Jaune was waking.
That single thought bounced around in Leon's head over and over as he looked down at the scorched and blackened land.
Through [Mana Sense] he was able to see the miasma that completely saturated the land.
In Leon's domain was an area shared with the demon realms, the spiritual world that demons call home. It was a land covered in thick miasma and magicules. One where a demon with untold powers could occasionally manifest itself.
Your typical demon, bereft of a physical body, could be handled by Leon's knight corps, even if they were an Arch Demon. However, they had discovered an older demon in this land, one that's such an absolute threat that not even Leon could ignore it. This was Jaune, the Original Yellow.
She had yet to obtain a physical body, which limited where she had access to. However, her presence was still enough to keep Leon from moving an inch from where he stood. Anyone else would have been helpless against the carnage she wrought.
Claude, the Black Knight widely considered the strongest fighter in all of El Dorado, was snapping at Arlos, the Silver Knight and his comrade-in-arms.
"Prepare the knight corps immediately, Arlos."
Everyone who lived here, not just Leon, was tormented by the demons. Thanks to the gates of hell remaining ever open.
The Gates were a kind of door that overlapped between the physical and spiritual worlds. Its presence allowed bodiless demons to appear and interact with "normal" space for a limited time.
Many knights had been deployed to close this door, but the demons stopped them. Ever since Leon built his nation here, there had been continual skirmishes on regular occasions. What made this so difficult for the knights was that spiritual life-forms could resurrect themselves as long as you didn't kill them at the root. Even worse, a demon just killing some time could easily cause massive damage to Leon's forces.
To Leon, who ruled over an otherwise bountiful realm, only the demons kept him up at night. If he truly wanted to, perhaps he could sweep them all up by himself but one false move, and it could lead to Jaune awakening. And even then, Leon could probably beat her, although it'd require the fight of both of their respective lives. That's why he had avoided that so far.
What could have happened? Did something draw her interest? The only thing of note that happened was the arrival of Kanade and his entourage two days ago.
After their negotiations had concluded, Kanade and Maple Tree had remained within El Dorado as honored guests.
Several more discussions had followed. Some political. Others magical.
The exchange of knowledge regarding spirit engineering had proven unexpectedly fruitful, while Leon's own understanding of Otherworld Summoning had likewise benefited from Kanade's research.
Although neither side had revealed every secret they possessed, enough 'trust' had formed between them that cooperation no longer seemed impossible.
It had been... productive. Which was precisely why Leon found today's timing so irritating.
"...Sir Leon." Arlos' voice drew him away from his thoughts. "The Maple Tree delegation has requested permission to approach."
Leon didn't answer immediately. Instead, his eyes remained fixed upon the horizon. "...Allow them."
"As you command."
Only a few minutes passed before several familiar presences entered the range of his perception.
Kanade walked at the front with his usual relaxed posture, his hands tucked lazily into his sleeves as though he were simply taking an afternoon stroll.
Behind him were Maple Tree's Spirit Riders.
Each one immediately stopped speaking amongst themselves the instant they crossed into the contaminated region.
The atmosphere alone was enough.
Even Maureen instinctively wrapped her arms around herself. "...This place feels awful."
Kanade said nothing. Instead, his eyes wandered slowly across the ruined landscape. He crouched, placing two fingers against the blackened soil. "So this is a gate of hell."
"You should not be this close." Leon's voice carried no particular urgency, though it left no room for argument either. "Whatever drew your attention here, satisfy it quickly. I would prefer not to explain to Maple Tree why their Archmage vanished within my borders."
Kanade rose slowly, brushing the ash from his fingers. "Relax. I'm not planning on touching anything."
'Weren't you just touching the soil?' This was the thought that ran through everyone's mind at the same time.
Leon's eyes narrowed slightly, though he chose not to pursue the point further. There were considerably more pressing matters at hand than Kanade's apparent disregard for his own safety.
Behind them, the Spirit Riders had spread into a loose formation without anyone giving the order.
"What exactly happened here?" Kanade asked, his tone shifting away from its usual lightness. "This wasn't like this two days ago."
"No." Leon's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. "It was not."
He gestured toward the scorched expanse stretching out before them, the miasma rolling across it in slow, deliberate currents that seemed almost alive in their patience.
"Jaune is waking."
Several of the Spirit Riders exchanged glances. They obviously didn't know who Leon was talking about.
"Jaune." Kanade repeated the name slowly, testing its shape. "I take it that's not a good thing."
"She is a Primordial Demon. The original yellow." Leon's gaze remained fixed on the horizon. "One of the oldest demons in existence. Older than most of the Demon Lords currently walking this world."
"She has yet to obtain a physical form, which has kept her contained to this region for centuries. But containment is not the same as control."
Kanade's expression sharpened. "And you think something caused this acceleration."
"I think the timing is considerably too convenient to dismiss as coincidence." Leon finally turned to face him directly. "You arrived two days ago. This began this morning."
The implication hung in the air between them.
Kanade didn't flinch from it. "You think I did this?"
Behind them, Arlos had returned with the knight corps assembled in formation, their armor catching the dim light filtering weakly through the miasma above. Claude stood at their head.
"Sir Leon." His voice was low and controlled. "The readings are getting worse. Whatever's happening, it's accelerating."
Leon's expression didn't change, though something behind his eyes did.
Kanade crouched again, this time without touching the ground, his attention fixed on something only he seemed able to perceive. "Huh."
"What."
"There's a signature here." Kanade's brow furrowed slightly. "Faint. But familiar."
Leon's entire posture shifted. "Familiar how."
Kanade didn't answer immediately. Instead, he closed his eyes, his fingers twitching faintly as though sorting through something vast and only half visible even to himself.
When he opened his eyes again, his usual ease had entirely disappeared.
"I think," he said slowly, "I have just been pranked." He raised his hand, and a purple swirl manifested alongside a purple bow tie with a smiley face. "By the Primordial Violet."
Leon didn't show any outward change on his face, retaining his bored visage, even though internally he was surprised. 'He has connections with the Primordial Violet?'
"Tell her hi for me, she says. That woman." Kanade chuckled after reading something in the swirling violet that only he could see. "You'll have to forgive us, Lord Leon." Kanade rubbed the bridge of his nose. "It would seem Maple Tree is responsible for today's inconvenience."
Leon kept up his bored facade, with a little. "Hn." Beside him, Claude looked confused and stunned. "A prank? From a primordial demon?"
Kanade sighed in defeat and the violet swirl bobbed happily beside him.
Kanade looked at it. "You are an awful person." The bowtie merely spun once before dissolving into countless violet motes, as though thoroughly pleased with itself. "...It left."
He turned to Leon quickly. "Well then, allow us to clean this mess, and we'll be out of your hair in no time. We'll ensure that Eldorado is compensated for any and all damage we cause."
Leon's eyes narrowed. "No."
Before anyone could question the single word, The world split apart.
BOOOOOOM!
The wall of miasma burst outward like a ruptured sea, swallowing the landscape in an instant as black lightning danced through the dimensional breach.
Knights were thrown backwards.
Several Spirit Riders dug their heels into the earth to keep from being blown away.
"Defensive formation!" Claude roared.
The Knight Corps reacted instantly, shields locking together as the shockwave slammed into them.
Leon didn't move. His golden eyes remained fixed on the widening breach. 'She really woke up.'
"Azeeza, take the others and work with the knights to deal with the fodder demons—er, I mean, demons." Kanade ordered without even looking toward the rushing tide of miasma. "Tingle and Maureen will stay with me."
"Understood." Azeeza gave a crisp nod before turning to the rest of the Spirit Riders.
At almost the same moment, Leon rested a hand upon the hilt of his sword as he addressed his own knights.
"Claude. Arlos." The two immediately straightened. "You know what to do."
"Yes, Lord Leon!"
Arlos was the first to move.
Drawing his blade in one smooth motion, he led the Knight Corps forward alongside the Spirit Riders, both forces spreading into formation as they surrounded the rapidly advancing miasma and the countless demons concealed within it.
"Bring it on!" Tingle shouted, pumping both tiny fists into the air. "I don't care if they're a Primordial Demon! I'll take them down! I'll do it!"
Kanade couldn't help but chuckle.
"I'm glad you're so full of energy." He smiled before glancing toward the dimensional breach. "Well then... I suppose we should answer the invitation."
He placed one hand upon Maureen's shoulder while taking Tingle's hand with the other.
The next instant, the three of them vanished.
Leon stared at the empty space where they had been standing only a heartbeat earlier.
"...Teleportation?" A faint crease formed between his brows. "How odd."
His gaze shifted toward the sea of miasma blanketing the battlefield. "The demonic properties of the miasma suppress the manipulation of magicules, making most forms of magical transportation all but impossible."
"And yet, he bypassed it entirely."
That wasn't to say Leon himself couldn't accomplish the same feat if he truly wished.
At most, the demonic miasma would only inconvenience him slightly.
That was one of the many privileges afforded to those who possessed an Ultimate Skill.
Simply wielding such a power placed one beyond countless laws that governed the world itself, allowing one's own will to overwrite reality where lesser beings would simply fail.
Kanade, however, possessed no Ultimate Skill. Leon was certain of that. Which made what he had just witnessed all the more remarkable.
"...It would seem I underestimated him." A faint sigh escaped his lips. "I should have expected anyone connected to that woman to be more than meets the eye."
His hand tightened around the hilt of his sword. "Now then..." His golden eyes settled upon the Gate of Hell. "...Time to deal with Jaune."
Unlike Kanade, Leon possessed no means of instantaneous teleportation.
Without another word, he surged forward, crossing the corrupted landscape in a blur of golden light.
Claude followed only a step behind as the two of them charged straight through the miasma toward the Gate of Hell itself... Where Jaune was waiting.