A transparent blue panel suddenly appeared in the air, like a window of light floating without any frame. Its soft glow reflected on Haikal's face as he stared at it with a frown. His eyes squinted, trying to read the information displayed. However, when he saw the rows of question marks, his body tensed slightly.
"Everything… just question marks?" he muttered in a hoarse voice, almost like a whisper that escaped unintentionally. The sound was enough to draw the attention of several people around the long table, including Bagus, who sat not far from him.
Haikal blinked several times, as if trying to ensure what he saw wasn't an illusion. Yet the blue panel remained unchanged. Numbers, levels, even Lein's basic attributes—all were just question marks. Three small symbols that felt as vast as an abyss. The uncertainty made the back of his neck sweat slightly.
Across the table, Dion, who was usually composed, straightened himself slightly, trying to observe Lein's reaction. Slowly, an invisible pressure began to fill the room, like air that suddenly became too heavy to breathe. Some of the core members started to look uneasy.
Bagus didn't even try to hide his discomfort. His right hand clenched tightly on the table, and a reddish flush began to creep across his face and neck. He struggled to remain upright, but his increasingly labored breaths became harder to control.
Bagus slumped slightly forward, taking a deep breath. "I can't take it anymore, Brother Lein… please stop," he said weakly, his eyes slightly reddened from the effort of holding on.
"Brother Lein, what's happening?" Dion finally asked. His voice was steady, but there was a slight tremor in his tone, like someone trying to withstand the force of an impending storm.
Lein, sitting at the end of the table, only looked at them all with a small smile. His blue eyes swept across the room, radiating a calmness that starkly contrasted with the chaos around him. Without a word, he raised his hand slightly, and the oppressive pressure in the air disappeared instantly. Like a wind that suddenly stopped blowing, the room returned to calm, though the pounding of their hearts was still audible to each person.
Lein bowed slightly, gesturing in respect to them, before leaning back into his chair with a relaxed expression.
"Thank you for your patience," he said, his voice low but full of authority. "Truly, your presence at this internal meeting is a great honor to me."
After a few opening remarks, Lein began to praise their work. He acknowledged Haikal's contributions in strengthening defenses, Dion's innovations in resource management, and Bagus's dedication to training new recruits. However, he didn't linger on pleasantries.
"Alright, enough with the praises," he said, straightening his posture. His calm voice turned firmer. "The main purpose of this meeting is to discuss the attack by alien races from beyond the realm of the Divine Sky."
All eyes were on Lein, listening intently. Even Bagus, though his body still appeared exhausted, tried to focus on every word that left their leader's mouth.
"First of all," Lein continued, "I want to hear any information you have about this attack. What do we know so far?"
There was a brief silence. The members exchanged glances, seemingly deliberating who would speak first. However, before anyone could say a word, Bagus raised his hand, although his expression showed he still harbored a great deal of curiosity.
"Lord Lein," he said in a somewhat heavy voice. "About your status panel earlier… why is everything just question marks? Is this part of—"
Lein raised a hand to stop the question, his movement smooth yet exuding authority. "Bagus," he said with a small smile, "we'll discuss that later. For now, let's focus on this attack."
Bagus swallowed hard and nodded slightly, though his curiosity was far from satisfied. He leaned back into his chair again as Lein glanced at the other members, waiting for them to start speaking.
Haikal Emanuel, an elderly man with a neatly groomed long white beard, raised his hand slowly but with authority. His deep yet calm voice broke the silence, "From my observations, there are certain patterns that can be recognized in these alien attacks."
All heads at the long table immediately turned toward him. Lein gave a slight nod, signaling Haikal to continue.
"All the creatures I have encountered so far," Haikal began, his fingers drumming on the black wooden table, "only reached Tier-3 at most." His tone was flat, as if this was a fact everyone should already know.
But he didn't stop there. His sharp, aged eyes scanned each of the core members, ensuring they were paying attention.
"They arrive in organized groups, operating under direction. It seems that each race has a leader issuing direct orders. And one more thing," he paused briefly, letting the tension hang in the air. "These races are hostile to each other. They're competing for something—perhaps resources or perhaps power."
Laras, seated on the opposite side of the table, leaned back with her arms crossed. Her eyes narrowed as she recalled something.
"That's correct, Mr. Haikal," she finally said, her voice cold yet firm. "I saw the alien creatures fighting on one of the islands. They even killed each other without hesitation."
Haikal nodded slowly. "I suspect," he continued in a heavier tone, "that the ones behind all of this are not ordinary beings. They are creatures beyond the Master level."
As if by unspoken agreement, all the core members shifted their gaze to Lein. No one said a word, but their looks conveyed more than words ever could. They all knew. Lein had undoubtedly surpassed the Master level. How could he not? The pressure he had exerted earlier was enough to make them all feel suffocated.
Yet Lein simply smiled faintly, raising a hand to steer the discussion. "That's not what we need to focus on right now," he said lightly but with authority.