The winds over the Storm Kingdom howled like restless beasts. From the highest tower of the obsidian citadel, Veldora stood with his arms crossed, his golden eyes scanning the horizon. Below, the capital thrummed with life—warriors training, merchants shouting, banners of black and gold snapping in the wind.
But the king's thoughts were far from peaceful. Saiki's warning still echoed in his mind:
"Saphielle was just the appetizer… the main course is still coming."
Stronger enemies—stronger than Saphielle—were on their way.
Veldora exhaled slowly, his gaze hardening.
"Saiki… I know you're here."
A faint pop of air sounded behind him, and a silver spoon clicked against porcelain.
A voice, lazy but precise, drifted into his head.
"Yare yare… you could at least pretend you can't sense me."
Veldora smirked without turning.
"You're eating that… coffee jelly again, aren't you?"
Saiki, of course, was invisible to all except Veldora. Floating casually in the air behind him, legs crossed, he dug into the trembling coffee jelly like it was the only thing in the universe worth his time.
"Of course I am. It's the only constant joy in this ridiculous multiverse."
Veldora turned, facing only empty air to everyone else, but meeting Saiki's unseen gaze. His voice dropped into a tone of respect—rare for the Storm King.
"Saiki… you gave me my power. You made me a king when I was nothing. I need your wisdom again. Diablo, Testarossa, Ultima, Carrera—they're transcendent demons now, but they haven't mastered themselves. They're strong, but they're… wild."
Saiki's spoon paused mid-air.
"So you want them stronger, faster… but also more disciplined. You want their will and their soul hardened until they can't break."
"Exactly."
Saiki sighed, like a teacher already tired of the lesson.
"Yare yare… fine. I'll build them a place that will break them into pieces and then force them to put themselves back together. That's the only way to master power like theirs."
Without even standing, Saiki flicked his fingers.
Reality shivered.
The air split like paper being torn, revealing a swirling rift—its edges glowing violet, its core a pulsing abyss.
Through it lay a world unlike any other. Mountains floated upside-down, rivers coiled through the air like serpents, and the sky was a rolling sea of black clouds streaked with crimson lightning. The very light here seemed heavy, slow.
"This," Saiki said, shoveling another bite of coffee jelly into his mouth, "is the Forge of Storms. A pocket dimension I made just for you. Well… technically, I made it. You can tell them you did it. I don't care."
Veldora chuckled. "Oh, I will."
Saiki's tone turned serious.
"The moment they step inside, gravity will slam them with one thousand times the weight of the Cardinal World. Their bodies will feel like they're made of stone. Every heartbeat will cost them. And I can make it heavier. Much heavier."
Veldora's eyes glimmered with approval. "They will fight their own existence just to breathe… I like it."
"It won't just be physical," Saiki added. "The Forge will press on their minds, their senses, even their souls. The air itself will strain them. Thought will be slow, magic will feel sluggish. They'll have to force every action through a wall of resistance."
Saiki waved his spoon like a conductor's baton.
"The training will follow four cycles. Each one breaks a different part of them."
Soul Tempering – They will fight living shadows of their past selves. Every failure they've ever made, every weakness, will attack them.
Precision Storm – They'll hit targets the size of a pebble, moving faster than light, while under crushing gravity. Waste energy, and the Forge punishes them.
Endurance Climb – A staircase to nowhere, while carrying a void sphere that drains their magic. All while fending off elemental beasts.
Dominion Duel – A perfect copy of themselves, without flaws, that grows stronger each fight.
Veldora nodded slowly, his tone shifting to theatrical pride.
"Yes… just as I planned it."
Saiki stopped mid-bite.
"…You planned it?"
"Of course. You just filled in the… technicalities."
Saiki groaned. "Yare yare daze… fine. But if they come out of this stronger, you owe me."
"I already owe you everything." Veldora said it sincerely, and for once, the air between them was quiet.
The throne room of the Storm Kingdom was a vast cathedral of black stone and silver banners. Torches of azure flame burned along the walls, their light flickering across the polished marble floor. At the far end, the great throne of obsidian and steel rose high, carved with the crest of the storm dragon—a symbol of unyielding power.
Veldora stepped in, his long coat swaying, the echo of his boots filling the hall. Behind him, the rift to Saiki's special dimension shimmered faintly before fading—control of it now firmly in his hands.
On the right side of the hall, Velzard sat in a high-backed chair, legs crossed elegantly, a delicate porcelain teacup in her hand. She was reading a thick, leather-bound book, the kind filled with ancient knowledge and probably too boring for most mortals to finish. She didn't look up as Veldora approached—at least, not at first.
With a smooth, deliberate motion, Veldora lowered himself onto his throne. His golden eyes glinted in the torchlight.
Then his voice rang out, deep and commanding, resonating through the hall:
"My transcendent demons… come forth!"
The air rippled. Shadows deepened across the floor.
In the next instant, four figures appeared, kneeling before the throne in perfect unison.
Diablo, with that signature calm, almost too-perfect smile, head bowed but eyes sharp.
Testarossa, graceful as a queen, yet radiating a quiet, lethal aura.
Ultima, practically buzzing with excitement, her smile dangerously wide.
Carrera, cracking her knuckles with a sound that echoed like breaking bones.
They knelt with one knee to the ground, hands over their chests, awaiting the King's word.
"Rise."
The single command carried so much authority it was almost physical. They stood as one.
Velzard, sensing the weight in her brother's tone, quietly set her book aside and placed her teacup on the table. She didn't speak yet, but her blue eyes fixed on Veldora.
The King's gaze swept over his champions.
"As I told you before, Saphielle will not be the last. There are others—stronger than her—who will come. But…" he leaned forward slightly, his voice low but razor-sharp, "…from our battle with her, I saw clearly that there is still room to grow. For all of you."
The demons listened silently, though Ultima's grin faltered just a little.
"Yes, you have evolved. You have become transcendent demons—far beyond your former primordial selves. Your strength now eclipses what you once were. But mastery… mastery is another matter entirely. You have yet to fully grasp the extent of your powers."
Veldora's hand gripped the arm of his throne, and the air around him seemed to thrum with restrained energy.
"That is why I have created a special dimension… one built solely as your training ground. In there, you may unleash your full power without fear of holding back. No restrictions. No limits."
Ultima's grin returned. "Sounds like fun already."
"…But," Veldora continued, his tone hardening, "the training will not be easy. It will be unlike anything you've endured before. Your strength will be tested. Your will shall be broken and reforged. Your very beliefs will be challenged."
Velzard finally spoke, her voice calm but carrying weight.
"Can I join them?"
Four pairs of demon eyes flicked toward her in surprise.
She set her teacup back on its saucer. "I, too, need to sharpen my strength. If Saphielle proved anything, it's that raw power alone is not enough."
Veldora studied her for a moment, then nodded slowly.
"Very well, sister. You will join them."
Diablo tilted his head slightly toward her. "It will be an honor, Lady Velzard."
She gave him a small nod in return.
Veldora rose from his throne. His footsteps echoed as he descended the few steps to the center of the hall.
"Then it is decided."
With a sharp snap of his fingers, the air exploded with a surge of wind and magic. A massive portal formed, spinning like a vortex of storm clouds and lightning. Its center glowed with an otherworldly silver light, and the hum of its energy filled every corner of the hall.
The sudden force made banners whip violently and sent stray sheets of parchment scattering. Even the transcendent demons felt the sheer pressure radiating from it.
Ultima's eyes widened. "Ohhh… pretty."
Carrera smirked. "Looks dangerous. I like it."
Testarossa's voice was calm, but her gaze was sharp. "This… feels unlike any magic I've sensed before."
Diablo simply smiled, as though he'd been expecting something this grand.
Veldora's voice boomed across the chamber.
"Step in, my champions… and learn the true meaning of strength."
There was a moment of silence, as if everyone was committing this moment to memory. Then, one by one, they moved.
Diablo stepped forward first, without hesitation, his figure swallowed by the swirling light.
Testarossa followed, every movement precise and composed.
Ultima bounced on her heels before diving in with a laugh.
Carrera grinned and cracked her neck before stepping through.
Velzard, her expression unreadable, walked in last—her silver hair catching the light as the portal absorbed her.
The portal pulsed once, then swallowed them completely.
Alone now, Veldora leaned slightly against his throne, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.
In the empty air beside him, unseen to all, Saiki's voice murmured telepathically:
"You didn't tell them about the gravity yet… or the part where the place will actively try to kill them."
Veldora chuckled. "Details, details. Let them find out the fun way."
Saiki's spoon clinked softly against his dessert cup. "Yare yare… you really do enjoy the dramatic reveal."
"Of course I do."
And somewhere deep within the special dimension, the Forge of Storms waited—hungry for its new prey.