Morning in the capital of Lumeria did not begin with bells or prayers.
It began with movement.
From the wide balcony of the guest wing, Haruto Miyazaki watched the city awaken. Stone streets filled with people of different heights, skin tones, and clothing styles. Some wore robes threaded with faintly glowing patterns, others armor polished to ceremonial brightness.
This was not a battlefield.
This was a functioning world.
Soon, attendants arrived to escort the heroes—not to the throne room, but elsewhere.The structure stood at the heart of the capital.
Four towering spires rose toward the sky, each tinted with a different hue—brown, blue, red, and white. They curved inward, meeting beneath a golden dome engraved with flowing runes.
"This," the priest guiding them said, "is the Church of Elements."
Takumi adjusted his glasses, eyes scanning the runes.
"So this is the religion that summoned us."
"Yes," the priest replied calmly. "The Church of Elements governs faith across most human kingdoms."
They entered.
Inside, there were no grand statues of a single god.
Instead, the vast hall was divided into circles, each inscribed with symbols representing elements—Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Ice, Lightning. Smaller shrines stood between them, dedicated to what the priest called Civilization Gods—War, Craft, Knowledge, and Law.
"Our faith teaches balance," the priest explained.
"No element dominates. No god rules alone."
Kenta nodded.
"That sounds… reasonable."
Haruto noticed something though.
Balance was not the same as freedom.
Hana raised her hand slightly.
"Why were we summoned specifically?"
The priest turned to them with a measured expression.
"Heroes are individuals capable of stabilizing the world when imbalance grows."
"So we're weapons?" Riku asked bluntly.
"Guardians," the priest corrected.
"Chosen by divine alignment."
Haruto felt uneasy at the word chosen.
They were then guided to a long gallery connected to the church. The walls were covered in massive murals depicting the peoples of the world.
Humans
Spread across plains, cities, and fortresses.
"Humans are adaptable," the guide explained. "Short-lived compared to others, but numerous and ambitious."
No one commented. It was obvious.
Elves
Tall figures among ancient forests and floating structures.
"Wind-aligned. Long-lived. They preserve ruins and old knowledge."
"They don't interfere much, do they?" Takumi asked.
"Rarely," the guide replied.
Dwarves
Stocky figures within mountains, forging weapons glowing with elemental runes.
"Earth-aligned. Masters of craft. Their faith is expressed through creation."
The next mural showed a very different environment.
Swamps, caverns, and underground wetlands filled the scene. The beings there had purple skin, four eyes, and thick tails ending in bulb-like glands. Their armor was practical, layered around the neck and torso.
"These are the Mirelens," the guide said.
"They dwell beneath marshlands and within mountain caverns."
"Four eyes…" Mio murmured.
"They see best in darkness," the guide continued. "Primarily Earth and Water aligned."
"They don't look primitive," Takumi observed.
"They are not," the guide replied.
"Mirelen society is governed through merit and examination. Leadership is temporary and earned."
That surprised several of the heroes.
Haruto found himself staring longer than expected.
This race did not look weak.
The final mural radiated cold.
Towering figures stood in frozen forests and deep mountain caverns. They had four arms, dark skin hardened like stone, and a faintly glowing third eye at the center of their foreheads.
"These are the Frosterns," the guide said.
"They inhabit the coldest regions of the world."
"They're huge," Kenta said quietly.
"Seven to eight feet on average," the guide replied.
"They wield both Fire and Ice. Some also manifest Lightning."
Beside them were massive six-legged wolves with three eyes.
"They fight alongside bonded beasts," the guide added.
"Fierce in battle. Loyal to family."
Haruto noticed something subtle.
Unlike the other murals, there were no priests or shrines near the Frosterns.
Only warriors. Families. Survival.
As they exited the gallery, Haruto felt something shift inside him.
This world did not exist for heroes.
Heroes were simply inserted into it.
Kingdoms had politics. Religions had structure. Races had histories older than any summoning ritual.
That night, as Haruto looked out over the city once more, torches flickered across rooftops and bridges.
This was not a fantasy made for them.
It was a world that would continue—
Whether they succeeded…
Or died.