Murmurs erupted again, this time with uncertainty. Some faces hardened. Others looked confused.
But before anyone could press further—
A deep, thunderous roar tore through the air outside.
Then another.
And another.
It was not the sound of one beast.
It was the collective bellow of dozens of dragons, echoing across the spires of Sector Zero like a warning shot from the sky itself. The very structure of the Grand Hall trembled faintly. Dust trickled down from the high-beamed ceilings. Some of the chandeliers swayed.
Reporters screamed.
A few ducked instinctively.
Guards reached for weapons.
People were already rising from their seats in panic.
But then—just as suddenly—the roars ceased.
Silence. A silence so sudden, so absolute, it made the air feel thick. Electric. Sacred.
And then a voice.
"Be careful with your words, Director."
The voice echoed through the chamber, not from the speaker system—but from the man himself.
