Chapter 75: Preparing for the upcoming battle
The sudden and violent tremor that swept through the global dungeon network sent shockwaves across the entire world of Ethereum.
Far beneath the oceans, within abyssal trenches that no explorer had ever reached, strange changes began to occur. In vast underground caverns hidden beneath continents, in ancient regions abandoned by civilization, and across forbidden territories where no human had ever set foot, the fabric of reality itself started to fracture. Space twisted and distorted as enormous dungeon gates emerged from nothingness, appearing without warning in places that had remained untouched for countless centuries.
Some of these newly formed dungeons radiated a pure white brilliance that illuminated their surroundings like miniature suns. Others glowed with a deep crimson light that resembled fresh blood. Vast quantities of mana poured from their interiors and flooded into the environment, transforming the areas around them at an alarming speed. The atmosphere grew heavy, and countless magical creatures instinctively retreated from the overwhelming pressure.
For a brief moment, it seemed as though the entire world stood on the verge of an unprecedented catastrophe.
Then everything stopped.
The violent tremors that had shaken the planet suddenly vanished. The newly manifested white and red dungeons remained standing, but their gates did not open. No monsters emerged from within. No torrents of magical energy erupted into the skies. The terrifying pressure that had gripped the world disappeared as quickly as it had arrived, leaving behind only an eerie silence.
Across the globe, governments, guilds, military organizations, and powerful individuals remained on high alert, waiting for the disaster that seemed certain to follow.
Yet nothing happened.
The mysterious dungeons simply stood motionless, like silent monuments whose purpose nobody could understand.
.....
Victor finally emerged from the depths of the ocean and stepped onto the surface world.
Fresh air greeted him as he arrived, carrying the familiar scents of earth and vegetation. After spending days beneath the sea, the open sky felt strangely distant. Diana walked beside him, her presence calm and steady.
Unlike most people, Victor paid little attention to the strange events occurring across the world.
His thoughts were focused elsewhere.
More specifically, he was thinking about the war.
The coming conflict with Atlantis was approaching rapidly, and every second had become valuable. He had already begun calculating how humanity could survive the disaster that was drawing closer with each passing day.
And he had his eyes on something which would provide him immense battle prowess.
The Sage Rank battle machines.
Under normal circumstances, these enormous mechanical constructs were difficult to operate efficiently. They required vast quantities of energy and highly trained teams capable of coordinating every aspect of their functions. Even then, their performance often fell short of expectations compared to powerful Sages.
However, Victor possessed an advantage that nobody else in the world could replicate.
He had access to infinite mana.
For him, the greatest weakness of the battle machines simply did not exist. A construct that would normally exhaust its power reserves after prolonged combat could continue operating indefinitely under his control. With limitless magical energy feeding its systems, a Sage Rank battle machine could become a tireless weapon capable of fighting without interruption.
The strategic value of such a force was immense.
After considering his plans for several moments, Victor turned toward Diana.
"Diana, go and test the spell," he said calmly. "I still have something important that I need to take care of."
She nodded without hesitation.
"I understand."
Without wasting additional time, she departed to search for a suitable location where the spell could be tested safely.
Victor watched her leave before shifting his attention toward his own task.
A moment later, he established contact with Arthur, the President of the Federation.
The information he possessed could no longer remain secret.
Humanity needed to prepare.
Shortly afterward, Victor arrived at Federation Hall.
The moment he entered the central administrative complex, Arthur approached him immediately. The president’s usually composed demeanor had vanished entirely. His face appeared pale, and tension was visible in every movement.
"Victor," Arthur said urgently. "Did you discover something?"
Victor met his gaze without revealing any emotion.
"We have less than ten days before war begins," he replied.
Arthur’s expression immediately stiffened.
Victor continued.
"They are preparing something extremely dangerous."
The seriousness in his voice was impossible to ignore.
Within minutes, emergency protocols were activated throughout Federation Hall. Messages were transmitted across secure communication channels, summoning the most influential figures within human civilization.
An emergency council session was called.
Less than an hour later, the high security conference chamber had become completely occupied.
The individuals gathered there represented the pinnacle of humanity’s strength.
Epic Rank powerhouses sat alongside legendary Sage Rank experts. Military commanders, national leaders, guild representatives, and veteran warriors filled the massive circular chamber. Any one of them possessed enough influence to alter the fate of entire regions.
Yet despite their collective power, an atmosphere of anxiety permeated the room.
Everyone understood that Victor would not have called such a meeting without an extraordinary reason.
Standing at the center of the chamber, Victor calmly explained everything.
He spoke about Atlantis.
He revealed information regarding the hidden civilization beneath the oceans.
He described their military preparations and outlined their intentions.
Most importantly, he explained that Atlantis intended to unleash a massive beast tide against the surface world.
As Victor spoke, the expressions around the room gradually became darker.
The threat alone was enough to alarm every individual present.
Then Victor delivered the final piece of information.
"And there is something else," he said.
The room became silent.
Victor’s eyes swept across the gathered leaders.
"Atlantis possesses thirty-five Sage Rank individuals."
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
The silence that followed was suffocating.
Every person in the chamber understood exactly what that number meant.
Thirty-five Sages.
It was not merely a military advantage.
It was overwhelming dominance.
Human civilization possessed only a fraction of that strength. Even when combining every Sage Rank expert from every nation, they would still be hopelessly outnumbered.
Many of the council members felt despair creeping into their hearts.
Arthur lowered his gaze.
His hands tightened against the edge of the table as he struggled to process the implications.
For the first time in many years, he genuinely could not see a path toward victory.
Slowly, he looked back at Victor.
"What should we do?" Arthur asked quietly.
The scene would have seemed unbelievable to an outsider.
A Sage Rank leader who governed humanity’s most powerful federation was openly seeking guidance from an Adept Rank mage.
Yet nobody questioned it.
No one objected.
Every gaze within the chamber shifted toward Victor.
At that moment, they all viewed him as humanity’s greatest hope.
Victor remained completely composed.
There was no fear in his expression.
No hesitation.
No uncertainty.
His calm confidence seemed almost unnatural considering the circumstances.
After allowing the silence to linger briefly, he finally spoke.
"Do not worry."
His voice carried clearly throughout the chamber.
"I will handle the situation."
The simple statement stunned many of those present.
Victor continued before anyone could respond.
"However, everyone must remain prepared. Mobilize your forces and be ready for battle at any moment."
The council members exchanged glances.
Although the situation remained dire, Victor’s confidence provided a measure of reassurance.
Then Victor produced a small data drive.
He slid it across the table toward Arthur.
"This contains complete operational information regarding Sage Rank battle machines," Victor explained. "It includes control procedures, combat protocols, and instructional recordings."
Arthur immediately took the device.
Victor’s expression remained serious.
"Create nine specialized operation teams."
The room became attentive once more.
"And prepare all available battle machines for deployment."
Arthur nodded.
Then Victor added one final instruction.
"I will personally take one of them."
Several people inhaled sharply.
If anyone could unlock the true potential of a Sage Rank battle machine, it would undoubtedly be Victor.
The meeting continued for some time as emergency preparations were finalized.
Military resources were mobilized.
Communication networks were expanded.
Strategic reserves were activated.
Human civilization entered a state of war readiness.
Seven hours later, Victor arrived at a classified military facility hidden deep within Federation territory.
Towering before him stood one of humanity’s most powerful weapons.
The Sage Rank battle machine.
Its enormous metallic frame rose high into the air like a giant guardian forged for warfare. Magical circuits glowed across its armored body while technicians completed final inspections around its massive structure.
Diana stood nearby, observing the preparations.
The atmosphere was solemn.
Both of them understood that the coming conflict would determine the future of countless lives.
Victor turned toward her.
"Diana, stay here," he said.
She listened carefully.
"The Federation will need leadership while I am away. They will not be able to handle everything alone."
Diana nodded slowly.
She understood the responsibility he was entrusting to her.
"I will take care of it."
Victor looked at her for a moment before continuing.
"Guide them properly."
A faint smile appeared on Diana’s face despite the tension surrounding them.
"Alright," she replied softly. "Just make sure you come back safely."
Victor gave a single nod.
There was no need for additional words.
The preparations for war had been completed.
The Federation had been warned.
The battle machines were being deployed.
Humanity’s forces were mobilizing.
Everything that could be prepared had already been prepared.
The final confrontation was approaching.
A moment later, space around Victor distorted violently.
Powerful spatial energy surged outward.
Then he vanished.
His military preparations were finished, but one final matter remained unresolved.
Before the world descended into chaos, before the skies filled with fire and bloodshed, and before countless lives were thrown into the furnace of war, Victor needed answers to a question that had lingered within his heart for a long time.
He needed to see his family.
More specifically, he needed to meet his mother and his sister.
No matter how powerful he had become, no matter how many enemies he had defeated, there were still emotions that could not be solved through strength alone.
The coming war might change everything.
It might even become the final Chapter of his life.
Before facing that uncertainty, Victor wanted to know exactly how the two of them truly felt.
Only after obtaining that answer would he be ready to confront the storm that was about to engulf the world.
