The days that followed were anything but normal in the Cardinal World.
The skies were clear, yet a strange tension filled the air—like the world itself was holding its breath.
A new island had appeared, suddenly and without explanation, in the great ocean that touched no known borders. It wasn't on any map. It hadn't been sensed by any nation or guardian. It had simply… appeared.
And with it came the orbs.
The sun beat down over the Beast Kingdom of Eurazania. Frey was visiting Carrion, and the two were watching over the training of a new generation of beast warriors. Carrion was relaxed, his arms crossed as he stood on a high platform, looking out with that proud look he always had. Frey stood beside him, wings folded, her eyes half-lidded in boredom.
Then it came.
A glowing orb, no bigger than a fist, floated silently toward them. It shimmered with soft, golden-blue light and hummed faintly—too quiet to be natural, but too loud to ignore.
Carrion narrowed his eyes. "What the hell is that?"
"I've never seen anything like it," Frey said, stepping forward. "It's not magical energy I recognize…"
Carrion reached out, fingers tense. "Should I—?"
"Don't touch it so carelessly—"
But he already had. His fingers grazed the orb—and instantly, it pulsed and opened, like a flower blooming in midair.
A voice spoke. It wasn't male or female. It wasn't loud, but it echoed with power that made even Frey's wings stiffen.
"Come to the Island of Zaneth, the Isle of Infinite Trials. Come to test your strength… or you and your country will be destroyed."
The message ended as quickly as it began, the orb fading into golden dust.
Carrion and Frey stared at each other, both speechless.
"…What the hell just happened?" Carrion muttered.
Far away, deep within a vast canyon of ancient bones and dragon fossils, a similar orb floated above the cracked earth. This land, forbidden even to most of Milim's people, was guarded by monstrous beasts and spiritual echoes of long-dead dragons.
But the orb glowed all the same, and before long, one of Milim's elite scouts found it. The moment it was touched, the same message played—challenging the Forgotten Dragons themselves.
In the endless wastelands ruled by Draguel, the desert winds howled like angry spirits. The orb found its way to the heart of his capital.
Dino, who was currently disguised as a robed wanderer and had been secretly living among Draguel's people, felt the magic surge and turned sharply toward it.
"…That's not normal," he said, brushing back his long, lazy bangs.
He watched the orb float forward and display the exact same message.
"Come to the Island of Zaneth… or you and your country will be destroyed."
Dino's expression darkened. "This… isn't just a challenge. This is a declaration."
In Leon Cromwell's golden palace, the orb floated calmly into the royal chamber. Leon, dressed in his ceremonial uniform, was going over political reports with Elphina when the orb appeared, silently interrupting them.
The message played. Leon's fingers froze.
"…Elphina," he said sharply. "Call the Royal Guard. Now."
Luminous Valentine stood at the altar of her cathedral, the holy light of the stained glass windows washing her in divinity. The orb entered through the ceiling like a spirit, drifting down until it hovered in front of her.
The message echoed off the walls. Hinata, who had just walked in, drew her sword on instinct.
Luminous narrowed her eyes. "A challenge? From whom?"
Rain and Misery stood beside Guy in his icy throne room when the orb appeared. The message didn't even make Guy blink, but the air around him grew colder.
Rain frowned. "We don't know who sent it. But it knew exactly where to find us."
Misery crossed her arms. "It mentioned destruction. I don't like this."
Guy leaned forward, red eyes glowing. "This is a threat. And a dangerous one. I'm calling a Walpurgis."
Velgrynd crushed the orb in her hand after hearing the message. But the magic still leaked out, reforming midair and playing the same ominous line.
She growled. "Who dares…?"
The orb floated gently into the skies above Veldora's mountain peak. He caught it easily.
The message played. He blinked. "Uhh... what?"
That's when he felt it.
An invisible presence, one that he only noticed because of its complete lack of energy.
"…Who's there?" Veldora asked, spinning around.
No answer. Just silence.
Then, from behind him, a voice said casually—
"Yo. It's me."
Veldora jumped. "Wha—SAIKI?!"
Saiki Kusuo materialized, still floating, hands in his pockets, face as unreadable as ever.
Veldora glared. "You…! Why are you sneaking up on me again?! That's the third time this month!"
Saiki sighed. "yare yare... This is serious."
Veldora's annoyance faded a bit. "...Okay, fine. What's going on?"
Saiki floated down to Veldora's level and spoke in his usual calm, deadpan tone.
"That orb? It came from Saphielle. She's the one who created the Island of Zaneth. She's here for the Demon Lords, the Transcendent Demons… and the True Dragons."
Veldora's eyes widened. "Wait. You know who sent it?"
Saiki nodded. "She's dangerous. I've met her before—long ago. She doesn't care about conquest. She's here for one reason."
Veldora blinked. "Which is…?"
Saiki's voice dropped. "To fight. She wants to test her strength against the strongest beings in this world. She won't kill civilians or destroy lands unless provoked, but her battles… will shake the balance of power in the entire Cardinal World."
"Why now?" Veldora asked. "Why us?"
Saiki looked into the sky. "Because she was sent to test all of you."
"test us?!"
Saiki was like "yup" while eating a cup of coffee jelly...
He continued, "more will be coming after her, so you all better get ready..."
Veldora's expression turned serious, which was rare. Normally, he was all laughs and thunderous jokes, but not this time. Something about that orb, that island—this Saphielle—felt different.
So he raised his hand and released a bolt of storm energy into the sky. The rune in his palm activated, and a signal traveled across the kingdom instantly.
A meeting had been called.
Within the hour, the generals arrived, each one stepping through their personal portals or flying in via their own means. They entered the vast war room of the spire—walls made of crystallized lightning and a circular obsidian table set in the center.
First to appear was Benimaru, tall, calm, with his crimson hair tied neatly and his black armor shining with recent polish. He gave Veldora a curt nod.
"Lord Veldora."
Then came Souei, silent as a shadow, appearing behind Benimaru like a ghost. He didn't say a word, but his eyes were already scanning the room.
Hakuro followed, walking in slowly with his sword sheathed, wearing a light blue yukata. "It's been a while since you called all of us like this," he said with a thoughtful glance. "Trouble?"
Shion barged in right after, slamming the door open with her usual energy. "Finally, something's happening!" she said, her greatsword strapped to her back. "I was getting bored!"
Geld entered quietly, towering and strong, still covered in dust from a mining project he'd been supervising. He bowed his head respectfully. "Storm Dragon-sama."
Then Rigurd, with a more refined appearance than most goblins, stepped in with a scroll in his hand. "Your Excellency," he greeted, sounding formal and wise.
Not far behind was Gobta, who—true to form—tripped over the entrance and rolled into the room, landing flat on his face. "Oww... I made it!"
Veldora smirked a bit at that. "You never fail to entertain, Gobta."
Then came the four most powerful ones. The ones who radiated an aura so intense it caused the stormy windows to flicker.
Diablo, the black-clad demon with a twisted smile, walked in slowly, with his hands behind his back. "My lord, you have called."
Testarossa, with her pristine white hair and cold elegance, glided into the room. She said nothing but offered a respectful nod.
Ultima, grinning wildly, sat on the table rather than a chair. "Oooh, is this finally a fight? It smells like a fight."
Carrera, chewing on a strange energy crystal, popped it in her mouth and waved lazily. "So, boss, who we blowing up?"
Veldora waited for everyone to settle in before slamming his hand on the table...