"Did you just say the Yellow Primordial has vanished?"
"That's correct. It's… baffling. After detecting an enormous surge of mana, all the dormant demonic presence in the area simply disappeared—"
"…Unbelievable." Leon's hand clenched instinctively. Even after hearing Alrose's report, the words felt impossible.
Leon's domain intersected the spiritual plane known as the 'Realm of Demons.' A land thick with corrupt mana, patrolled by demons of varying power. Ordinarily, Leon's knight order could handle rogue archdemons, but some entities were beyond even his control.
One such entity was the Yellow Primordial:
Jaune. Without a physical vessel, her range of influence was limited—but even so, she was far too dangerous to leave unattended. No one else could match her ferocity.
"She's a psychotic force of destruction," Alrose continued gravely. "Nuclear-level magic for amusement. Negotiation is impossible. Only Leon-sama's presence kept her contained… and yet, she's now… gone?"
"Yes. Claude, I couldn't believe it either, so I personally investigated. The area where the Primordial's influence overlapped with the physical plane has been altered dimensionally. The only explanation is someone shut the 'Gate of Hell.'"
Claude's voice betrayed disbelief. "Is that even possible?"
Not only Leon, but all his knights and subjects had long considered these demons the greatest threat to their land. The disappearance of the Yellow Primordial was more than fortunate—it was practically impossible.
The Gate of Hell was the fragile boundary between the spiritual and physical realms. Through it, bodiless demons could still affect the physical world. Leon had attempted to seal it countless times, only to be thwarted by these immortal entities. Every effort had come at a cost, leaving the land in a constant state of peril.
Even if Leon had wished to confront the Yellow Primordial directly, the consequences would have been catastrophic. A battle would devastate the continent, sinking it beneath the waves. Prudence dictated avoidance.
And now, she was gone.
Leon's mind raced as further intelligence arrived:
"There's more. Five children, hidden within the Eterna Federation, have been identified. Investigations confirm that Demon Lord Atem has coordinated with Demon Lord Luminas, using the children—each rich in mana—as bargaining chips for their alliance."
"Is that… true?" Leon's eyes narrowed.
"Lubelius and Eterna have indeed formed an alliance. Evidence suggests that Demon Lord Atem manipulated Yuuki Kagurazaka, using the children to secure the pact."
The Magical Knight of the Blue Order relayed this information via magic communication. Leon weighed the shocking revelation carefully. He had met Atem at the Walpurgis Banquet. A man of unmatched charisma, authority, and intellect—one whose presence alone could shift nations. Yet to use children as leverage… it seemed out of character, even for someone as calculating as Atem.
"Monitor the source of this intel. There may be manipulation at play—or worse, a hidden party orchestrating events."
"How could this happen?" Alrose asked, tension in his voice.
"Could it truly be Demon Lord Atem's doing?"
"No. He has no reason to target the children."
"Then what is their purpose?"
"Perhaps they seek to pit nations against each other for profit. Luminas may be innocent… or complicit."
The question hung in the air, unanswered.
Who could orchestrate such a scheme? Leon's mind sifted through possibilities. The obvious suspects were rarely the true culprits.
"Cerberus," he muttered finally.
The secret organization—few knew they were aware of Leon's collection of otherworldly children. Perhaps the Rossos had discovered this secret and secretly allied with the merchants supplying the summoning magic…
Doubt spread like wildfire. But if the matter only involved five children, why would anyone act against Leon directly? To a demon lord, interfering in the affairs of a peer without provocation is reckless. Missteps could antagonize multiple demon lords at once.
The rational conclusion: there was no immediate need for Leon to act.
Yet justification was difficult this time. Unease gripped him, and even his trusted subordinates began offering their opinions.
"So, someone seeks to manipulate Leon-sama?" one asked cautiously. "Should we strike preemptively?"
Leon's voice was calm, authoritative: "No. Without proof, attacking Cerberus would be foolish. They hold influence within the Eastern Empire. This may be a plot, or a betrayal by the Rossos. Further investigation is necessary."
And then a single name came unbidden to Leon's mind: Kroba Hale.
Could it be him?
No—acting now would be stepping into a trap. Still, the thought alone sent a shiver down Leon's spine. For a ruler and a knight, caution was as powerful a weapon as any sword or spell.
Yet the game had begun. And in this world of demons, alliances, and hidden agendas, every move mattered.
Atem, King of Games, had made his first play. The question was whether Leon—and the world—was ready for the consequences.
Had the Yellow Primordial stayed, Demon Lord Leon Cromwell would not have been able to leave this territory and follow through with such a reckless decision. He would likely have made the logical choice without hesitation.
Yet today—
This is unbelievable, but for some reason, I feel like I must act…
Leon paused mid-sentence as his subordinates watched him. Alrose and Claude stepped forward.
"Your Majesty, we are all your loyal knights. We will heed and obey your every command."
"Indeed. Even if you were to act stubbornly, we would have no complaints. Give us your order, and we shall carry it out without delay!"
"Everyone…"
The other knight commanders echoed their loyalty, voices strong and unwavering.
"The disappearance of the Yellow Primordial may be coincidental, but…" Leon muttered, closing his eyes.
When he opened them again, a determined smile had appeared.
"Then I shall heed your advice. I will attend to this matter personally. I'll trouble you all with guarding this land."
"""YES SIR!"""
In the Golden Valley of El Dorado, a land blessed with prosperity and peace, the situation had changed drastically. 'Platinum Saber' Leon Cromwell broke his long-held silence, raising his sword once more—
"That's it! Demon Lord Leon is on the move. As I predicted, this 'Chloe' isn't just any child. She may turn out to be—"
Leon's true goal wasn't the children; it was a specific someone from the 'Otherworld.' If fate held true, Chloe was likely the individual he sought.
"But Yuuki-sama, even if Leon moves, it doesn't mean he'll dance to our tune. He may head to Lubelius, but he won't trust all the information we leaked. He could grow suspicious instead."
"I thought as much. But now that we've identified Leon's target, the tradeoff is worth it," Yuuki said, satisfaction clear in his tone.
Kagali and the others struggled to follow Yuuki's train of thought. They were unsettled by the complexity of his plan.
"I agree that Chloe is suspicious, but do we really have enough evidence to make her our trump card? It's not Yuuki-sama's style to risk so much on uncertainty," Teare muttered.
"Ya got a point. Plus, those risky acts we did to get the info across… wouldn't that only make Leon suspicious? What's the point?" Laplace added.
Footman seemed unconcerned, but Laplace and Teare weren't so confident. Even Kagali, usually sharp, stayed quiet.
Misha, Cerberus' "Lover," offered a wry smile.
"It's simple. Our actions have no real benefit—except one. We can't trade with Leon anymore. That's why the Boss made this decision."
Suddenly, Kagali understood. "Ah… it wasn't that we didn't want to trade—it's that we can't anymore."
"Wait, what does that mean?" Teare asked, confused.
Kukuku, Misha chuckled. "You wouldn't understand even if I explained. Just follow orders."
"Footman, shut up! I want to know!" Teare snapped, frustrated.
Footman quietly conceded. His loyalty to Yuuki and Kagali ran deep, but he often overthought things.
Yuuki glanced at his companions and smiled faintly. Footman was convenient, but Laplace and the others were far better suited to this operation. They needed the right minds to ensure success, not blind obedience.
Thus, Yuuki explained the plan in detail.
"It's enough that Leon is moving. Didn't I already order you to transport the top-secret merchandise to him? That's because we no longer wish to make deals with Leon. This was your last chance to face your archnemesis."
"Eh, so we could've caused chaos that day and avoided punishment?" Laplace asked.
"Yes, as long as everyone made it out alive," Yuuki replied with a confident grin. His calmness steadied the clowns. "Even gathering 'Otherworlders' isn't easy. Do you know why we continued supplying children despite strengthening Leon?"
Laplace thought, "Because the Boss wanted to stay connected with him?"
"Yes. And the key condition? The 'Otherworld' children, the secret merchandise."
"But we can't get them anymore, right?" Teare asked.
"Exactly. That's why we're framing the Rossos. They'll take the fall for everything. We'll cut off dealings with Leon, only contacting him when absolutely necessary."
Teare frowned. "But do we have to be so suspicious?"
Laplace groaned. "That's so the Rossos appear responsible. Boss is cruel but smart."
Kagali nodded. "Leon is cautious. He may suspect us, but he'll never guess Cerberus is behind this. He won't even consider the Rossos suspects."
Yuuki agreed. "Leon's overconfidence blinds him. He only values people for exploitation. That's why he ignores the Rossos—where the real threat lies."
Kagali added, "The Five Great Elders? Not impressive, except for two."
Teare tilted her head. "Two? I thought Mariabell was gone. That leaves Granbell?"
"No, there's another. Count of the Cidre Border's subordinate—Razul. A real powerhouse," Yuuki explained.
Razul, a masked guardian of the northern realm, was feared even by elite warriors. His body was fully armored, impenetrable, and utterly mysterious. Damrada, Yuuki's trusted ally, had vouched for his strength.
"Now, what about Leon? Are we drawing him north to face Razul?" Teare asked.
Yuuki smiled. "Exactly. The Rossos' trump card is Razul. He couldn't move without exposing the north, so he stayed put. Mariabell never considered him. Now, with Mariabell gone, it's the perfect time to act."
Yuuki had previously informed Granbell of Mariabell's death. Mariabell had attempted to challenge Demon Lord Atem and failed, triggering an overload in her magic core. Yuuki relayed the truth; deception wasn't necessary.
Granbell, unsurprisingly, reacted with concern.
"Mariabell is gone… We must use her secret treasure against Atem," Granbell said.
Yuuki raised an eyebrow. "Secret treasure?"
"The ultimate weapon used to seal Veldora," Granbell explained.
Yuuki's mind raced. If the weapon could control the Hero, he could manipulate the strongest pawn in existence.
Granbell proposed a temporary alliance. He would lead the attack inside the Grand Cathedral, creating a diversion while Yuuki seized the Holy Ark—the repository of the Hero sealed within.
Yuuki weighed the risk. If Granbell betrayed them, retreat was an option. If not, controlling the Hero could change the world.
"Fine. I'll trust you—for now," Yuuki said, a faint smirk on his lips.
He then outlined plans to his team. Teare would handle the children meant for Leon, creating a false narrative to mislead Demon Lord Atem, while the rest gathered intelligence with minimal risk.
Leon's involvement complicated matters, but it also made the battlefield chaotic in their favor.
"The goal isn't just to grab the Holy Ark," Yuuki reminded them, "but to gather information and secure our advantage. If we control that Hero—the one who sealed Veldora—world domination is no longer a dream. That's the prize."
Laplace and Footman nodded. Kagali understood the stakes. Teare bristled with excitement.
Yuuki's plan was set, precise, and ruthless.
The majins' malice grew with each passing day.