The Silent Deity: Saiki Kusuo in Tensura

The golden light of late afternoon spilled into the massive throne room of the Storm Kingdom, painting the marble floors in warm hues. The scent of rose tea drifted through the air as Shuna, ever graceful, gently poured a fresh cup for Veldora. He sat relaxed on his dark obsidian throne, one leg draped over the other, swirling his tea with regal poise.

Benimaru and Shion stood nearby, exchanging thoughts about the latest training results from the Storm Army's elite divisions. The conversation was warm and steady, filled with the rhythm of military minds.

Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted.

Four flashes of darkness flickered at once.

Diablo, Testarossa, Ultima, and Carrera reappeared at the foot of the throne in synchronized grace, kneeling low.

"It has been taken care of, Lord Veldora," Diablo spoke calmly, his red eyes gleaming.

"Excellent," Veldora said, resting his elbow on the throne's arm, fingers against his cheek like a warlord deep in thought. "Now rise."

The four stood, eyes attentive.

Veldora's expression grew serious. "Now that you're all here, there is another matter I'd like to address…" He set his cup down. "It concerns Falmuth."

Everyone in the room leaned in slightly.

"Their army was crushed. Their king, Edmaris, still lives. The people are confused. Their nobles—divided. What shall we do with the Kingdom of Falmuth?"

A moment of silence. Then—

Benimaru stepped forward first, hand on his katana.

"My Lord," he began, "Falmuth has always been reckless. If we leave them be, they'll regroup and seek vengeance. I suggest we make them a vassal state. Remove King Edmaris, install a ruler loyal to the Storm Kingdom—someone trained by us. Let them keep their name, but we control everything else."

Shion nodded beside him.

"That's bold… and smart," she muttered.

Then Shion spoke up, fire in her voice.

"Also—let their army remain, but with one condition. Their generals must answer to us. We'll rotate in our own officers. That way, if they so much as think about betrayal, we'll crush them from the inside out."

She smirked. "Besides, watching over them sounds like fun."

Diablo chuckled lightly before stepping forward, hands folded neatly behind his back.

"May I add…?" he said, voice as smooth as silk. "We could use Falmuth as a stage. A warning to the other kingdoms."

He turned to Veldora, smiling.

"Make Edmaris stand trial… in public. Let the world see what happens when someone challenges the Storm Kingdom. Then exile him. He'll wander without power, forever cursing his own foolishness."

His eyes narrowed.

"It sends a message without staining our hands in more blood."

Testarossa elegantly stepped beside Diablo, her eyes calm but calculating.

"A wise idea," she said, "but we must think longer term. Falmuth controls several trade routes and magicite mines."

She looked to Veldora. "We seize control economically. Place a vassal king. Keep taxes low for the people—but drain the nobles of their influence. Quietly. The people will be grateful. The nobles will fall in line or disappear."

Ultima, spinning a dagger between her fingers, rolled her eyes.

"You're all thinking so slow…" she said, then smirked. "Let me assassinate the top ten nobles and military officials. Replace them with doubles who answer to us. Quiet, clean, no chaos. We don't even need to announce it."

She giggled. "They'll be ruled before they even notice."

Shion raised an eyebrow. "That's… actually terrifying."

Carrera, arms crossed, cracked her knuckles.

"Why not mix both? Vassal state, puppet ruler, and military integration. But also… let them keep a shred of pride. Let them think they chose this."

She tilted her head.

"Then we host a peace celebration. Invite all the other nations. They'll see Falmuth bending the knee, smiling. The Storm Kingdom becomes not just feared—but admired."

Veldora rubbed his chin, grinning like a dragon king with the world at his feet.

"Hmm… a vassal state. Controlled economy. Puppet ruler. Trial for Edmaris. Political takeover without full destruction… Excellent. It's both elegant and terrifying."

Veldora sat tall on his throne, his arms resting casually on the blackened stone armrests, glowing with a subtle dragon aura. His golden eyes narrowed slightly as he looked over his most trusted commanders, who stood kneeling below him.

He lifted a hand.

"Excellent ideas. All of you."

His voice was deep, commanding, filled with a tone of pride and absolute authority.

"Now… the first thing we must do is find someone to replace King Edmaris."

The room was silent except for the gentle sound of Shuna setting down a fresh tray of tea beside Veldora. He didn't touch it yet. His mind was burning with plans.

Then he turned to Ultima, who had a slight smirk on her pale lips.

"Ultima, your mission is clear. Find out which nobles are most loyal to Edmaris and eliminate them."

Ultima's eyes lit up like a child getting permission to blow something up.

"With pleasure, my lord." She stood up slowly, brushing a lock of violet hair from her face. "Should I also replace them?"

Veldora nodded.

"Yes. Use doubles. Demons are excellent mimics. Insert them into those noble positions quietly. The world must not realize they've been swapped."

Ultima bowed, grinning devilishly.

"In that case… may I request something, my lord? I'd like to return to the Underworld briefly and bring back the strongest of my lineage. I'll need specialists for this task."

Veldora didn't hesitate.

"Very well. You have my permission. Choose only the most loyal and skilled."

She bowed even deeper. "I already know exactly who to bring."

Veldora stood slowly from his throne, his majestic black cape with golden lining flowing behind him. As he paced, his voice rang clearly.

"This is not a simple takeover. This is a transformation. Like Testarossa wisely said, we must think long-term."

He turned, making eye contact with every one of them.

"We'll seize control of Falmuth's economy and trade routes. Cut taxes for the people. Make their lives better—happier. Slowly drain the nobles of their power and wealth. The people will worship us for the peace we bring."

Testarossa gave a proud nod. "By the time they realize what's happened, they'll already see you as their savior, my lord."

Veldora's eyes sharpened. "Exactly. And as Diablo mentioned, instead of holding a trial for Edmaris, we do something greater. We revive Falmuth's broken economy. We show the world that under the Storm King's rule—there is wealth, peace, and justice."

Diablo stepped forward, arms crossed, a satisfied smirk on his face.

"Yes, a kingdom reborn in your image, Lord Veldora. The world will have no choice but to acknowledge your brilliance."

Veldora grinned, then turned toward Shion, Benimaru, and Hakuro.

"You three will handle their army. Assess their generals. Replace them with better ones if needed. And if they resist…" he paused, his smile fading slightly. "You know what to do."

Shion cracked her knuckles.

"Oh, I'll enjoy this. I've been meaning to test out some new sparring techniques."

Benimaru gave a small smirk, but his eyes were focused.

"We'll train their forces like ours. Make them stronger. Make them proud to wear the Storm Kingdom's colors."

Hakuro bowed respectfully.

"Their discipline will rival ours in no time, my lord."

Veldora nodded in approval, then continued.

"We don't just want Falmuth as a vassal. We will mold it until it becomes another jewel in our crown. A city-state of the Storm Kingdom. And the people will think it was their own choice all along."

Carrera raised her hand with a cheeky grin.

"My lord, can I bring a few of my demons as well? I have some experts in 'civil persuasion' that could help replace any generals or nobles we miss."

Diablo joined in.

"And I, too, would like to summon some from my lineage. We all have our specialists."

Veldora nodded without pause.

"You shall. Bring only the best. Only the loyal."

All of them bowed in unison, their respect genuine, their admiration undeniable.

Testarossa whispered to Ultima, "The way he commands, his charisma… it's like watching the birth of an emperor."

Ultima grinned. "He's scary smart when he wants to be."

A few moments later, one by one, the Transcendent Demons vanished in dark swirling energy to carry out their missions.

The room calmed again, only the tea tray quietly steaming at Veldora's side.

Above the throne, floating lazily mid-air, was Saiki. He was munching on another cup of his favorite coffee jelly, spoon moving on autopilot.

He looked down at Veldora and let out a soft sigh.

"Yare yare daze… You're really getting good at this."

Veldora chuckled as he finally reached for the tea Shuna had poured.

"Of course I am. I am the Storm King, after all."

Then he looked up with a curious grin.

"Hey, Saiki. Why are you always eating coffee jelly anyway? Can I have some this time?"

Saiki didn't even look at him. He scooped another bite, floating lazily above the throne.

"In your dreams."

Veldora grinned.

"Fair enough."

And just like that, the first steps toward a quiet, flawless conquest had begun.

The Storm Kingdom wasn't just expanding—it was evolving.