Energy is the very essence of existence, an invisible flow that permeates every particle of the universe, and among them existed the Natural Energy.

In the beginning, Natural Energy was inherent to the world. It was not a resource to be extracted, but the soul of the planet: it flowed through the trees, swirled in the air, slumbered beneath the stones, and was as vast as the ocean, for this energy was pure, indifferent, without its own will or intention initially.

However, that was when the world was still young, and everything changed when the races that inhabited it became immersed in an endless cycle of conflicts, where war and the constant abuse of resources to fuel their power struggles were draining the planet, causing an imbalance.

Thus, as time passed, the vast and limitless Natural Energy began to accumulate, concentrating in the deepest and purest heart of the world, seeking a saturation point that would act as a counterweight.

This massive concentration, this silent scream of nature to preserve itself, reached a point of crystallization. The excess energy coagulated, solidified, and a consciousness was born from that pure essence.

"....."

From nature itself, as a source of life to preserve the world against the abuse of the races that inhabited it, a being emerged. A being of pure energy and purpose that, over time, would be called:

"The world..."

The Queen of Spirits.

"... Is trembling."

After her birth, the Queen of Spirits unleashed a wave of life and, from the massive amounts of energy contained within her, gave rise to other minor spirits. These beings dispersed throughout the planet, returning vitality to the world and restoring the health of the ecosystems.

Since then, her existence was dedicated to maintaining balance.

"What is causing this reaction...?"

The energy that had given her life was, by nature, a force of restraint. It repressed and restricted every source of non-natural or anomalous power, acting as an innate counter to any power that opposed the planet's natural laws.

"Something... is wrong."

For this reason, the Queen of Spirits had faced numerous beings throughout her existence, gaining immense experience on the battlefield. She had contained the excessive ambition of human civilizations, the devastating incursions of dragons, and even the destructive whims of some gods.

"What is this presence?!"

She did not seek to dominate or control the world. She interfered only when some force, whether human, draconian, or even of divine origin, threatened the very essence of the planet, acting as the ultimate guarantor of natural balance.

However, despite her immense power and sacred purpose, the Queen of Spirits still suffered the same problem that every long-lived race or one lacking a lifespan faces throughout its existence.

For, as time passes, races of great longevity lose interest in the world...

"Are there even invading forces...?!"

... And slowly the immensity of time consumes them, causing them to fall into prolonged sleeps from which they rarely woke.

Nevertheless, not all long-lived beings reacted in the same way:

Gods often yielded to the mundane impulses of the desires that gave them origin. Slowly, they fell into depravity, seeking only that which would provide them with a source of entertainment regardless of the means. Those who fell into madness in this way were called Evil Gods.

Demons, on the other hand, found a new sadistic pleasure in corrupting pure souls, leading others astray. The pursuit of others' decadence became their only distraction against weariness.

In this way, each race faced the problem of longevity differently. Some became proud and distant, others lazy or apathetic, but in the end, they all succumbed in one way or another to the madness of the passage of time. The weight of eternity was, ironically, the only force capable of bending them.

"W-what...?!"

Of course, the Queen of Spirits was no exception to the ravages of time.

"This presence!!"

As centuries turned into eons and eons into millennia or much more, the Queen gradually lost activity, succumbing to the constant of sleep. She rarely woke up, only when she felt that the world's balance was severely threatened.

"What kind of monster...?!"

But the awakening she experienced in that instant was different from all previous ones. It was sudden and violent, caused not by an internal threat, but by an incursion that defied all her understanding.

"Something like this does not belong in this world!"

Panic seized her consciousness as she felt the essence of the planet on her own skin, perceiving better than anyone the "monstrosity" that had arrived in the world.

"....."

She could feel how an invading force, whose origin came from another universe, had penetrated the veils of her world.

"..."

Simultaneously, she perceived a large number of objects from other worlds that violated the nature of her reality.

"I found it!"

And the most terrifying thing: the presence of a monstrous "error" that had come to her world, an anomaly that should not exist under any known law.

"...."

Upon concentrating, she could locate the pulsating and discordant presence of the monstrous error from another world that was releasing energy harmful to the very fabric of reality.

"The elimination of this one is the highest priority."

And she immediately decided that she must deal with this threat first, the most dangerous one, before it caused irreparable damage to the world.

"I cannot allow it to escape."

To prepare the battlefield, the Queen began to act by creating a dense fog in the forest near the direction in which she felt the "error" was heading.

"...."

That fog was not a meteorological phenomenon; it was a manifestation of her power, a curtain delicately designed to conceal the next phase of her plan: the terraforming of the environment.

"Hey, I seriously think you should hold the chain!" "I said it's not necessary!"

And so, the moment the "error" (Mireya) entered the forest was the precise instant the Queen trapped him.

"It's time..."

Using the fog, she skillfully separated him with a control so subtle and natural that no being noticed, thus separating the "error" to guide him through the mist.

"Wait a second! Where am I?!"

In this way, the area was isolated and meticulously prepared.

"Sniff... Wow... I got lost just by saying that..."

Taking immediate advantage, the Queen transformed the forest into a natural labyrinth that altered the perception and sense of orientation of anyone who dared to enter.

"Ugh... I didn't need the reminder... Or rather, how did this happen?!"

Furthermore, while the "error" remained confused, the Queen discreetly, so as not to raise any suspicion, actively blocked any attempt at teleportation or anomalous transport, ensuring that her target could not escape.

"Does anyone know how to read a map of this world...?"

Finally, the Queen of Spirits, having set the stage, decided to confront the being that threatened to undo centuries of balance.

"Great! Now I'm lost! How can it be so hard to go in a straight line? And the stupid fog isn't helping at all!"

Meanwhile, in the center of the labyrinth, Mireya, totally oblivious to the complex cosmic trap surrounding him, looked at the sky, lamenting with exasperation.

(WHUMP!)

"?!"

However, as he complained, his eyes, which unconsciously scanned the surroundings for a way out, noticed an anomaly.

"What is that...?"

Right in the center of the clearing, a gigantic flower began to sprout from the wet earth with unnatural speed.

"Is this normal in other worlds?!"

Mireya, not understanding, diverted his gaze from the gray clouds toward the point of accelerated growth.

(FSSSHHHHT!)

"Huh...?!"

It was then that the flower burst open in a riot of intense colors, and from its heart, a figure emerged.

"....."

The figure was imposing and exquisite, a living manifestation of the force of nature. Her hair cascaded like a living vine, a deep green tinged with emerald flashes. Her eyes, large and penetrating, shone with a pink floral pattern in their pupils.

"You...."

She was dressed in what appeared to be an armor of leaves and petals, which fit an undoubtedly voluptuous figure, highlighting a generous cleavage and powerful hips that reflected the abundance and fertility of her domain. Fine branches and tendrils covered with tiny flowers intertwined like jewels over her olive-toned skin. Her aura was an overwhelming mix of elemental power and a beauty that could only be described as perfectly natural.

".... You must die."

And so, the Queen (the Queen of Spirits), with an expression of serious restraint, looked at Mireya, the "error", the anomaly that had profaned her world, decreeing the judgment.

"GROOOWL!"

Following that, immediately afterward, with a dull roar, the earth opened up from all directions.

(SSHHH-FWOOOSH!)

And from within emerged dragons of wood and moss that rose up, surrounding a confused Mireya who still hadn't been able to react, simultaneously diving down.

(SWOOP-WHOOSH!)

"ROAR!"

(KRA-KOOOM!)

The simultaneous impact was cataclysmic. The force of the blow sent shockwaves throughout the forest.

"As I expected..."

When the smoke and dust dispersed, the scene revealed the first manifestation of Mireya's defensive eighth purity prism and him, intact, inside.

"What was that?!"

He was unharmed, enclosed within a dome of energy that glowed in fluctuating colors, like an aurora borealis generated by 8 shikigamis (paper men) in a spherical formation surrounding Mireya.

"It was to be expected that it wouldn't be so easy."

In reaction, the Queen of Spirits remained impassive, her expression barely altered by the demonstration of power.

"... This is bad."

Mireya, for his part, reacted with surprise, examining the barrier upon noticing how the fangs of the wooden dragons had created multiple cracks in the first energy layer of the prism, and, looking closely, he noticed how the fangs had even managed to slightly pierce the surface.

"I hate sudden gender changes...!"

And so, the battle began.