A month after Kingdom of Shyaraya's full retreat, the news that they ran away from the battlefield against the horde had spread to all the corner of humanity's territories.

Of course, at first the other nations thought that Shyaraya was just having an excuse to launch an attack to the others with this maneuver, but once the news had been validated, that Shyaraya really did a full-retreat or on this case an exodus, the other nations felt more dread than if Shyaraya decided to dominate the world.

Every leader of each nations thought only one thing. What made the mighty Shyaraya did a hasty retreat, leaving the land they were developing for hundreds of years behind?

So, the kings and emperor of all the humanoid races, agreed to have an international conference to inquire Shyaraya's side the exact situation one month later.

On the conference day, at Kalim's Imperial Capital, Ahntan.

Every emissaries from each nations have arrived at the Conference Hall made solely for such occasions between nations.

Their escorts being left behind in the field surrounding the Conference Hall Building which was a big as an American Football's field, stood in formation, all eyes on the building.

The only ones allowed to come inside were only the emissaries and four to five aides. With one of them as the guard, usually the strongest of the nation acted as the guard.

The Interior of the Conference Hall was in circle-shape, but the seating was shaped like a horseshoe. Because of such shape, every emissaries could see each other's faces clearly. 

The hall used for this conference this time wasn't big, it's only as big as a tribunal on Earth. Because the participants weren't exactly all the leaders for every humanoid nations, but only those whose territories near the great mountain range.

There were only nine leaders present.

The host, Emperor Majh De Kalim, Emperor of Kalim of the human race. His figure reminiscent the King of Heart in poker game. He brought with him five people. His seat was in the middle, there were four more seats on his left and right site. His seat was facing the hall's entrance. 

There's no rank in the seating order, for in this hall, every leaders were equal. The host received special seat because his job is to moderate the conference.

On Emperor Majh's right side, seated King Bisto of the Beast Kingdom Jafri. He was of the Bear race. Currently in his humanoid form, his fur was like a mantle. Unlike what people who only heard about him thought, his body was lean instead of bulky. He was like Son Goku's super Saiyan 4.

While on his left, seated the Queen Phantasma of Elves Queendom, Havenheim. Her fair visage as if she was a moon goddess, always made everyone in awe. Legend always said that the queen of the elves were ever so wise, ever so fair. But in fact, it was only a legend. In actuality, just like with other leaders, the queen of elves has many sides to her instead of the always wise, dignified, and all knowing.

On the right of King Bisto, seated a short yet stout man. The Dwarf King of Laphind, Pheendu. If not because he was stout, he'd be mistaken for a hobbit, mainly due to this king having no beard which was the trademark of the dwarves.

On Queen Phantasm's left side, seated the Warrior Princess of the Kulta Kingdom. Her name was Xena, who substituted her father, King Zues, who was currently sick. She might be pale in comparison to Phantasma on her left in regards to beauty, but Xena herself was a beautiful woman on her 20s. She has yet to marry, because the Kulta Kingdom's custom dictate that only those stronger than the princess could marry her. Even now, no warriors managed to beat her.

On Pheendu's right side seated The Grand Caster, Gandu from the Magic City Felleto. He was the second oldest in this hall, at 239 years old despite being human. All though he was not a king, due to his achievements in progressing magic among other things, he was given a territory which he was using to build a Magic City where everyone could learn magic or does research. He was the Principal Leader of Magic City. He was originally citizen of Shyaraya, or more like, he was one of the founders. Gandu's role was to guide all who are learning magic to use the magic for better purpose. Meaning, if there was ever magic for the sake of evil, he would erase its traces.

There's Voce, Leader of the Merchant City Guja, on the left of Xena. The Merchant City was built as the hub that connected Shyaraya's Kingdom and the rest. Even though Guja were called a city, its size was bigger than Ahntan. The city had no army, just guards. But if someone date to attack this city, armies from all over would come to hunt the attacker. Guja was the center of world economy.

On the right of Gandu seated the young king of Zido Kingdom, Mali Kez Zido. Due to the passing of the previous king in battle, Mali took over the throne only at the age of 18.

Lastly, the King of Sharaya, King Arexé Shyaraya seated on the last spot. He was a man that looks like a leader of a warrior bands instead of a king, but the aura he bore said that he's indeed the King of Shyaraya. Strongest Man on the kingdom, both in Warrior Skills and Mage Skills.

If one were to compared King Arexé's might with the person in this hall, then it would be that he could only be beaten by both Gandu and Phantasma, or by Xena and either Gandu or Phantasma.

If he wished to, he could even defeat every single soldier who were currently waiting on the field.

That's why, for such a king, such a nation to go on an exodus to their second capital fortress, The Yggdrasil who was floating and unmoving on the sky above the Capital of Shyaraya, was weird. What dire situation warrant such behaviour?

When Emperor Majh reckoned that every participant had seated, he began the conference.

"Greetings, to you honourable leader of each of their own nations"

Everyone nodded.

"We have gathered today for the sake of clarifying matters which might put our well-being in jeopardy"

Emperor Majh then continued,

"Two months prior, we have received news hailing from Shyaraya that a horde of black creatures, numbered in the millions came attacking them"

The other seven leaders, excluding King Arexé, nod in affirmative indicating that they were indeed receiving such news.

"Although we have heard that such calamity have gone from the vicinity of Capital Shyaraya soon after it was reported, we received another report that there were traces of uncountable footmarks on the vicinity. Thus, we judged that the information is true"

Emperor Majh recounted the informations so far.

"We have also received that there was a humanoid in a black robe, different from the rest of the horde, who bore an aura of death that it would even make the brave Shyaraya's soldiers decided to retreat right away after they realized its presence"

"Is there something amiss within this information?"

Asked Emperor Majh to King Arexé.

King Arexé nodded, and sent one of his aide in this occasion, which was Laran Page, to explain to the whole audience.

Laran headed to the middle of the hall, surrounded by the leaders gazes. But it didn't make Lara Page nervous.

"Permission to speak, Your Majesty"

Emperor Majh nodded.

"As have everyone has surmised, such information is accurate. But it's not the whole information"

Everyone looked at Laran with serious expression on their faces.

"The incidence begun when my company was patrolling on the border and met with a pack of Giant Wolves"

Here, everyone felt amaze that fighting and defeating a pack of those calamity wolves were something ordinary for soldiers in Shyaraya.

"As every honourable ones here knew, Giant Wolves are smart and cunning monsters who had never once fought enemies they could not certainly beat, thus they never attacked before they knew the could win"

King Bisto smiled wryly, he remembered the time when he was young and met a stray Giant Wolf by chance, and it was very hard to defeat it when it knew it could have won against him.

"But, when we were on patrol, the wolves we fought lacks coordination between their kin in their own pack. It was as if they were fleeing for their life, away from Himaseru"

Phantasma, Queen of Elves whose territories were the great forest near the sole of Himaseru and the great plain, was frowning.

"As the leader of my company, such behaviour from the Wolves put me in unease. Then I requested First Captain Ber Al to send an expedition to investigate the cause"

"We were heading towards the sole of the Himaseru, but after a few hours of journey, the expedition stopped to rest. While the scouts from the 9th company went to scout ahead. I and two others from my company requested to follow along as their guards"

"We were running at top speed before the scout leader asked us to stop because he saw something moving on the horizon"

"The scout leader then realized that it was horde of millions of monsters, thuse ordered for a full retreat"

"The horde was running at a tremendously fast speed"

"Thankfully, once they have entered our border, most of the civilians had evacuated, and only my company was outside the capital"

"From a hundred soldiers, only thirty managed to safely entered the Capital. Then they savagely barged on the capital gate, the walls, while disregarding the join magical attacks from every single mages. But, not even one of those creatures looked injured, they only got blasted off"

The severity of the situation that everyone just heard made them frown. Magical Attacks from Shyaraya's Mages did nothing?

"And, even before that, the soldiers who sacrificed themselves to halt those monsters could only be their food. I saw them with the corner of my eyes that even physical attacks didn't work"

Laran finished his explanation, he returned to his king.

"May I ask a question, how do they look like?"

Asked Phantasma.

"Laran, answer"

"Yes, my king. They looked like demon mentioned in the holy books. Black body, huge in size, long fangs like an orc's. Each of their body looks like very well-trained warriors"

The young king raised his hand.

"Then such creature had also appeared near our territory"

At the young King Mali's word, everyone widened their eyes. Although the young king's nations, Zido Kingdom was also near Himaseru, but it was still the furthest away among the territories of other leaders in this hall.

"In fact, the monster who killed my late father might also be their kind"

Continued Zido's King.

"Please elaborate, King Mali"

Said Emperor Majh, urging.

"My father was hunting in the forest for sport along with his escorts. This forest has always been known only housing animals, not monsters, but in the middle of the hunting, my father got ambushed and fell from his horse. The escorts couldn't do anything, and said one of the survivor who received mortal injury, they were all dead. The survivor died soon after from his injury. Then, I ordered a hundred men to hunt this monster. Only for them unable to killed them after losing twenty people. But they have managed to enclosed the monster inside an earth's some with magic. Even then, the monster kept barging on the wall, thus the dome needed to be strengthened again and again"

".....and there's millions of them"

King Arexé said, to highlight how dire the situation was.

"................"

Everyone went silent for a moment.

"How can we deal with the situation?"

Asked the dwarf king, Pheendu.

"We need to find a way to kill them"

Said Xena.

"Indeed, but if we can't find a way before millions of them come trampling us, that would be vain endeavour"

Continued Phantasma.

"I have a suggestion"

The calm, and yet heavy tone of King Arexé drew the gaze of other attendees.

"Although Shyaraya has already have one safe place, it is actually cut off and could not be entered using something else than a teleport circle"

Everyone nodded. Yggdrasil, was made above the cloud, using the root of the sky tree which grew out from dimensional rift as the base of the land.

"Make underground shelters underneath every territories, enough to shelter each citizens. And each shelter is connected to other shelter within the country"

"Fumu...it would certainly need so much budget..."

Said Emperor Majh, despite his Empire had the most national budgets than the rest.

"Yes, if each kingdom do it by themselves, it would requires enormous sum"

"You suggest that we work together?"

King Bisto with sarcastic tone, responded.

"Because if we don't, there might not even be enough time to complete the shelter before they attack. I thought they came from Himaseru, but one of them is at Zido? There might not be any safe place soon"

King Arexé looked straight to King Bisto's eyes.

"Yggdrasil might be safe for now, but even if it is, I can't guarantee that even us could live in Yggdrasil forever. The land there is infertile, because its fertility was being sucked out by the Sky Tree. We need to make underground shelters, and walled our important parts of the territories such as the farm and the like. Shyaraya would provide our train for fast transportation between the shelters, the magic city's wizard along with those who hailed from other places would help to make an underground tunnels with their magic, while the dwarves strengthen the tunnels, the elf strengthen the wall even more with magic barrier. The merchant would look for necessary materials with a reasonable price and manage the distribution to places that need them, while the beastmen who has the sharpest instinct would guard the materials in the way of distribution. Besides that, everyone need to help with things that need a help. The fund would be handled by every nations"

"Hmm...that would be hard..."

Said the Merchant, Voce.

"No nations would be willing to give a part of their national budget to strengthen other nations' defense, not to mention imparting their techniques"

Listening to Voce's words, everyone excluding King Arexé murmured "indeed".

"I see. If we don't cooperate, we'd be doom either way. I guess it's better for me to subjugate everyone here and attacked every nations until I rule them all"

King Arexé was letting out his killing intent which made everyone, aside of Emperor Majh, in the room flinched. Xena was about to pulled out her sword but Phantasma managed to hold Xena's hand which would be used to draw her sword.

King Arexé's killing intent was so potent that it felt like gravity was pulling everyone to the ground. Only Emperor Majh still put out a calm expression.

Laran Page who felt that it would be bad if this were to continue, urged his liege.

"My Liege! Please calm your temper!"

Laran then walked in the middle of the room, and kneeled.

"I beg your pardon for our rudeness..."

Laran continued kneeling on the floor and bowed his head until his forehead touched the floor.

"Our king is not a man of words. I beg everyone to understand that our king only wish for the continued survival of everyone!"

Looking at Laran's sincerity, Emperor Majh asked him to stand.

"Umu. We shall forget your king's unbecoming behaviour. Is anyone disagree?"

No one voiced out disagreement.

Emperor Majh looked at Laran and noticed that he got something more to say, thus he let him speak.

"Our Kingdom of Shyaraya is willing to relinquish the surplus of foods to realized this endeavour besides offering our magic train technology. As my king have said, we need to walled off our important key points, mainly those that would help our continued survival, because we believe that if we don't unite our mights, we would perish!"

Although, the high councils of Shyaraya proudly believed that Shyaraya would be able to brace this calamity longer than any other nations, they're not foolish enough to think that Shyaraya could survive until the calamity comes to passed.

Thus Shyaraya needed the help of other nations despite all the disadvantages.

"We would be the spearhead for fighting those demons, and as you know most of the citizens of Shyaraya are combatant. We would send our full force to safe as many as possible. We're waging our own nations, for the sake of every sentient beings survival. Please! We beg you to agree to the plan we proposed!"

"....................."

Everyone went silence when they saw Laran's desperate plea.

"Heh! Representing the beast race, I agree to participate on that plan! Because it'd be boring if there's no one alive that we could equally fight with!"

Said King Bisto with menacing smile on his face.

Following King Bisto, everyone also agreed 

"Fumu. Now that everyone present has agreed, the meeting is adjourned. The details of the plan would be discussed in the following day"

Everyone stood up and bowed their head slightly. It's a tradition in the International Conference Hall. It's indicating that everyone, so long as they're in this room, were equal.

Thus, everyone went back to the temporary HQs prepared for each nations' emissaries.

While the escorts soldiers on the field were permitted to built tents for them to sleep.