Chapter 355
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 355
Chapter Title: It's Not the Law of the Jungle
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The shattered state of the platform seemed to have restored their composure.
As if their earlier shouting had been a lie, the attendees didn't get worked up even after hearing Rose's words.
They simply raised their hands to request the floor and asked about what seemed suspicious.
"What do you mean Egypt is going to invade?"
"Exactly as I said. It means war will resume in as little as a few days or at most ten."
"How do you know that?"
"I found out through my personal intelligence network."
"Can you really prove Egypt is coming to invade?"
Rather than a Q&A, it felt more like a hearing with the barrage of questions, but Rose maintained her calm demeanor.
The one who actually blocked those questions wasn't Rose, but someone else.
"Enough with the stupid questions."
Without even raising her hand.
Half-slumped over the table.
She uttered just a single remark.
And with that alone, the other participants lowered their hands and shut their mouths.
Because she possessed more than enough power and influence to silence them all.
"The 'why' isn't what's important right now. So stop wasting time."
A woman with dark skin and a sleepy face.
The top figure in Africa currently leading Utopia Guild in place of the missing Summon Lord Branga.
Namim yawned.
And lifted her head.
"So, let me ask."
"......"
"Calling us all together to share this news means you have a plan, right, Outlaw of the East?"
The why didn't matter.
What mattered was how they would deal with it.
So, quit dragging this out and tell us the solution.
With that implication, Namim asked bluntly.
The other attendees silently agreed with her question.
Of course, no one wanted to oppose the Grand Duke leading Utopia Guild, even if it had weakened.
And everyone knew her words had pierced the heart of the matter.
"Of course, we have a countermeasure."
"Oh?"
"Yes. It's about reviving the plan prepared by the King of Paradise."
At that moment.
The participants stirred.
Now they understood why Rose had invited them.
And why the other invitees looked so familiar.
"You're talking about forming the Continental Alliance? Right here, right now?"
"That's right."
That answer only amplified the murmurs.
All those gathered here had attended Utopia Guild's banquet last time as well—the heads of military regimes.
So they were well aware of Branga's grand plan to unite all of Africa's military regimes against Egypt: the Continental Alliance.
'The Continental Alliance......'
'If Egypt really is preparing an invasion, it might be worth considering.'
A spark of hope bloomed in their anxious hearts.
They thought that if they pooled their strength, they could stand against Egypt, no matter what.
But Namim's follow-up words shattered that hope.
"If that's the countermeasure you prepared, I'm heading out. I don't want to fight a battle we're obviously going to lose."
"Are you saying even a Continental Alliance couldn't stop the Egyptian army?"
"Yeah. More precisely, I'm talking about Africa's tyrant."
Namim answered immediately.
And asked languidly, as if explaining was too much trouble.
"Outlaw of the East, you were at the banquet hall back then, so you saw her, right?"
"Yes."
"Then you know. She's not human."
Too busy commanding her guild members amid the chaos of the diversionary tactic, Namim hadn't witnessed the banquet hall fight herself.
But after cleaning up the scene.
Seeing the charred remains of the summoned beasts.
And hearing the eyewitness accounts.
She could declare it with certainty.
If a lord had transcended humanity into a superhuman, then Red Dragon Princess Hasneti was a monster.
Her power, which had taken down thousands of summoned beasts—Utopia Guild's very fighting force—along with Branga in one go, was that transcendent.
"If our guild were at full strength, maybe. But not like this."
If they'd known Hasneti had that kind of power.
And formed the Continental Alliance sooner, gathering all of Africa's high-level players including Branga and herself.
They might have been able to gauge their odds even against dragonized Hasneti.
But with Branga missing and summoned beasts wiped out, Utopia Guild's forces were less than half of half their original strength.
Objectively speaking, they were barely able to handle Hasneti's Red Dragon Clan subordinates and the Egyptian army, let alone her.
Which meant other military regimes would have to fill that gap in power...
"Just looking at who's here answers that, doesn't it?"
Namim glanced around.
And continued, eyeing the attendees—fewer than half of those at Utopia Guild's banquet.
"The recently famous 'Wanderer of the South' didn't come to our banquet, fine. But apart from me, no other Grand Duke-level players showed up."
To face Hasneti without Branga, they'd need a bunch of high-level players, especially Grand Dukes.
Numbers meant nothing against her flame abilities.
Especially dragonized Hasneti—even ten-plus Grand Dukes might not guarantee victory.
"And you want to take on the Egyptian army led by that tyrant with this lineup?"
The problem was that only Rose and Namim here were even close to Hasneti's level.
Namim had heard rumors of Rose, but having glimpsed a fragment of Hasneti's true power, she could say for sure.
"That would be suicide."
Everyone here...
No, all remaining military regimes in Africa combined couldn't beat Hasneti.
That was Namim's objective assessment as a Grand Duke-level player and Utopia Guild's vice master.
That was why.
Namim tilted her head at Rose's next words.
"You don't need to worry about that."
"No need to worry? About what?"
"About Hasneti."
As if she didn't grasp the meaning.
Rose calmly told the puzzled Namim.
"Because we military regimes can handle her with our own power."
And right after.
The conference room fell silent.
Not just Namim, who had been talking.
The other attendees stared at Rose with dumbfounded expressions, forgetting to even breathe for a moment.
"......That monster even our master couldn't handle—you're saying you'll stop her alone, Outlaw of the East?"
"Not alone. As I said, I'll get help from the others in our military regime."
"Isn't that the same thing......?"
Namim lost her composure.
The other participants, snapping out of it late, started murmuring noisily again.
Since most had witnessed that fight at the banquet, they knew just how absurd Rose's claim was.
Of course, they clamped their mouths shut again the moment Rose looked their way.
But Namim, with no reason to do so, said quietly.
"Outlaw of the East. You really think there are idiots out there who'd believe that bluff and ally with you against Egypt?"
"Even if there aren't, it doesn't matter."
"What?"
"Seems like there's a lot of misunderstanding, so let me make this clear."
Having just proposed a Continental Alliance.
Now saying they didn't need one.
Rose smiled faintly.
And continued in her usual gentle tone, laced with sternness.
"I'm not asking you to join the Continental Alliance."
"......?"
"If you choose to fight Egypt, I'm just offering to lend you my power."
"......!"
Eyes widening like bulging beads.
Mouths flapping open like carp.
She calmly notified the participants, who openly showed their bewilderment.
After all, they were the desperate ones, and she was in the position to choose whether to help or not.
"So choose. Win the fight against Egypt with my help, or slink away like beaten dogs."
"......Did you just call us beaten dogs?"
"Yes."
Even Namim, with her perpetual sleepy expression, glared at the provocative words.
But Rose remained composed.
She met Namim's gaze with serene eyes, then looked over the attendees one by one.
"I know this Africa is a continent of survival of the fittest. So I understand submitting to the strong."
Hasneti and the Egyptian army were undoubtedly strong.
Victory odds low, even if they won, the losses would be immense.
And the old Rose might have respected peaceful surrender over reckless war.
At least they'd suffer fewer victims that way.
"But choosing to become slaves without even fighting isn't survival of the fittest."
However, don't misunderstand.
Survival of the fittest doesn't mean unconditional submission.
Even herbivores flee with all their might when hunted, charge beasts to protect their young.
The weak have a duty to resist the strong—that's survival of the fittest.
But plundering and dominating the weak, then offering everything without resistance to the strong just to survive...
"That's the behavior of livestock."
"......!"
The moment they heard that.
Numerous attendees flushed red—whether from anger or shame.
Rose didn't bother distinguishing.
The result would be the same either way.
"......Outlaw of the East. You just made enemies of every military regime in Africa."
"It doesn't matter."
"Doesn't matter?"
"Yes. If you have the courage and pride to fight me, I'll welcome it anytime."
From a clan kinder than any other.
But as princess of the Blue Dragon Clan, who wouldn't hesitate to charge even a Sword Master to uphold their convictions.
Rose declared with an unusually deep smile.
After a moment of silence staring at her.
Namim nodded.
"Fine. I'll join that Continental Alliance too."
"What......!"
"Are you in your right mind? Tolerating this insult?!"
The attendees, expecting her to rage on their behalf, were stunned.
But Namim said languidly.
"If any of you wants to step up and block the tyrant instead of the Outlaw of the East, I'll reconsider."
"......"
"I can be a lazy lion, but I have no intention of becoming a groveling pet."
The attendees fell silent again.
No one could even bluff such an absurd claim.
So they had no choice but to realize.
If Egypt started war again, this was unavoidable, and as Rose said, they only had two choices.
Fight, prepared to die.
Or just surrender.
And Namim's choice—as one of Africa's representatives, lazy or not—forced them to grit their teeth.
"......Damn it!"
"Who said we'd surrender without fighting?!"
"We're warriors! Not livestock or pets!"
"Fine, Outlaw of the East! Prove your strength! But if you lose, you're done!"
As if they hadn't just been silent.
Watching the military heads leap up and bellow in fury, Rose wore a faint smile.
Now, preparations were complete.
Only one thing left.
—The decisive battle.