Chen Fan and Wang Yue were on their way to a restaurant. His mind had calmed down by now, and they were walking towards the nearest one. As Chen Fan glanced at Wang Yue, he noticed she seemed to avoid his gaze. This made him recall the scene from earlier, causing his heart to flutter a little.
"What? Are you captivated by my handsome face earlier?" he teased, his playful question making Wang Yue flinch and stammer in response. "Ah, no... no, I don't... don't talk nonsense."
Chen Fan looked at her, slightly surprised. If it were her usual self, she would have retorted fiercely, saying something like "narcissistic men" or giving him a haughty look. But her current reaction was different.
"Ah, um... sorry about that," Chen Fan found himself feeling awkward too.
Seriously, no way, right? No... it's possible? Then... Chen Fan's mind started to race, thinking of countless possibilities.
"Tch. Your face is annoying," Ao Xue's words suddenly snapped Chen Fan back to reality.
"What do you mean?" Chen Fan looked at him, bewildered.
"Nothing," Ao Xue replied, then fell silent, leaving Chen Fan speechless.
"You're single, aren't you?" Chen Fan's question immediately sparked fury in Ao Xue.
"Huh? Look who's talking. Like you even have any," Ao Xue's sarcastic words made Chen Fan chuckle.
"I'm just asking. No need to get so heated," Chen Fan responded with a smirk.
"What's with that look?" Ao Xue seemed to notice the pity in Chen Fan's expression, his tone growing annoyed.
"Nothing," Chen Fan smiled and retorted, sending the conversation back to him.
"Hmph. Stupid brat," Ao Xue scoffed and fell silent again.
Soon, they entered the restaurant, and someone greeted them. Wang Yue remained quiet the entire time, her mind still occupied with the feelings she had been experiencing. What did she think of Chen Fan? Was he a friend? Someone she owed something to?
She felt safe and warm around him. When she thought about Chen Fan being close to another woman over the past few days, her stomach churned. When she heard that Chen Fan had been at her fiancé's home, her chest felt tight. When Chen Fan desperately saved her, even revealing his true identity and risking everything that could backfire on him, her heart warmed. When he tried so hard to stay close to her, sharing his inner thoughts, she felt special.
Looking up, she saw Chen Fan deep in thought, his focus lost in his own mind. She found herself staring into his eyes, feeling captivated. He looked so cool. She wanted to keep looking at his face, but when their eyes met, she immediately looked away, feeling embarrassed.
Soon, their dishes arrived, and they began to eat. At the table next to them, there was a man and two girls wearing high school uniforms.
"Hey, Kazuki-kun, try this," one of the girls with short black hair said cheerfully, offering him some noodles.
"I-I can eat it myself, Sakura. There are a lot of people here," the average-looking boy with black hair, Kazuki, responded, slightly flustered.
"Don't you see Kazuki-kun looking uncomfortable, Miyamoto-san?" the other girl, with short blonde hair, said to the woman with a stern voice.
"Oh, I almost forgot you were here, Aiko Yoshida-san," Sakura said, exaggerating her expression.
"You..." Aiko glared at her.
"Well, you two... We're in a restaurant right now," Kazuki Nakamura tried to mediate between them.
They had just arrived here for a study tour, and the teacher had given them free time. Kazuki originally planned to play video games, but his childhood friend Sakura Miyamoto insisted on looking around the area. "We're in a different country now, why would you still want to play games?" she had said, dragging him here. Along the way, they accidentally ran into Aiko Yoshida. However, the two of them never seemed to get along, always bickering with each other.
"Then how about you try this, Kazuki-kun?" Sakura said with a playful smirk as she pushed a spoon toward him. Watching this, Kazuki swallowed hard—wasn't this an indirect kiss? But fearing another quarrel would break out if he hesitated, he quickly took the bite without complaint.
Satisfied, Sakura immediately took another bite of her own meal. Her chewing slowed as if deep in thought, and suddenly, a faint blush crept onto her cheeks.
"Try this too, Kazuki-kun." Aiko's voice cut in as she leaned forward, offering him a spoonful of soup. Her sharp gaze locked onto him, making him feel slightly uneasy. Still, without much choice, he repeated the action and obediently drank the soup she offered.
"You want another taste, don't you? You like this one better, right?" Sakura piped up again, swiftly attempting to feed him once more. Not willing to be outdone, Aiko immediately thrust her spoon forward as well, determined not to lose.
However, in their eagerness, their hands collided. The spoon in Aiko's grasp tipped at just the wrong angle, spilling the hot soup straight onto Kazuki's clothes. The sudden heat made him instinctively flinch, knocking against the table and causing an even bigger mess.
"Kazuki-kun!" Both Aiko and Sakura shot up from their seats, their faces filled with concern.
"Ah, it's fine. It wasn't that hot—I was just caught off guard," Kazuki reassured them with a small, awkward smile. Just as he spoke, his eyes caught sight of a spoon rolling across the floor. As he bent down to retrieve it, he noticed someone else reaching for it as well—a woman from a nearby table.
"Ah, we're really sorry for disturbing you," Kazuki quickly apologized as he reached for the spoon. But the moment his gaze met hers, he froze.
So beautiful…
Even though Aiko and Sakura were considered the most stunning girls in their school, and he thought he had grown immune to beauty, the woman before him was on an entirely different level.
"Ah… I-I'm sorry." Realizing he had been staring, Kazuki quickly averted his eyes, his face growing warm. He hastily bowed in apology, only to realize from the woman's expression that she didn't understand his words.
Not far from them, Chen Fan observed the scene with mild interest. Every word exchanged between the three students had not gone unnoticed by him. Over the past two weeks, he had spent his free time watching anime and films, so the interaction felt oddly familiar. Of course, with his smartphone now capable of translating any language found on the internet, he had no trouble understanding their conversation.
"This boy has a strange yet familiar aura." Ao Xue's voice echoed in his mind.
Curious, Chen Fan activated his magic eye to get a closer look. However, before he could properly analyze Kazuki, a sudden wave of tension gripped his body.
Beneath their feet, a perfectly shaped magic circle appeared, its intricate patterns glowing with an unknown power. It expanded rapidly, encasing all five of them.
I can't move… Damn it! Chen Fan realized with alarm. His body refused to obey, though his heightened cultivation allowed him to perceive things faster than the others.
Is it the Blood King again? His mind raced to make sense of the situation.
"W-What is this?" Kazuki stammered, his voice laced with confusion.
"I… I can't move," Sakura's voice trembled, fear creeping into her usually steady tone.
Before long, the world around them vanished into blinding white light.
"Teleportation? No… It's different. Another world?" Ao Xue's voice stirred Chen Fan's thoughts into deeper chaos.
"That aura… the divinity I sensed earlier…"
Chen Fan's mind worked rapidly, trying to process the information. A god? Why?
But before he could think any further, the light faded.
When their vision cleared, they found themselves standing inside an immense hall. Towering pillars surrounded them, stretching toward the high ceiling where sunlight streamed in through massive stained-glass windows. The floor gleamed like polished marble, reflecting the glow of the elaborate chandeliers hanging above.
Chen Fan's sharp eyes quickly scanned the room. Around them stood dozens of people—some clad in knightly armor, others in extravagant robes. Among them, he noted priests, a few individuals in regal attire, and one figure whose body was entirely concealed beneath a heavy cloak.
Forcing himself to remain calm, Chen Fan observed their expressions, searching for any traces of hostility. Raw emotions were often the most revealing in moments like these.
He saw hope flickering in the priests' eyes, curiosity dancing in the gaze of the noblemen, and surprise etched across the faces of several knights. Yet, none of them radiated immediate malice, easing his initial wariness.
A sudden pressure on his hand made him glance to the side. Wang Yue had instinctively clung to him, her fingers gripping his sleeve tightly. Her normally composed expression wavered with nervousness, her unease clear.
Chen Fan gently grasped her hand in return and offered a reassuring smile.
At that moment, a woman's voice rang through the hall.
"Welcome, heroes from a distant land."
Turning toward the source, Chen Fan's gaze fell upon a striking woman with long, flowing blonde hair, her elegant dress embroidered with golden patterns. With practiced grace, she stepped forward and gave a respectful bow—an action that caused a murmur among the nobles present.
"My name is Celestia Adelina Moonveil, Princess of the Moonveil Kingdom," she introduced herself, her voice carrying both dignity and sincerity. "I apologize for forcibly bringing you here, but we had no other choice. Our kingdom… our world is in grave peril, and only you can save us."
"Bring us back home!" Sakura's voice cracked with emotion as she took a step forward, her hands clenched into fists. "Where are we?! Send us back!"
Celestia lowered her gaze, genuine regret evident in her expression. "I am truly sorry… but at this moment, we lack the means to do so. As much as I wish otherwise, we cannot return you to your world."
"What do you mean we can't go back?" Sakura's voice rose, her frustration boiling over.
"Sakura." Kazuki gently grasped her wrist. "Let's hear them out first."
She looked at him with uncertainty, her anger wavering slightly. "But…"
"Don't worry," Kazuki reassured her, his voice calm yet firm. "I'll protect you here."
For a brief moment, Sakura stared at him, seemingly lost in his words. Slowly, she nodded, her body relaxing slightly.
Chen Fan's mouth twitched at the sight, but his gaze flickered toward Kazuki. He could see it—the determination burning in the boy's eyes.
Celestia, too, noticed and gave Kazuki a small, grateful smile. "Thank you."
Taking a breath, she continued, "Right now, our world is under siege. The Demon King's forces ravage our lands, and countless lives are suffering under his rule. A prophecy from the goddess foretold that only the chosen ones could defeat him. That is why we had no choice but to summon you here."
"So you expect us to fight?" Aiko asked, her expression hardening. "We're just normal people. We've never fought before—what makes you think we can actually defeat this so-called Demon King?"
Celestia hesitated for a moment before answering. "Because you were chosen by the goddess herself. The power to defeat him… lies within you."
Chen Fan observed them with his magic eyes. His eyes widened slightly as he saw a white energy surging through the bodies of the three individuals, flowing through their entire being.
"Divinity," Ao Xue's surprised voice echoed in his mind as she recognized their condition.
"So, they are the chosen ones?" Chen Fan studied them with interest, though his face still bore a faint look of confusion as he tried to appear natural.
"Yes. A god can bestow their power upon their chosen—usually referred to as their apostle. But for all three of them to gather like this… it's quite rare."
"How strong do you think they are?" Chen Fan asked.
"It depends on their compatibility with the god. For mortals, the highest they can usually reach is the Void Refinement stage. However, the downside is that their power is limited by the god's own strength. If they wish to grow beyond that, they must start from scratch. Though, for some, that still holds its own appeal."
"Oh? They can instantly reach Void Refinement?" Chen Fan glanced around, sensing that the strongest cultivator present was only at the Soul Formation realm—likely the man standing closest to the two figures who appeared to be the king and queen.
He had already suppressed his aura to that of a mortal, and with Ao Xue's assistance, it was completely untraceable—even to someone at the Ascension stage.
"I'll do it," Kazuki suddenly declared, his voice firm.
"Kazuki-kun?" Aoki and Sakura turned to him in surprise.
"If I truly have the power to save them, I can't just stand by and do nothing," Kazuki said with a lighthearted smile. Chen Fan studied him with curiosity. Was this an act? Or was he simply that naive?
"But—" Aoki seemed ready to argue.
"It's fine. I can handle this alone. Just wait for me while I try to find a way back home," he replied with a grin.
"I—I'll do it too! If Kazuki-kun is going, then I can't just stand aside either!" Sakura chimed in.
"Hah… You two are really idiots, huh?" Aoki shook her head, though a faint smile played on her lips as she looked at Kazuki.
"Thank you… truly." Celestia gazed at them with gratitude.
"Then, heroes, please touch this orb. It will help determine your power," a black-robed magician stepped forward, holding out a pure white orb toward Kazuki and the others.
Kazuki immediately placed his hand on it. Chen Fan watched closely as the orb sent a pulse of Qi through their bodies before words materialized above it—Hero of Light.
"Oh! The Hero of Light! It's the Hero of Light!" The priest's eyes brightened with hope as he stared at Kazuki. The nobles murmured among themselves, their interest visibly intensifying.
Next, Sakura touched the orb, and the words Divine Archer appeared. Aoki's result was Sword God, both of which caused an uproar among the crowd. When their attention turned to Wang Yue and Chen Fan, their expressions grew puzzled.
"All the prophesied heroes have already appeared… yet there are two more?" The magician looked at them in confusion.
"It's an appraisal artifact. It sends Qi through the body—muscles, brain, everything—and instantly analyzes the most suitable path for the one touching it. However, its level isn't high, so it's easy to manipulate the results," Ao Xue explained to Chen Fan.
"Meaning I can fabricate mine, right?" Chen Fan mused as he slowly approached the magician. He suppressed his Qi, subtly altered his muscle and bone structure, and only activated his magic eyes, ensuring the result would appear insignificant.
The orb displayed Observer, causing further bewilderment among the crowd. They had never heard of such a role.
Chen Fan quickly scanned the room. Though his supposed role seemed useless, he detected no hostility or condescension. While they still treated him with courtesy, he remained cautious, intending to stay low and gather more information.
Then, it was Wang Yue's turn. The reaction this time was even more abnormal compared to the others. Soon, the orb revealed a single word:
Elementalist.
"What? An Elementalist?"
"Isn't that the class of the past Archmage?"
"How long has it been since one last appeared?"
The crowd stared at Wang Yue with even greater fervor than they had the other heroes, leaving her slightly overwhelmed. Hearing this, Chen Fan's eyes sharpened.
This world has a phenomenon similar to Wang Yue's condition?
Observing the strongest man present—the Soul Formation cultivator—and noting how they still treated even his supposedly low-tier role with respect, Chen Fan pondered his next move. Should he continue laying low to gather intel, or should he reveal his strength to secure their immediate cooperation?
After a moment's consideration, he decided to test their attitude first. Right now, he knew too little. If he exposed his power too soon, it might make them wary. For now, he would learn more about this so-called Elementalist.