After the agreement, the other Mōjin tribes soon learned that the Ultim Mōjin had formed a pact with the Rosengard Kingdom. Under normal circumstances, such news would have sparked uncontrollable rage—and it did.
To them, humans were nothing more than livestock. Worse still, they blamed the Rosengard Kingdom for draining their strength and hastening their starvation. The Ultims, weakened and few in number, lacked the forces necessary to restrain the other tribes.
A tribe chief roared from the battlefield:
Atribechief:"Kyōzuna! Show yourself, you wretch! Mōjin kneeling before humans?! You'll pay tenfold for this betrayal. I will unleash the Yajūni upon you!"
But Kyōzuna was ill.
Temporary command had fallen to Yakazuna.
The Ultims faltered. They fought desperately to repel the other tribes, calling upon various Konkai users for aid. Yet most Konkai wielders were paralyzed by fear at the sight of the Yajūni. Step by step, the Ultims were forced back.
The enemy Mōjin and Yajūni, already fed, showed no signs of weakening.
Yakazuna paced back and forth, teeth clenched. If this continued, the Rosengard Kingdom would fall—and the Ultim tribe would face annihilation.
He made his decision.
Yakazuna sprinted toward the palace, shoved past the guards, and burst inside.
Guards: "Sir, Lady Sandriel is currently—"
Yakazuna: "Out of my way!"
Yakazuna: "Sandriel! Where are you?
Sandriel!"
From behind the throne, Sandriel emerged calmly, the faint sound of flowing water echoing as the throne concealed her body.
Sandriel: "Were you never taught not to disturb a woman while she bathes, my dear Yakazuna?"
Yakazuna: "Shut up! Don't you care about your people? Look at you— relaxed and comfortable! If the Yajūni cross the border they'll commit genocide!"
(The sand within the palace rose violently into the air.)
Sandriel: "Silence! I have warned you countless times not to speak to me in that tone. There is a queen before you! And yet you still belittle me."
She turned her gaze cold.
Sandriel: "I have a plan. I am calm because I am confident it will succeed. Now—leave!"
Yakazuna: "Oh? A plan? Then we'll honor it by going home and waiting for our deaths. Best of luck, Your Majesty."
Sandriel: "Your defense of the border is part of my plan, Yakazuna."
Yakazuna: "Hmph. I'm going to my father. Do whatever you want."
Yakazuna stormed out.
Sandriel returned to her bath. Her confidence in her sand was absolute. She believed she could suppress every Mōjin tribe herself.
She would encircle them with sand, bind their legs, slam them into the earth, and capture them with the aid of other Konkai users.
The plan sounded reasonable.
What she underestimated was their endurance.
The Mōjin were stronger than expected—and they were still fed.
Once finished, Sandriel dressed and strode toward the battlefield, her steps unwavering.
She arrived beneath a blazing sun. Dust choked the air. The ground was layered with sand and scattered with human corpses. Towering shadows stretched before her.
(Yajūni roaring)
Sandriel fixed her gaze upon them.
Sandriel: "Leave my territory."
Silence followed.
Then—all Yajūni charged at once.
Sandriel remained composed. With her sand, she seized nearly all of them by the feet, locking them in place. The strain was immense. Her energy began to drain rapidly.
(Sound of scattering sand)
A Mōjin sneered from behind the lines.
Mōjin: "Sandrie~~l, you're weak!"
The taunt struck deeper than expected. Her heartbeat quickened. Her breath shortened.
The Yajūni leapt.
Sandriel evaded using the desert itself—her body partially dissolving into sand beneath their blows. Their fists passed through her harmlessly.
But evasion was not victory.
They did not weaken. Their strength remained intact.
An hour passed.
Not a single Yajūni had fallen.
For the first time, fear touched Sandriel.
A fifteen-meter Yajūni lunged. Its saliva splattered onto the sand she controlled. Moisture disrupted her technique.
Pain tore through her chest.
But instead of breaking her, something ignited.
Clenching her fist and focusing her mind, Sandriel hurled a condensed sand fist.
The impact was devastating.
Blood burst forth.
The fist was massive—overwhelming—unnaturally powerful.
(Sound of sand condensing)
Without hesitation, she formed two more fists and struck again.
The Yajūni collapsed, unconscious.
Enough.
The others charged.
A revelation struck her.
She condensed the sand again—this time differently.
She first shielded herself, repelling the attackers, then compressed the sand around her body.
Slowly, deliberately, a ten-meter sand giant took form.
This was her answer.
She fought through it.
The number of Yajūni was limited. She held them back alone. With every movement, her control sharpened. Her power grew.
Only the mocking Mōjin remained.
Sandriel focused once more and attacked through the sand giant.
The Mōjin blocked and countered, landing a crushing punch—but it did nothing.
Mōjin: "Terrifying… but I know your weakness, Sandriel!"
It spat a dense glob of saliva.
Sandriel: "What—?! Disgusting!"
The Mōjin attacked again. Sandriel blocked with her sand arm—but it would not reform. The moisture prevented condensation.
Strike after strike followed.
Her sand giant crumbled.
She was exposed.
Helpless.
The Mōjin drew back its fist for the final blow—
—and missed.
(Sound of emerald forming)
Its arm would not move.
A massive, pointed emerald structure erupted from its neck.
Mōjin: "Gaah!"
It collapsed, choking.
Sandriel: "Kaerion!"
Kaerion: "Here, Your Majesty."
Rage surged through Sandriel. She struck the Mōjin repeatedly with sand, but it refused to die. Regeneration was already at work.
It stood again.
Mōjin: "Humans!"
Kaerion lunged. With immense effort, he severed the Mōjin's head. To ensure its death, Sandriel pierced its chest with sand.
The battlefield fell silent.
The Mōjin—and the Yajūni—were defeated.
Back at the palace, Sandriel collapsed onto her throne. Exhaustion consumed her—but something had changed.
Her Konkai felt different.
Stronger.
Evolved.
Sandriel closed her eyes, thinking.
Sandriel: "Kaerion."
Kaerion: "Yes, Your Majesty?"
Sandriel: "You were writing a record book about Konkai, weren't you?"
Kaerion: "I was."
Sandriel: "Add a new term. Call it 'Ruten.'"
From that day forward, it was known as Ruten.
The Konkai could evolve beyond its triangular form, growing stronger and changing shape.
Every Konkai began at Ruten 1.
How far it could evolve—no one knew.
Sandriel: "So... it can grow stronger."