442:The Assembly

Federation Headquarters: The Secret Assembly

The vast, circular hall of the Federation Headquarters buzzed with hushed murmurs. World leaders, business tycoons, and shadowy figures who had long since controlled global affairs from behind the scenes filled the chamber. The air was thick with tension, the weight of uncertainty pressing down on every individual present.

Despite the hall's grandeur—marble flooring, gold-embossed pillars, and a massive digital display at the center—the atmosphere felt suffocating. No one spoke loudly. Everyone was on edge, scrambling for seats as if their position in the room somehow granted them an advantage.

The lower-ranked countries were the first to arrive, their leaders huddled together like lost sheep. They knew that their presence here hardly mattered and was only symbolic. Their fate would be decided by the powerful, and all they could do was listen and obey their orders.