Kael barely had time to process what had happened before he found himself standing on the rooftop of the inn, the cool night breeze brushing against his skin. The man with blue hair stood beside him, arms crossed, eyes fixated on the sprawling city below.


    The sudden shift in location left Kael disoriented. "How...?" he muttered, looking around in confusion.


    The man with blue hair simply gestured for him to sit down. "Relax," he said, his voice calm yet unreadable. "Enjoy the view while we talk."


    Kael hesitated but eventually took a seat, his gaze following the winding streets of the city, illuminated by lanterns and magic-fueled lights. The buildings stretched far and wide, a true testament to the city''s grandeur.


    "You think you reached the Grand Hall of Uppretas today, don’t you?" the man with blue hair suddenly asked.


    Kael frowned. "What do you mean? I was inside the cathedral. I saw the people, the sacred halls, the pope himself."


    A chuckle escaped the man''s lips. "That wasn’t the Grand Hall."


    Kael turned to face him sharply. "What?"


    The man leaned back slightly, supporting himself with one arm. "There are eleven churches across different cities," he began. "Each one is made to look important, to give the illusion that anyone who enters has reached the heart of faith. But in reality, the real Grand Hall of Uppretas is far beyond what you saw today. You weren''t even close to stepping inside."


    Kael clenched his fists. He had felt something was off, but hearing it confirmed so casually made his blood boil.


    Before he could question further, a faint drizzle began to fall. Kael instinctively looked up at the dark sky.


    "Rain?" he muttered. "But… it’s not even the rainy season yet."


    The man with blue hair smirked. "Welcome to Rainfall City."


    Kael turned to him, waiting for an explanation.


    "Every week," the man continued, "the priests and mages of this city gather at specific locations—the rain holes. These holes contain water from previous rains, carefully stored underground."


    Kael narrowed his eyes. "So?"


    "So," the man went on, "they add a special powder into these pools. Something they call Ash Rinse. The moment it mixes with the stored rainwater, it boils into steam, rises into the sky, and condenses into clouds. Within hours, it rains across the entire city."


    Kael looked at the sky in astonishment as the drizzle thickened, turning into a steady shower. The streets below glistened under the magical rain, reflecting the golden glow of lanterns.


    "They do this every single week," the man with blue hair said. "That’s why this place is called Rainfall City."


    Kael sat there in silence, absorbing the weight of this revelation. This city was not just advanced in faith but in magic as well. Even nature itself was shaped by human hands here.


    As the rain intensified, the man with blue hair stretched and stood up. "Alright, that’s enough fresh air for today. Let’s get inside before we catch a cold."


    Kael hesitated for a moment, still mesmerized by the artificial rain, but eventually followed him back into the inn. The warmth inside was a welcome contrast to the cool, damp air outside.


    The two made their way to the counter, where the innkeeper handed them thick bundles wrapped in rough rope. Kael raised an eyebrow. "What… is this?"


    The man with blue hair took one without hesitation and began rubbing it against his arms and face. "Towels," he said casually. "What, never seen one before?"


    Kael grabbed one and examined it closely. The outer layer was rough, but as he peeled it back, he found soft, absorbent wool inside. He rubbed it against his arm, marveling at how quickly it soaked up the moisture.


    "This is amazing," Kael muttered. "It drains the water so fast."


    The man with blue hair smirked. "Of course. In Rainfall City, things like this are normal. You can expect all sorts of tools made to deal with the rain."


    Kael nodded. It made sense. A city that rained every week would naturally develop ways to stay dry.


    However, as he continued using the towel, he quickly noticed an issue—the rough rope on the outside scratched painfully against his skin. He winced, then frowned in thought. After a moment, he started untying the ropes.


    The man with blue hair glanced at him. "What are you doing?"


    Kael held up the now-loose bundle of wool. "The rope is too rough. It hurts to rub against the skin. You should use threads instead."


    He extended his hand and cast Fifth Chain Magic—a spell that combined five elements but excluded kinetic energy. The magic wrapped delicate threads around the wool, trying to hold it together. However, as soon as he tried to use it, the wool slipped apart in his hands.


    Kael sighed in frustration. "It''s not working."


    The man with blue hair chuckled. "If there was a way to make it better, someone here would’ve already figured it out." He leaned against the counter, smirking. "The only ones who could probably solve that problem are the people of Arcanis."


    Kael''s eyes widened slightly. Arcanis—that was the kingdom he was heading to. He turned to the man with blue hair. "You know about Arcanis?"


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    The man with blue hair shrugged. "We’ll talk about that after we get a room."


    They walked back to the counter, where the innkeeper was waiting. The man with blue hair smirked and turned to Kael. "Tell you what—I’ll pay for your room, but only if you beg for it."


    Kael didn’t even blink. He simply reached into his coat and placed a few coins on the counter. "I have money."


    The man with blue hair raised an eyebrow. "You do?"


    Kael nodded. "I looted it off the Sanguinor I killed."


    The man was silent for a moment before laughing. "Well, well. I didn’t expect that." He paid for his own room, shaking his head in amusement.


    Kael took his key and turned toward the stairs. Tonight, he would rest. Tomorrow, his journey toward Arcanis would continue.


    Morning light filtered through the windows of the inn as Kael stretched, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. The rain from last night had stopped, leaving behind a cool, fresh scent in the air. The man with blue hair was already up, waiting for him by the door.


    "Come on, let’s eat before we head out," he said, leading the way downstairs.


    They sat at the same table as yesterday, and the innkeeper approached them with a casual nod. "The usual?" he asked.


    The man with blue hair smirked. "Yeah, get me the usual."


    A moment later, he was served a dark, steaming cup of high-energy coffee—stronger than any normal coffee, dense with magic-infused nature. It was potent enough to serve as a full meal, and it even boosted reaction speed—something the man with blue hair openly admitted he lacked.


    Kael, on the other hand, simply ordered pork. Just normal pork. No magic, no special properties—just a simple meal.


    As they ate, Kael brought up the question that had been nagging at him since last night. "So… tell me more about Arcanis."


    The man with blue hair took a sip of his coffee, sighing in satisfaction. "Well, it’s the most technologically advanced kingdom on the continent."


    Kael’s eyes widened slightly. "Seriously?"


    "Yep. But because of that, they tend to keep to themselves. They see other kingdoms as barbaric." He smirked. "Kinda ironic, don’t you think? You look like a total barbarian yourself, so I don’t think you’ll fit in."


    Kael ignored the jab, thinking about it. "But if they’re so secretive, why would they allow me in? Wouldn’t sending me there mean I could learn their secrets?"


    The man with blue hair leaned back. "Normally, yes. But everyone is threatened by the Demon King. No one can deny that. If Arcanis refuses to cooperate, they lose the Grand Hall’s protection against the Demon King." He took another sip of coffee. "And no one is willing to risk that."


    Kael let the thought settle as he finished his meal. After paying, they stepped outside into the city streets.


    As they walked, Kael noticed children laughing and playing in the water puddles. More interestingly, he saw small mini rain holes scattered along the streets—each one draining the water away.


    "Those lead to the main rain holes where the water is stored for next week''s rain," the man with blue hair explained.


    Kael nodded in amazement. The city was built around controlling the rain itself. It was an impressive system.


    Empty Spells


    As they continued walking, the man with blue hair glanced at Kael. "By the way, you still haven’t figured out your Hero Skill, have you?"


    Kael hesitated. "I''m… not sure. I think it has something to do with my eyes."


    The man with blue hair rubbed his chin. "Then why don’t you try using Empty Spells to activate it?"


    Kael frowned. "Empty Spells?"


    "You don’t know? Well, let me explain." He raised a finger. "When you cast magic, the elements you memorize are stored in your body and combined to form spells."


    Kael nodded. He understood that much.


    "But with Empty Spells, well… it''s just like its name. Instead of casting a spell, you push magic out of a specific area—let’s say, your hand. Your body senses that there''s no magic stored there and tries to refill it. But since you’re pushing it out, the magic gathers around it instead."


    Kael was beginning to understand. "So… when I release it?"


    "BOOM. The stored magic bursts out instantly. It’s dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing, but it’s useful for spreading your magic reserves or even force-casting a spell."


    Kael thought for a moment. "So, you’re saying I should use Empty Spells on my eyes?"


    The man with blue hair smirked. "Exactly."


    Kael took a deep breath. "Alright… I''ll try."


    He focused, following the instructions carefully. He emptied the magic from his eyes, feeling the energy drain from them.


    And then—


    For the first time in his life—


    He felt what it was like to have no magic.


    His vision dimmed. His world went dark. His eyes felt empty.


    The man with blue hair counted the seconds. "Alright, now release it."


    Kael let go.


    A surge of pain shot through his eyes as if he were opening them for the first time. His vision flooded with light, and for a moment, everything was blurry. His eyes swelled as if something inside them had awakened.


    And then—


    He saw them.


    Chains.


    Golden chains attached to everyone’s backs.


    Kael’s breath caught in his throat. He turned, his gaze darting from person to person. Each one had chains extending from their backs, disappearing into the air.


    The man with blue hair frowned. "Kael? What do you see?"


    Kael opened his mouth, but no words came out.


    Because when he looked at the man with blue hair, something was different.


    Half of the nodes on his chains were dimmed. But on one of them—


    Kael saw an image.


    A vision.


    The man with blue hair stood, holding a sword to the throat of an ox.


    But the ox… looked wrong.


    A monster? A beast?


    Kael’s mind spun. Was this the past? The future? He had no idea.


    His eyes burned, the swelling pain beginning to fade. He could feel the effect wearing off.


    He stumbled toward a nearby water puddle and looked down at his reflection.


    And then—his breath caught.


    He had no chains.


    Unlike everyone else around him—Kael had nothing attached to his back.


    Kael stood frozen, staring at his reflection in the puddle. No chains. Why did he have no chains? His mind raced with possibilities


    Then, after a moment of frantic thought, a simple answer clicked in his mind.


    "I can’t see my own chains."


    It made sense. If this ability allowed him to see the chains of others, then it wasn’t strange that he couldn’t see his own. A wave of relief washed over him—but it didn’t last long.


    "You’re not ready to use your Hero Skill yet."


    Kael turned. The man with blue hair stood beside him, arms crossed, watching him carefully.


    "Until you understand what you’re seeing, don’t use it again." His voice was firm, but not unkind. "Let’s go. We need to meet my team."


    Kael hesitated but nodded. He still had no idea what the chains meant, or what he had seen in that strange vision. But for now, he pushed the thoughts aside and followed.


    ---


    Meeting the Team


    The streets of the city bustled as they moved toward their destination. Kael kept glancing at people, instinctively searching for chains, but without activating his power, they were nowhere to be seen.


    After a few minutes, they arrived at an open training ground near the city’s outskirts. Waiting there was a group of four people.


    Kael’s eyes widened when he saw a familiar face—Samuel.


    The priest from the church stood among the group, looking exhausted. His eyes were heavy, and his posture slouched, but despite his fatigue, he had still come.


    "Samuel?" Kael said in surprise.


    Samuel offered a tired smile. "You didn’t think I’d just sit around praying all day, did you?"


    Kael felt a strange sense of comfort seeing him here. Though they hadn’t known each other long, there was something steady about Samuel—something that made Kael feel like he wasn’t completely alone in this unfamiliar world.


    "Alright," the man with blue hair said, gesturing toward the others. "Let me introduce you to the rest of my team."


    He pointed first to a short, stocky figure.


    "This is Borin."


    Borin was a dwarf, short but broad-shouldered, with a thick beard and a heavy steel cape draped over his back. His helmet had ox horns—but they weren’t the same as the ox from Kael’s vision. They were shaped differently. Still, the resemblance made Kael uneasy.


    Despite the weight of his armor, Borin moved easily, as if it were light as cloth. He gave Kael a quick nod.


    "Looks like we got a fresh one," Borin said, his voice deep and gruff. "Try not to slow us down."


    Kael raised an eyebrow. "I could say the same to you, shorty."


    Borin let out a laugh. "Hah! I like this one!"


    The man with blue hair smirked before moving on.


    "This," he said, gesturing to the next person, "is Eris."


    Kael turned his gaze to the woman standing beside Borin.


    Eris wore a plain white mask—a featureless circle with only two holes for the eyes. The mask had no design, no markings, nothing to give it any personality. It was eerie in its simplicity.


    Kael had no idea what the point of such a mask was. But then again… he hardly understood this world’s customs.


    Her attire was light, and at her waist, she carried two daggers. Everything about her suggested she was an assassin.


    She tilted her head slightly, regarding Kael in silence. Then, without a word, she turned away.


    Kael frowned. "…Is she always this quiet?"


    Borin grinned. "If she talks to you, that means she likes you."


    "…So I should hope she never does?"


    "Exactly!"


    The man with blue hair chuckled before moving to the last person.


    "And this," he said, "is Riven."


    Kael’s eyes landed on a tall, slim man holding a longbow.


    Riven looked plain—his armor was unremarkable, and he didn’t carry himself with the same intensity as the others. But what stood out the most was his red hair.


    It was long—too long—and it covered his eyes completely.


    Kael blinked. How the hell does he see?


    He looked at Borin, then at the man with blue hair, but neither of them seemed to find it strange. Kael crossed his arms.


    "…How do you even shoot like that?" he asked.


    Riven, without looking at him, simply said, "I don’t need eyes to aim."


    Kael stared at him, waiting for an explanation. None came.


    Borin patted Kael on the shoulder. "Don’t bother asking. I’ve tried. Just accept that the crazy bastard can do it."


    Kael sighed. "Fine. Guess I’ll just go with it."


    The man with blue hair clapped his hands together. "Alright, now that introductions are done—let’s talk about the mission."


    Kael turned his attention back to him, pushing aside his lingering thoughts about the chains, the vision, and his new strange teammates.


    He had a feeling that whatever came next…


    It wasn’t going to be easy.