After the agreement, the other Mōjin tribes heard that the Ultim Mōjin had made a pact with the Rosengard Kingdom. Normally, they were outraged. To them, humans were nothing but food. They also resented the Rosengard Kingdom for draining their energy. The Ultims simply didn't have enough forces to hold the other tribes back.
Atribechief:"Kyōzuna, show yourself! You wretch! Mōjin and humans working together? You'll pay for this tenfold. I'll unleash the Yajūni on you."
Kyōzuna was ill. Yakazuna had been left in temporary command of the tribe. The Ultims didn't know what to do. They tried with all their strength to repel the other clans. Various Konkai users came to help, but most Konkai wielders were terrified of the Yajūni. Slowly, the Ultims began to fall back. The Mōjin and Yajūni who had already found food did not weaken. Yakazuna paced, thinking. If they couldn't solve this, the Rosengard Kingdom might collapse—and the Ultims might face genocide. Yakazuna sprinted to the palace, shoved past the guards, and barged inside.
Guards: "Sir, Lady Sandriel is currently—"
Yakazuna: "Out of the way!"
Yakazuna: "Sandriel! Where are you?
Sandriel!"
Sandriel appeared from the darkness behind her throne with the hush of flowing water. The throne itself hid her body.
Sandriel: "Were you never taught not to disturb a woman while she's bathing, my dear Yakazuna?"
Yakazuna: "Shut up! Don't you care about your people? Look at you—so comfortable! If the Yajūni cross the border they'll commit genocide against you!"
(The sand in the palace rose into the air.)
Sandriel: "Silence! I have told you countless times not to speak to me like that. Yakazuna, there is a queen before you! You still belittle me. I have a plan. I am confident it will work, which is why I am so calm. Now—leave!"
Yakazuna: "Oh really? You have a plan, do you? Then we'll honor your plan by going home to bed. Good luck with your scheme, Your Majesty."
Sandriel: "Your continued defense of the border is part of my plan, Yakazuna."
Yakazuna: "Hmph. I'm going to my father. Do whatever you want."
Sandriel returned to her bath. She trusted her sand power so completely that she believed she could push back all the Mōjin tribes.
She would form a ring of sand around them, wrap them, seize their feet and smash them to the ground, then capture them with the help of other Konkai users. The plan sounded reasonable. But the Mōjin were stronger than she had expected—and they still had food to keep them from weakening.
Once she finished her shower, Sandriel strode toward the battlefield with assured steps.
At last she arrived. Sunlight beat down from above, casting the shadows of the Yajūni before her. The air was thick with dust; the ground was littered with sand. Bodies of humans lay scattered about.
(Yajūni roaring)
Sandriel fixed the Yajūni with a stern look and said, "Get out of my territory!"
Silence fell. All the Yajūni turned to Sandriel and charged. Sandriel was cool and composed. With her sand power she gripped several Yajūni by the feet—nearly all of them—and held them fast. Of course, this drained her energy.
(Sound of scattering sand)
A Mōjin from one of the tribes shouted, "Sandrie~~l, you're weak!"
But it did nothing. Sandriel was taken aback, her heart racing, her breath shallow. The Yajūni leapt at her immediately. Sandriel evaded their attacks with the power of her sand. Because they were in the desert, she could use the sand beneath her feet to transform herself partially into sand. The Yajūni's fists struck her form but caused no harm.
Yet, this wasn't enough to kill them—they were far too strong. Their energy remained full because they had not weakened.
Sandriel fought for an hour. Exhaustion overtook her. Not a single Yajūni had fallen. For the first time, fear touched her.
A fifteen-meter Yajūni lunged toward her. Its drool fell onto the sand she drew her power from. The moisture broke her defense. Pain shot through her chest. Instead of wearing her down, it ignited a surge of energy within her. Clenching her fist and focusing her mind, Sandriel hurled a sand fist at the Yajūni. Blood spurted from the impact. The sand fist was immense, powerful—almost as if Sandriel had been blessed.
(Sound of sand condensing)
Seizing the moment, Sandriel formed two more fists and struck the Yajūni. It fainted—enough for her purposes, even if not dead. The other Yajūni charged again. A flash of insight struck her, and she condensed the sand once more. She first joined her hands to protect herself, repelling the Yajūni, then condensed the sand around her. Slowly, she shaped a ten-meter sand giant. This was how she would fight them.
Fortunately, the number of Yajūni present was small, and she could hold them alone. Her power grew.
Only the Mōjin who had called her weak remained. Sandriel focused one last time, and with the power of the sand giant she created, attacked the Mōjin. The Mōjin blocked and deflected her strikes, landing a powerful punch—but it had no effect.
Mōjin: "Terrifying… but I know your weak spot, Sandriel!"
The Mōjin spat a dense glob of saliva at her.
Sandriel: "What is this?! Disgusting!"
This time, the Mōjin tried to strike her. Clenching his fist, he swung—but Sandriel reacted quickly, blocking it with her giant sand arm. Yet, she could not restore it. The saliva prevented the sand from condensing. The Mōjin struck again, relentlessly. Sandriel's sand giant was almost entirely destroyed. She was trapped, helpless.
Nothing remained to protect her body. The Mōjin delivered its final punch—but it missed. It could not strike Sandriel.
(Sound of emerald forming)
The Mōjin tried to move its arm—but it couldn't. As it struggled, a massive, pointed emerald structure shot out from its neck.
Mōjin: "Gaah!"
The Mōjin clutched its neck, stumbled, and finally fell onto its back. But it was not dead.
Sandriel: "Kaerion!"
Kaerion: "Here, Your Majesty."
Sandriel rose in anger and struck the Mōjin with rapid sand blows, attempting to finish it. Yet the Mōjin would not die. Its regenerative abilities were formidable. The Mōjin stood, locking eyes on Sandriel.
Mōjin: "Humans!"
Kaerion lunged. Using his emerald power, he managed to sever the Mōjin's head, though with great effort. Weakened, the Mōjin's head fell. To ensure the kill, Sandriel created a hole in its chest.
The Mōjin, along with the Yajūni, had been defeated.
Kaerion and Sandriel returned to the palace. Sandriel was exhausted. Yet she sensed something had changed within her. Her Konkai seemed to have transformed, growing stronger. Sandriel sat upon her throne, deep in thought. This was an evolution. She wanted to give it a name.
Sandriel: "Kaerion."
Kaerion: "Yes, Your Majesty?"
Sandriel: "You were writing a knowledge book about the Konkai, weren't you?"
Kaerion: "Yes."
Sandriel: "I want you to add one more term to it. The name will be 'Ruten.'"
From then on, it was called Ruten. The Konkai could evolve from its triangular form into other shapes and grow stronger—that was Ruten.
Every Konkai came to humans in its Ruten 1 state. The highest Ruten of the Konkai was unknown.
Sandriel: "So it can grow stronger…"