129: The five permanent members of the UN Security Council reached an agreement to jointly take over Japan.

At nine o'clock the next morning, New York, United Nations Headquarters.

The emergency meeting of the Security Council convened under the watchful eyes of countless cameras.

Journalists from over a hundred media outlets worldwide filled the gallery, pointing their lenses at the horseshoe-shaped conference table in the center of the hall.

The public agenda for this meeting was: International guidelines for the "Mirror World" and a joint management plan for the Tokyo "gate."

The UN Secretary-General struck the gavel and announced the start of the meeting with a somber opening statement.

The Sakura Country Ambassador to the United Nations, a grey-haired old man, was given the first opportunity to speak.

He rose from his seat and straightened his suit, but his trembling hands betrayed his inner panic.

He first expressed the strongest protest against Vatican's declaration, accusing the act of pushing Sakura Country into an abyss of eternal damnation.

"Tokyo, our nation's capital, has fallen into total and devastating chaos! Transportation is paralyzed, order has collapsed, and the people are living in extreme fear!"

"Therefore, on behalf of the Sakura Country government, I propose here! A United Nations-led peacekeeping force of no less than one hundred thousand troops should be immediately formed and stationed in Tokyo!"

"The mission of this force is to protect the gate that is about to appear, and more importantly, to protect our innocent citizens! To ensure that all countries in the world have equal right of entry!"

He paused and scanned the room.

"All expenses required for this force should be shared proportionally by all member states, especially Five Permanent Members of the Security Council, according to their capabilities and responsibilities!"

As soon as he finished.

The representative of White Elephant Country immediately pressed the speak button, expressing full seconding of the motion.

"We support our Sakura Country brothers' proposal; it embodies the spirit of humanitarianism and international responsibility!"

"However, I must add one point: the resource allocation plan for that new world must be based solely on the total population of each country. Only then can absolute fairness be ensured!"

As soon as this was said, the venue erupted instantly.

"Objection! Population cannot be the sole criterion; land area and historical contributions should also be considered!"

"I propose that a management committee composed of small and medium-sized countries should be established, with veto power over the allocation plan!"

"We demand that all countries should receive an initial territory of equal area in the new world!"

Representatives from over a dozen small and medium-sized countries clamored to speak, each throwing out resource allocation plans and management authority requirements most favorable to their own nations.

Within a few minutes, the solemn Security Council chamber turned into a noisy wet market.

Arguments and rebukes rose one after another.

The live broadcast camera panned across the faces of those red-faced representatives, finally settling slowly on the first row—the five seats with the final decision-making power.

The representative of America, a blonde middle-aged woman, was taking a fine velvet cloth from her jacket pocket, slowly and carefully wiping her glasses against the light.

The representative of China, a man with a calm expression, was looking down at a thick document; from the start of the meeting until now, he hadn't even raised his head once.

The representative of Russia, a tall man, was leaning all the way back in his wide chair with his eyes closed, as if he had fallen asleep.

The representatives of John Bull and France pulled their chairs closer, whispering to each other, oblivious to the noise that could lift the roof.

The collective silence of Five Permanent Members hung over the entire hall like an invisible, heavy cloud.

Some representatives of neutral countries who did not participate in the arguments were the first to sense something unusual from this eerie silence.

They stopped whispering and exchanged uneasy messages.

The meeting remained at a stalemate for three full hours.

During this time, the various draft resolutions proposed by representatives of small and medium-sized countries added up to more than twenty.

But because none of Five Permanent Members expressed a position, none of the drafts could enter the voting procedure.

At exactly twelve noon, the exhausted United Nations Secretary-General finally struck the recess gavel.

He made a hollow official statement to the cameras.

He stated that all parties had conducted "candid and in-depth" exchanges on the newly emerging global challenges, made "positive progress," and agreed to continue maintaining "close communication."

As the Secretary-General announced the recess, the representatives left the venue one after another.

The Sakura Country Ambassador looked at his proposal, which no one had paid attention to, and then at the five seats in the distance that were already empty.

All the strength in his body seemed to be drained instantly, and he slumped into his seat, exhausted.

Less than ten minutes after the meeting ended.

Major global news agencies such as Reuters, Xinhua News Agency, and TASS released a breaking news flash almost at the same second.

The representatives of America, China, Russia, John Bull, and France will hold a closed-door meeting at 2:00 PM today on the "New Global Security Situation."

With the release of this news, the whole world understood.

The real meeting was only just beginning.

At 2:00 PM, in the office of the American delegation to the United Nations.

The closed-door meeting of Five Permanent Members began on time.

There were no reporters, no cameras, only the five representatives and one assistant each had brought.

Around the huge round conference table, the atmosphere was cold and solemn.

The representative of America, the lady who had just wiped her glasses for three hours in the hall, spoke first.

She pushed a document to the center of the table.

The first page of the document was a real-time dynamic map of the Seventh Fleet blockading Tokyo Bay, as well as the deployment route of the First Marine Expeditionary Force.

"Our position is very clear."

"America must physically control all areas where the 'gate' might appear; we will not allow any potential hostile forces or uncontrollable supernatural factors to approach that location."

The representative of Russia opened his eyes.

"I agree with establishing order through power, but I oppose military action dominated by a single country."

He opened his folder.

"I propose dividing five military control zones centered on Tokyo, to be jointly garrisoned and managed by our five countries. One landlord is a tyrant; five landlords are a committee. I prefer a committee."

The representatives of John Bull and France quickly exchanged views.

"We support the proposal of the Russian representative," the John Bull representative spoke. "Europe must have a place in the exploration of the new world. Joint action is the best and only way to ensure European interests."

All four parties had stated their positions.

Everyone's attention focused on the last person, the Chinese representative, who hadn't said a word from beginning to end.

The Chinese representative slowly opened the document that had been closed in front of him.

"Just controlling Tokyo is not enough."

He pointed to a report in the document, which was the latest assessment of the speed of social order collapse in Sakura Country.

"The Sakura Country government has effectively become dysfunctional, and social order will completely disintegrate within seventy-two hours. A chaotic, anarchic Sakura Country will bring huge, unpredictable risks to the stability of the 'gate'."

"Who can guarantee that during a month-long chaos, an existence like Uchiha Madara won't take advantage of this vacuum to do something?"

As soon as this was said, the room fell into a brief silence.

The name Uchiha Madara made the assistants of the other four representatives involuntarily tense up.

"So, what is your plan?" the American representative pressed.

The Chinese representative gave the final answer.

"A joint statement will be issued by our five countries to implement a 'temporary joint takeover' of the entire territory of Sakura Country until the 'gate' crisis is completely resolved."

"We will comprehensively exercise its national defense and diplomatic powers on its behalf, and 'assist' its government in maintaining the most basic internal social order."

As soon as he finished, the entire conference room became so quiet that heartbeats could be heard.

The American representative's gaze moved from the Chinese representative's face to the huge world map on the table.

Her mind was racing.

Let Sakura Country become a huge, uncontrollable mess, or turn it completely into an absolutely safe "buffer zone" controlled by Five Permanent Members?

A few seconds later, she made a decision.

"I agree."

She was the first to state her position.

With the first, came the second.

The Russian representative shrugged.

"Sounds more interesting than carving up a city."

John Bull and France also nodded in agreement.

Finally, the five parties reached an agreement.

Joint takeover of Sakura Country.

As for how the resources inside that "Mirror World" would be allocated, it was simple.

Wait until the Holy Grail War determines the final winner, wait until all the dust has settled, and then let strength do the talking.

The meeting ended.

The assistants of the five national delegations immediately picked up their communication devices to begin final confirmation with their home countries.

The representative of America stood up and reached out her hand.

"Then, it's a pleasure collaborating."

The Chinese representative also stood up and shook her hand.

"A pleasure collaborating."

He instructed the assistant behind him.

"Begin drafting the 'Joint Statement on Temporary Control of Sakura Country under Abnormal Conditions'."