Yumina woke up as the faint sound of voices reached through her headphones. She blinked a few times. Her favorite anime ending theme was still playing softly, but something was different.
She slipped off her headphones and looked around. The passengers were standing, and their gazes locked on something near the front of the cabin.
"...What's up with all the commotion?" Yumina asked.
Shiro Tachibana turned toward her, dumbfounded. "Wait, you were sleeping through all that?"
Yumina tilted her head. "All what?"
Shiro rubbed his temples. "Never mind. Long story short, we're not on Earth anymore. Apparently, we were transported to another world, and that man," he pointed toward the front of the plane where Allot stood, "claims to work for some King Charles in this place."
Yumina blinked, unsure whether to laugh or not. "So… we're in another world? Like… an isekai?"
"Yeah," Shiro muttered. "Except this isn't a cute fantasy story. Some people already got turned into trees."
Yumina's eyes widened. "Really now?"
"Unfortunately yes."
Before Yumina could process what she had just heard, Damon Bowers stepped forward, hands in his pockets.
"Allot, was it? You've told us what happened, but not why. Why are you helping us? Why reveal all this at all?"
Allot's grin widened slightly. "Ah, a sensible one. Good. You see, my task is not merely to inform, but to test you."
"Test us?" Damon repeated.
"Yes. It is the will of King Charles that every transmigrator who arrives in this realm be evaluated. The Empire must know which of you possess the strength, intelligence, or cunning necessary to serve His Majesty's interests."
Jay frowned. "And what happens to those who don't?"
Allot's smile didn't falter. "They don't survive long."
A chill passed through the cabin.
"What do you mean, 'don't survive'?" someone shouted from the back.
Allot tapped his chin. "Let us say, there will be a small trial soon. A creature, one of my prior summonings, will be arriving shortly. A giant troll, to be exact. Its purpose? To measure your worth."
The color drained from several faces.
"What?!"
"You can't be serious!"
"You're throwing us to a monster?!"
As the protests grew louder, a young man from the middle row suddenly stood up.
"You're just toying with us!" he shouted. "You think you can decide who lives and dies?! Screw you!"
A faint spinning disc of light formed in the man's palm. With a sharp motion, he hurled it at Allot. It easily cut through the air while aiming straight for the Allot's neck.
Allot merely sighed. He raised a finger, and the spinning weapon dissolved into glittering particles before it could reach him. Then, with a casual snap of his other hand, he uttered a single word:
"Cactarus."
The attacker froze. His body stiffened and his skin turned green and rough. In moments, he had transformed into a cactus, rooted in the aisle.
Screams erupted around the cabin. Someone vomited.
Allot brushed imaginary dust from his coat. "Now then, let's not waste time with more foolishness."
He began pacing slowly down the aisle. "As I said, the troll will be here soon. Those who prove themselves will be noticed by the Empire. Should you impress the King's agents, you may be offered a place under His Majesty's protection, an invaluable gift in a world like this, filled with beasts and powers beyond your imagination."
He stopped, turning his gaze on the passengers. "It would be wise to accept such an offer, should it come."
A hand raised from the back. A young woman's voice spoke hesitantly, "But… what about us? I don't feel any ability at all. Nothing happened when you used that spell."
Another voice followed. "Yeah, me neither! You said we'd have powers, but I don't feel different!"
Allot placed a thoughtful hand under his chin. "Hmm…possible. Not all souls are compatible with the mana of this world. Some cannot absorb it. Others may awaken abilities so weak they are hardly worth acknowledging."
A murmur of despair swept through the powerless passengers.
Yumina looked down at her hands, then toward Shiro and Jay. "Hmm, I don't think I received anything either," she admitted softly. "No strange energy, no warmth. Nothing."
"That's…bad news", said Shiro with concern.
Before anyone could speak again, Allot clapped his hands. "Well, my task here is complete. Good luck, transmigrators. May fortune, or fate, decide your worth."
And then, in an instant, he vanished.
For a long moment, no one moved. The silence pressed on everyone's ears.
Then Damon stepped forward with a serious expression. "All right, everyone, listen up. If what that man said is true, we don't have much time before that thing arrives. We need a plan."
Several passengers turned toward him automatically, drawn to his authoritative tone.
Damon continued, "We can't stay cramped in here. The plane's too small and fragile. Anyone who has an ability, follow me, we'll move toward the forest and find a better position. Those without powers should stay here and take cover."
"What?! That's suicide!" a woman shouted. "You're leaving us here to die!"
Damon's eyes narrowed. "You'd only get in the way. We can't afford to protect those who can't defend themselves."
Anger rose in the cabin. Several passengers stepped forward, demanding to be included, but before they could act, a few of Damon's followers stepped between them. One of them raised his hand, and a crackling stream of lightning formed in his grasp.
The threat was enough. The powerless ones stumbled back, faces pale with fear.
"Stay inside," Damon said coldly. "And maybe you'll live long enough for us to return."
Jay clenched his jaw. The sight made his blood boil. "You call that leadership?" he muttered.
Shiro warned. "Don't do anything stupid."
Jay looked at Yumina, then at the frightened passengers behind her, the powerless, the confused, the ones just trying to survive. He made up his mind.
"I'll stay," he said loudly, stepping forward.
Damon turned, eyebrow raised. "What?"
"I said I'm staying here, with them."
"You have a power, don't you?" Damon asked with a half-mocking tone.
"Perhaps. But abandoning people to die isn't my thing. It's not right."
A tense silence filled the air.
Shiro hesitated, his mind at war with his conscience. Then he sighed, muttering to himself. "Damn it…" He looked at Jay. "Fine. I'll stay too."
Damon chuckled darkly. "Suit yourselves. When that thing arrives, don't expect mercy from it."
He turned, gesturing for his group to follow. A dozen or so passengers with awakened powers left the plane, heading toward the distant forest.
Inside the plane, Yumina sat quietly, clutching her phone, a useless relic in this new world.
Jay leaned against a seat, his eyes fixed on the door. "We'll hold out as long as we can."
"Do you really think you can fight that thing?" Yumina asked softly.
Jay gave a small, reassuring smile. "I don't know. But running away isn't always an option."
Minutes passed. The wind outside grew louder, whistling through the broken windows. Then,
*THUD*
A distant sound, heavy and deep, like a massive drumbeat.
Another thud, louder.
The passengers exchanged terrified glances.
Shiro swallowed hard. "It's coming."
Then, from beyond the horizon, the trees at the edge of the forest trembled, and something huge began to emerge, each step shaking the ground.
The troll had arrived.