"I'm not here for debates," he said, his voice firm. "I came to ask for your support against the Neo Arcane Dominion."
His words sent a ripple through the Council Chamber.
Some members looked genuinely surprised. Others remained silent, as if they had already anticipated this.
The Chancellor's gaze hardened.
"The Neo Arcane Dominion…" he said slowly. "So, it's true. They're on the move again."
The Vanguard's commander scoffed. "We've heard the rumors, but you expect us to jump into a war just because you say so?"
Hugo's white eyes locked onto him.
"You know they won't stop at rumors," he said coldly. "They've already attacked villages. They've been experimenting on Arcana. They're trying to reshape the world's power balance."
The Arcane Tribunal's scholar leaned forward. "And you have proof of this?"
Stella stepped up beside Hugo. "We saw it ourselves. A Dominion commander was at the Ironfang Tournament. They're already moving their forces into Republic territory."
The Shadow Order's representative—the hooded figure—let out a low hum.
"So, they've reached this far…"
Darius crossed his arms. "Look, we're not here to beg. You can sit around talking about the past all you want, but the Dominion is coming. Either you help, or you don't."
The room fell into a tense silence.
The Chancellor finally spoke.
"This is not a decision we can make lightly," he said. "If the Republic openly moves against the Dominion, it could trigger a full-scale war."
Lena frowned. "So what, you're just going to wait until they attack first?"
The Chancellor's eyes didn't waver. "If we fight, we must be certain. We need more than just claims—we need evidence."
Hugo exhaled slowly.
"So what do you want?" he asked.
The Chancellor's gaze sharpened.
"A mission."
He folded his hands together.
"If you truly want the Republic's support, you'll have to prove the extent of the Dominion's plans."
A subtle shift moved through the Council. Some nodded in agreement. Others still seemed hesitant.
The Chancellor continued.
"We have reports of a Dominion-controlled Arcana research facility near the border of the Wraithlands. It is said to house forbidden Arcana experiments, ones that could threaten the Republic itself."
He leaned forward.
"If you can infiltrate it and bring back concrete proof of the Dominion's plans, then the Republic will have no choice but to act."
Hugo's jaw tightened slightly.
He wasn't fond of jumping through political hoops. But if this was the only way to force their hand…
He glanced at the rest of the group.
Stella nodded. "We've come this far. We're not backing down now."
Darius cracked his knuckles. "Finally, some action."
Lena sighed. "Breaking into a Dominion base? Sounds like fun."
Ethan smirked. "Well, we did need something exciting to do next."
Hugo turned back to the Chancellor.
"Fine. We'll do it."
The Chancellor gave a small nod.
"Then consider this your first step toward earning the Republic's support."
The meeting was over.
Now, the real mission began.