The Author's POV

"All the mana compressors have been placed as you have ordered. We are now waiting for the next set of instructions."

Hemlock appeared emotionless as he sat on his throne and stared ahead.

His attention was drawn to the empty space in front of him, where a black circular sphere was displaying a number of different scenarios simultaneously.

The space around him warped, and he opened his mouth.

"Have you done as I've asked? While you were installing the mana compressors, have you been vigilant for any creatures or animals that may have been hiding nearby?"

"Yes."

A black man with a fierce scar running through his face responded to the question while kneeling on one knee and wearing all black.

"We have, as you've suggested, pretended not to notice them. What should we now do? Should we alter the placement of the mana compressors?"

"No."

Hemlock shook his head.

His gaze began to wander in the direction of the mana compressors that were depicted in the void projections that were in front of him.

"Keep the mana compressors as they are, and don't let the little animals die. Make sure to be oblivious to them."

"As you wish."

The reply came from the individual dressed in all black, and then he vanished from the scene, exiting the grand hall, which was at that time occupied by sixteen different people.

Everyone was looking wearily at Hemlock, whose expression did not change at all despite the extremely solemn and chilly atmosphere that permeated every inch of the hall.

Without waiting for anyone to say anything, Hemlock opened his mouth to speak.

"I'd like an elder to make their way to each of the mana compressors. Alliance members will likely soon make their way to the mana compressors with the intention of destroying them. I would like for you to ambush them when they are least expecting it."

"..."

"..."

His words were met with silence, and the temperature in the room suddenly dropped to an extremely low level.

Hemlock, who had become aware of the palpable lack of conversation in the space, looked around at the various occupants of the room without making a sound.

"...I understand that you are all wary after what happened not too long ago, but I assure you. It will not happen again. Their sacrifices were for a greater cause."

Once again, the hall fell into silence.

Hemlock's eyes sharpened at the sight, and he slowly stood up.

His gaze lingered over each and every one of the figures that were currently seated on their respective thrones, and as it did so, a potent aura started to emerge from his body.

He opened his mouth again.

This time, his tone was a lot more threatening.

"I'll rephrase myself. I will spare your life if you make yourself useful and listen to my orders..."

As his aura continued to expand, the pressure that was already permeating the room started to expand as well, making it increasingly difficult to breathe for those who were present.

"...So long as the Monolith finds you useful, you should anticipate being spared. Mo Jinhao and his companions had long served their cause and were no longer of any use. You can count your blessings in retrospect. I could have chosen any one of you to sacrifice yourself for the cause...but I didn't. Why, you ask?"

Hemlock licked his lips slightly.

"The answer is rather simple. It's because you were lucky enough to still be useful for the cause."

tension in the room had been relatively low when they had entered, it was now at an all-time high as absolute

wrath, no one dared to utter a single word, let alone

this very moment, the fate of their lives

discovered that the chip that had been implanted in their heads

that there was something with the chip from the

elders of the Monolith, muttered to himself, his

in their heads, not having it was really not an

contracted to obey Hemlock's

was something that

not even the demons they had contracts with could do anything, it was obvious that

thing they could do at the moment was lower

had no

***

"How's it going?"

my way to Ryan's room, where everyone

there were a number of strange objects that appeared to be funnelling the mana in the air and causing some kind of dense black fog

like you guys have located all of the mana

with the objects and was able to

"You're finally out."

couple of inches away from the

lean in too closely. It's bad

him with an arm outstretched and a couple of birds perched on

and pointed

I've already had surgery on my eyes. They

"...You do you."

and cocked her head ever-so-slightly as one of the birds moved up her

changed, and she looked at

continues, the entire city will become engulfed in demonic energy, and the Monolith's forces will have an advantage when

"Hmm..."

was listening to her report, the brows between my eyes

'This is getting troublesome'

and mana

forces of the Monolith a

compressors as soon as possible. If they stay, it is highly likely that they will cause trouble further down the

fortune that, with Ryan and Ava's assistance, I had

everything at all times, and as a result, I knew

we get ready? I'm sure

until this point, finally opened

at the

that guy without a black eye ever since we returned from Immorra. I'm

whose fault do

raised, glancing at him from the

talk when you're one of the reasons why he is in the state that

"Keum...I stopped...I stopped..."

nose, Leopold looked

me to shake my head, and just as I was about

now. I have a

"What do you mean?"

at Ryan, and I moved

revealed that he was currently frowning deeply as

area

seem to be a little bit too easy. Take

pointed at the screens with his

the movements of the Monolith through the cameras installed in the animals that Ava controls. Although I don't believe the Monolith will care much about a few rats and birds scurrying about, the fact that none of them did anything

"Hmm...you have a point."

my chin,

were as Ryan said, then the situation was certainly suspicious. Was the Monolith perhaps