Far beyond the stars. Beyond the void.
Beyond even the endless seas of dimensions…
There existed a realm untouched by time, unseen by any god, demon, or dragon.
A place of silence and eternity.
A place where creation itself began.
At its center sat a throne of pure light, floating in an infinite sky of silver and gold.
And on that throne… sat Veldanava.
The Supreme One.
The True Creator.
The First Will.
The Origin of All Existence.
His eyes—golden like suns, ancient like galaxies—watched everything through a mirror made from time itself. He leaned forward, arms resting gently on his knees, eyes narrowing as Atraval clashed with the Demon Lords and True Dragons below.
He had seen their struggles.
He had heard their screams.
He had witnessed the rise of arrogance.
And now… he watched the fall.
Atraval—his creation, his will—was doing exactly what he was made to do.
Break them. Humble them. Remind them.
Magic. Skills. Titles. Evolution. Authority.
It didn't matter. Not in this moment. Not in this trial.
Veldanava's voice echoed in the realm. It wasn't loud, but the words carried weight like stars.
"Now… they feel it."
His fingers curled, resting beneath his chin.
"Now… they see."
Images played before him—Rimuru coughing up blood, Milim struggling to stand, Guy barely lifting his sword, Velgrynd down on one knee, Hinata shielding Benimaru, Veldora breathing heavily, bruised, beaten.
All of them—broken without their magic.
"They understand now," he whispered, a mix of sadness and cold wisdom in his voice.
He closed his eyes for a moment and recalled a memory—Yujiro Hanma, standing tall and alone during one of the early meetings between the Demon Lords. How he had warned them. How he had walked among them, not with magic, not with titles, but with sheer strength.
"Yujiro showed them the truth… and they laughed."
He chuckled, shaking his head slowly.
"Fools. They believed their evolution made them invincible. They forgot what it meant to fight. To bleed. To lose."
He rose from his throne. Even in this divine realm, his presence caused the skies to swirl and shimmer like liquid stars.
"I gave them gifts. I gave them power. But they forgot the balance."
He stared again into the mirror.
Atraval's hand was raised—ready to kill. The Demon Lords and dragons, broken and powerless.
"So I created Atraval. Not to destroy them. But to teach them."
His voice grew softer.
"Just like they were given magic… it can be taken."
He watched as Milim struggled to her feet again, only to be knocked down.
He watched as Atraval laughed and mocked their suffering.
He saw Yujiro arrive—unshaken, unbothered, unchallenged.
A smirk appeared on Veldanava's face.
"Lucky for them… Yujiro has taken a liking to them."
The mirror showed Yujiro's punch sending Atraval into the sky.
Veldanava's smile widened.
"He is the only one… who can defeat Atraval."
He stepped forward off his throne. The air around him exploded into colors unseen by mortal eyes.
Planets trembled. Stars bowed.
Even time paused for a moment.
"Let them remember this day," he said, his voice now thunder across the realms.
"Let them remember… that strength does not come from magic. But from the will to endure, to rise, and to fight when all else is stripped away."
He returned to his throne. Sat back down. The mirror faded.
But his final words hung heavy in the divine winds.
"Let this be the lesson of gods… taught by the hands of men."
Back in the Cardinal world....
The battlefield lay in ruins.
Dust. Blood. Sweat. Silence.
The once mighty Demon Lords and True Dragons were scattered across the cracked wasteland, bodies battered, armor torn, breathing ragged and shallow. Some were half-buried under rubble, others leaning on broken weapons to remain conscious.
Rimuru's coat was shredded, his breathing slow. Guy Crimson knelt on one knee, holding a soldier who'd lost his arm. Luminous coughed blood, wiping her lips with the back of her hand. Draguel's wings were broken. Velzard's knuckles were bleeding. Rudra had collapsed beside Leon, both of them struggling to move.
They could only watch now. Watch the two monsters clash.
Yujiro Hanma…
The demon of man.
And Atraval…
The Bane of All Power.
Their battle had reached a godly peak, far beyond magic. It was strength vs strength.
And Yujiro was winning.
Atraval crashed into the mountains after Yujiro's devastating punch, rock and lava bursting into the air. His body created a crater that burned with abyssal fire.
And then…
Laughter.
Dark, broken laughter.
It echoed through the skies, cold and cruel. The ground started shaking again—
But this time, something felt different.
Even the civilians hiding far away in the Forgotten Dragon Kingdom felt it. Children clung to their mothers. Elders dropped their cups. Some began to weep—not knowing why—but something primal deep within them whispered, "Run."
Atraval rose. Slowly.
His back arched. His limbs began to pulse with glowing veins of black flame.
His skin cracked like glass—light shining from within.
His wings—once tattered and broken—reformed into massive jagged blades of crimson bone and shadow.
Then it happened.
The sky split open.
Not a portal, not a crack.
The sky itself was torn.
Lightning of black and red lashed downward.
The sun disappeared.
The wind stopped.
The entire planet held its breath.
Atraval's transformation had begun.
His old demonic form started to melt away, shedding like skin.
In its place…
A tall, muscular figure stepped through the flames.
Still humanoid… but his body now radiated divine hatred.
He had no armor. He didn't need it. His skin was like obsidian carved by the gods themselves—etched with glowing crimson runes. His eyes bled black smoke. His mouth… no longer smiled. It snarled.
Each breath he took… made the ground sizzle.
The air turned dry, like a desert caught in hellfire.
Even time seemed to slow down, bending around him.
Rimuru whispered, voice trembling, "That's… his true form."
Milim, barely able to lift her head, said through grit teeth, "I can't… even feel his limit…"
Leon muttered, "It's like the world itself is afraid of him…"
Draguel, his one eye burning with rage, said, "But look… Yujiro isn't even blinking…"
Yujiro stood still.
Hands in his pockets.
Chest out. Back straight.
That famous smirk on his face.
He didn't even flinch.
Atraval floated down slowly, his new form casting a shadow that stretched for miles.
He grinned, now calm… composed… like a god descending to pass judgment.
"How nice of you to wait for my transformation…" Atraval said, his voice deep and rich, layered with echoes.
"Most would run. But not you. And I shall reward your arrogance."
BOOM.
Atraval vanished.
Not flew.
Not jumped.
Vanished.
The shockwave came a full second later—flattening mountains in the distance.
The Demon Lords gasped—some too slow to follow his movement.
"Where did he go!?" Benimaru shouted.
"Above you!" Shion screamed.
"No—BEHIND!" shouted Hinata.
Yujiro turned just his head—only his head—to catch the fist coming from behind.
The collision exploded in a white and red flash.
Wind howled. Rocks lifted. The earth cracked again.
But there Yujiro stood—blocking Atraval's god-level punch with his bare palm.
"Not bad," Yujiro said calmly. "But it's still soft."
Atraval gritted his teeth and unleashed a barrage—punches, elbows, knees, spinning kicks, shoulder charges—faster than light.
Each strike held the weight of a collapsing sun.
Each kick could level a city.
But Yujiro…
Yujiro dodged. Blocked. Deflected. Countered.
Every movement was perfect.
Every breath was calculated.
Every step was power.
The Demon Lords and Dragons watched, wide-eyed.
They were gods in their own right… and yet they couldn't even see everything.
"That's… real martial arts," Guy whispered.
"That's not skill…" Velgrynd said in awe.
"That's what it means to be a monster," Velzard finished.
Yujiro grinned, stepping forward, each stomp shaking the battlefield.
He countered with a hook to the ribs, a low sweep, then a heel kick that sent Atraval crashing down again.
Atraval roared—blood finally on his lips.
"YOU… YOU'RE JUST A MORTAL!!!"
Yujiro walked toward him slowly.
"No," he said.
"I'm a man. And that's what makes me stronger than you."