Beyond the Apocalypse
Chapter 420: The condition of the continents (III)

Chapter 420: The condition of the continents (III)

Freya, Jormungandr, Grand Marshal Anglius, King Viserin, and all the others in the room could not help but adopt solemn expressions as they heard the question from the Xaos King.

The attack upon the Caraban Country must have started a long time ago. It should not have been easy for the Leviathans to make their way to the edge of the Asani Continent without crossing the Molten Range.

This time, the A.I. Chip did not answer instantly. Overlord seemed to pause, perhaps calculating the best way to present the information. He understood that for the Xaos King, all human lives were valuable; they could not be simply exchanged as chess pieces in a grand game of strategy.

Finally, Overlord’s voice broke the silence. "Our forces secured the western border of the Xaos Kingdom four weeks ago," he began, his tone devoid of emotion. "I sent preliminary units of Sentinels to advance on their own. They were only able to send back information regarding seismic patterns and noise frequencies. I used that data and compared it with the ones in the database and figured out the presence of aerial units and the movement of Elite Leviathans in the Caraban Country two weeks ago."

The room remained silent as his words sank in. The voice of the A.I. Chip clone was calm and collected, with no fluctuation or hesitation. It was clear that Overlord felt no need to display emotion.

Yet, the people in the room all looked at the orb with shock and complicated expressions. Two weeks might be a small window of time, but their strongest forces could have covered that impossible distance if they had moved toward the Caraban Country at full speed. Even if they could not have stopped the massacre, they could have saved hundreds of thousands of lives, maybe even millions. The realization that they had been unaware of the unfolding tragedy was a heavy burden to bear.

Vlad clenched his fists, his eyes burning with mounting rage as he stared at the metallic orb. His energy surged inside his body, the Depravita Aura intensifying to the point that the very mountain began to tremble beneath their feet.

"Once more, you play tricks with me!" Vlad’s voice thundered, echoing off the walls of the tent.

Jormungandr, Freya, and the rest of the people in the room immediately took a step back, instinctively distancing themselves from the epicenter of his wrath. They could feel the burning anger emanating from the Depravita of Wrath, a force that was both awe-inspiring and terrifying. All of them remained silent, not daring to interfere in the exchange between Vlad and Overlord.

The metallic orb rotated slightly, its sensors focusing on Vlad. Overlord’s voice echoed once more, unwavering and unflinching. "My goal is to ensure the survival of the Xaos Civilization," he stated plainly. "Prime Master wants to save the world, so I adapt to that goal and expand my directives so my protection protocols extend to the Turkin Kingdom and any ally in battle."

Overlord’s voice carried a tone of determination that seemed to emanate from its core. There was a cold, clinical logic to his words, devoid of empathy but irrefutably rational.

"Had I informed you about the attack on the Caraban Country," Overlord continued, "the idea might have arisen to speed up the confrontation with the Leviathan swarm in order to direct our troops to the west. We would have sacrificed our strategic position and endangered our forces just for the chance to save, at most, a few hundred thousand people. I could not allow such irrational trains of thought to arise in our forces when they were in the midst of war. Everybody needed to focus on the battle they were engaged in and nothing more."

Overlord’s words were charged with flawless logic that made the Depravita of Wrath tremble. Vlad’s power had risen to the point he could fly across the sky and level mountains with his might, but he was once more reminded of his limitations. The cold rationality of Overlord’s calculations contrasted sharply with the fiery passion of his own convictions.

He clenched his fists until his nails dug into his palms, drawing blood. Crimson droplets fell to the ground, sizzling as they touched the heated earth. Waves of frustration and impotence assaulted him, his rage growing more powerful by the second. The air around him crackled with energy, and the light in the room dimmed as shadows lengthened.

Suddenly, he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. Vlad turned to the side and saw Freya glancing at him with a sad smile. The Viking princess’s eyes were filled with understanding and empathy.

She understood the rage and impotence assaulting the young man. He carried the weight of the world on his shoulders, and even if the people of Caraban Country were not his own, he felt a profound sense of responsibility. Knowing they were all sacrificed so they could focus on this clash was not something easy to accept.

She took a deep breath, glancing at the orb before speaking in a solemn voice. "I hate how Overlord values life as mere numerical factors," she admitted, her gaze steady. "But it was the right choice."

Despite everything and her personal feelings, Freya had to admit that Overlord’s decision was strategically sound. If she had known that there were millions of people in danger, she might have made the mistake of speeding up the clash, acting on emotion rather than reason. It would have been a mistake—irrational and potentially disastrous—but she was not a monster, and could not simply turn a blind eye to millions of children perishing.

"In the end," she continued, her voice gentle yet firm, "no matter how much we are enraged, we must admit that we are relieved we did not have to make that decision ourselves. Overlord allowed us to avoid the dilemma."

Jormungandr stepped forward, his feline eyes reflecting a thoughtful light. "Overlord’s logic is cold, but it’s designed to prioritize the greater good," he said quietly. "We must focus on what we can control."

Grand Marshal Anglius nodded slowly. "Our mission is to protect as many as we can," he added. "Sometimes that means making difficult choices."

King Viserin sighed heavily. "The Leviathans are relentless," he murmured. "We cannot afford to be divided in our efforts."

Vlad’s tense posture began to relax slightly. The flames in his eyes dimmed to embers as he absorbed their words. He knew they were right, but the acceptance did little to ease the pain and sense of impotence.