John returned to the building he had been on before heading to the meeting. With a powerful leap, he ascended to the rooftop, landing lightly as he gazed at the spot where he had previously been sitting.
"I've been looking for you," John muttered to himself, picking up a small object from the ground. Sliding it into his pocket, he jumped off the building, his thoughts already turning to what he did best: training. He had found what he came for, and now he could focus.
An hour later, the Hero Association's members gathered atop their headquarters. Everyone was present—except John. The group exchanged impatient glances, their frustration with John's habitual tardiness evident. Only Nova remained unfazed, a knowing smile playing on her lips; she was well-acquainted with John's tendency to be late.
Minutes passed, and then, with a sudden blur of motion, a figure arrived at the rooftop in the blink of an eye.
"Did I take too long?" John asked, his voice calm. His appearance had changed dramatically. He now wore loose, black-grey pants that tapered halfway down his calves, paired with a snug shirt of the same colour. A long black trench coat, reaching down to his knees, billowed in the wind, completing his striking transformation.
Misaki, the woman in charge of the group, stormed up to John, her presence radiating anger. "Didn't I tell you to be here an hour ago?" she snapped, grabbing him by the ear and dragging him toward the others who were already assembled.
Nova burst into laughter, clearly amused by the scene. "Enjoying getting your clothes all dirtied up?" she teased, her laughter echoing around them.
John, now being unceremoniously dragged, glared at Nova, irritation flashing across his face. "Next time we spar, I'll destroy you," he grumbled, his voice laced with frustration.
Once all the heroes had gathered and preparations were complete, they began their journey to the Kingdom of Magic.
A man, seemingly a guard, stepped forward, holding a vase intricately carved with runes that shimmered faintly—runes eerily similar to those on John's staff when he unleashed its full power.
As the guard opened the vase, a massive, swirling cloud emerged, expanding to cover the sky in an awe-inspiring display.
"Whoa… what is that?" John asked, his eyes wide with amazement as he watched the colossal cloud twist and flow across the heavens.
"That is what will take us to the Kingdom of Magic," Misaki declared, finally releasing her grip on John's ear.
John straightened up, pretending nothing had happened. "And how exactly are we going to get up there?" he asked, looking at the massive cloud stretching across the sky above them.
Misaki's patience began to wane with the barrage of questions. "By flying to it," she snapped. Without another word, she and the others took to the sky, gracefully ascending toward the cloud. Everyone reached the cloud's surface and stood waiting—except for John, who remained firmly on the ground, unable to fly.
Looking up at them, John sighed and muttered, "I really need to get an ability that lets me fly." Steeling himself, he crouched low, preparing for a powerful jump. With an earth-shattering leap, he launched himself upward, the force shattering the roof of the Hero Association building beneath him. The resulting shockwave sent the bystanders on the roof staggering, their balance lost—except for the unshakable S-rank members.
But John had miscalculated his strength. He overshot his target, rocketing far past the cloud and reaching the edge of the stratosphere.
"I really need to control my strength," John muttered as gravity took over. Plummeting at breakneck speed, he hurtled downward for what felt like an eternity before finally face-planting onto the cloud, the impact leaving an audible thud.
As he lay motionless, Mael turned to Nova in shock. "Is he okay?" he asked, his voice filled with genuine concern.
Nova, unbothered, began walking toward John. "Yeah, he's fine," she replied, her tone laced with mild exasperation. "He's just a bit of a show-off."
Reaching the spot where John had landed, Nova peered down at him, shaking her head slightly. "Get up" she said getting irritated by the amount john is showing off, "Looks like you really love showing off, huh?" Nova remarked, her tone laced with sarcasm.
John began to rise, brushing himself off as he stood tall. "I wasn't trying to show off," he replied casually, slipping his hands into the pockets of his jacket.
Overhead, the clouds drifted lazily across the sky, their progress frustratingly slow. John glanced at the horizon, calculating. At this rate, it would take them a week to reach the Kingdom of Magic. "This cloud is moving ridiculously slow," he muttered, shooting a sidelong glance at Nova.
Nova, however, remained focused, her eyes fixed on the distant skyline. Her thoughts were elsewhere, circling around a single, troubling question: Who killed the dragon guarding the entrance to the Kingdom of Magic?
As John sat down on the cloud with a sigh, something caught his attention. While the others seemed oblivious—or perhaps had already noticed—he felt a subtle shift beneath him. The cloud was accelerating.
John reclined on the cloud, his body completely exposed and vulnerable. With a calm demeanor, he closed his eyes, as though drifting off to rest. Time seemed to blur as the cloud surged forward, accelerating in speed, carrying him effortlessly through the skies.
Far away, in a place that stretched into eternity, stood an expanse filled with countless doors. Each door led to a different planet, universe, timeline, or realm. Intricate runes were carved into the surfaces of these portals, each glowing faintly with arcane energy.
Amidst this vast corridor, a solitary figure stood, clad in black from head to toe. His face was obscured by a metallic mask that concealed his identity. In his right hand, he held a sword radiating an aura of cosmic energy, the air around it shimmering with power.
The figure turned slightly, as if sensing another presence behind him. His voice, low and resonant, broke the silence. "It is time," he murmured, his eyes glowing with a vibrant purple hue.
He approached a specific door, its surface engraved with the word 'Miðgarðr.' As he neared, the runes flared to life, glowing with an intense blue light. The door creaked open, revealing an otherworldly expanse beyond. Without hesitation, the man stepped through, vanishing into the portal as it sealed shut behind him.