Three exhausting hours later, the meeting finally came to an end. During that entire time, Arin had answered an endless stream of questions from both the family elders and the assistants who had been invited to record every useful observation. Every detail of his Physique, cultivation habits, mana control, and even seemingly insignificant routines had been examined from every possible angle. By the time Karl finally declared the discussion finished, Arin felt as though he had spent the afternoon being dissected instead of attending a family meeting.
Fortunately, the meeting had not been a waste of time. While Arin had been answering questions, the sketches and notes regarding the family's proposed breathing method had been circulated among the rest of the family. Their opinions had been collected while the Elder Council continued refining the remaining details. When the final results were delivered back to the meeting room, the response was overwhelmingly positive.
No one seemed surprised by the outcome.
The bow-and-quiver visualization resonated with nearly every member of the family. It was simple enough that children would understand it, yet symbolic enough to represent the ideals their ancestors had carried for generations. More importantly, everyone could immediately picture it in their minds, which was exactly what the System required for an effective breathing method.
Karl carefully reviewed the final comments one last time.
Although a handful of relatives suggested minor cosmetic adjustments to the explanation accompanying the technique, no one objected to the visualization itself. The proposal had achieved something rather rare by satisfying both the practical requirements laid out by the System and the emotional attachment the family felt toward their traditions. That combination gave Karl the confidence he had been hoping for before submitting the technique.
"Very well," Karl finally announced.
He closed the stack of documents before him with a satisfied nod.
"I believe we've reached a consensus."
A quiet sense of relief spread throughout the room.
Designing the family's first official breathing method had been one of the most important tasks they had undertaken since the System's arrival. Everyone understood that mistakes made now could influence generations of descendants. Knowing that the entire family supported the final proposal lifted an enormous weight from everyone's shoulders.
Without delaying any longer, Karl opened the System's interface.
The application process proved surprisingly straightforward, although the amount of information required was substantial. Every aspect of the breathing method needed to be documented, from the location of the mana core to the visualization itself and the intended flow of mana through the body. Once everything had been carefully entered, Karl submitted the family's work to the System for evaluation.
Now all they could do was wait.
The System would examine the breathing method to ensure it met every safety requirement before approving or rejecting it. No one knew exactly how long that evaluation would take, but everyone trusted that the process would be thorough. Considering the consequences of an unsafe cultivation technique, none of them minded waiting a little longer for an answer.
As soon as Karl confirmed that the submission had been received, the meeting officially concluded.
People immediately began stretching tired muscles and gathering scattered notes from across the room. Conversations that had been held back throughout the formal discussion now resumed naturally as relatives exchanged opinions about the day's events. The atmosphere shifted from serious deliberation to comfortable family chatter almost instantly.
Arin quietly slipped away before anyone could think of another question.
He had reached his limit hours ago.
If the people questioning him had been strangers, he would have walked out of the meeting long before it ended. The only reason he had remained seated for three full hours was because every person in the room belonged to his family. Their curiosity came from genuine concern and the desire to improve the family's future rather than simple academic interest.
Even then...
He never wanted to experience something like that again.
Finally reaching his room, Arin quietly closed the door behind him.
The familiar silence immediately washed over him like a comforting blanket. After spending hours surrounded by people constantly asking questions, the absence of voices felt almost magical. He honestly could not remember the last time he had appreciated solitude this much.
He slowly walked toward his bed.
"Finally..."
The single word escaped his mouth almost automatically.
His shoulders relaxed as the tension he had been carrying throughout the day finally began disappearing. Even his mind felt strangely heavy, not because of physical exhaustion but because social interaction always demanded far more energy from him than any amount of physical training ever had.
"I can finally rest."
He practically collapsed onto the mattress.
There wasn't enough energy left to remove his boots, let alone change clothes or prepare for bed properly. His cloak remained draped across his shoulders as he rolled onto his back and stared absentmindedly at the ceiling. Right now, even lifting an arm seemed like unnecessary work.
He released a long sigh.
"If anyone besides my family had been there..."
A tired smile briefly crossed his face.
"...I would have left hours ago."
There was no doubt about it.
No amount of money, prestige, or persuasion could convince him to endure another afternoon like the one he had just survived. Endless questions, constant attention, and everyone watching his every movement felt less like a conversation and more like standing beneath a magnifying glass. He sincerely hoped Karl had learned everything he needed because Arin had absolutely no intention of volunteering for a repeat performance.
"I'm never going through that again..."
His voice had already become little more than a sleepy mumble.
Before the sentence had even fully left his lips, his eyes closed.
Within moments...
He was asleep.
While Arin enjoyed the first peaceful sleep he had managed in days, events elsewhere in the world unfolded at a completely different pace.
Thousands of kilometers away...
On Null Island.
The headquarters established by the United Nations had become considerably busier than usual following the System's latest announcement. Delegations from nearly every major nation had gathered once again, responding to an emergency session called shortly after governments around the world received identical blueprints for the newly announced proving grounds.
The timing could not have been more significant.
For a year and a half, diplomats had argued over how military responsibilities should be divided before the next Guardian Trial. Every proposal eventually reached the same obstacle. No one possessed an objective way to compare the readiness of different nations without relying upon assumptions, political influence, or carefully selected demonstrations.
Now...
The proving grounds changed everything.
The European Union recognized that opportunity almost immediately.
Believing the System's newest announcement validated the direction they had already been pursuing, the European delegation requested an extraordinary meeting to present an entirely new proposal regarding the structure of humanity's future military alliance. Their representatives hoped that solving the testing problem would finally allow negotiations to move forward after nearly two years of frustrating stalemates.
The assembly hall gradually settled into silence.
Delegates adjusted translation devices while assistants distributed the latest copies of the European proposal across the room. Although many representatives had already reviewed the document beforehand, everyone understood that hearing the complete presentation remained essential before formal discussions could begin.
When everything was ready...
Philip MacHale walked confidently toward the podium.
As the head of the European Union's delegation to the United Nations, he had spent the previous week almost entirely consumed by negotiations surrounding this proposal. The countless meetings, revisions, and compromises had left visible traces of fatigue beneath his eyes, yet his posture remained perfectly composed as he looked across the gathered representatives.
"Ladies and gentlemen..."
His voice echoed clearly throughout the chamber.
"I stand before you today as the representative of the European Union to present a new proposal regarding the structure of our future military alliance, including both its responsibilities and the distribution of its benefits."
He paused briefly.
A faint smile crossed his face.
"I have little doubt that all of you have already heard rumors regarding the proposal our delegation has been developing over the past week."
Soft laughter spread throughout the chamber.
Nearly every delegation had indeed heard those rumors.
The European representatives had hardly been subtle during their preparations. In fact, many countries had deliberately monitored the EU's activities, hoping to uncover hidden advantages or political traps before the proposal reached the international stage. Entire intelligence departments had spent days analyzing every meeting, every visitor, and every public statement connected to the negotiations.
Yet despite all that effort...
They had found remarkably little to criticize.
The proposal appeared surprisingly balanced.
Most delegates had spent the previous several days searching desperately for hidden clauses that disproportionately favored Europe, expecting some cleverly disguised political maneuver. Instead, they discovered a framework that, while ambitious, seemed designed to benefit humanity as a whole rather than a single political bloc.