For thirty minutes, the Press Conference was paused, leaving everyone in an even higher state of alertness. More and more people who got wind of it started tuning in, and when it returned to streaming services and on live broadcast, split across three or four Sectors who got the memo, numbered in hundreds of thousands all waiting for Lilith to announce what she knew..

Now seated on the table were five people, Mirsha, Dhampy, Lilith, Sylva, and Ma-Po. With Lilith on the boosted chair, she looked around and found no sign of those who shouted at her, making demands, 'Now, that's more like it.'

The reporters' eyes transformed to that of amicable lambs, ready to listen to the sermon of the great Priestess and receive salvation.

"What is the Cataclysm Tier that the Priestess speaks of?"

Thus, the most moderated stream of questions began.

"A-ahem" Lilith cleared her throat as she calmed her nerves, "The Cataclysm-Tier…. is a being who managed to cross the borders of the Mythical. However, as the Mythical-Tier is already something beyond the Legend-Tier, that knows no limits, the range of a Cataclysm Daemon may possibly reach levels like 2500."

The room was filled with audible gasps. In human society, the strongest daemon that appeared was the Hydra.

It was a Mythical-Class Daemon at LVL 2453. It appeared on Stronghold 4, and it was said that only with the entire human race's collective effort did the beast fall.

No recorded history of the fight exists to corroborate this fact, and today, a big chunk of Stronghold 4 remained unlivable because of the potent poison and miasma left behind by the Hydra. In fact, Stronghold 4 became the Lawless Land that it was today because of this very incident.

Now, a daemon, who happened to be the most respected in the first-ever daemon society, who claims to have a connection to the Divine, just announced that there was something even stronger than a Mythical Daemon. It was too ridiculous to believe, but… very few doubted her.

"Does the Priestess know when the Cataclysm Daemon will appear?"

"If what I know is correct, then the Cataclysm-tier Daemon will awaken after a few weeks. We have not detected how long it would take to awaken. However, it will be in the period of two weeks to a month." Lilith answered.

Cerberus didn't confirm anything but, according to it, this Cataclysm would take at least two to four weeks before it opens its eyes.

From Cerberus' own words, 'If the Cataclysm is below average, no named deity, then it will be two weeks. If I were you, I'd pray for it to happen quickly because it might be one of the stronger ones. So, let's just run away an—'

Lilith didn't bother further listening to the words of the dog.

The Press Conference continued, and most of the questions she was given were nothing short of useless.

"Will the Priestess and her Village defeat the Cataclysm?"

"We may be lacking, but we will offer you our support."

"Does the Priestess have any information about what kind of Cataclysm will be? What kind of daemon will appear, and what kind of attribute it would possess?"

"I do not have the ability to see into the future."

"Will the Goddess offer her help?"

"All life came from the Goddess. Letting us live and guiding our souls is her assistance. Pray to her and you shall receive her protection and be given another chance to live in the next."

Of course, there was useless information still being given left and right. However, Lilith managed to answer them all without showing fear or annoyance.

The longer it lasted, the more she felt comfortable. Mostly because there were less people capturing her image. But Lilith nonetheless considered it her victory over public appearance.

The Press Conference finally reached its end, and Ma-Po announced that only one more question would be asked.

"Does the Priestess know where the Cataclysm-tier daemon is awakening? If so, isn't it better if we interfere with its awakening before it opens its eyes?"

A magnificent question that offered a possible solution. If they could kill it before the Cataclysm opens its eyes, then there wouldn't be a need to fight at all. Lives could be spared, and there would be no need for all the panic that appeared after Lilith made the announcement.

If they could ambush the Cataclysm Daemon, there would be no conflict.

Everyone present leaned in closer to hear Lilith's answer better; the viewers waited with bated breath until Lilith finally opened her mouth after considering their idea.

"We know not of its specific location, but we know where it could be. With everyone's help, we could find it in three days or less."

"Then—"

"But, killing the Cataclysm-Tier daemon this early will only result in our collective demise."

Everyone was silent after Lilith's serious response.

"What… do you mean Priestess?"

Being the crafty and petty strategist that was Lilith, of course, she already thought of killing the Cataclysm Daemon before it even awakened. She had millions of SP; she could buy the best bomb she could and nuke it to oblivion.

She even planned on using its death to boost every daemon under her to the peak of Epic-Tier… however, Cerberus explained the dangers of hunting such a being in this state.

But it was ill-advised to interfere with the Cataclysm's awakening. A Cataclysm-Tier Daemon was beyond Mythical-Tier; its strength was nothing short of terrifying, and its mana could power an entire world.

In its embryonic state, where it awaits its awakening, it gathers mana.

"Yes, it is vulnerable, but it is also very volatile in its current state. If the Cataclysm-Tier Daemon is unceremoniously slain as it gathers its strength, then its mana will suddenly contract in its core, become unstable, and then after some time, it will explode, becoming a bomb that might be powerful enough to introduce the world to its end."

The atmosphere dropped as despair started settling in.

The final question was asked, but a man shouted from the back of the room!

"Then, aren't we all doomed to die?"

"As we said, no more questions," stated Ma-Po in an attempt to shut the question down.

He was well aware that any more might prove harmful to Lilith and the people.

But Lilith motioned to let the man speak.

"Speak your mind," Lilith graciously allowed him to speak his mind.

"The daemons today are stronger, more varied, more intelligent. Daemons are improving while it is getting harder for Hunters to keep up. Skills are rarer, and across the world, we only have a handful of S Rankers, and even they would find it hard to fight Mythical-Tier daemons if we use the past as a reference, and now we have to face a Cataclysm-Tier daemon? We cannot ambush it while it's weak, or we die. We fight it, we die. Aren't we all doomed to die?"

The glaring truth had finally been said.

If Mythical-Tiers were already so strong that they are almost impossible to kill, then what would a Cataclysm-Tier do to the world?

This was the truth no one wanted to face, the reason why this became so big in the first place so quickly.

And it has been posted to Lilith.

A question that no one could possibly answer.

But Lilith just smiled before giving her a response.

"It's because we have the Goddess Letza. This world was supposed to be destroyed long before daemons arrived; only through Goddess Letza are we alive. Believe, and have faith, grit your teeth, and fight, do not give up for the Goddess Letza smiles upon those that scream for survival. She answers those whose will does not waver."

Her words were filled with mystique and divinity, as if she's telling the world they had always been protected by the benevolent Goddess Letza.

A part of them was relieved, and hope appeared. Both Sylva and Dhampy felt pride in their hearts knowing they served such a benevolent Goddess.

Especially Dhampoy who had learned how much Goddess Letza cherished life.

But, as for Lilith, there was a reason why he answered like so.

It was because she didn't know if they would actually survive this encounter.

'You little shits better pray and fill Letza's ego because if we can't have her provide us a Deus ex Machina, then we're all fucking dead.'

In short, her message was simple.

Shut up and pray for the best.

Vol. 2 End.