Icarius woke up early; his thoughts were already focused on the tasks ahead. He had a lot to do before leaving the village. The items he had packed with Boris, including some precious memorabilia, were still in his house, and he felt the need to increase security. Sitting cross-legged on the floor, he closed his eyes and concentrated. Using his metal magic, he created a lock that was nearly unbreakable and a key so heavy that only he could carry it comfortably.
"This should keep things safe while I'm gone," Icarius thought, fitting the new lock onto his door. But he wasn't done. With a flick of his hand, he cast a light magic spell over the house, a protective barrier that would paralyze anyone who intended harm. He smiled at his work. "Seven hours of nausea for anyone foolish enough to try the wrong key," he mused, satisfied.
Suddenly, the faint echo of the Diablor dragon's roar reached his ears, and his expression hardened. The beast was furious—searching, no doubt, for the unicorn that Icarius had rescued. The dragon's rage was so intense that even the city of Gyrok had received warnings. Adventurers had been dispatched to investigate—eight in total: five A-rank, a B-rank healer, and two S-rank.
Curiosity getting the better of him, Icarius climbed a tree to get a better view. His eyes widened as he saw a seemingly endless line of monsters emerging from the cursed forest. "This is worse than I thought," he murmured. Just then, he spotted the dragon in the distance, its massive form towering over the trees. The adventurers were trying to attack it, aiming for its blind spots, but the dragon's aura was overwhelming. Icarius saw it preparing to unleash a devastating fire tornado.
"I can't let that happen," he thought, steeling himself. Focusing his energy, he whispered, "Omnigravila," and the gravitational force tightened around the dragon's neck. The pressure grew unbearable, and in seconds, the dragon's head fell to the ground with a heavy thud. The adventurers froze, stunned by the sudden death of the beast.
Noon came, and Icarius realized how unkempt his hair had become. "I look like a wild man," he muttered, running his fingers through the tangled mess. Determined to tidy up, he went in search of a barber, but to his dismay, none were available. Just as he was about to give up, he spotted a man with a neatly trimmed beard and haircut.
"Excuse me," Icarius called out. "Do you know where I can find a barber around here?"
The man eyed him up and down, clearly surprised by Icarius's appearance. "Barbers only come once a week," he said slowly. "You'll have to wait four more days."
Icarius sighed but thanked the man anyway. "Four days? I don't have that kind of time." He returned home and rummaged through his bags from the original world until he found a comb. But as he struggled to tame his unruly locks, the comb snapped in two. "This is hopeless," he grumbled.
Not wanting to waste more time, Icarius decided to visit the village chief, Asula, to discuss his plans. Entering the chief's modest office, he was greeted by a cautious tone. "Hello, Mr. Asula, good to see you again," Icarius said with a polite smile, his long hair still making him look a bit wild.
Asula, the village chief, was a stout man with a thick beard and a stern face that softened only slightly when he saw Icarius. His hair was short and graying at the temples, and his eyes were sharp, always assessing. "Ah, Icarius, where have you been?" he asked, his voice curious.
"The story is quite long," Icarius began, "but I'll give you the short version." "This old guy doesn't even recognize me with this mop on my head," he thought, a bit amused.
"Why the rush?" Asula frowned. "We can talk later over some food."
"I've got things to do," Icarius replied, a bit more curtly than he intended. "But you'll understand once I explain."
After some back-and-forth, Asula's eyebrows shot up. "You're becoming a wandering trader?"
"Yeah, I'll sell some things and make a bit of money for myself," Icarius said nonchalantly.
"Smart move," Asula nodded. "Not like the low-ranked magic schools offer much financial aid."
Icarius chuckled, though inwardly he was irritated. "He doesn't even sense my true power," he thought. "Visibility magic really works, but he's still making assumptions. Typical old man."
As they talked, Icarius couldn't help but feel out of place in his modern clothes. "Do you have something I can wear to blend in better?" he asked.
Asula eyed him and then handed over a long, black coat. "This should do the trick," he said, his tone light. "It'll help you stay incognito."
"Thanks," Icarius said, taking the coat. Back at home, he carefully packed it away along with his own suit.
With that done, Icarius turned his attention to making the potions he'd need for his travels. Using his healing and water magic, he filled a thousand tiny glass bottles, floating the liquid into them with gravitational magic. As he worked, he received a notification: Spacial Magic was unlocked.
His heart skipped a beat. "Space-time room? I could've stored everything in there instead of messing with that lock and light magic!" He shook his head in disbelief, laughing at the irony. By three in the morning, the potions were done, and Icarius collapsed onto his bed, wondering what the cities in this world would be like.
As sleep overtook him, he felt a mix of excitement and uncertainty. "Tomorrow, everything changes," he thought, his mind drifting to the future.