Demonic Pornstar System novel Chapter 389

Chapter 389: A Good Woman

Kaiden sat between two prominent guild leaders, an honor that by rights should not have been his.

He wasn’t officially a leader, wasn’t even publicly acknowledged as part of Runewoven. His twenty percent stake remained hidden, a silent card in their alliance. And yet, despite no other shareholder being present besides the majority holder, Talia, both women had still pulled him into the round table.

Tessa looked the part of leadership, sporting a flawless dress and hair that was in place, looking every bit the woman who carried herself, knowing she was not only a strong awakened combatant but a guild leader as well, representing her entire organization with every move of hers.

Across from her, Talia wore nothing more than her blacksmith apron, soot smudges still staining her fingers. The woman only dressed up properly for official meetings; this one was for all intents and purposes a casual one; the two women were good friends, and well, Talia knew that she didn’t need to dress in suits for Kaiden.

Nevertheless, the contrast couldn’t be starker: one who sought power as her profession, embracing all her position entailed. The other, meanwhile, bore it only to honor her father’s legacy. The Runewoven guild had to be led by a Runewoven, and she was the only child he left behind.

Kaiden didn’t mind the stark difference; he understood and liked both women on a personal level, even if Tessa’s leadership had left him in a bind before. He, however, understood her situation, so he decided not to hold grudges against the woman.

Refocusing his attention on the topic at hand, he looked down where a stack of reports lay before him. Its pages were thick with the week’s grim tally. His fingers brushed over the parchment while his eyes skimmed lines that painted pure devastation in dry numbers.

Monster outbreaks. Casualties. Towns cut off. Resources lost.

It had been just over a week since the disaster began, namely, dungeon breaks erupting across the world all at once.

The President already declared the crisis averted here in the USA. The majority of dungeon breaks in the country had been subjugated. Monster waves pushed back. Cities stabilized.

"But the world at large... wasn’t so lucky," Talia shook her head, silently grieving the hundreds of millions of lives humanity lost in such a tragically short span of time.

Tessa nodded grimly. "Other nations don’t have our manpower. Dungeon breaks are still ongoing in Europe, South America, Asia, and Africa. They’re drowning."

Kaiden leaned back while frowning at the weight of it all. "... As much as it makes me sad to say it, I’m not surprised."

Both women raised an eyebrow at him, finding his words strange.

Kaiden was more than happy to elaborate, starting with a dejected sigh.

"You should know this as well... When the mana apocalypse began, and even to this very day, the wealthy nations have been poaching awakened beings from other countries. Those countries that were either rich enough to retain their people or even invite in outsiders, like Japan and the US, or authoritarian enough not to let them leave, like China and Russia, are doing well to great. But what about the countries that had neither of these options? They bled their most valuable resources, the awakened people."

The words hung heavy in the air. Tessa’s lips pressed into a thin line, while Talia’s calloused fingers curled into a fist over the parchment.

Neither argued. Both women exchanged a look, and it was enough. They knew Kaiden was right.

There were countries being eaten alive right now, not by politics or poverty, but by the simple fact that when the mana tide rose, their best and brightest had already been sold away. Monsters roamed unchecked, not because those nations lacked courage, but because they lacked awakened strength to hold the line. There was only so much military power could accomplish.

Tessa exhaled slowly through her nose.

"It’s ugly," she admitted. "But it’s the truth."

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