Journey to Planar World

A werewolf-race adventurer from Mord’s group lunged forward, his metal claws slashing through the air with a rough motion as he sneered.

”Don’t pretend to be the good guy!”

(Arrogant? Even though they don’t know I’m Level 5, for a mere Level 2 to act as if they’re invincible in this world? Pathetic.) Charlie thought coldly upon hearing the taunt.

To him, the attack seemed painfully slow. Even without factoring in his Level 5 reaction speed, even if he were only Level 1, as long as he had the Six Eyes, defeating opponents across levels wouldn’t be impossible.

*SWISH!*

With minimal movement, Charlie tilted his head slightly. The metal claws missed his face by mere inches, tearing through empty air without touching him.

”Your words are strange too. Isn’t pretending to be a good person more noble than actually being a truly rotten one?”

Before the enemy could react, Charlie’s hand shot out like lightning. A short, precise punch struck the werewolf under the chin.

*BAM!*

*CRACK!*

”Guh!”

The sound of breaking bone was unmistakable. The werewolf’s body flew several meters into the air before crashing hard onto the ground, motionless. His jaw twisted unnaturally, sending chills down the spines of onlookers.

”...”

The atmosphere turned silent in an instant.

A few seconds later, Mord’s group of enraged adventurers turned their attention to Charlie as their primary target.

”Take him down!”

Immediately, eight armed adventurers charged at once, surrounding Charlie from all directions. Swords, axes, and spears converged on him in an attack that seemed impossible to evade.

”Help Charlie-dono!”

Seeing this, Mikoto dropped her bow and drew her katana. But before she could move forward, the sight before her froze her in place.

”...”

Charlie didn’t look pressured at all. On the contrary, he appeared relaxed, as if merely playing around. His movements were elegant and efficient.

A large adventurer swung a massive war axe toward his head. Charlie didn’t dodge. Instead, he stepped in, striking the opponent’s wrist with a close-range blow that shattered the bone, then used the same palm to shove him backward—sending him flying into two of his comrades.

Two other adventurers thrust spears from opposite directions. Charlie spun between the two spears, grabbed both shafts, and twisted his body. The two adventurers were flung like toys, crashing helplessly to the ground.

Then, a mage at the back began chanting.

”O blazing fire, gather in the palm of my hand—”

In the middle of parrying a sword strike, Charlie suddenly crouched, plucked a small pebble from the ground, and flicked it with his finger.

*SWISH!*

The pebble shot forward like a bullet, striking the chanting mage squarely in the throat.

”Ghek—!”

The mage choked, his chant cut off mid-sentence. The flame forming in his hand exploded uncontrollably, burning his own hair and causing him to scream in pain.

This was the primary weakness of mages in this world—most required chants to gather power.

It should be noted that not all mages could use magic instantly by simply uttering the spell’s name for activation, like Bell. Chanting was basic common sense, but against Charlie’s incredible speed, mages were extremely vulnerable.

”What’s happening?!”

”He’s not a normal human!”

The other adventurers panicked. They attacked Charlie wildly, but all their efforts were futile.

*BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!*

Charlie moved through the attacks, evading slashes and thrusts with effortless ease. He deflected punches with his fingers, dropped opponents with light strikes, and touched vital points, knocking them out instantly.

Within seconds, all eight adventurers lay groaning on the ground. Charlie stood in their midst, not even breathing heavily, as if he had just taken a leisurely stroll rather than fought a group of armed adventurers.

”...”

Mikoto and the others could only stare in stunned silence, realizing their help had been completely unnecessary.

”So this is the strength of a Level 5 Upper-Class Adventurer? Absolutely incredible!” Ouka whispered, her hand still tightly gripping her bow.

A mix of awe and envy stirred within her.

With strength like that, she would never have to flee from hordes of monsters, never need to use Bell’s party as bait just so her comrades could escape.

”Looks like we weren’t needed after all. Charlie-dono handled everything himself.” Mikoto said with a wry smile, sheathing her katana. Her respect for Charlie had grown even deeper.

Welf scratched his head, muttering quietly, ”I wonder who’s stronger—Tsubaki or this guy?”

Tsubaki Collbrande, Level 5 known as Cyclops, captain of the Hephaestus Familia and the world’s greatest blacksmith, was the highest benchmark of strength Welf knew.

Meanwhile, beneath his invisible helmet, Mord trembled in fear.

”Damn it! Why is someone this strong here? No matter! As long as I stay unseen, I’ll be fine.”

His mind immediately began searching for a way to slip away.

”Charlie-san... Welf... everyone...”

Bell struggled to his feet, his face bruised, swollen, and bloodied. Shame burned in his cheeks at being seen in such a pitiful state by people he knew.

”Hestia-sama isn’t here!” He suddenly shouted, remembering their main objective.

”Stop this right now!”

Suddenly, Hestia’s voice rang out, freezing everyone in place.

All eyes turned toward the source. Hestia stood there, with Lily beside her, cautiously surveying the battlefield.

”Bell, everyone, I’m fine! This fight is pointless now! Everyone, retreat!”

A wave of overwhelming relief washed over Bell, nearly making him collapse.

The Takemikazuchi Familia obediently sheathed their weapons, respecting Hestia’s wishes, while Charlie stepped aside to let Hestia approach Bell.

However, on the other side, Mord suddenly became visible. Veins throbbed at his temples. His hatred for Bell hadn’t faded—it burned even hotter upon seeing Bell surrounded by such powerful allies.

”...”

Mord turned to face his remaining allies, who were confused about what to do.

”A goddess’s words mean nothing! Finish them all!”

Most of his adventurers were still writhing in pain, but a few who could still stand began to rise. They had gone too far to back down now.

But before anyone could move, Hestia’s voice echoed again—this time with a completely different tone.

”Stop it now.”

The air seemed to freeze. The words weren’t loud, but carried an unbearable weight. Mord and all his adventurers froze instantly, as if bound by invisible chains.

Their faces turned pale, their eyes widened in terror, fixed on Hestia. Their throats trembled, unable to utter a sound.

Even Bell and his rescuers fell silent, stunned by the sudden power radiating from Hestia.

*BUZZ!*

The ribbon tying her twin tails snapped loose, letting her long black hair flow freely. Her expression was no longer ordinary. And around her body, a faint yet immensely powerful rainbow-colored aura emanated—Arcanum.

This was the power that made the entire Lower World bow to the gods. A primordial pressure that forced every mortal being to lower their head in submission.

Instantly, without needing an order, Ouka, Mikoto, Welf, Lily, and even Charlie—all knelt on one knee, bowing their heads in deep, instinctive reverence.

Hestia unleashed her Arcanum not for personal gain, but to protect, to stop her children from harming each other.

”Drop your weapons.”

”U-uh… a-ah…”

Mord and his adventurers could only gasp and groan, forced to retreat by the overwhelming pressure radiating from Hestia’s blue eyes—now ancient and wise beyond measure.

”... Uwahhhh!”

One adventurer finally broke. He turned and ran. Then a second, then a third. Like dominoes, they all began fleeing in total panic, leaving Mord alone.

”W-wait, you idiots!” Mord screamed, but fear finally overpowered his rage. He turned and fled as well.

Bell remained slumped on the ground, unable to move even after Hestia released her Arcanum and the pressure vanished.

(So that’s Arcanum...) Charlie thought, his hand still pressed against his rapidly beating chest. But it wasn’t just Hestia’s power that left him awestruck.

(What just happened to me?)

He had felt something within himself resonate with that Arcanum—a strange vibration, as if something long dormant had awakened for a brief moment.

(No. It wasn’t from me...)

Charlie realized something.

(It came from my template—Karasuki Rio. It seems... there’s still hidden power yet to awaken.)

Until now, he had believed he had inherited all of Rio’s abilities. After all, when he reached Level 5, no new abilities from the template had emerged.

But now, in the presence of a True Goddess’s Arcanum, something within him had answered the call—a latent potential, waiting to be awakened.