As it turned out, there was no need to threaten Jagi at all.
The fault lay entirely with Milim.
"Wahahahaha! Now you see? This wasn't my fault at all!"
"…I thought you forgot to pass on the message," I said calmly, arms crossed. "I didn't expect you to turn it into a winner-takes-all contest to decide who would come pick us up."
The winner was Jagi.
The real culprit, however, was Midley.
"I—I don't understand how this happened…" Midley muttered, visibly shaken.
"No, no," I replied evenly. "My people may be aggressive, but your followers are no less eager for blood."
Frey buried her face in her hands in visible disgust, while Karion laughed loudly, clearly entertained.
"So," Karion asked, suddenly serious, "that Jagi fellow. How strong was he?"
I answered without hesitation.
"Roughly even with Phobio. Perhaps slightly below in raw magicule volume, but his combat sense is refined. Against Esprit, his timing and control were impressive."
Karion nodded, absorbing the assessment.
If Jagi possessed transformation abilities like Gabil, my evaluation would rise further—but even then, Phobio's beast transformation would ultimately give him the edge. Still, Jagi was undeniably skilled.
The priests of the Dragon Faith, like Midley's followers, were consistently formidable. They did not rely on brute force alone, which made them adaptable and dangerous.
Unfortunately… they were also muscle-brained.
An unavoidable reality.
"I take responsibility," Midley said, bowing deeply. "My supervision was insufficient."
That much was obvious—but I did not press the issue. Leadership shaped followers, and Jagi's behavior reflected Midley's values.
At this moment, Frey stepped forward, taking control as expected.
"Carrera-dono," she said smoothly, "Gabil-dono and I would appreciate your cooperation in safeguarding our territory for the time being."
Karion was a capable king, but he loved combat far too much. His worldview still leaned toward strength as virtue, weakness as fault. This time, it worked in our favor—but that would not always be the case.
"Well then," Karion said, eyes sharp, "how about a test of strength with me, Carrera-san?"
Carrera smiled broadly.
"Hoh. Bold. How much mercy would you like me to show?"
Carrera—do not encourage him, I thought, but did not voice it.
"Whoa, hold on—" Karion began.
"It's fine," Carrera replied casually. "I've heard you've awakened. Naturally, you'd want to know how far you've come."
I raised a hand.
"That will not happen here."
My voice was firm, absolute.
"This is not the Labyrinth. A serious clash here would cost lives. If you lose control, death is final. Reckless behavior will not be tolerated."
Only Gabil and Frey nodded in agreement.
Milim pouted immediately.
"Ehh? That's boring!"
"Milim," Frey snapped sharply, "don't say that."
Still, Karion did not back down.
"I understand the danger," he said. "But I meant what I said. I need to know my limits before the real battle begins."
He turned to Frey, seeking her support.
Silence followed.
Kings bore responsibility. That truth carried weight.
Frey hesitated—and then fell silent.
Milim crossed her arms. "Atem is right… but Karion isn't wrong either. I'm training him, but there are limits to what I can teach."
Karion nodded.
"After awakening, I understood something. I believed I was growing stronger—but Milim still felt impossibly distant. And you, Atem… the gap between us is the same. No amount of effort will close it easily."
Carrera laughed softly.
"Fufu. If that's the case, I suppose I'm the more reasonable choice compared to Milim-sama."
I considered it.
Karion's perception was sharp. He could see the truth of power, not just its surface. Guy had once spoken highly of him for that very reason.
If Karion could fully wield his awakened strength, he would become a vital asset in the coming war.
Milim was asking.
Karion was asking.
Then the answer was clear.
"…Very well," I said at last. "I will take Karion and Frey back with me. Carrera will remain here, as originally planned, to defend this land."
"Eh?" Carrera blinked. "I'm not the one—"
"There are appropriate opponents in the Labyrinth," I cut in.
"I understand," she said smoothly, bowing her head. "As you command, my king."
Carrera was excessive force. Ramiris already complained endlessly about her presence. If Karion was to train seriously, a more balanced partner was required.
For Karion—Benimaru or Zegion would suffice.
For Frey—Kumara would be ideal.
I would finalize the arrangements once we returned to Eterna.
If anything went wrong, I could summon them back instantly.
"I apologize," Karion said quietly. "I acted selfishly."
"You acted as a king," I replied. "That is reason enough."
Frey nodded. "I accept. Thank you for your consideration."
And so it was decided.
Gabil and Carrera remained under Milim's command.
Karion, Frey, and their immediate forces returned with me.
Karion's subordinates were left to operate independently. Without awakening, large-scale devastation was unlikely. I had already supplied them with ample recovery medicine.
They would manage.
After all—
That was how Benimaru and the others had grown strong.
And those who survived such trials always did.
After returning from Milim's territory, Karion and the others were entrusted to Benimaru and immediately thrown into the Labyrinth.
There would be no gentle acclimation.
Only results mattered.
With that settled, there was only one destination left.
Leon Cromwell's domain.
I had already sent Diablo ahead of me. Considering his nature, he was most likely waiting with perfect posture and excessive enthusiasm. I had deliberately saved this visit for last. El Dorado was not a place to enter casually.
I prepared to depart.
"I will serve as your escort," Souei said calmly.
With him at my side, there was no need for concern.
"My king!"
A familiar presence brushed against my back as Ranga lowered his head slightly, tail swaying. "Do not forget me."
I placed a hand on his head without hesitation.
"Of course."
The bond was unspoken. Ranga was never absent when it mattered.
With Shuna and Rigurd seeing us off, I activated teleportation.
Leon's territory lay upon a small continent—small by definition only. Its landmass rivaled entire nations, a vast and meticulously sculpted expanse.
Before Leon's rule, this land had been wild: forests, plains, rivers, mountains untouched by civilization. What stood now was the result of absolute control, reshaped by overwhelming magic and refined vision.
El Dorado.
An artificial city forged in harmony with nature—yet unmistakably dominant over it.
"…Impressive," I said quietly.
The one who greeted us at the designated point smiled with pride.
"I am honored to hear that," said Silver Knight Alrose. "Leon-sama will be pleased."
Unlike our previous meeting, his helmet was removed. His appearance was refined—silver hair flowing freely, elegant features, yet unmistakably male. He carried himself with composure befitting the commander of Leon's Magic Knights.
Though Claude was said to be the strongest among them, Alrose was no lesser warrior. His ability to invoke magic without chant, even teleportation, spoke of deep mastery.
We passed the city's outer defenses in an instant.
The inhabitants—demonoids—appeared human, yet were not. Long-lived, magically gifted beings, once human, altered through majinization. Rare, powerful, and loyal.
I had seen such transformations before.
"Yes," Solarys, Sovereign of Wisdom, confirmed within me. «By definition, they are the same.»
My attention returned to the city itself.
It surpassed expectation.
Golden structures lined the streets with flawless symmetry. From the gate, the city rose gradually, spiraling upward toward a chalk-white castle at its heart.
A spiral city.
From the ground, it was beautiful.
From above, it was terrifying.
The entire city formed a three-dimensional magic circle—layered, stacked, concealed within its own architecture. Those without an aerial perspective would never notice it. Even with one, only a trained mind could perceive its function.
This was not decoration.
This was a weapon.
"…The city itself is a massive magic circle," I said. "Search Enemy and Countermagic. On a scale beyond conventional spellcraft."
Alrose's smile widened.
"You see it at a glance. Yes. This city is under Absolute Defense."
Detection of intruders. Automatic counter to external magic. Even legion-class siege spells would fail before breaching it.
A city that defended itself.
Leon had not merely built a capital—he had
created a living fortress.
I felt it then.
Not envy.
Respect.
"No exaggeration," I said. "To achieve even one of these effects would take decades and ruinous expense. To integrate both while allowing for future expansion… this borders on obsession."
Alrose bowed slightly. "It was a long road. But Leon-sama envisioned it, and we followed."
"…Leon designed this?"
"Yes."
For the first time, I reassessed him fully.
Leon Cromwell was not merely a Demon Lord driven by the past.
He was a visionary.
This city was proof.
Souei observed silently, eyes sharp—not admiring, but analyzing. I recognized the look.
He was already thinking about how to breach it.
That, too, was correct.
Allies today did not guarantee allies tomorrow.
Still, I committed every detail to memory.
Eterna could not replicate this immediately. Our strength lay elsewhere—our Labyrinth, our people, our adaptability. But one day…
One day, a city like this would rise under my
banner.
A city that answered to me.
As we moved deeper into El Dorado, one thought lingered clearly in my mind:
This world was entering an era where cities themselves would become kings.
And when that era arrived—
I would not be left behind.