Atem was walking through Eterna, speaking with Rigurd about new housing projects while Shuna handed him reports on supplies. His cloak shifted with every step, and his sharp, commanding gaze carried weight, yet the people always felt safe under it.
Then, without warning—
<
The Oracle's voice rang in his mind, calm but edged with urgency.
Almost instantly, the entire city froze. Workers dropped tools, goblins clutched their heads from the pressure, direwolves crouched and whimpered, and Hakuro instinctively stepped in front of the goblin children, his hand resting on his blade.
Atem's eyes narrowed, his expression calm but sharp. He could feel it too—a suffocating aura bearing down on them like a storm about to swallow the world.
"Oracle… identify."
<
Atem's lips curved faintly, more amused than alarmed.
"So, the Destroyer herself. I've heard tales of her power… but to feel it directly—it's like the air is about to shatter."
<
He gave a short nod.
"Understood. Better me than my people. Let's greet our guest properly."
Spreading his spirit wings, Atem rose into the air in a flare of golden light, soaring beyond Eterna's walls. His presence steadied those below—if their king could face this calmly, then they too could endure.
And then, he saw her.
A small figure darting across the sky at blinding speed, hair trailing like a comet's tail. Her body looked fragile, childlike even, but the oppressive waves of magicules rolling off her twisted the very air around her.
Atem muttered under his breath, eyes narrowing.
"So this is Milim Nava…"
<
When her eyes met his, her face brightened instantly, like a child spotting a new toy. With a sharp descent, she landed hard enough to rattle the ground, the shockwave echoing across the plains.
The girl grinned, her voice bright and carefree despite the fear she caused.
"You must be Atem! The one building a nation, beating monsters, and causing a stir everywhere. Hehe, you look stronger than I expected!"
"Indeed. And you must be Milim Nava, Demon Lord of destruction." Atem's tone carried respect, but also steel.
Milim planted her fists on her hips, beaming. "That's right! The strongest, the cutest, and the best! Don't forget it!"
Behind Atem, his soldiers whispered nervously.
"She's… that Demon Lord?"
"We're done for…"
"Why is the Master not backing down!?"
Atem raised one hand to silence them, his gaze never leaving Milim. "Calm yourselves. I will face her."
Milim's eyes gleamed with excitement. "So! Let's fight! Don't worry, I'll hold back just a little."
Atem floated higher, his cape flaring as a golden circle of ancient glyphs spun beneath his feet. "Very well. If you seek a Duel… then you shall have one."
Milim vanished. No — she moved so fast the eye could barely follow. Her fist shot toward Atem like a cannon. Atem raised his palm, summoning a shimmering wall of dark energy — Magician's Barrier. The blow collided, splitting the ground into a crater beneath them.
The shockwave rolled all the way to the walls of Eterna, where soldiers clung to the battlements to keep from being blown away.
"Whoa! He blocked it!?"
Atem's cape fluttered as the barrier dispersed. "Impressive speed. But raw power alone will not bring me down."
He extended his arm. "Come forth — my trusted magicians!"
Two magic circles flared open beside him, violet light spiraling. Out stepped the tall, imposing Dark Magician, staff crackling with arcane power, and the graceful Dark Magician Girl, her eyes sharp though her smile remained warm.
Milim's eyes sparkled. "Oooh! You can call spirits into battle!? This is gonna be fun!"
Milim charged again, laughter echoing. She leapt at Dark Magician, her fist glowing. The magician raised his staff and released a torrent of Dark Magic Attack. The explosion of violet energy clashed with her strike, detonating in a storm of fire and darkness.
Dark Magician Girl darted in, spinning mid-air as her staff shot a barrage of sparkling blasts, forcing Milim to weave through them. Her movements were playful, almost like a game, but each casual strike left gouges in the earth below.
Atem flew into the fray himself, weaving between the blasts. With a gesture, swords of shimmering energy manifested — Magician's Blades — which he hurled in combination with his magicians' attacks.
Milim giggled mid-battle. "You're good! Really good!" She caught one of the blades with her bare hand, crushed it, and darted at Atem.
Her fist grazed his chest, but Atem spun backward in the air, his cape trailing like a shadow. "Dark Magician — bind her!"
Chains of shadow erupted from the ground, wrapping Milim for an instant — only for her to flex and shatter them like twigs. She landed, pouting. "That tickled!"
Dark Magician Girl called out, "She's too strong, Master!"
Atem remained calm, golden eyes sharp. "Not strong enough to ignore strategy. Focus your fire — together!"
Both magicians launched their spells in perfect unison. Violet darkness and brilliant pink light entwined, forming a spiraling beam that shot straight at Milim.
The combined blast of Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl detonated with a thunderclap, flames and violet arcs ripping across the sky. The shockwave rolled out like the wrath of a storm, shaking the earth beneath the soldiers of Eterna.
When the dust cleared, Milim stood in the center of the devastation, unharmed. Her dress was scorched at the edges, but her smile was wider than ever. "Hahaha! That was amazing! I felt that one!"
She clenched her fists in delight, ready to leap back into the fray.
But before she could move, the Oracle's calm voice resonated in Atem's mind.
<
Atem's golden eyes narrowed, calculating. "You mean… devour a piece of her essence without destroying her?"
<
Atem's lips curved into a smirk. "Good. Let's do it."
Atem extended his hand, and a black-and-gold aura erupted around him. Ancient hieroglyphs shimmered in the air, encircling his body like a temple of light and shadow.
The Oracle's voice thundered through his mind:
<
At once, the world seemed to freeze. A wave of oppressive dread surged outward from Atem like the gaze of an eternal god.
The soldiers behind him—Benimaru, Hakuro, Souei, Shion, and all the ogres and goblins—fell to their knees or staggered under the weight of the aura. Their hearts pounded. Their bodies trembled.
"What… what is this pressure!?" Hakuro gasped, sweat running down his wrinkled brow.
Souei's usually calm expression cracked, his hands tightening on his blades. "Even my legs… won't move…!"
Shion pressed a hand against her chest, her face pale yet her eyes shining in awe. "Master Atem… he feels like… a god."
Benimaru gritted his teeth, trying to remain standing. "This… this is power on a level beyond anything I've ever felt. Our Lord… is truly unmatched."
The soldiers of Eterna bowed lower, their reverence for Atem multiplying with every heartbeat.
And Milim—Milim, the unstoppable Demon Lord—froze mid-step. Her playful grin faltered for the first time.
Her eyes widened. "Wh-what the… This pressure… it's crushing…!"
For the first time, she hesitated.
Atem's smirk deepened. "You're strong, Milim… but now, it's my turn."
He raised both hands, his aura flaring.
<
A vast, nearly invisible dome of energy expanded outward, snapping into place around Milim like the jaws of a colossal beast. The barrier hummed with an ancient resonance, etched with glowing runes of judgment and eternity.
Milim's instincts screamed. She tried to move—but the aura pinned her just long enough.
"Wha—!? What is this!? I can't… move!"
The Oracle's voice whispered within Atem's mind:
<
Milim's body glowed faintly as threads of her power—her destructive energy, her draconic magicules, the essence of her Chaos Dragon bloodline—were pulled, ever so slightly, into Atem's barrier.
Atem's soldiers gasped in shock as they felt her immense aura shrink just a fraction.
Shion's eyes widened. "He's… taking her power…!?"
Hakuro whispered hoarsely. "No… he's devouring her…"
The Oracle confirmed softly:
<
Atem clenched his fist, and the barrier shattered into dust, fading into the wind.
Milim stumbled back a step, her face pale with shock. She looked down at her hands, flexing them as if to confirm she was still whole.
Her eyes snapped back to Atem, wide and burning with disbelief. "What the hell was THAT!? You— you actually stole some of my power! Nobody's ever done that to me before!!"
Atem descended slowly, his cape flowing like the night sky. His expression was calm, collected, but his golden eyes burned with command.
"Enough," he said simply. His voice echoed with finality.
"If we continue, Milim… the battlefield will be reduced to ashes. Your power is overwhelming. But so is mine. Neither of us should risk destroying everything around us."
The silence that followed was heavy. The soldiers, still on their knees, barely dared to breathe.
Milim blinked at him… then her lips quirked back into a grin. "Hah…! You're incredible! Strong, clever, and dangerous! I like you even more now!"
Her voice was cheerful, but her eyes still held traces of shock and respect.
Atem raised a hand, and from his [ Special Stomach], he summoned a small glass jar of golden honey. The sunlight gleamed through it like liquid gold.
"Here," Atem said. "Before we fight further, try this. A gift from Eterna."
Milim blinked, still suspicious. "…Food? Now? You're weird."
But she dipped her finger in, tasted the honey—
—and her expression transformed instantly.
Her eyes went wide, and then sparkled like stars. "Sweet!? This is… this is amazing!!"
She laughed, spinning in delight. "I love it!! I love it, I love it, I LOVE IT!!"
In the blink of an eye, she shot forward and wrapped Atem in a crushing hug, her laughter ringing across the battlefield. "You're the best, Atem! From now on, we're best friends! BEST FRIENDS FOREVER!!"
The soldiers of Eterna stared in stunned silence.
"…Did… did the Master just… tame the Destroyer?"
"She was going to kill us all… and now she's hugging him!?"
"Our Master… is beyond human…"
The Oracle's voice purred softly in Atem's mind.
<
Atem placed a hand gently on Milim's shoulder, smirking faintly. "Very well, Milim. Then come. Welcome to Eterna."
And so, through strategy, power, and a jar of honey, Atem not only fought Milim Nava—the Destroyer—but gained her as a friend, shocking the world and forever changing the fate of Eterna.