I slowly stood up after the king finished speaking. Everyone's eyes were on me. The silence that had taken over the hall showed the importance of that moment. I took a deep breath before beginning.
"Thank you for your trust."
I looked at each of the rulers present, both those in the room and those participating through the magical communicators.
"We all know that the Demon King's army is enormous."
"No kingdom could face it alone."
"Even by joining our forces, we will still be at a numerical disadvantage."
Some advisors began exchanging discreet glances.
I continued.
"That is why I believe trying to win through sheer force alone would be a mistake."
The Dwarven King crossed his arms.
"Then what is your proposal?"
I approached the large map placed on the table.
I pointed toward the extensive region to the north.
"The demons have concentrated practically all their forces here."
"As long as we remain simply waiting for an attack, we will be handing the initiative to the enemy."
The Elven King, through the magical communicator, asked calmly.
"What do you suggest?"
"We need to weaken them before the main battle."
I paused briefly.
"And there is one advantage they cannot ignore."
I looked at Liriel.
"Purification magic."
Everyone followed my gaze.
Liriel maintained her calm posture, but I could tell that she understood exactly where I was going with this.
I continued.
"During our battles, it became clear that the demons suffer enormous damage when they come into contact with this magic."
"It isn't only useful for healing."
"It also weakens demonic energy."
The human king nodded.
"I witnessed that myself."
Some commanders began writing down my words.
I continued.
"My proposal is simple."
"While the allied armies hold the main battle lines, our group will use Purification to disrupt the enemy's advance."
The Demi-Dragon King immediately supported the idea.
"That would greatly reduce their strength."
"Exactly."
I pointed at the map again.
"Furthermore, we must not concentrate all our troops in a single location."
"We need to divide our forces intelligently."
"Each kingdom knows its own territory best."
"If the demons attempt to advance through different routes, they will encounter organized resistance on all of them."
One of the human strategists raised his hand.
"And what about the Demon King himself?"
That was the question everyone had been waiting for.
I took a deep breath before answering.
"That will be our true objective."
The hall became completely silent.
"It doesn't matter how many soldiers we defeat."
"As long as the Demon King remains alive, this war will never end."
The Dragon King appeared through the magical communicator.
"Do you intend to face him personally?"
I nodded.
"Yes."
"But not before we find his location."
The Elven King agreed.
"That information will be essential."
I continued.
"We need to expand our spy network."
"Send experienced scouts."
"Mages specialized in reconnaissance."
"Any information about the Demon King's whereabouts could decide this war."
The advisors began discussing among themselves.
The human king raised another question.
"What if he isn't with the army?"
"I have considered that possibility as well."
"Even so, someone will have to find him."
"The moment we know exactly where he is, my group will be responsible for facing him."
Scarlett remained silent, but I noticed her firm gaze.
She already knew that she would take part in that battle.
Liriel also maintained a determined expression.
The other women showed the same confidence.
The Dwarven King placed his hands on the table.
"While you face the Demon King, our troops will prevent the rest of the army from interfering."
"That's the plan."
The Demi-Dragon King smiled slightly.
"I like it."
"The hero's group advances."
"We hold back the rest."
The Elven King added.
"The elven archers can provide long-range support."
"We will also send mages specialized in barriers."
The human king looked at me again.
"Any other suggestions?"
I thought for a few seconds.
"Yes."
"We need to maintain constant communication between all the kingdoms."
"Any movement by the demons must be shared immediately."
"We cannot act in isolation."
The king agreed.
"We will establish a permanent network using magical communicators."
The other rulers began approving the idea.
Even the more cautious advisors seemed satisfied.
Liriel's assistant watched everything in silence.
Then she discreetly approached Liriel.
"I never imagined I would participate in such an important meeting."
Liriel replied quietly.
"This will be a moment that goes down in history."
While the leaders continued debating small logistical details, I realized something I hadn't felt in a long time.
Hope.
For the first time since the beginning of the war, everyone was truly united.
There were no disputes over territory.
No personal interests.
Only a common goal.
Defeat the Demon King.
After nearly an hour of discussions, the human king stood up again.
"I believe we have a solid foundation."
"In the next stage, we will define exactly what responsibilities will belong to each kingdom."
Everyone agreed.
The meeting was far from over.
But the first step had been taken.
The strategies were beginning to take shape, and for the first time I could see a path capable of leading all of us toward the final battle.