After the intense encounter with the thugs, Kai and Zac followed Sophia back to the inn where they worked.
Merla's surprise at seeing her sister was evident as she hugged Sophia tightly, inspecting her for any lingering injuries. Once reassured of her well-being,
Merla turned her grateful gaze toward Kai.
"Thank you once again for protecting my sister," Merla said warmly, placing a comforting hand on Kai's shoulder.
Kai gave a nonchalant shrug. "It was no problem."
The brothers settled into a table at the inn while Sophia recounted the events in detail. She described how the thugs had been harassing her, and Kai's decisive action saved her from what could've been a horrible fate.
Merla's gratitude deepened with every word.
"You're a brave young man, Kai,
" Merla praised, smiling with pride. "But I must ask, where did you learn to fight like that?"
Kai scratched the back of his head. "Boxing. I've been practicing it for years."
Sophia's eyes lit up with curiosity. "Boxing? That's rare. Normally, to become that skilled in martial arts, one must train with the monks in the eastern mountains.
Did you study there?"Kai hesitated, sensing that the existence of boxing in their world was unusual. Before he could fumble through a response, Zac smoothly stepped in.
"Actually, we grew up with our grandfather in the mountains,
" Zac lied convincingly. "He taught Kai how to fight, and we didn't really interact with the outside world much."
"Ah, that explains it," Sophia nodded. "But I'm surprised you two don't know about the basics of this world."
Kai leaned forward. "Actually, that reminds me… What was that light you used to heal me? Was it magic?"
Sophia shook her head, her expression curious. "No, that wasn't magic. It was my Djinn power."
Kai blinked in confusion. "Djinn power?"
Merla and Sophia exchanged bewildered glances.
"Wait… you don't know what a Djinn is?"
Zac quickly chimed in again. "Like I said, we were pretty isolated.
Our grandpa wasn't one to teach us about the outside world."
Sophia nodded, though disbelief lingered. "I see. Then allow me to explain."
The Godly Conflict and Creation of Djinn"Long ago, when the gods shaped the world of Tenria, Elementia, the goddess of the elements, created the Djinn.
They are powerful spirits born from the natural forces of the world. Each Djinn represents one of the primary elements: Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Lightning, Ice, Light, Dark, Life, and Chaos.
But not all gods agreed on how power should be granted to mortals. Arcana, the goddess of magic, believed that humans should only wield power through studying magic and grimoires.
This disagreement caused a massive conflict between the two goddesses.
As a result, mages, who serve Arcana, are unable to form contracts with Djinn. Only warriors, like those trained in combat arts, can bond with them."
Kai frowned. "So, only certain people can make contracts?"
"That's right," Merla interjected. "Warriors often form contracts to enhance their physical strength, while mages, though unable to contract with Djinn, rely on their grimoires to use magic."
Sophia then lifted her hand, and a small glowing light emerged. A radiant fairy with golden wings appeared, surrounded by a soft glow. Her hair was a shimmering gold, and her translucent wings fluttered gracefully.
"This is Luma, my Light-element Djinn. She's of high rank and grants me powerful abilities."
Luma gave a small curtsy, her bright presence illuminating the room.
Kai's mouth gaped. "That's incredible."
Sophia smiled. "Light Djinn have different abilities depending on their rank.
Low-rank Light Djinn can only illuminate dark places. Medium-rank ones can heal minor injuries. But Luma, as a high-rank Djinn, can not only heal more severe wounds but also generate bursts of intense light to blind enemies and create protective barriers."
"What about King-ranked Light Djinn?" Kai asked, fascinated.
Sophia's expression grew reverent. "The King-ranked Light Djinn is named Solarius. It takes the form of a radiant man with flowing golden hair, clad in robes of pure light.
Solarius can wield divine abilities, purifying corruption and even creating large protective fields. However, King-ranked Djinn also possess unique abilities that no other rank can use.
Solarius is said to create a celestial sanctuary in battle, a powerful shield that nullifies all dark magic."
"Has anyone formed a contract with Solarius?"
Sophia nodded. "Yes. His current contractor is a young woman named Grace. She's only twenty-one, with silver hair and a gentle presence. She's known across the lands for traveling and healing the sick and injured."
Kai couldn't hide his amazement. "That's pretty cool."
With that, the conversation shifted to lighter topics before they eventually retired for the night.
The Brothers' DiscussionBack in their small room at the inn, Kai sat cross-legged on the floor, still stewing over the events of the day. Zac lay on the bed, scribbling thoughts in a notebook he had salvaged from his bag.
"So, what now?"
Kai asked. "We can't just stay here forever."
Zac grinned. "We need money. And the best way to earn some quickly is by becoming adventurers."
Kai's brow furrowed. "Adventurers? Like monster hunters?"
"Exactly. It's the most straightforward way to make a living in this world." Zac smirked. "Besides, with that Chronos buff, you're practically a beast yourself."
Kai's face hardened. "But what about you? You don't know how to fight."
Zac's grin widened as he pulled something from his bag. It gleamed under the dim lantern light—a small, sleek silver firearm.
"Where the hell did you get that?" Kai asked, wide-eyed.
"While you were playing hero, I sold some of our old stuff," Zac explained proudly. "This is a magic gun. It doesn't use bullets like back on Earth. Instead, it's powered by mana crystals and fires different types of elemental shots."
He pointed to the side of the gun, where three small slots held glowing crystals.
"The first one is a stun shot—non-lethal, great for self-defense. Then there's the explosive shot, which works like a tiny firecracker.
Not enough to kill, but it'll scare the hell out of anything. Lastly, the piercing laser shot. It's powerful, but insanely expensive. Five shots cost me a gold coin."
Kai's competitive spirit flared. "So, you bought a gun and now you think you're some kind of badass?"
Zac shrugged. "No, I just like having options. And besides, Chronos gave me a buff too. Who knows how much stronger I am now?"
Kai couldn't argue.
The presence of the god still lingered in his mind, and the sensation of his newfound strength was undeniable.
"Fine," Kai relented. "But you better not accidentally blow your own hand off."
Zac laughed. "Deal."
With their plan set, the brothers extinguished the lantern and let exhaustion overtake them. Tomorrow, they would officially take their first step in this unfamiliar world.
And whatever challenges lay ahead, they would face them together.