Inside the command hall, the air seemed to have frozen.
Allen had never seen such a scene. Seven or eight Official Wizards with profound auras stood solemnly around his mentor, Mercer, and every face was etched with gravity.
Normally, they were the masters of their respective zones or departments, yet now they stood like students, quietly awaiting orders.
On the holographic sand table, the blue areas that once represented order and safety were being overrun and corroded by vast, glaring patches of red.
Those red dots flickered wildly like a prairie fire, merging into a single mass and heralding a catastrophe that threatened to engulf the entire territory.
"The situation is dire."
Mercer's voice was low, causing everyone present to tense up.
He pointed to the largest red area on the sand table. "The scale of this Magical Beast tide is equal to the last three years combined. And their targets are clear: our mines, workshops, and energy nodes."
