When a God of Destruction Was Reincarnated in Tensura:

Leon Cromwell stood on the balcony of his grand citadel in El Dorado, the golden city that had stood as a beacon of power and order for centuries. The sun bathed the white marble towers in a brilliant light, reflecting off the gilded streets where his people—his loyal subjects—walked peacefully.

But beneath the beautiful façade, unease festered.

Something was wrong.

Leon could feel it.

The air was too still, the city too quiet. It was as if the world itself was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.

Then—

A scream.

Leon's eyes sharpened as he turned toward the streets below.

Chaos erupted.

Flames burst forth from homes, marketplaces, and towers as masked soldiers clad in golden armor stormed through the streets, cutting down civilians without hesitation.

His people—his kingdom—were under attack.

Leon's expression remained calm, but his hands clenched into fists.

Who dares attack El Dorado?

Before he could act, a presence appeared behind him.

A presence he knew well.

"…Claude?"

Leon turned—

And froze.

Standing before him was Claude, his most trusted knight, his right-hand, his closest friend. The man who had followed him for centuries, the one who had sworn absolute loyalty to him.

But now—Claude was holding a sword.

A sword aimed at him.

Leon's golden eyes narrowed.

"…What are you doing?"

Claude's expression was unreadable. His usual composed demeanor remained, but there was something different.

A coldness in his eyes.

Determination.

"Leon," Claude finally spoke, his voice steady. "You must surrender."

Leon's expression darkened.

"…Surrender?"

Claude took a step forward.

"El Dorado can no longer stand under your rule," he said. "You have held power for too long. Your reign must come to an end."

Leon's eyes widened slightly, but the shock was brief. It was immediately replaced with icy resolve.

"I see," Leon murmured, glancing past Claude at the city below.

His people were being slaughtered. His knights—his own knights—were turning against him.

A coup.

Leon closed his eyes briefly.

"…So, even you betray me."

Claude did not respond.

When Leon opened his eyes, they burned with cold fire.

"You swore your loyalty to me," he said, voice dangerously quiet. "You dedicated your life to serving me. And now, you turn your blade against me?"

Claude's grip tightened on his sword.

"I swore my loyalty to El Dorado," he said firmly. "Not just to you, but to the people. And they no longer need you, Leon."

A sharp pain pierced Leon's chest.

But it was not from the betrayal.

It was from the deep, unshakable loneliness that suddenly enveloped him.

Had he really lost everything?

The people he ruled, the nation he built, the knights who once stood beside him—

Were they all abandoning him?

For the first time in centuries, Leon felt truly alone.

But he did not show it.

He did not waver.

Instead, he exhaled softly.

"Then," he said, drawing his golden blade Excalibur, "I will cut down my enemies, just as I always have."

Claude's expression hardened.

"If that is your choice…"

Then he moved.

Faster than lightning, Claude dashed forward, his blade aiming for Leon's heart.

Leon reacted instantly, raising Excalibur to parry. The clash of their swords shook the citadel, golden sparks flying from the impact.

Claude was skilled. Leon had trained him himself. Every move, every strike, every tactic—he knew them all.

And yet—Claude was faster. Stronger.

Leon barely had time to process it before a sudden pain tore through his side.

Claude's sword pierced his armor.

Leon staggered back, clutching his wound. His golden blood dripped onto the marble floor.

For the first time in centuries—Leon Cromwell was bleeding.

He stared at Claude, the knight who had sworn to protect him, and realization finally settled in.

This was real.

This was not a test of strength.

This was the end.

"…I see," Leon muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "So this is how it ends."

Claude did not hesitate.

He lunged forward for the finishing strike—

And Leon did not move.

His body refused to.

He was too tired.

Too tired of ruling alone. Too tired of carrying the burden of a king.

Maybe… maybe this was what he deserved.

Maybe this was his punishment for never trusting anyone fully.

Maybe—

No.

Leon's eyes widened.

No.

He suddenly understood.

This… this was not real.

Leon gritted his teeth, and with sheer willpower, he forced himself to move.

He raised Excalibur.

And stopped Claude's blade—just inches from his heart.

Claude's eyes widened in shock.

Leon tightened his grip.

"This is an illusion."

The world shuddered violently.

Claude's expression flickered—for a brief moment, his face was distorted, unnatural.

Leon took a step forward.

"This is not real," he repeated. His voice grew stronger.

"I would never fall so easily."

The world began to crack.

The city, the flames, the screams—they all wavered, like a mirage.

Claude's face twisted—his form flickering between his usual self and something monstrous.

"You cannot escape, Leon," Claude's voice distorted, becoming inhuman. "You are alone. You will always be alone."

Leon's golden eyes burned with determination.

"Perhaps I was alone," he admitted. "Perhaps I have always distanced myself from others, afraid of betrayal."

But—

"I am still standing."

He raised Excalibur high.

"And I will never fall."

With one final slash, he cut through the illusion.

And the world shattered.

Leon's eyes snapped open.

He was back in the white void, standing before the twelve members of the Grand Order.

His body was whole. There was no wound, no blood.

The trial was over.

Aurelia, the Arbiter of Fate, gazed at him with an unreadable expression.

"You have passed."

Leon exhaled.

His grip on Excalibur loosened, but he did not let his emotions show.

The illusion had tested him, had tried to break him.

But he had endured.

Because he was Leon Cromwell.

And he would never fall.