The Silent Deity: Saiki Kusuo in Tensura

The sacred halls of Ruberios were quiet that morning, save for the heavy footsteps of Hinata Sakaguchi. She wore her white-and-silver battle armor, polished and gleaming, her blade at her side, her expression—dead serious.

The Grand Cathedral's main chamber, a towering room with golden banners and stained glass windows, held the long oval table of the Ten Great Paladins.

One by one, the knights filtered in—cloaks billowing, boots thudding, armor rattling. The air was heavy. Thick with something unspoken.

Hinata (sharp voice): "Thank you all for coming. This won't be a long meeting. You've all heard the rumors… but I will speak them plainly."

She stepped to the head of the table, dropped a blood-stained cloak on it—Gralven's cloak.

Gasps echoed around the room.

Hinata: "Sir Gralven. One of us. A man of honor. Found dead near the borders of the Storm Kingdom. His body… mutilated. Claw marks. Traces of goblin-blood and beast-like magicules. And no survivors."

Some Paladins looked to one another uneasily.

Sir Avel (a younger paladin): "But Lady Hinata, with respect… goblin-blood? That's… that's everywhere in the wilderness. This… could have been bandits. Monsters not from the Storm Kingdom."

Hinata (firmly): "Then explain this."

She threw another parchment on the table—a tattered scrap of a Storm Kingdom patrol badge, bloodied and broken.

Silence.

Sir Revan (an older, war-hardened knight): "So we march then?"

Sir Leyva (quietly): "March against a true Dragon?"

Hinata's eyes glinted.

Hinata: "He's not just a dragon anymore. He's a king now. He's gotten clever. If we let this pass—he'll think the Church is weak."

Paladin Selika (calm and thoughtful): "are we really doing this?…"

Hinata (coldly): "The Church stands because we protect its people. I will not let monsters grow bold."

The Paladins looked between one another, torn between loyalty, fear, and duty.

In the gold-plated war chamber of King Edmaris, laughter echoed.

The king lounged back on his velvet-lined throne while his three "most trusted" advisors bowed before him. The orbs gleamed on a red silk pillow—Yuuki's cursed creations pulsing softly with dark magicules.

Edmaris (grinning): "So let me get this straight… we use these trinkets just outside their forest, and poof! the beasts get weaker?"

Advisor #1 (Clayman-controlled, smiling faintly): "Exactly, Your Majesty. A small squad activates them. No need to even breach the gates."

Advisor #2: "The world will see the Storm Kingdom can't even defend its borders."

Advisor #3: "And with Ruberios already planning to strike... the world will call us liberators. Not invaders."

Edmaris's greedy eyes gleamed.

Edmaris: "We take their land. Their resources. Their magic stone mines. Their trade routes... The Jura Forest will finally be ours."

He stood up, pacing excitedly.

Edmaris: "Imagine it… Falmuth, richest kingdom in the world! Even Dwargon will kneel."

What he didn't know was that Saiki, invisible and floating above the chandelier, to hear every word. He hovered midair, munching on a coffee jelly cube.

Saiki (deadpan thought): "Yare yare... these guys really think they're the main characters."

He flicked a finger, sending a small psychic pulse to Testarossa, who was in her office back in the Storm Kingdom, sipping tea.

Testarossa (telepathically): Understood. I'll inform Lord Veldora.

In Dwargon, King Gazel was already reinforcing border patrols. He stood with his military officers in the Grand Strategy Hall, placing pins on a large magical map.

Gazel: "Storm Kingdom isn't just our ally. They are proof that the world is changing. If Falmuth attacks... it sets back progress a hundred years."

General Dord: "We have battalions on standby. Just give the word."

Gazel: "Hold the line. Don't act yet. But let it be known—if Storm Kingdom is betrayed, so is Dwargon."

In Sarion, Queen Elmesia sat with her council, fingers laced under her chin.

Elmesia (quietly): "Edmaris is a fool… but even fools can cause great fires if handed a torch."

She looked out at her magical mirror, which showed a peaceful vision of the Storm Kingdom's inner city.

Elmesia: "I fear the storm is about to rise. And I, for one, intend not to drown in it."

Back in the Storm Kingdom, Veldora sat calmly on his throne, swirling a glass of glowing wine, surrounded by his generals.

Benimaru: "They're planning something. We have reports of troops moving along Falmuth's border."

Souei (from the shadows): "Confirmed. They're deploying scouts under magical cloaks. Sloppy ones."

Testarossa: "Hinata has called the Paladins to arms. They believe we killed one of their own."

Veldora (smirking): "Let them come."

His voice was deep and regal, his aura steady.

Veldora: "This is a kingdom of peace. But make no mistake… we are not lambs."

In the gold-arched strategy room of King Edmaris, a dim flame flickered from the chandelier above. Maps of the Jura Forest were sprawled across the long oak table. Edmaris, robed in a thick red cloak embroidered with the royal sigil of Falmuth, leaned forward with a pleased smirk on his face. One of his closest councilors, Lord Reiner, stood beside him.

Reiner (low tone): "Your Majesty, if we're going to strike the Storm Kingdom… we mustn't do it alone."

Edmaris (raising an eyebrow): "Go on."

Reiner: "The Church. Ruberios. Hinata Sakaguchi. The Paladins. They already want the monsters gone. If we work with them… we split the risk. Share the blame. Win together."

Edmaris (nodding slowly): "Clever. If they strike first, we come in as liberators. Not attackers."

The king chuckled, tapping his fingers against the table.

Edmaris: "Send an envoy. Offer to coordinate. Let them handle the dragons and generals. We'll handle the forest."

Reiner (bowing): "As you command."

And so, within a day, three emissaries cloaked in the finest armor Falmuth had to offer departed for Ruberios with haste.

The sun was high over Ruberios, casting long shadows through the stained-glass windows of the Sanctified Assembly Hall. It was here where Hinata Sakaguchi, armored in gleaming silver and white, stood before the Paladins like a holy flame.

The doors swung open.

Guard: "Lady Hinata, emissaries from Falmuth request an audience."

Hinata (arms crossed): "Let them in."

The three men entered, bowed respectfully, and one stepped forward.

Falmuth Emissary: "Lady Sakaguchi, on behalf of His Majesty King Edmaris, we come to present a proposal… a joint military operation against the Storm Kingdom."

Hinata's sharp eyes narrowed, lips tight.

Hinata: "Go on."

Emissary: "Falmuth shall march with 20,000 soldiers—fully equipped. We've prepared enchanted orbs—crafted with the Church's blessing—that act as a magicule-suppressing barrier. It will weaken the monsters. Make their generals vulnerable."

He paused, measuring her reaction.

Emissary: "And you… the Paladins. The sharp spear. The sword of faith. You strike first. Your 300 elite Paladins lead the charge."

Hinata walked slowly around the table, tapping her armored fingers thoughtfully.

Hinata: "Three hundred Paladins… all B-rank and above. They can handle monsters. The orbs… do they affect humans?"

Emissary: "No, milady. Only monsters."

Hinata (coldly): "Then we strike swift. Remove their leaders. Cut off their head… and the body falls."

Sir Leyva (one of the paladins): "Shouldn't we be sure they're behind Gralven's death?"

Hinata (snapping): "We are sure. And if we're wrong… then may the Goddess forgive us, because they won't."

At the same time, in the puppet nation of Jistav, Clayman paced back and forth in his grand dark throne room, twirling a glass of glowing purple wine.

The news had reached him. Plans were in motion. The fools were moving.

Clayman (grinning madly): "… They actually fell for it."

He sat back on his throne, crossing one leg over the other.

Clayman: "Hinata will strike first. The world will cheer. Falmuth will march second, claiming to 'stabilize the region.' Monsters will die. Chaos will spread. Souls will gather."

His eyes glowed a sickly red as he raised his hand and conjured a small ball of dark mist—a visual of marching soldiers and burning villages.

Clayman (whispering): "With those souls… I shall evolve. A true Demon Lord. No more hiding. No more strings."

From the shadows, Laplace appeared, flipping a dagger between his fingers.

Laplace: "And what if ol' dragon boy doesn't go down easy?"

Clayman (gritting teeth): "That's why we use the barrier. That kingdom is strong, yes… but no one can stand when their power's sealed."

Footman (giggling): "I wanna see monsters cry."

Tear (smiling eerily): "I'll wear something red."

Yuuki Kagurazaka, calm and collected, stepped out from behind the curtain of illusion, arms folded.

Yuuki: "Just remember, Clayman… this chaos benefits all of us. But if you get too excited and ruin everything…"

Clayman (sneering): "I know what I'm doing."

Yuuki's smile was faint and dangerous.

Yuuki: "I hope so. Because if Veldora sees through it… it won't be me he turns into ash first."

All was calm. The people trained. Soldiers patrolled. The markets bustled. But in the throne room of polished obsidian and sapphire…

Veldora, dressed in royal attire with a cape flowing behind him, sat on his golden throne, arms crossed. Testarossa stood beside him, arms at her back, a gentle yet calculating smile on her face. And floating near the ceiling…

Saiki Kusuo, invisible, chewing another cube of coffee jelly.

Saiki (thinking): "They're actually going to go through with it. Yare yare… Humans really are predictable."

Testarossa (smirking): "Shall we prepare, my king?"

Veldora (grinning): "Let them come. We shall give the world what it wants… a show."