The Oval Office, White House - Washington D.C.
The room was thick with tension as the most influential leaders of the United States gathered around the large mahogany table. The President, his cabinet members, military generals, and heads of various intelligence agencies sat in silence, their eyes fixed on the large screen that had just finished playing a classified video.
President Dirrel leaned forward, his fingers interlaced. "Then their planet is called Nazar," he stated, breaking the silence.
John, the lead diplomat who had recently returned from a mission to this world, nodded. "Yes, Mr. President. We're certain about that."
The Secretary of Defense, a stern-faced woman in her sixties, spoke up. "What kind of person is this Ainz Ooal Gown? The so-called Sorcerous Emperor?"
John hesitated before responding. "It's... difficult to say, Ma'am. He's an enigma. His appearance alone is terrifying - a skeletal being draped in ornate robes. One would think his rule would be based on fear, but..."
"But?" prompted the Secretary of State.
"But the citizens don't seem terrified," John continued. "If anything, they appear to revere him."
The room erupted in murmurs. The Secretary of Transportation raised his hand. "What about their technology? You mentioned anti-gravity vehicles, yet in the footage, we saw medieval-style horse-drawn carriages. How do you explain this discrepancy?"
John nodded, acknowledging the astute observation. "It seems that while they possess incredibly advanced technology, they lack the resources to mass-produce items like anti-gravity vehicles. The few we saw appeared to be reserved for high-ranking officials or special purposes."
President Dirrel leaned back in his chair, his brow furrowed. "John, were you able to establish any covert connections? Any potential allies within the Sorcerous Empire?"
John's face fell. "I'm afraid not, Mr. President. Our movements were tightly controlled. We were escorted to a guest house upon arrival and only met with the Emperor and his officials in formal settings. I suggested a informal gathering to the Prime Minister to foster better relations, but she politely declined."
"She ignored you," the CIA Director said flatly.
"It's an outrage!" exclaimed the Secretary of Commerce. "Do they not understand the importance of the United States?"
The Secretary of State raised a calming hand. "I think they understand all too well. They're being cautious, and rightfully so."
President Dirrel nodded. "At least they've agreed to trade. This could be a significant leap forward for humanity."
The mood in the room darkened as the Secretary of Defense spoke again. "We need to discuss the elephant in the room. This Sorcerous Emperor is not to be underestimated. If they ever decide to attack, we need to be prepared."
A chorus of agreement echoed around the table.
"The main issue," the Secretary of Energy interjected, "is magic. If what we've seen and heard is true, our current defenses would be useless against their capabilities."
The room fell silent as the gravity of the situation sank in.
The National Security Advisor cleared his throat. "We need alternatives. I propose we secretly gather the world's top scientists to work on countermeasures."
President Dirrel's eyes lit up. "We'll do more than that. We'll create our own magical weapons."
The room erupted in shocked exclamations.
"Mr. President," the Secretary of State said cautiously, "with all due respect, is that wise? We know next to nothing about magic."
Dirrel stood, his resolve evident. "Then we'll learn. We'll send covert operatives into the Sorcerous Empire to gather intelligence on magic. We'll purchase magical materials through our trade agreements and reverse engineer them."
"It's incredibly risky," the CIA Director warned. "If the Sorcerous Emperor discovers our intentions..."
"Then we'll already have magical weapons at our disposal," Dirrel finished. "We have no choice. The future of our world is at stake. Climate change, overpopulation, resource depletion - we need an alternative. Nazar could be that alternative."
After a moment of tense silence, heads began to nod in agreement.
"There's one more thing," Dirrel added. "I'm proposing we increase our military budget to 8% of our GDP."
Gasps and murmurs filled the room.
The Secretary of the Treasury paled. "Mr. President, that would make our military budget larger than the combined military spending of the entire world."
Dirrel's expression was grim. "We thought we were the strongest nation on Earth. Now we know how vulnerable we truly are. We must adapt, and quickly."
As the meeting concluded and the officials filed out, the weight of their decisions hung heavy in the air. The world as they knew it was about to change, and the United States was determined to be at the forefront of that change, no matter the cost.