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- Kazzaer Aldinn ~
An indescribably deafening silence filled the meeting room that evening.
It was the first time in about eight years that the ISO had gotten everyoogether for a meeting, but regardless of it having been several minutes sihe meeting began, no one was able to say a word.We all just stared at the system pahat suddenly appeared before us in silence, letting our thoughts ra hopes of ing up with some sort of pn.
"This.. is a problem..." Speaking through a mask of stress, Miss Tsvetok anxiously knawed on the base of a feather she plucked off her head.
-Shit...- It was a rea that was the opposite of reassuring.
But we all uood why.
A ferior to this meeting, we had all been informed of the rapidly rising mana levels oh, and how Earth's projected 'rank-up' was moved from twenty years out, to two years, requiring an already aggressive shift in pns.
However, just as we got together to talk about what our pn going forward was, our systems notified us that our already terrifying two-year estimate was reduced to a handful of days at most.
It was almost like a gate had appeared over someone's capital, but instead of being frozen from fear or panic, we were all in disbelief... Speechless...
"Has anyone firmed whether the public was given the same message..?" Attempting to remain calm, I tried to take the lead.
But... "They have..." Oliver was quip in. "Does anyone object to streaming this meeting to the public?"
In theory, it would help reduce mass panic by greatly suppressing misinformation, but.. we weren't in a great state either.
Thankfully, we had measures in pce for that.
*Flicker* ging the lights, the table was instantly lit up while the lights on each of us disappeared, hiding our faces behind a veil of darkness while exposing everyone from the chest down.
And so, after some quick tests, the meeting started once more and the brainst to e up with emergency termeasures began.
"For starters, let's begin full-scale evacuations of low-rank cities. Cities below Css B ot safely remain poputed by regur civilians." Pulling a tablet out of my iory in a rush, I quickly started messaging majuild leaders, military generals, and people of influence before the others in the room followed suit. "The Uates will leave the evacuations as non-mandatory, however, until further notice, we ot ehe city's safety."
Several other representatives then quickly followed with simir pns before it eventually got bae.
"Now, to those who don't have the space or ability to solidate citizens in such a rge scale manner, please begin evacuations to other tries. Are there any objes to that?"
Elisio, Bazil's representative was quick to raise his hand. "If there is anyone who needs space, please send people to Brazil. lenty of high-rank cities that o be filled."
Uhe US or Russia, Brazil had fought hard to grow over ret years, only to be hit with a brain drain of system merary talent. -He wants to use this as an opportunity to grow Brazil...- It retty smart, even if it was a risky choice for other tries. -But they may not have a choice...-
Others were quip on board as well. "Sweden is the same."
"Turkey as well."
-Good start...- Deg to take advantage of things as well, I stepped in after several other tries voiced their i in receiving migrants. "If anyone needs materials, the US is able to assist."
Ahaan had a simir idea as well. "And if anyone needs merary equipment or onry, we are in a position to supply those in need." Being the home of a majority of Earth's dwarves, India had a massive supply of merary equipment that could be crafted on a moment's notice.
-This will be good for them...- After dedig aire decade tthening their grip on the merary gear manufacturing industry, they had bee one of the most well-equipped nations for a sudden disaster.
But while many of us were attempting to take advantage of the situation, many people didn't have that luxury, and so, for the rest of the meeting, we attempted to form a web-like pn where everyone could have their shortings covered as best as they could.
However, deep down, we all khat, even with a perfe, many people in the room would lose their tries in this storm just as in past 'rank ups'. Death and loss were unfortunately just iable, all we could do was attempt to minimize it, and pray the storm wouldn't be as bad as we were expeg.
But the odds of that were o zero, and while many of those in the room khat, and were pnning for it, the public could never see the panid ay on everyone's faces. *Tap* Pig my tablet up off the table again, I scrolled through my versation with the Sergeant Major before beginning to type: 'solidate everyoo Rank A cities. Give priority to meraries, alchemists, schors, and those involved in manufacturing.'
It was iable that the world would try to lean on us when things turned south, but we had to put ourselves first. tinuing to type, I started messaging many of the top guilds and even high-ranking members of parliament. 'If we 't profit from assisting others, we just o focus on our own safety.'
It robably quite a jarring message for many of them, but after sending it, not a single person responded with obje.
"Haah..." Letting out a sigh, I set my tablet back down with a dark look while everyone else tiheir discussion about pns. -I just hope and pray that we don't have to turn to Leyfa Askr to stay afloat this time...-
Thinking back to the disaster that struck about eighty years ago, my gaze turned cold. -Now that the Queen has 'her', they'll be eveer off than before...-
But while Miss Lestir was most certainly not going to e back to the US, it was true that the ISO had left a rather favorable impression on her. -Thanks to Alrek.. it may not be arrogant to request a favor from her if things go south...- sidering she was most certainly somewhere iop five stro people oh, a single favor had the ability to dig us out of a hole like a hidden trump card.
However, just as I started thinking of how I would have to ask for such a favor, I received a message from an unknown number. -Huh?-
Quickly viewing the message, I read: 'An airship will nd in Montijo in twelve hours. Please gather your things and board it. The Queen wishes to discuss a deal with the Uates and Russia.'
Pausing, I quickly looked up only to find Miss Tsvetok staring at me. She had gotten the same message.
-W..why.. would the Queen message us first...- It holy made it feel like some kind of trap.
But at the same time, if it was real, there was a ce we could receive the deal of a lifetime; her initiation implied that there was something she wanted from us, meaning we would have the high ground when it came time to dictate the ditions for a deal.
However, I was still nervous about it... Something about the message made me uneasy...
But at the same time, it wasn't an opportunity I could risk missing, and Miss Tzvetok seemed to agree.
So, after the meeting ended, we went to the airport and boarded an unbelievably vish airship filled with greenery and almost exclusively run by elves before beginning the long flight to the capital of Leyfa Askr.
But nothing could have prepared us for what we were about to experience.
-----Late Evening - Mid Summer : tral Leyfa Askr
- Evreir ~
*oooOOOOOSH* Bsting over a stretch of forest so quickly that the trees creaked as if groaning in pain, I trailed Eve as closely as I could.
It had only been a few hours since we were at Betsy Lake discussing what was to e after the system notified us of Earth's impending rank-up, but we hadn't wasted a single sed of that time.
Shortly after our talk, Eve took a moment to tact several people before saying she o get back to the capital as soon as possible and darting away at several times the speed of sound.
"How long do you think it will be before the rank-up starts?" Looking back at me, she spoke to me with wind magic.
But I could only shrug. At any moment, the rank-up could start, it simply depended on too many factors to accurately at for. However.. wanting to give a servative estimate I held up four fingers.
Eve instantly exploded with panic. "Four days?!"
Uo speak because of how fast we were going, I quickly shook my head.
"Th-Then four weeks?"
Shaking my head again, I gently motioned downward.
And in that instant, her face paled. "So.. hours..." Fetting to rey her voice through her magic, I only saw her mouth open.
But her expression told me all I o know. -Uhe administrators find a way to dey it, Earth only has a few hours at most...- However, with the way rank-ups worked, we likely had a few days before it started really ramping up. -At first, it'll just drop a few lower-rank monsters on the p, but as more time passes, their level and quantity will grow...- Only ever slowing dowhe system thinks the world has found bance...
Whether the world was still in one piece or not.
*Ding* -Huh?- Hearing my system ping me, I quickly looked over to find a system panel I had never seen before.
Rank-Up has Begun
Monsters have been released at the following coordinates
-What the...- It looked like something intended for administrators.
And that robably because it was. *Vwoop*
Cutting off my thoughts, a familiar preseneared, the wind slowed, and the rustling tree opies froze beh my feet. -Ah...-
Finally looking over toward the presence as time slowed to a halt, I saw Michael's figure approag before suddenly ing to a stht in front of me. "~Evren,~" He spoke somewhat coldly as he looked down at me. "~Your first rent payment is due.~" *Snap* Snapping his fingers, he instantly disappeared, and the star-covered night sky was ed by darkness.
"Oh..." The entire sky had been covered in a series of massive, circur gates in an instant. -So his way of giving humanity some time is to drop all the monsters on my head...- Not a single monster was ing from a crack, meaning Michael was deliberately moving them all to me.
But as time slowly returo normal and Eve looked up toward the sky, she exploded into panic. "WHAT THE FUCK?!"
As all the gates dissipated, almost a dozen monsters revealed themselves before plummeting toward the ground.
*VWOOM* Smming on the brakes, Eve came screeg to a halt without taking her eyes off the sky for an instant. "Uh, Auntie?! What the hell is this?!"
Slowing dowo her, I shrugged before setting my hand on her shoulder to try and calm her down. "Don't worry about it. If I want to stay oh, I have to at least pull my weight, you know?"
Looking up at all the monsters, I gave them another moment to fall before eg their heads to me with several ns of aura. -These should all be around level 600... Let's try it...-
*Vwoom* Promptly accumuting mana in my arm, visualizing the mana ging to and strengthening the muscle fibers, I made a fist and puhe pilrs of aura collected o my shoulder. *Ping* And then, with a faiallig, the heads of the falling monsters all simultaneously turned into clouds of red mist, and my face was lit up by the glow of a dozen kill-firmed panels.
-To think it'd work that well...- Watg as ripples spread through the clouds above the monsters, satisfa spread ay face. "Aura really is ve, huh..."
Still pale, Eve stared up at the lifelessly falling monsters with a look of disbelief. "Y..yeah... I guess it is..."
"Anyway, shall we get moving?" *TH-TH-TH-THUMP-CRACK* As the monsters finally hit the ground, being impaled by trees as they were stripped of their branches, I motioned Eve along. "If you want the resources from them, feel free. With the rank-up ing, you might ."
Uo break out of her stun, she stumbled on her feet, nearly falling out of the air before nodding. "R-Right... Uh... Let me share our coordinates with someohen..."
"Haha, take your time." Giving her a wide smile, I looked down at my fist and ched it a few times. -I really fot how goress feels...-
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