The speaker was an ink-black qilin, its form majestic and divine, its voice as clear and bright as a child's.

Sovereign Primus floated above the assembled demonic beasts, rumbling with low, unhurried laughter at the ink qilin's challenge.

"Experience is a double-edged sword. It gives us the confidence to face crises, yet without us ever noticing, it drives us toward the abyss."

The pitch-black mass of flesh churned, as though expressing some inner discontent.

"This great calamity is unlike any we have faced throughout history.

"It stems from—"

At that moment, countless ferocious, snarling faces burst forth from within Sovereign Primus's fleshy mass.

"Shut up, you!"

"Why waste words on these useless things! Swallow any who disobey!"

"What myriad demonic beast clans? As long as I, Sovereign Primus, exist, I am enough for this world!"

The outburst silenced every beast at the assembly in an instant, leaving them still as cicadas in winter.

And yet this was clearly not the first time any of them had witnessed such a sight.

Their eyes held only fear. No surprise.

The flesh-cloud...