The start of the journey

Michael stood near the entrance of the side palace where he and the other heroes were housed. Clad in his new black leather armor with his sword hanging casually at his wrist, he showed no trace of excitement—only a sense of impending discomfort, as if a headache was about to break through.

Sarah's description of the mission had set his imagination ablaze. He had pictured himself on an epic quest, battling monsters lurking around every corner and facing threats at every turn. He'd expected to be accompanied by Sarah, the other two heroes, and their assigned knights—an intimate band of warriors forging ahead on a perilous journey.

But what unfolded before him was something else entirely. In front of him, a busy scene—perhaps over fifty people, both servants and knights—buzzed with activity. They were busily preparing carriages for supplies and for the heroes to travel in. It wasn't the small, tight-knit group he had envisioned; it felt more like he was about to march into battle with a small army at his side.

Michael exhaled sharply. 

"What is this?" He turned to Sarah, who stood beside him, appearing entirely unbothered by the chaos.

"What do you mean by that, hero?" She asked, her expression betraying genuine confusion.

"Sigh… Yesterday, you spoke as if I were about to embark on a perilous mission, facing untold dangers. You called it my 'chance to prove my worth.' And yet, here I stand, watching what looks more like preparations for a parade than an expedition"

"Incredible"

Sarah's reaction caught him off guard. Rather than addressing his concerns, she nodded at him with what could only be described as approval.

"You truly have the heart of a warrior" She declared. "If it were up to me, I'd send you into the forest alone and task you with slaying every beast in your path. Alas, others fear that your loss would be too tragic—though, honestly, I doubt you'd perish… probably" She sighed, folding her arms. "But tell me, is there any greater honor than to fall in battle?"

Michael stared at her.

'…You're kidding, right?'

His frustration had nothing to do with wanting more danger. Quite the opposite—he had spent the last night dreading this mission, imagining endless struggles in the wilderness, fighting for his life every day, eating whatever they could scavenge. He had barely slept thinking about it.

Yet now? With this many people, would he even have to do anything?

"I-Is that so?" He muttered, unwilling to explain his actual thoughts. He quickly shifted his attention away from Sarah, deciding it was better not to engage further.

Michael's gaze drifted toward a nearby group of knights, gathered in a loose circle around a single figure. Their conversation was lively yet relaxed, laughter occasionally breaking through their hushed voices.

At the center of their attention stood none other than Roman—the first among the summoned heroes to have touched the awakening altar. A middle-aged warrior with streaks of gray in his hair, he carried himself with the quiet confidence of a veteran. Clad in heavy armor, with a massive greatsword strapped across his back, he looked every bit the seasoned warrior.

Yet, despite his imposing appearance, there was a warmth to him. He spoke with the younger knights as if they were old comrades rather than subordinates, his deep voice carrying an easygoing charm. A gentle smile rested on his face, as if battle and bloodshed were the furthest things from his mind.

'He seems nice…' 

Michael found himself forming a positive impression of Roman. Though their interactions had been limited, the older warrior always carried himself with a calm, approachable demeanor. However, their occasional conversations never ran deep—mostly due to the ever-present prying eyes that followed them wherever they went.

Helga, on the other hand, was a different story. Michael noticed her standing isolated near one of the carriages, and it was immediately clear why people kept their distance. Towering nearly as tall as the carriage itself and built like a true warrior, her muscular frame exuded raw strength. A perpetually furrowed brow and long, fiery ginger hair only amplified her fierce aura—enough to make anyone think twice before uttering a single wrong word. Even the horses tied to the carriage shifted uneasily in her presence, as if they too sensed the quiet threat she posed.

'Maybe I shouldn't judge a book by its cover…' Michael mused, though he had no desire to test that theory firsthand.

"All is prepared!"

The sudden announcement came from a sharply dressed servant—one who bore the poised demeanor of a butler.

"Oh?"

Michael blinked, realizing he had been too distracted to notice the shift in the atmosphere. The once-bustling group had settled into formation, and movement had slowed considerably. Everything was prepared—the convoy of carriages and knights on horseback stood ready for departure.

Of course, as one of the heroes, Michael had a personal carriage prepared for him. His gaze landed on the lavishly crafted vehicle, its polished wood and intricate detailing more suited for royalty than for a warrior setting out on a dangerous mission.

"Let's go" Sarah urged, already setting one foot into the carriage.

"Right…" Michael mumbled as he followed her inside and settled into a surprisingly spacious, comfortable seat. 

Soon, a shout to depart rang out. The wooden wheels creaked to life, rotating steadily and sending scattered stones tumbling aside. Their journey had finally begun.

***

The imperial palace was nestled on the mountainside, and the cobblestone roads carved their way downward, easing the descent. Michael's eyes roamed the passing scenery with quiet curiosity—since being summoned to this world, the furthest he'd ever ventured from the palace had been the training grounds, so every twist of the road offered something new.

"Once we leave this forest, we'll pass by Edenbrau" Sarah announced, breaking the silence. Perhaps she'd noticed Michael's gaze fixed on the window and felt the need to speak.

"Are we going to enter it?" Michael asked, genuinely curious about the capital of the Holy Empire. From what he'd read and heard, it was supposed to be spectacular.

"Sadly, no. But even from a distance, it should impress you. And maybe on our way back from the mission, we could make a stop there"

"Ehh…" Michael was unimpressed by the answer.

"If you're so bored, why not spend your time training?" Sarah shot back, her tone sharp as if his lackluster reaction was an insult. "You decided to follow the path of a blade dancer, yet you haven't taken a single step to hone your skills"

'I just decided on that yesterday, and you talk as if I've spent years on achieving nothing. Do you expect me to become a Grandmaster overnight?' Michael grumbled in his head, choosing not to voice his frustration. "So you want me to train in a carriage? How?"

"Blade dancer's greatest weapon isn't the sword—it's their senses. And those can be trained anywhere" Sarah explained. "Channel your mana as you normally do, but instead of letting it flow freely, try directing it towards your eyes"

Michael responded with action. The mana within him stirred awake, flowing naturally through his body as it always did when he trained. Every fiber of his being rejoiced in its presence, a familiar warmth spreading as his strength was subtly enhanced. Once the enriched state stabilized, he attempted to follow Sarah's instructions.

It proved futile.

The flow of mana was like a raging river, powerful and relentless. His attempts to redirect it were no better than trying to grasp water with his bare hands—his influence was barely noticeable.

'Wait… a river?'

A thought struck him. His brows furrowed in concentration, and he closed his eyes.

'If mana is like a river, then wouldn't the best way to control its course be to build a dam?'

Michael knew little about the origins of mana or its exact mechanics, but from his limited experience, he had learned a few things. The most important being that the source of his mana seemed to be in his heart. That knowledge alone was enough for him to try and test his theory.

Instead of pulling or pushing the flow, he began constructing 'dams' around his heart, mentally closing off pathways where he didn't want the energy to go. He continued this process, sealing off routes until only one remained—leading directly to his eyes. Then, he opened them.

The world felt strange to see. Like everything was a slowed down recording with lower saturation, the colours less vibrant.

His gaze shifted toward the sky. A flock of birds passed overhead, but instead of a blur of movement, he saw them as if frozen mid-flight. He could make out the intricate details of each feather, the subtle shifts in their wings as they glided through the air. It was like looking through the highest-quality binoculars, except the clarity came from within him.

And then—

"Ugh!"

A sharp, searing pain shot through his eyes. His vision snapped back to normal, but his world remained a blur of agony. His hands instinctively shot up to rub them, only to feel a warm wetness trailing down his cheeks.

Blood.

"I asked you to take a step, and you almost jumped off a cliff" Sarah remarked, a mix of ridicule and astonishment lacing her tone. "Were you trying to blind yourself? It's a miracle you can still see. You were supposed to pull a little amount of mana, not dump everything at once"

"It was hard to control" Michael gritted out, still pressing fingers against his aching eyes.

"So you decided not to control it at all?" Sarah shot back, unimpressed. "What were you thinking?"

"I tried to do what you said, but the mana didn't listen to me" Michael defended himself. "So I just… blocked off every other path and forced it into my eyes"

Sarah fell silent, her sharp retorts momentarily stalled as she considered his words.

"…That's certainly an unorthodox approach" She finally admitted. "Most people learn to bend mana to their will, forcing it into obedience. But you… you overcame your inability to control it by doing something completely opposite. Rather than imposing your will on it, you surrendered to its nature and merely guided its path"

She crossed her arms, eyeing him critically. "I can't say I approve of that method, but maybe it suits you. Just—" She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "—at least try to control the amount next time. Pouring everything at once will do more harm to you than your enemies"

Michael exhaled heavily. He couldn't tell if she was praising him or insulting him.

"Oh? Is that Edenbrau?" He asked, shamelessly changing the subject.

The dense forest around them had begun to thin, and in the distance, massive walls emerged, towering over the landscape. They were colossal—so enormous that Michael struggled to imagine any force strong enough to make them fall yet he did not feel much admiration.

'Damn… My eyes burn like hell…'

Perhaps he would have been more awestruck by the sight if not for the sharp, lingering pain in his eyes. Not that it mattered—they will not be entering the city anyway. There was a mission to finish first.