The Martial Unity

Chapter 2957: Running Out of Time

With her vital warnings and forecasts of the future and particularly risks and dangers associated with the Kandrian Empire, the entire world had come to look for her in these tumultuous times.

”Rather than potentially misquote and misrepresent her crucial information, she will be partaking in our meeting to enlighten us of what has happened and what is to come.”

The Emperor of Harmony waved his hand.

BZZZT

A projection of a short, thin, green-haired woman appeared at the other end of the table. She donned thick round spectacles and a lab coat that loosely fit atop a strangely organic cloth made from leaves and a variety of other strange flora-derived parts.

It was an odd sight, but one that not a single person batted an eye to.

”Leaders of humanity,” she began with a composed tone. ”We meet again. This time, I am, as the Emperor of Harmony has put it, here to enlighten you of recent happenings and what you can expect from the future. Allow me to begin by disclosing this particular graph to all of you.”

With a simple gesture, the projector projected a two-dimensional graph. The x-axis represented time while the y-axis represented a fluctuating read of some sort with a prominent and sustained spike in the middle.

”This graph represents metabolic activity in a selected sample of trees and other vegetation carefully selected across the entire continent,” she explained. ”We have installed special sensors, developed by Esocline Federation…”

She directed an acknowledging nod to its Vice-President. ”And have used them to monitor the metabolic activity of the recently expanded forests of the esoterified territory of human civilization. And this jump in readings…”

She pointed at the start of the spike in the readings. ”Coincides about an hour before the beast ambush began, and the ending of this jump in activity coincides exactly around the estimated time period of the ambush emerging from within esoterified territory.”

The air tingled with a chilling tension as an eerie realization dawned on all of them. ”…The flora and vegetation are in on all of this?” the appointed pope of the Virodhabhasa Theocracy asked with a stunned whisper.

The Ecologer nodded. ”Specifically, I have identified that the jumps in metabolic activity occurred in regions that are known to correlate with the sensory isolation feature of the Beast Domain. I have confirmed this corroboration with the Divine Doctor, who has further pointed out that these jumps in activity are specifically correlated to the sensory isolation of RADAR surveillance technology.”

The leaders of humanity felt goosebumps crawling across their skin as they understood what the Ecologer was conveying.

”…Based on this, we can safely conclude that the reason that the ambush caught all Sage-level nations off-guard was thanks to the sensory sabotage provided by the vegetation of the esoterified humanity,” she remarked. ”They have managed to coordinate with the frenzied beasts and time the ambush their attack such that it would evade the surveillance measures of all the Sage-level powerhouses for just long enough to ensure that they could launch a devastating attack on human territory and cause massive harm to human beings.”

This revelation bore heavily on all of them as they realized that their enemies extended far beyond just the beasts and monsters ravaging human territory. The fact that most of the continent was now actively hostile towards human territory beyond just the beasts that occupied them was a terrifying realization.

”Based on this and other data, my research has revealed that, among the species of the flora that exists in the recently esoterified species, there must be one that is sentient and intelligent, hostile towards humanity, and is able to communicate to all vegetative species across the entire continent most likely through the underground root network,” she explained. ”One that can exert some degree of control over all flora to coordinate such a wide-scale ambush on human territory. Thankfully, the Divine Doctor has managed to identify a species that fits these conditions. According to him…”

She waved her hand, featuring a large tree with a myriad of different exotic colors across its leaves that stood tall and massive, encapsulated in a barrier of space and time.

Emperor Raelʼs eyes widened with shock.

”The Elder Tree…!”

The Ecologer didnʼt seem surprised that the Emperor of Harmony was aware of the Elder Tree species. ”Indeed. The Elder Tree species, one catalogued by the Divine Doctor himself, fits these conditions. According to the Divine Doctor, there exists one specimen of the Elder Tree species in the depths of the Beast Domain, but we have both concluded that another younger specimen, perhaps an offspring of the former, has been completely affected by the influence of the Beast That Roared.”

Emperor Raelʼs expression darkened tremendously.

”This is bad. Really, really bad. If an elder tree is an enemy of ours, then we no longer have any intelligence advantage,” his tone was severe. ”The advantage that we had with the Beggarʼs Sect is also negated. They will be able to leverage their numbers to a much greater degree than ever before.”

The full gravity of the situation that they were in weighed heavily upon all the leaders of human civilization. Before, they had a strategic coordination advantage while the beasts and monsters were simply frenzied. However, with a young elder tree specimen conducting rather sophisticated offensive campaigns against human civilization, its effective power had multiplied significantly.

”…It will only be a matter of time before the incursion rate accelerates,” the Britannian Prime Minister keenly realized with ashen eyes. ”The quality of their attacks is increasing, which means the damage that humanity suffers will also increase. This will weaken and strengthen them, leading to more of the same, which in turn will lead to more of the same. It will lead to a self-reinforcing spiral towards the thorough destruction of human civilization.”

The Emperor of Harmony nodded with a grave expression. ”It was bad enough before, but with this…”

His expression grew strained. ”…Weʼre running out of time.”

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