"Name's Toram. Just a normal second-year high school student... or at least I thought I was."
With white hair that stood out like snow and piercing blue eyes, Toram sat near the back of the classroom, lost in the pages of his favorite light novel. The title, A Hero's Rejection, reflected off the cover as sunlight streamed through the windows. His earbuds played soft background music, blocking out the chatter around him.
The class buzzed with energy—some students laughed, others played with their phones, and a few were frantically trying to finish last night's homework.
"Still reading those fantasy books, Toram?"
a classmate teased, leaning over from the next desk with a grin.
Toram didn't even glance up.
"Better than reading textbooks all day. At least the MCs in these worlds don't have to deal with homeworks."
The boy laughed, about to reply, but was cut off by the sharp ringing of the school bell.
Students quickly shuffled to their seats, the casual energy in the room replaced by the usual routine. Some groaned, others sighed in relief. Toram placed a bookmark in his novel and slipped it into his bag.
Just as the chatter began to quiet down, the room shifted.
A deep hum echoed from the floor.
The lights overhead flickered, then dimmed.
"H-Hey... what was that?"
"An earthquake...?"
"No... look at the floor!"
Glowing symbols began to spread from under Toram's desk, crawling like living ink across the room. A radiant magic circle pulsed beneath every student's feet, emitting a strange, unworldly warmth.
"W-What is this?! A circle?"
Toram stood, wide-eyed, heart pounding. He'd seen this kind of scene in a novels—but never imagined it happening in real life.
Then came the voice. Deep, ancient, and echoing from above—not from the intercom, not from any speaker.
"You have been chosen as a hero."
In that instant, everything turned white.
The classroom, the students, the floor itself—gone in a flash of divine brilliance.