Zyphera's POV
John Orr Academy — Classroom
"Newton's first law states that... blah, blah, blah..."
The teacher's voice droned on, another lecture about Newton and his precious laws. As I stared out the window, barely listening, a bitter thought crept in.
How exactly is knowing Newton's laws going to help me survive this hellish thing called life? And come to think of it—is this really how I'm supposed to live?
The answer echoed in my mind: No. Hell no.
Any second, I could drop dead, and what would I have to show for it? A life spent trapped in this so-called academy... this prison disguised as school.
I glanced around at my classmates. Their eyes were glued to the front, hanging on to every word like it was gospel. Are you all serious? I wanted to shout. Am I really the only one who feels this way?
There were days—no, too many days—when I found myself wishing for something else. Dreaming of being whisked away, isekai-ed into a world where life meant more than tests and lectures. A world where school didn't chain you down. But dreams are just that. Dreams.
I sighed, long and deep. God, I hate my life.
My gaze dropped lazily to the floor... and that was when I saw it.
A strange symbol spread across the classroom tiles—something straight out of a fantasy novel. No, it was just like the incarnation circles you'd see in manhwa or anime.
It was massive, large enough to cover the entire room. The symbol glowed faintly white, blending so well with the tiles that no one would notice—unless they looked closer.
And then... it began to glow.
Colors rippled through the lines of the circle, soft at first, then brighter. It was only when the glow grew fierce—dazzling, blinding—that my teacher and the rest of the class finally noticed.
Light swallowed everything. I shut my eyes, shielding them from the glare.
When I opened them again, the world had changed.
We stood in a place that looked ripped from the pages of a medieval fantasy—grand, opulent, unreal. Before us loomed a throne, and on it sat a man who radiated elegance and authority. A king—he had to be.
"Greetings, our honored heroes. I am Anon De Leo, King of the Leo Kingdom—the kingdom you now stand in."
His voice was calm, but heavy with power.
Beside him stood a woman—breathtakingly beautiful, clad in the robes of a nun.
Her lips curved slightly as she spoke, her voice as soft as silk.
"I am Nina Evelyn, Saintess of the Holy Church and Royal Wizard of the Leo Kingdom. I am the one who summoned you here."
Her voice was sweet—sweeter than honey. And yet, as I looked at her... I felt nothing. No stirring, no attraction. Like the way a loyal husband might look at another woman—empty, unaffected.
The room felt too quiet now. The weight of what had just happened—the light, the sudden shift in reality—hung over us like a heavy fog. The King's voice still echoed in my ears.
And then, as if reading the tension in the room, he spoke again.
"You have all been summoned here for a noble purpose. Our world... is under threat. The Demon Realm's forces have begun invading. Entire villages have already fallen. If nothing is done, the demons will reduce this world to ash."
I felt my heart skip a beat. Demons? Real demons? My mind raced.
But before I could even start enjoying the thought, someone else stepped forward.
"Enough of this nonsense!"
The familiar shrill voice cut through the hall like a blade.
It was our physics teacher—Ms. Hargrave. Ms. Christina Hargrave. A strict, no-nonsense woman in her late thirties, famous in our school for crushing dreams with a single glare. And right now, she was glaring daggers at the King and the Saintess.
"We have no business here!" she barked. "You can't just kidnap innocent students and expect us to play along with this ridiculous fantasy. I demand that you return us to Earth this instant!"
A few students cheered quietly at her outburst, relief washing over their faces. Someone was finally saying what they were too scared to voice.
The King's face softened, almost as if he pitied us. But it was Nina who spoke, her sweet voice carrying a sharp edge now.
"I'm afraid that's not possible."
Ms. Hargrave's eyes narrowed. "And why not? Are you trying to use us? What gives you the right—"
"The summoning spell binds you here. The only way for you to return to your world is to eliminate the demon threat," Nina interrupted, her voice cool, matter-of-fact. "Only then will the conditions of the contract be fulfilled."
Contract? My heart pounded faster.
Ms. Hargrave's face turned red. "A contract?! We never agreed to anything!"
The Saintess met her gaze without flinching. "It is the law of the spell. The magic of this world is absolute. Until you fulfill your role as heroes, there will be no return. You can think of it as... being our honored guests. You will be treated with dignity and luxury. You will want for nothing. But you may not leave."
Silence. Heavy, suffocating silence.
It was basically a hostage situation. A luxurious prison... but a prison all the same.
Ms. Hargrave clenched her fists. "You can't force us to risk our lives for your war!"
"You have no choice," the King said gently. "But fear not. You will not face this danger empty-handed."
That was when Nina smiled again—the kind of smile that made you forget to breathe. "You will all be granted blessings—gifts from the gods, to aid you in battle. These blessings will grant you power beyond human limits, strength enough to stand against demons."
Blessings...
A murmur rippled through the class.
I could feel it—excitement bubbling in my chest like a volcano about to erupt. This is really happening. Isekai. Magic. Demons. Blessings. It's all real.
A glance at the guys around me confirmed I wasn't the only one. The boys' eyes sparkled, their earlier fear melting away, replaced by wonder, by thrill.
"Blessings?" one of them whispered, unable to hide the hope in his voice.
Nina nodded. "Yes. Come. I will show you the path to your awakening."
The Heroes' Awakening Room—
The room she led us to was massive. A high-ceilinged hall carved from white stone, with walls covered in runes that glowed softly in the dim light.
In the center stood a colossal crystal, as tall as three grown men stacked on top of one another. It pulsed with light—white, blue, gold—like it breathed magic.
"This," Nina said, her voice reverent, "is the Awakening Crystal. The gods' blessing flows through it. When you touch it, it will unlock the potential hidden within you and grant you a blessing—a class suited to your soul."
She turned to face us fully, her gaze serious.
"When your awakening succeeds, a blue-hued status screen will appear before you. Only true heroes can see these screens. They will display your stats, your titles... and your class. Your blessing."
Gasps filled the room.
I could hardly stand still. My heart raced so hard it hurt. This is it.
Ms. Hargrave tried one last time, her voice soft now, almost pleading. "Surely... there's another way. Their just students. Ordinary people. You're asking children to fight your battles."
The King's expression was kind, but firm. "Heroes are not chosen by age. Only by fate."
Nina gestured toward the crystal. "Step forward, one by one. Receive your gift."
A silence fell again—but this time, it was thick with anticipation. One of the braver students stepped forward, hand trembling as he reached for the crystal.
The moment his fingers touched the surface, light surged from within the crystal, swallowing him in a pillar of blue flame.
We stared, wide-eyed, as a faint shimmer appeared before him—a transparent screen of light, filled with strange letters and numbers.
"It worked...!" he gasped.
One by one, they approached. The crystal flared with magic each time, revealing their blessings, their classes: Holy Knight. Battle Mage. Wind Archer. Shadow Blade.
The hall echoed with awe.
And me? I could barely contain myself. My turn couldn't come fast enough.
This is my story. This is where it all begins.
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