The dawn sky blushed over the majestic kingdom of Valderia, home to the largest guilds and the grandest castle in the realm—The Celestial Keep, towering with the elegance of Malbork Castle and the richness of Buckingham Palace. The castle wasn't just a fortress; it was a symbol of power, luxury, and control.
Outside the bustling city markets, life was a vivid painting. Commoners wore simple robes and tunics, mostly linen and leather-bound sandals. Nobles, on the other hand, shimmered in ornate garments—flowing silk robes embroidered with gold, jewels adorning their collars and fingers. Royalty? They were living gems—capes that kissed the marble floors, crowns that glittered even in moonlight.
Amidst this grandeur, chaos stirred. A priest with flowing white robes, wild hair, and panic-stricken eyes sprinted through the courtyard, screaming:
"KING!! HIS MAJESTY!! IT'S A REVELATION!!"
Guards nearly unsheathed their swords in alarm, thinking an enemy had breached the walls.
In the training yard, King Alzaran, a regal man in his late forties, was sparring gracefully with his daughter—Princess Seraphina, a fierce young warrior with determined eyes and a ponytail whipping with every slash of her sword. She parried a blow, then paused.
"Father, someone's screaming... is the castle under siege?" she asked, lowering her blade.
The King chuckled. "Not unless demons now wear priestly robes and sandals two sizes too big."
The priest skidded into the yard, gasping for air like a fish out of water.
"Sire! It's from the heavens! A divine message!"
The King raised an eyebrow. "Relax, priest. You'll collapse before you reveal anything. Come, walk with me."
They moved to a private chamber lined with spellproof walls. Seraphina followed, curiosity on her face.
"Speak," King Alzaran commanded.
The priest bowed, voice shaking. "My king... the gods have awakened a sacred skill—one that will judge the world. It has been granted to five beings: the Demon Lord, the High Priest of the Holy Church, the King of All Races, a mysterious Executioner, and... a Human."
The room fell silent.
"A human?" the King frowned. "No name?"
The priest shook his head. "Only the word human was revealed. But if the Demon Lord finds him first—"
The King's expression turned cold. "Then the balance will shift. Find him. Now."
Meanwhile… deep within the forest.
Rehan returned from scouting, leaves crunching beneath his boots. He found Zaydan lying peacefully under a tree, arms crossed behind his head.
"Oi, slacker," Rehan smirked. "Did you come to another world to nap under trees?"
He grinned, conjuring a small ball of water using his elemental skill. Then, with a twist of wind magic, he chilled it and blasted it toward Zaydan's head like a water balloon.
But it... didn't hit.
The water evaporated mid-air, turning into harmless mist.
"What the—?" Rehan narrowed his eyes. "Did he... shield himself in his sleep?"
He crouched, nudging Zaydan. "Hey, wake up. You're creeping me out."
Zaydan's eyes blinked open, calm as ever. "Hm? What happened?"
"You tell me," Rehan said. "You've been sleeping like a panda in spring."
Zaydan stretched. "I was experimenting."
"With what? Pillow techniques?"
Zaydan sat up. "Back in school, I saw a diagram about chakras in the Bhagavad Gita. Seven energy points. It made me wonder—if mana and chakra are both forms of energy, maybe I can tap into the flow of this world using that logic."
"You're trying spiritual yoga... in an isekai world?"
Zaydan grinned. "Call it mana meditation."
Rehan scratched his head. "Alright, philosopher, time to learn real magic. Let me teach you the fire element."
He began explaining how to conjure fire with willpower, visualization, and mana control.
But Zaydan suddenly winced. "Stop... something's being written in my brain."
"What?"
Zaydan activated his Book Wyrm skill, and pages of knowledge flashed before his mind's eye.
"There are three errors in your explanation," Zaydan said.
Rehan scoffed. "Oi! You just learned this five minutes ago!"
Zaydan continued, calmly:
"One—mana isn't just power. It's endless like space. Two—don't just imagine fire. Feel it. And three—fire isn't just destruction. It's creation."
He lifted his palm.
"Fire."
A flame flickered to life—but not ordinary. It danced in iridescent hues, like a rainbow trapped in a spark.
Rehan's eyes widened. "Wh-what is that?!"
"Rainbow Fire," Zaydan whispered. "It's said to be legendary... a flame used by ancient creators. Anything forged with it can cut through space, time, and logic."
"And this?" Zaydan raised his other hand. A pitch-black flame burned.
"Black Fire. Destruction incarnate. Not even tungsten can withstand it."
Rehan's jaw hit the dirt. He fainted with a whisper: "I taught him one thing... and he unlocked the secrets of the universe..."
Zaydan chuckled, grabbed a leaf, shaped it into a cup, scooped water, and splashed Rehan awake.
Rehan sat up, spluttering. "You're a monster!"
Zaydan laughed. "Oh, and I got another skill—Mana Breathing."
"What even is that?!"
Zaydan checked his stats. "It lets me absorb mana from nature and constantly replenish my energy. I think it activated when I focused on the chakra idea and synced with this world's natural mana flow."
"Oh good," Rehan groaned. "Now I'm the side character."
But before they could continue
Rehan said, stretching. "But what's priceless is your new fire. Remind me not to piss you off."
Zaydan chuckled. "Teach me more... after checking for monsters. We can't let anyone know our secrets."
As Rehan nodded and began scouting, Zaydan stared at his palm, flames flickering.
"This world gave me a chance... and I'll turn it into my kingdom."
Back at the Celestial Keep...
King Alzaran sat in silence as the priest finished recounting the revelation.
"So... a justice skill will be given to five beings, including a human."
Seraphina leaned forward. "What does this skill do?"
The priest replied, "It allows the user to see a person's actions, intentions, and consequences. Their judgment is visible to the world. If the user chooses wrongly, their lifespan decreases."
"What's the name of the skill?" the King asked.
The priest bowed his head. "It was called… The Scale of Eternal Verdict."
The King stood, eyes hard. "If the Demon Lord finds this human before us... we may all burn."