He looked just like a young version of Shizu—yet unlike her in every possible way.
His skin held no pigmentation at all, smooth and flawless like polished marble. His hair shimmered like spun silk, every strand glowing faintly as if reflecting unseen firelight. The face he wore matched Shizu's shape, but the resemblance ended there; the beauty he carried now was transcendent—closer to a divine illusion than a human form.
Atem's golden eyes locked deeply onto Leon, sharp and commanding. When he parted his lips, his voice carried authority unmistakable and absolute:
"Not enough. I have spoken Shizu's truth to you… but the debt between us is far from settled.
We will speak—now."
The hidden threat and iron resolve in Atem's tone made even Leon straighten.
For a moment, Leon simply stared at him.
I see… he wants to use this situation.
Even though he barely knows me, he's choosing to trust me—intentionally.
This man… no, this king… is bolder than expected.
Leon didn't dislike it.
Atem acted on emotion, or so it seemed—but every action was deliberate. A calculation. A test. A line drawn cleanly between friend and foe amidst chaos. Leon had thought Atem naïve upon arriving in Eterna, but now he understood—this was a king who ruled not through fear, but presence. Strength. Charisma that demanded obedience.
Not a childlike Demon Lord.
A ruler.
And despite everything, someone Leon found surprisingly reliable.
Leon drew the sword at his waist and took a disciplined stance.
Earlier on his way to Lubelius, aboard the dragon ship, Leon had received an emergency message via Magic Communication from the secret intelligence organization Cerberus.
One of their agents had disappeared—likely discovered by someone.
That someone could've been Atem, the Five Great Elders, or the Holy Knight Order. Since the agent vanished after being seized, suspicion was unavoidable.
But Leon was no fool.
Cerberus could easily be feeding him misinformation to manipulate him. The only thing he could confirm was this:
Heading into the Holy Land meant stepping into a trap on purpose.
And Leon did not care.
If Chloe was involved…
If she was here…
If she could be in danger…
He would walk into hell without hesitation.
Now, in the present, Leon calmed himself as he prepared for Atem. His gaze swept across the battlefield, taking in the chaos. At this point, it was almost impossible to distinguish ally from enemy.
His elite Magic Knights, the ones sworn to protect him, had somehow been drawn into conflict with the Holy Land's defenders. Someone had manipulated them, stirring confusion, making it seem like Leon's forces had come to attack.
‹Continue to defend. Lethal strikes are forbidden.›
‹Understood, Lord Leon!›
Leon issued the order to Silver Knight Alrose through a secure channel, knowing well someone might be listening. He only gave commands that would prevent complications later.
After all, by simply being here, Leon already looked like a hostile force. To Demon Lord Luminas, who ruled this land, Leon's arrival would be seen as an unwanted intrusion—and possibly an act of aggression.
And yet…
Where was Luminas?
Not a trace of her was found anywhere on the battlefield.
Near the entrance of the Grand Cathedral, Atem and Leon stood locked in a silent standoff. Hinata battled Granbell at blinding speed not far from them. Behind them, Shion and Ranga fought desperately against the insectoid monster Razul. Even Atem's spirit monsters—Dark Magician, Dark Magician Girl, and the Skilled Dark Magician—fought beside them, unleashing spells and illusions that forced Razul to constantly adapt.
If Luminas were free, she would have already intervened.
But she was nowhere.
Someone powerful was stalling her.
Someone confident enough to drag an Origin-class Demon Lord out of position.
Leon's eyes narrowed.
This entire situation was too well-orchestrated. And based on the pattern, the purpose was obvious:
To force Demon Lord Atem to clash with Demon Lord Leon.
Yet that very plan had already failed.
Because Atem saw through it.
Because Atem acted first.
Because Atem refused to play the role of a pawn.
And now Atem was turning the entire trap back against its creator.
In front of him, Atem shifted his gaze toward Granbell, his intent clear.
Leon understood immediately.
I see… so that man is the puppeteer.
Very well.
For once… I shall trust you, Atem.
It was not something Leon did lightly. He was cautious by nature, suspicious to the bone. And yet, Atem's judgment, presence, and sheer authority cut through that hesitation.
A rare thing happened:
Leon opened his guarded heart—
and chose to believe in Atem.
Leon wasn't the only one drowning in confusion.
Hinata was just as shaken by how fast the battlefield kept twisting out of shape.
Worse yet, the man she was dueling—Granbell—was giving off a thick, unsettling presence. Something warped. Something wrong.
"Are you wondering why your little theft trick doesn't work on me?"
"…?!"
Hinata's breath hitched.
The way he said it—sharp, direct, merciless—cut right through any composure she thought she had left.
"Heh. Don't be so shocked. Did you really think you could hide something like that from me? I simply watched. Observed. And then I tested you.
That's why I had the other six fight you first."
"So that was your plan…"
Hinata's Unique Skill Usurper was her greatest weapon, her unfair advantage against enemies stronger than her.
But every time she analyzed Granbell in the past, she got 'not applicable.'
By all logic, he should've been more powerful than her.
So she tested him during their training sessions—forced her Usurper on him again and again—until the result finally said successful.
But she could only copy his abilities, not fully strip them.
"You can rob Skills and Arts, yes. But only once per opponent. And you already used that trick on me long ago. That's why you can't do anything now."
"You—"
The words slipped out before she could swallow them, and Hinata immediately regretted it.
Granbell's smile curved like a knife.
He had tricked her into giving herself away.
"Kukuku… as expected of my best disciple. Sharp, calculated, always prepared. In the entire history of the order, few have reached your level. But you're still young. Too green to stand on equal ground with me."
"Do you ever shut up?!"
Hinata's shout came out harsher than she intended, but she couldn't help it.
His calm, his composure—even while fighting full-force—was infuriating.
And he knew it.
"Even if I robbed your Skill before, I still have other ways—don't underestimate me."
She surged forward, clashing with him in a storm of steel and light. She layered consecutive activations of Usurper, draining his strength bit by bit.
But—
—Why isn't it working?
My Skill should be activating.
Why is it still 'not applicable'?!
The result made no sense.
If it read that way, then Granbell's strength was below hers.
But that wasn't the problem.
The problem was—
Even when she used Forced Usurpation, even when she stole the ability completely…
Granbell used the same Skill again the next second.
As if she had taken nothing.
Hinata's face tightened.
She had robbed him—she was sure of that.
But the stolen abilities were useless in her hands.
You couldn't rob a stolen Skill twice.
Unless he'd made copies in advance.
Considering his history as a former Hero…
It was disturbingly possible.
"What's wrong, Hinata? You look pale."
Granbell's mocking smile stung more than any blade.
"Huh… from your expression, you really don't know what I did. Observation, Hinata. The most basic rule in battle. Did you think I'd come unprepared?
Your thought process is honestly too naïve."
"Tsk. Keep talking. It's all you're good for."
Granbell chuckled.
"You excel when fighting opponents above your level. But when facing someone weaker—or someone disguising their true level—you get careless. Tell me, does your special technique drain you? Does it sap your stamina?"
"…!"
"You don't have to answer. Your condition already did."
Hinata's chest tightened.
Her heart was pounding far faster than it should.
Sweat streamed down her face.
Her body was failing her.
—Why does this hurt?
—Why am I burning out so fast?
—This isn't normal…
Granbell watched her tremble.
"You're strong, Hinata. Exceptionally so. But against a man who fights without pride or restraint—someone who calculates every step—you lack experience."
"What are you—"
"It's simple. I engineered every exchange to drain you. Every time you thought you could land a decisive blow, you forced extra strength out of yourself. Over and over.
A battle between equals isn't won by force.
It's won by outlasting your opponent."
"…"
"And now, your judgement is dull. Your guard is full of cracks. Just like right now."
Hinata bit her lip hard enough to draw blood.
He was right.
Every single word.
Her Unique Skills couldn't steal experience, couldn't steal instincts honed over decades.
—Granbell…
—He really is stronger than me.
"I understand. If I want to beat you… I need to go all out."
"That's right. Show me, Hinata. Show me the true strength of the woman who believes she can surpass me."
Hinata shut out the noise, the chaos, the screaming from afar.
She quieted her mind the same way Atem had taught her during their shared campaigns—
Focus on the duel.
Nothing else.
"Here I come, Elder Granbell!"
"I shall dance with you then, Hinata."
Steel and magic clashed as the two disappeared into a whirlwind of speed.
But this time—
This time Hinata swore she would not lose.