The meeting room of the Orleans mansion was still busy as the sun began to rise over Marseille.
Holographic lights projected three-dimensional maps of the Pacific. Fleet routes, combat trajectories, and damage reports appeared layered in the air like translucent sheets.
The atmosphere was different from the previous days.
The tension of battle had passed.
But now another feeling dominated the room: the awareness that the war had entered an open phase.
Étienne Orleans presided at the central table. To his right sat Marianne Duval, and to his left Luc Bernard, reviewing the tactical reports that continued to arrive.
In front of them several holographic projections began to appear.
The first to stabilize was Haruki Minamoto.
His face still showed signs of fatigue from the battle. Behind him, the command bridge of one of the surviving cruisers could be seen.
At his side stood Alexander Torres-Ventura, head of a secondary family based in Australia, accompanied by his daughter Victoria.
The second projection was Mikhail Sevianko, connected from the naval base in Anadyr. His expression remained as cold as ever.
The last figure to appear was Ciara Milesnova of ÓBroin.
Silence immediately settled over the room.
Étienne was the first to speak.
—The final reports from the battle on the Chinese coast have been confirmed. The combined forces managed to stop the advance of the enemy fleet.
Haruki nodded slightly.
—The losses for our neighbors were severe, but they managed to prevent the fleet from crossing the strait. If they had reached land, the damage would have been far greater.
Li Wei connected from the headquarters of the Yellow Sea Fleet with the assistance of one of Atlas's intelligence agents stationed in China and spoke in a deep voice.
—China recognizes the support of the guardian families. Without that intervention, our defenses would have been overwhelmed.
Ciara studied the map for a moment before responding.
—What matters now is understanding the pattern behind what happened.
Étienne changed the map projection.
It now displayed attacks that had occurred in different parts of the world over the past few days.
—Our analysts have identified several coincidences —he explained—. The incidents recorded before the fleet was released in Hokkaido do not appear to be random.
Alexander frowned.
—What kind of coincidences?
Luc Bernard enlarged the image.
Several points began to glow faintly.
—The attacks of the past few days have occurred in areas close to large concentrations of natural magical energy.
Mikhail responded immediately.
—Ley lines.
—Exactly —confirmed Étienne.
At that moment Kenji spoke from the back of the room.
—With your permission. There is something else.
He took his tablet and activated it on the table, displaying another map.
The ley lines appeared as luminous currents running across the planet.
—I have been comparing historical records with the data collected over the past few days —he explained—. The main nodes match what we have known for centuries.
He pointed to Ireland.
—Here.
Then Japan.
—Here.
Then Brazil.
—And here.
The three points corresponded to regions linked to the guardian families.
But when the map centered on China, the pattern changed.
The ley lines were still present.
But they did not converge into a clear node.
Haruki frowned.
—What does that mean?
Kenji studied the map carefully.
—The lines do not disappear.
—They are not broken either.
—Can you be more direct? —Ciara asked.
—I believe they converge at a point that had not been noticed before —Kenji replied— but not at a visible node.
Li Wei crossed his arms. His face showed surprise, disbelief, and shock, but remembering what he had experienced made him accept the conversation.
—China is an immense territory. It is possible that there are regions that have never been studied from that perspective.
Ciara spoke calmly.
—For now we cannot draw any definitive conclusions.
Étienne nodded.
—The immediate priority is preparing for war.
The map changed again.
It showed Ireland, specifically the main mansion.
—Remember that there is no turning back now. The emergency seal has less than one year remaining —he added.
Now the maps displayed maritime routes, strategic bases, and military positions.
—Before the battle —he explained— several enemy ships moved toward the Indian Ocean.
Mikhail added:
—That could mean they are preparing to attack us.
Li Wei observed the map carefully.
—If they establish a presence in that region, they will be able to divide our forces.
Ciara kept her eyes on the projection.
—Then we must act first.
Silence once again filled the room.
—The Minamoto fleet will maintain control of the Pacific.
She looked at Haruki.
Then at Mikhail.
—The Sevianko must be ready to enter battle at any moment.
At that moment Elena asked to speak.
—We have reports of another fleet moving south near the coasts of Africa. According to our analysis, they intend to cross into the Atlantic.
—We do not know their destination, but they may be trying to reach your position.
—That makes sense —said Étienne—. The primary seal is in Ireland. They want to free the rest of them.
The meeting continued for several more minutes.
Supply routes, alert protocols, and military reinforcements were reviewed.
When the analysis ended, Étienne shut down most of the projections.
The room fell silent.
—A defeat was avoided —he said.
Haruki responded calmly.
—But now we know the conflict has truly begun. And we have seen only part of the strength of the Kartnod family. Those were only seventeen ships. We must increase our forces for when the rest of them are released.
Ciara looked at the map one last time.
—Exactly.
Her gaze moved across the table.
—And from this moment on we must act as a single structure.
Because after what happened in China…
it was clear that the world had just entered a war unlike anything it had ever imagined.