The King wasted no time, directly addressing the room.
"Alright, I'm sure everyone must be wondering about the authenticity of the message."
"Of course, otherwise why would we be here?" the Elf King said impatiently.
"Then I'll be blunt—what we're facing this time isn't from Utopia. It's not a meteorite or a cosmic wave but a creature born from nothing, and it's approaching while we sit here."
"What are you talking about?"
"Right now?"
"If that's the case, aren't we wasting our time?"
The room erupted in chaos, servants voicing their concerns in panic. The King observed them, unimpressed. At least the leaders aren't panicking… except for the Mermaid Queen.
Before he could speak, a wave of magic swept through the chamber, stilling the unrest.
"This is..." Everyone shared the same thought.
"Calm down," a reassuring voice rang out.
The Spirit Queen had cast a spell to regulate the atmosphere.
"Thank you for your help," the King acknowledged.
"It's nothing," she replied with a smile.
With order restored, the King signaled his servants, who distributed documents to the gathered leaders. The moment their eyes landed on the image within, discomfort spread across their faces.
There it was—the creature that had caused such turmoil. The Star Eater.
Its grotesque form, the suffocating aura it emitted, and—worst of all—its eyes, empty and soulless. Even through a mere image, the sight of it made some shiver, their stomachs twisting.
"This thing is beyond my imagination..."
"Its eyes… so hollow."
"So this is our enemy? How interesting."
Expressions varied—fear, anxiety, even twisted excitement.
The Dwarf King's steady voice cut through the murmurs. "So? Are we just going to look at it for fun?"
All eyes turned to the King, waiting for his response.
"As you've seen, this creature is no simple threat." He turned to the documents, which outlined three key points.
"First—its body. Based on our observatory's data, its size is roughly one-third that of one of Utopia's three moons. A direct collision would be catastrophic."
"Second—its ability: Space Warping. It distorts the space around it as it moves, making its trajectory nearly impossible to predict or counter."
"Third—and most dangerous—its eyes." His voice grew heavy.
The eyes covering its body were responsible for the observatory's tragedy. Anyone who looked directly at them, even through a screen, fell into madness.
"But as you've already experienced, even a picture is enough to unsettle you." The King swept his gaze over the room. "Have you wondered what it would be like to see it directly?"
A thick silence settled. No one dared to imagine.
Finally, someone spoke.
"What ability do those eyes possess? How can they drive a person insane?"
The King turned to the questioner, then gave a subtle signal. "This answer… should come from someone who experienced it firsthand."
A surviving astronomer stepped forward, barely able to stand. His body bore deep scars—marks left by his own colleagues in their madness. His eyes were hollow, his face that of a man who had seen hell.
"Honorable leaders...I, like my fallen comrades, am grateful for this audience." he rasped.
The Dwarf King cut in. "Spare us the formalities. Time is short."
The astronomer nodded, taking a shaky breath.
"When we look into its eyes… our minds are no longer in the observatory."
He described a nightmare—an abyss of thick, black liquid swallowing his feet, an endless void stretching beyond sight. Shadows emerged, whispering, cursing in incomprehensible tongues. The experience was neither dream nor reality; it was something worse.
"There are two possible outcomes," he continued.
"The first—survival. If you endure or overcome the torment, you escape. And when you wake… not even a second has passed in the real world."
"The second…" His voice wavered.
Everyone already knew.
Those who failed never returned. Their bodies remained, but their minds were lost—reduced to mindless, gibbering husks.
A murmur spread among the leaders, some relieved that strong wills could resist. But the horrifying truth remained—most ordinary people wouldn't stand a chance.
The King anticipated their concerns.
"I understand your fears. That's why our mages have devised a barrier to distort the creature's vision, preventing it from seeing its true form."
But shielding all of Utopia was impossible. The best course of action would be to fortify the major kingdoms and gather the people when the time came.
Additionally, the King proposed an array of anti-air defenses—artillery, magic missiles, and spatial warping techniques—to counterattack should the illusion spells fail.
The method was untested, but with so little information, it was their best option.
Before he could elaborate, a hesitant voice spoke:
"How much time do we have?"
The King's gaze sharpened. His next words struck like a blade.
"Five years… or less."
A suffocating silence.
"Five years?"
"That's not enough."
"This is divine punishment…"
Panic spread among the servants. The leaders watched them with troubled expressions.
They're scholars, not warriors, they reminded themselves.
But then they noticed the Mermaid Queen, struggling to keep calm. Even she was shaken.
And then—
"Why not build a spaceship and escape?" A trembling voice rose from the back. The speaker, a servant, smiled desperately. "Why stay in Utopia? If we all die, what's the point?"
The leaders' eyes darkened. Those who had lived through the Dark Ages glared at the coward as if he were vermin.
Then—BOOM.
A thunderous roar shook the room.
The Dragon King had slammed his fist onto his chair, shattering it. His golden eyes burned with fury. Rising to his full height, his sheer presence alone was suffocating.
"Enough."
The room fell silent, trembling under his gaze. He turned his piercing glare toward the coward.
"You live in peace and dare to speak of running?" His voice was like rolling thunder.
The servant collapsed, unable to withstand the pressure.
The Dragon King sneered. "You think abandoning Utopia will save you? A creature that devours stars—do you believe it would let you run?" His voice dripped with contempt. "No. If we flee, we will die like prey—hunted down, one by one, without resistance."
His words struck deep.
"If you fear death, then fight. Prove that Utopia is worth saving. That our ancestors did not build this world just for it to fall to a mindless beast."
A silence followed, heavy but charged with something new.
The King seized the moment.
"If you wish to flee, do so. We won't stop you. But if you wish to fight—we will be your sword and shield. This creature may see us as nothing… but we refuse to let it decide our fate."
The words ignited something.
Fear twisted into defiance. A roar of determination erupted from the room.
Even the frightened servants found themselves swept up in the wave of resolve.
The leaders exchanged glances. They had survived war and darkness before. They would do so again.
Amidst the noise, the Dragon King met the King's gaze. A knowing smile passed between them—one ruler to another. The King had played his hand masterfully.
But then, the King expression darkened. His eyes narrowed, heavy with thought.
Finally, he spoke.
"I don't wish to dampen this moment… but there is something we must discuss."
The room grew serious.
"If we are to fight, we need weapons." His voice carried weight.
A pause.
The king let the question hang in the air as if searching for an answer from the others.
Then, at last—
"Now, I will tell you everything. Not just a plan… but our only hope of survival."
He exhaled.
"Project Abyssal Breaker."
The King of Atlantis addressed the gathered rulers with unwavering resolve. He explained that the Abyssal Breaker Project was their best chance at countering the Star Eater—a weapon system designed specifically to intercept and destroy the cosmic horror.
"But there is a problem," the King emphasized. "Our knowledge of the Star Eater is dangerously limited."
The best they could do was formulate a plan using what little information was available, relying on both scientific advancements and desperate measures.
Step 1: Observatories and Illusionary Magic
The first step was to upgrade their observatories, turning them into testing grounds for a new form of illusionary magic—one designed to distort perception and improve their ability to track the Star Eater.
"But there is a problem with this, as everyone should understand," the King continued.
The leaders nodded grimly.
To truly understand this creature, they would have to expose themselves to its gaze.
Even with precautions, madness was inevitable.
The King turned to the Mermaid Queen.
"Since the Mermaids possess the power to heal and soothe the mind, I entrust this task to you—to ensure that our observers are treated before madness completely consumes them."
A heavy silence followed.
It was an extremely dangerous role. If even one person succumbed before receiving treatment, the consequences could be catastrophic.
Yet, instead of fear, the Mermaid Queen smiled.
"For the safety of Utopia, my people and I will gladly make this sacrifice."
The King nodded.
"Very well. Then let us proceed to the next step."
Step 2: Space-Breaking Defense Line
To counter the Star Eater's ability to bend space, they needed to deploy a network of satellites, each equipped with devices that emitted space-breaking waves.
"These waves will prevent the creature from distorting reality too easily, making it more vulnerable to attack."
The King turned to the Deep Sea King.
"Your people possess sound-based magic that could greatly aid our research on spatial waves. Will you assist us?"
Without hesitation, the Deep Sea King nodded.
"Good."
Step 3: Magic Missile System
The next line of defense consisted of launching large-scale magic missiles, designed for instantaneous acceleration to strike the Star Eater before it could react.
On impact, the missiles would link together, forming a powerful gravity field to restrict its movement.
A voice from the council interrupted.
"Why just restrict its movement? Why not launch the missiles first and use them as a permanent jamming field?"
The King sighed.
"Our technology can barely contain it. We are already pushing our limits just to make this system work."
Another council member raised a concern.
"But the reports mention something about actual magic stones inside the missiles. What exactly will they do?"
The King explained.
"Once the gravity field is established, the missiles will deploy smaller warheads containing enchanted magic stones—each engraved with highly lethal spells. These stones will continue bombarding the Star Eater, slowing it down even further."
He turned to the Elf King and the Underground King.
"This will require a massive quantity of magic stones and intricate spell engravings. Your kingdoms are best suited for this task."
The two leaders exchanged glances, then nodded in unison.
Final Step: Abyssal Breaker Cannon
The King's voice grew heavy.
At last, he revealed the core of the project—the weapon designed to deliver a fatal blow to the Star Eater.
Abyssal Breaker.