longer just a king, but the messenger of The One.
Moku noticed the questions implicit in his subordinates’ eyes, but he could not explain further. The Nest of Calamity was no ordinary building; it was a projection of the power of Magog. This power was what would bring the apocalypse upon the world. Moku knew that if he revealed the true function of the Nest now, the entire world would do anything to destroy it before it was finished.
Though the monsters now realized their primary enemies were the Mana Species of the world, they did not know the far darker truth: that those species were merely the extensions of the true enemy. Moku, who had fully accepted his role as Gog, knew his true adversary was Mana itself—the energy contained within every particle of this world.
Moku did not know if Mana possessed its own will. However, he was certain that anything with a mindset must have an instinct for survival. Therefore, if Mana ever "heard" the true function of the Nest of Calamity, it would instantly realize there was a real threat to its existence.
Moku stared at the projection before him, his eyes flashing with impatience. Perhaps only he truly understood the essence of the Nest. Once the building was complete, he would have nothing left to worry about—even if every Mana Species on Earth attacked him simultaneously. When the Nest of Calamity reached its perfect form, that would be the moment the true trumpet of the apocalypse would be blown.
He turned back to the monsters with a sharp gaze.
"We must prepare for the worst. The Calamity Nest is our key, not only for survival but for striking back. Therefore, we must accelerate its construction. While we can use mana organs from mutated animals, it will take too long for the Nest to reach its true form. We do not have the luxury of time; we need materials that are far more potent."
Moku paused, emphasizing every word. "Currently, we do not know if Lucifer can truly incite the other Mana Species to unite and attack us. But what is certain is that the great battle determining the fate of the monster species is already upon us."
"Therefore, hear my decision! I command the first-generation Asuras to form a special unit. Your task is to hunt these high-quality materials across the world. How quickly you find them will determine how quickly the Nest of Calamity reaches perfection!"