The Japan, Tokyo, a tall building, top floor, the Imperial Conference.
The surrounding atmosphere was oppressive and heavy.
The long oval table was filled with the current core of power in the Japan: military generals, key remaining cabinet members, representatives of emerging financial groups, and several Hunters with powerful auras.
Everyone's gaze converged on the man at the end of the long table, who was dressed simply but had an exceptionally young face.
He called himself the Emperor, not as a symbol of the old era, but as one who had forcibly integrated the remaining forces of the Japan after the third dungeon of the Main God Game, relying on the absolute power and killing prestige brought by his SSS-Level Talent.
He had restored and strengthened the military centralized system of the Warring States period.
His ambition was to lead the Japan in this new era to recreate and even surpass its former glory, bringing the flames of war back to the continent.
To bring wealth back into their hands once more.
However, at this moment, he faced a troublesome accident. The landing site for the power-enhancing items announced by the Main God Game—the strange artifacts—was none other than Tokyo!
"A disgrace! This is bringing the flames of war directly to our sacred homeland!"
A general slammed the table and shouted in anger.
The reason the Japan during World War II could sustain itself for so long through war, and even take the war to the whole world, was that the wars were all fought in other countries.
Even if they lost, they didn't have to bear any cost.
But now, once a war broke out inside the Japan, the loss would be an immeasurable consequence.
When that time came, the entire Japan could fall into a crisis of extinction under the competition of various Factions.
"We must lodge a solemn protest with the Main God Space! This is a conspiracy! A conspiracy!"
"Is a protest useful?"
A representative of a financial group wearing gold-rimmed glasses said coldly, without losing his composure.
"The urgent task is to assess the impact and formulate a strategy."
He paused and continued.
"strange artifacts have a huge attraction, and the world's top Factions will surely gather in Tokyo. At that time, this place will become the center of the most dangerous vortex."
"What we need to do is find a way to preserve ourselves in this vortex and obtain the greatest protection!"
The convergence and struggle of powerful experts from all over the world was no longer something their Japan could bear. Once a large-scale military friction occurred, the entire Japan would become the target of attack.
In this new era, no one would bicker with you internationally like they used to.
To improve personal strength and witness the appearance of a [strange artifact], everyone would go mad.
Furthermore, the one most unlikely to let them obtain a [strange artifact] was the Dragon Kingdom.
When the time came, the Dragon Kingdom would likely forcefully suppress the experts of their Japan.
"This might not be without opportunity!"
After a long silence, a Hunter with a sinister aura licked his lips.
"The strange artifact appears on our turf; we have the geographical advantage. His Majesty the Emperor's divine power is invincible. If he gains the blessing of the strange artifact, he will surely completely establish his position as the global hegemon!"
"We will trample those so-called experts from America and the Dragon Kingdom under our feet!"
"Easier said than done! Dragon Kingdom's [Purple Blaze], America's [Ye], Britain's [Lilith], and India's [Brahma]—which one of them is simple!?"
"Moreover, although the Russians don't have SSS-Rank Hunter, the number of their SS-Rank Hunters is well-deserved. The strength they exert when united would likely make even an SSS-Rank Hunter back away!"
Another man with a powerful aura spoke, his face showing unprecedented solemnity.
If it weren't for the fact that the Russians had already been severely weakened by war before the Main God Game arrived, another overbearing expert would likely have descended forcefully upon their Japan.
"Sato-kun is right. Once war breaks out in Tokyo, the City will surely be turned into ruins! Our years of accumulation and construction..."
Another financier was deeply worried. He had a large amount of industry here. Once destroyed, he would completely lose his value. Therefore, the war must absolutely not start in the Japan.
At the very least, the Japan must not participate in it!
There was a lot of discussion and constant arguing around, some for their own interests, some for their own safety.
But more were eager to use the strange artifact and geographical advantage to let the Emperor go a step further and lead their Japan to conquer the world again.
Yet they also feared that their homeland would become a battlefield for top experts, bearing immeasurable losses and ultimately causing the Japan's plans to fall through at the last moment.
The young Emperor, sitting in the primary seat, listened with his eyes closed the entire time, his fingers rhythmically tapping the smooth tabletop.
It wasn't until the arguing subsided slightly that he slowly opened his eyes.
They were a pair of vertical pupils like those of a snake—cold, cruel, and without a trace of human emotion.
"Gentlemen, silence."
His voice was not loud, but it made everyone instantly fall silent.
"The arrival of the strange artifact is a challenge, but also a sign of destiny."
He spoke slowly, his vertical pupils sweeping over everyone present.
"According to intelligence, the Dragon Kingdom's [Purple Blaze] indeed possesses unfathomable power within his own borders; perhaps no top expert in the entire world is his match."
"But! That is limited only to within their territory."
Saying this, the Emperor paused and continued.
"He is not invincible, otherwise it would be impossible for him to be ranked second."
"Leaving the borders of the Dragon Kingdom, he is at most a powerful enemy, not someone who cannot be defeated."
"As for America, they have many experts, but they all have their own hidden agendas and are not to be feared. The one truly worth noting is that mysterious [Ye], and... other variables that may be hidden."
He paused, his mouth pulling into a cruel arc.
"As for the domestic losses... You gentlemen seem to have forgotten that the true power of my talent requires blood sacrifices and calamities as fuel."
"Tokyo has a population of over twenty million. They may be mediocre in the new era, but their lives, their fear, and their despair... will be the best offerings to help me ascend to godhood."
As his voice fell, the entire room went dead silent, and a chill surged up from everyone's feet.
They understood the undisguised yet hair-raising madness in the Emperor's words.
The reason the Emperor could become the Emperor of the Japan was because of his ruthlessness and decisiveness, his extreme self-interest. Any life, in his eyes, was nothing more than a stepping stone or an offering to ascend to godhood.
And the reason they believed the Emperor could lead their Japan to restart its past glory was precisely because of this; this kind of talent was born for conquering the world!
"For His Majesty the Emperor, for the future of the Japan, we will go through fire and water, and never hesitate even at the cost of ten thousand deaths!"
That general was the first to react, kneeling down fanatically, his head pressed tightly against the floor to show his loyalty.
"Through fire and water, never hesitating even at the cost of ten thousand deaths!"
The others woke as if from a dream and knelt one after another, their voices trembling, whether out of fear or infected by that mad ambition.
If they could truly keep all the experts from various countries here this time, then the Japan would become the world's hegemon in the truest sense in one fell swoop!
In the Emperor's vertical pupils, the reflection of these submissive subjects was mirrored, along with the lights of Tokyo outside the window—bright, yet about to welcome a blood-colored twilight... SP: The remaining two chapters will be posted tomorrow at noon. I haven't saved up enough drafts to update four chapters at once dT-Tb
I'm going to pinch you and suck two taels of your blood (▼ヘ▼#)