The moment Diablo, Testarossa, Ultima, Carrera, and Velzard stepped through the shimmering portal, the world around them shifted violently.
The sky above wasn't a normal sky—it was a swirling dome of dark violet clouds with cracks of blinding gold light bursting through. The ground stretched endlessly in every direction, smooth and black like polished obsidian, yet it pulsed faintly under their feet as if alive. In the far distance, enormous shards of floating crystal hung in midair, glowing faintly, casting eerie reflections on the glass-like floor.
Then it hit them.
The gravity slammed into their bodies like an invisible wall. It wasn't gradual—it was instant. The air itself seemed to weigh a thousand tons, pushing down on their bones, muscles, even their organs. Knees buckled. Diablo's perfect composure faltered as his boots cracked the ground beneath him from the sheer force pressing down. Testarossa clutched her stomach, trying to force air into her lungs. Ultima's sharp grin vanished, replaced by a trembling glare. Carrera cursed under her breath, every syllable like dragging a mountain over her tongue. Even Velzard, the proud White Ice Dragon, felt her spine strain against the crushing pull.
And the air… there was barely any. Each breath was like sucking in through a straw buried in sand. The more they inhaled, the more their chests burned.
Then, a voice rolled across the endless space—deep, calm, and filled with authority.
"Welcome," Veldora's voice echoed, though he was nowhere to be seen. "You stand in my realm. Here, the weak are buried beneath their own weight, and only the worthy rise."
Velzard growled through clenched teeth. "Veldora… you—" She cut herself off, gasping for air.
"Save your breath, sister. You will need it."
Diablo straightened as much as he could, glaring up at the empty sky. "Tch… So this is your idea of training?"
"Oh no…" Veldora's tone was almost playful, but under it was a thread of steel. "This is survival. And it has already begun."
It was then they saw them—figures taking shape just a few meters ahead. Their eyes widened.
It was them.
Perfect reflections stood in their path—same clothes, same stance, same weapons, same aura, same energy. Every twitch of power they could sense was a mirror of their own. The only difference was a dangerous gleam in the copies' eyes—one that promised they wouldn't just match them… they would surpass them.
Ultima's voice came out ragged. "You have got to be kidding me…"
"No jokes here," Veldora's voice rumbled. "Each of your opponents grows stronger every time you push them back. And every minute, the gravity will rise. Every breath will become harder. And every movement… will cost you."
Carrera spat to the side, her saliva smacking the ground with a heavy splat. "Heh… Sounds fun." But her arms trembled as she tried to raise her weapon.
Testarossa's red eyes narrowed. "Fun? This is… madness."
"Exactly," Veldora said. "Madness… is where strength is forged."
The ground suddenly shook beneath them. The copies moved—slowly at first, then faster, their steps shattering the floor with each advance. The crushing air around them didn't seem to bother the copies.
Diablo clenched his fists, his body screaming under the pressure. "Then so be it… If you think I'll fall here, you're gravely mistaken."
Velzard's gaze sharpened. She pushed against the invisible weight, frost gathering around her as her aura flared. "Fine, Veldora… Let's see how long this 'training' of yours can keep up."
"That's the spirit," Veldora chuckled. "But remember—this realm does not forgive weakness… and it does not care for pride."
And just as his voice faded, the pressure around them doubled.
Their lungs screamed. Their muscles tore. Every motion felt like swimming through molten iron.
The battles began....
The air in Veldora's private observation chamber shimmered faintly, a massive crystal sphere floating before him, showing vivid scenes from the special dimension. His eyes glimmered with amusement and curiosity, arms crossed casually over his chest. Behind him, in the calmest possible manner, Saiki Kusuo floated upside down while eating coffee jelly from a cup, as if the unfolding chaos was nothing more than a TV drama.
"You know, Veldora," Saiki said lazily between spoonfuls, "I can think of a few others this training would help. Big time."
Veldora's gaze didn't leave the sphere. "Hmm… others, you say?"
"Yup." Saiki's tone was flat, but his words had weight. "Guy Crimson. Milim. Velgrynd. Those three have the most upside. And now that Guy is a Transcendent Demon, this could push him even further."
For a moment, Veldora's golden eyes narrowed in thought. Then a slow, wise smile formed. "Yes… those three… indeed, you are correct. They are like sharpened blades—potent, yet still not at their limit. This place… my special dimension… will grind away the remaining imperfections."
Saiki smirked faintly but didn't correct him about whose dimension it truly was.
"Very well," Veldora said at last, voice ringing with authority. He extended a hand toward the sphere, forming an intricate pattern of runes in the air. His will surged outward, piercing through reality itself until it brushed against the minds of three individuals far across the Cardinal World.
In Guy Crimson's icy throne room...
The crimson-haired demon lord sat with a glass of wine, training through mental simulations as the wind howled outside. His sharp gaze turned distant as a deep, confident voice entered his mind.
Veldora: "Guy Crimson… I know you are training. But your current path will not carry you any further. Rejoice, for I have the solution."
Guy chuckled under his breath, resting his chin on one hand. "Looks like you read my mind, Veldora. I was just thinking my training was starting to feel stale."
In the Dragon Kingdom, Milim's domain...
The pink-haired dragon princess was pummeling a mountain into rubble, laughing manically between strikes. She stopped mid-swing as the voice filled her head.
Veldora: "…a special dimension where my generals and Velzard are undergoing real training. I will be sending you there as well."
Milim's eyes lit up like a child offered candy. "YAY! Stronger opponents?! Count me in!"
In Velgrynd's fiery aerial palace...
The Flame Dragon Lord was meditating in a throne of molten rock when the voice resonated.
Veldora: "…Velzard is already there…"
Velgrynd's crimson eyes snapped open instantly. "Velzard is there? Then I'm coming too. No question."
Veldora nodded, satisfied. "Very well… in that dimension, you may unleash your full power without restraint. But beware… it will not be easy."
Without another word, he snapped his fingers. The sound wasn't loud, but it carried like a divine command, bending space to his will.
Guy, Milim, and Velgrynd barely had time to register their surroundings before it hit them—
BAM!
It was as if an entire planet had been dropped on their backs. A crushing force slammed into their bodies, bones straining under the sheer weight. Their knees buckled instantly.
Guy clenched his jaw, feeling the floor drag at him. "What… the hell… is this gravity…?"
Milim gasped, her usual boundless energy suddenly strangled by the crushing atmosphere. "H-Heavy…! Can't… move…!"
Velgrynd growled, arms twitching as she tried to spread them but failed. "The air… there's barely any to breathe…"
Indeed, every breath was a labor. The air felt thin and dry, like their lungs were trying to drink sand. Even standing upright was a monumental effort.
And then—
From the mist ahead, their opponents emerged.
Their own faces. Their own bodies.
Perfect replicas, down to the tiniest detail—every technique, every skill, every ounce of power mirrored exactly. The only difference: these copies would grow stronger with every passing moment.
Guy narrowed his eyes. "So… we're fighting ourselves? This should be… interesting."
Milim's copy grinned wildly, exactly like her, and cracked her knuckles.
Velgrynd's duplicate merely stared with a calm, icy judgment that mirrored her own pride.
Before they could make their first moves, Veldora's voice rumbled through the dimension like distant thunder.
Veldora: "This will be unlike any battle you have faced. The longer you fight, the stronger they will become. And as they grow, so will the gravity. So will the difficulty of each breath. This is not merely combat—it is survival."
Milim pouted, straining to stand straighter. "You really know how to make things fun, Veldora!"
Guy smirked despite the suffocating pressure. "Let's see if my double can keep up with me."
Velgrynd didn't smile. "If Velzard is enduring this, then so will I."
From somewhere far beyond their perception, Veldora watched through the crystal, his golden eyes sharp with interest. Behind him, Saiki calmly popped another spoonful of coffee jelly into his mouth.
"You know," Saiki said, "you're enjoying this way too much."
Veldora grinned. "Of course I am. Growth is born from struggle—and here, they will all struggle."