The bell had barely rung before the classroom erupted. The square desks, arranged in neat clusters of four, became little islands of activity.
In one cluster, a group of boys leaned over the desks. Some whispered strategies while others flicked game pieces back and forth, laughing whenever someone missed a move. Across the room, a circle of girls whispered and giggled. Some were gossiping, others talking quietly, and a few were scribbling notes, heads bent over their papers. At another cluster, four boys gathered around a desk. One sat casually on top of the desk, legs dangling, while the other three leaned on chairs, gesturing and talking in low voices.
And then there was Soren Ren. Head pressed against his desk, quiet, watching. He observed everything the boys, the girls, the laughter, the whispers, the arguments without a single person noticing him.
Ten minutes passed. Laughter, whispers, and the click of game pieces filled the room. Then suddenly, everything stopped.
Voices froze mid-laugh. Chairs stayed put. A low hum rose from the floor beneath the students. A golden magic circle appeared beneath their feet, glowing with intricate, swirling symbols.
W-what is this? a boy stammered, frozen mid-step
And then whoosh! The students vanished, leaving all the desks exactly where they were. The classroom remained untouched, silent, as if nothing had happened.
When their senses returned, the students were standing in a grand hall inside a castle. The ceilings were impossibly high, stone pillars etched with gold, and banners displaying the royal crest hung from the walls. At the far end of the hall, a king and princess sat on thrones, flanked by elite guards in shining armor.
The king's voice boomedWelcome, heroes, to the Kingdom of Aldrynn
Screams, shouts, and murmurs erupted. Students pressed together, pointing, shouting questions, trembling.
Calm down Calm down the king raised his hands We summoned you here to save our kingdom from monsters and hostile nations You are the hope of Aldrynn
From the back, Kairo's voice cut through the chaosWe are just normal humans What do you expect us to do
The king's brow furrowedEvery summoned hero from another world possesses strong mana and extraordinary powers Surely you can help
Groans and protests rose from the students. Taven shouted above the restSend us back We do not want anything to do with this
The king's expression hardenedI am afraid we cannot You are needed The kingdom's fate rests on your shoulders
Chaos erupted again. Students yelled and argued, bumping into each other, gesturing wildly. Then a quiet, calm voice cut through the noise.
Soren lifted his head, eyes sharpIf you truly believe we are tools to be used, then perhaps your kingdom has not thought this through You are counting on untrained teenagers to solve centuries of political and magical disasters That is a problem
For a moment, silence fell. Even the king blinked. For the first time, someone questioned the story they had been fed.
Soren straightened, hands still at his sides. The chaos had not completely stopped, but in his mind, the gears were already turning. This world was not just strange it was flawed. And he intended to find every flaw
You, summoned heroes, shall gain wealth beyond imagining, renown that will be spoken of in every corner of this land, and honor befitting those who stand against the darkness. If you pledge your strength to our nation, we will teach you to wield your powers with skill and precision. We will guide you, show you the ways of this world, and ensure that you have the knowledge to survive and triumph. Step forward and embrace your destiny, for the Kingdom of Aldrynn calls upon you
The princess stood and spoke, her voice clear and firm."Please, heroes, help this nation and its people. Our kingdom faces threats from monsters and enemy nations. We have no one else to rely on but you."
Soren kept his face calm while the princess pleaded, her voice trembling just enough to move the room. The other boys whispered like startled chicks, wide‑eyed at the pressure suddenly dropped on them.
Soren… he just watched her. Yeah… she's pretty, he admitted in his head. But right behind that thought came another — sharper, colder. How does this world's magic work? Skills, levels, mana… I need to figure all that out fast.
He crossed his arms, gaze steady, almost regal in how unbothered he looked.
But let's get one thing straight, he thought to himself, a quiet, kingly certainty settling in his chest. I'm not planning on helping this kingdom. I'll learn what I can, get strong, then leave immediately. I'm not dying for strangers I've never even met.
"Please get in a line. We're going to check your magic level," the king commanded, his voice echoing through the hall.
The students shuffled forward, one by one stepping up to touch the glowing orb at the center of the room. As each hand made contact, the orb shimmered, projecting a faint golden light across the hall.
Some students emerged with A-rank. Others got B, C, or D. Gasps of excitement and murmurs of envy rippled through the class. The king's eyes sparkled with astonishment. The princess's mouth opened slightly, clearly impressed by the display of power.
Finally, it was Kairo Venn's turn. The orb glowed brightly beneath his hand. S-rank. A surge of light shot upward, illuminating the hall. The students stared, whispers spreading like wildfire.
Then Rylen Arvo stepped forward. The orb blazed again. S-rank. His laughter echoed coldly across the hall.
"You bastards," he muttered, a smirk playing on his lips. "You tormented me, harassed me…" He brought a hand to his face and whispered, "I'm going to make sure you all beg… get on your knees."
A wave of fear rippled through the students. Kairo's voice cut sharply through the tension."You're not going to touch anyone."
Rylen and Kairo locked eyes, a silent, heated stare-off filling the hall with tension.
Then Lyra Faelane stepped forward, her delicate hand hovering over the orb. The moment she touched it, a second golden glow erupted, brighter than before.
The king's voice boomed."Not only do we have two S-ranks… we have three now!"
One by one, the remaining students approached the orb. Ten minutes later, Soren Ren stepped forward. He placed his hand on the orb. A faint light shimmered around him.
The princess raised a hand, her tone sharp but controlled."That's enough for today. Everyone, please—"
Soren pulled his hand back."What did I get?" he asked, eyes narrowing.
The princess looked at him with disgust, then smiled and pointed directly at him."Everyone, look! We have our first F-rank!"
Laughter erupted from several students. Taven stepped forward, sneering."You were nothing in our old world, and you're still nothing here," he mocked.
Lyra moved quickly beside Soren, her expression stern."Leave him alone, Taven."
Taven smirked."Count yourself lucky."
The queen's voice rang out across the hall, calm yet commanding."Everyone, stand still. Your statuses and system will appear, revealing your levels, stats, and powers."
Suddenly, above each student, a translucent status window appeared, glowing softly. It displayed their rank, health, magical energy, strength, agility, and other hidden stats unique to each individual. The windows hovered in midair, shimmering with golden light, giving the students a clear view of their abilities and potential.
Soren's window appeared last. His rank read F in bold red letters. His health, mana, and other stats were all visible, though far below the others. He stared at it, unfazed, a small smirk forming in his mind.
I'm not planning on helping this kingdom, he thought silently. I'm going to learn from this, leave immediately, and survive on my own. I won't die for these randoms I've never met.
Around him, the other students whispered, some shocked, some laughing, some glaring at Soren with a mix of disdain and curiosity.
Soren sat in his room, rubbing his cheek, confused. Why are they treating me like this? he wondered. Frustrated, he decided to leave.
He stepped outside, moving quietly through the corridors."What are you doing out here?" a guard's voice called sharply.
Before he could answer, the princess appeared, her gaze sharp and cold."Look at this, F-rank. A weakling."
"What?" Soren said, narrowing his eyes.
"Do you think you will survive here?" she asked, her tone dripping with disdain.
Soren's anger flared."What are you talking about?"
"F-rank people disgust me," she said with a sneer, stepping closer. "You are nothing. Slaves of this world, fit only to obey."
Her hand moved in a graceful, almost mocking gesture, and she whispered an incantation. A blast of magic shot from her fingers, hitting Soren square in the chest. He was sent flying, slamming into the stone wall. Pain exploded through his body, and he fainted.
As he lay unconscious, he faintly heard her voice echo through the corridor."Get this disgusting mop away from me!"
The guards arrived immediately, dragging him roughly and throwing him back into his room.
Hours later, Soren woke in the middle of the night, pain radiating through his body, but his mind was sharp. I need to get out of here, he thought.
He muttered under his breath, "Status window."
A translucent window appeared before him, showing his name and rank—and his power: Infinite Slot.
"What… is this?" he whispered, staring at it in disbelief. He calmed himself, took a deep breath, and tested the power.
He summoned a fork. Then another. And another. For an hour, he kept summoning utensils—forks, spoons, knives—until he grew exhausted. Probably running out of mana, he thought, finally letting himself collapse and sleep.