Spiritual phenomena had always been shrouded in mystery. No one truly knew where the vanished people ended up.
But now, Shin had finally uncovered the truth—they had been summoned to this strange place, just like him and his friends.
He still wasn't sure if they had already been sent to the world of Solira, as Quinella had claimed, but it most likely was.
'Melissa,' he muttered through gritted teeth.
Her disappearance two years ago had left a deep scar in his heart. He and his sister had always been close—he loved her more than anyone.
And now, he finally had a chance to see her again. It was only natural that he felt overjoyed.
While Shin was lost in a storm of emotions, his friends were having the same realization.
"Maybe the people who vanished during the spiritual phenomenon really were brought to Solira?"
"That would explain a lot! Damn... This is insane! If scientists heard about this, they'd lose their minds!"
A lively discussion broke out among them, with mixed reactions—relief, fear, and uncertainty all flashing across their faces.
Those who felt relieved were the ones who had long wondered about the fate of those who had vanished over the past decade.
The ones who felt afraid and anxious, of course, were those still yearning to return home.
None of them knew what kind of world Solira truly was, nor did they have any desire to save it from the creature known as the Void. That wasn't their responsibility.
Even Axel, who was usually the calmest among them, looked pale this time.
He hadn't expected that they would be tasked with saving a world they knew nothing about.
Taking a deep breath, he looked straight at Quinella and asked carefully, "Forgive me, Goddess Quinella, but… is it possible for us to refuse the task and return to our world?"
Quinella let out a soft sigh, her expression tinged with helplessness.
"I'm sorry. That's not possible. Once someone has been summoned, they cannot be sent back. Doing so would break the laws of the gods—and the consequences could be dire, especially for you," she said with a wry smile.
Whether her words were true or not was anyone's guess. But Shin, standing silently among the crowd, couldn't help but feel something strange and suspicious behind her explanation.
Before the mood could grow heavier, Quinella's warm smile returned.
"However, you don't need to worry. Once your task is complete, you'll naturally return to your world. I give you my word."
Her reassurance instinctively soothed their growing panic. The group exchanged glances, relief flickering in their eyes.
Axel let out a small sigh and rubbed his chest.
"Then, can you tell us what exactly we're supposed to do? Surely you're not planning to throw powerless strangers into a world they know nothing about?"
"Pfft!" Quinella stifled a laugh, covering her mouth with her hand. "You're quite amusing, young one—but also sharp. Naturally, I wouldn't send you into this world without granting you some powers."
Having said that, she snapped her fingers. In an instant, a palm-sized orb materialized in front of her.
It was milky white and strikingly beautiful. Lifting it slightly, Quinella said, "This is the Crystal Orb of Truth. Its ability is simple—it awakens a skill hidden within you."
"Skill?" Everyone echoed, staring at Quinella in confusion.
She simply smiled and began explaining. Fifteen minutes passed before she finally asked, "Do you understand?"
"Understood!" they replied in unison.
'A skill, huh?' Shin muttered thoughtfully.
Skills were special abilities possessed only by those summoned to this world. Each one was unique, and no one could know what theirs would be until it was awakened.
To awaken a skill, a special item was required—and one of them was the Crystal Orb of Truth, now in Quinella's hand.
Skills were divided into seven ranks: S, A, B, C, D, E, and the lowest, F.
'I hope I awaken at least a C- or B-rank skill,' Shin muttered hopefully.
He didn't dare dream of an A- or S-rank. That felt far too unrealistic.
According to Quinella, only five percent of people could awaken an A-rank skill, and just one percent ever reached S-rank.
So aiming for an A—let alone an S—was like chasing a fantasy.
"Alright," Quinella said, scanning the group one by one. "Who wants to go first?"
No one raised their hand. It was clear they were all thinking the same thing—let someone else go first.
"I'll do it," Axel said firmly.
His friends let out quiet sighs of relief, though many of them looked at him with admiration.
If Axel hadn't stepped forward, perhaps no one would've had the courage to move.
After all, despite Quinella's seemingly convincing explanation, no one could truly tell if she was being honest.
The way Quinella looked at Axel made her admiration unmistakable.
Her gaze softened as she released the Crystal Orb, which floated gently into the air and hovered steadily in place.
"Then, let's begin."
Axel gave a small nod and stepped forward. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and placed his hand on the orb.
Buzz!
A brilliant light burst from within the Crystal Orb, starting as pure white before slowly transforming into a mesmerizing shade of gold.
"Ugh!" Everyone instinctively shielded their eyes, even Quinella.
But in the midst of the blinding glow, a jolt of shock hit Quinella as she realized the nature of the skill Axel had awakened.
'That's... an S-rank!' She exclaimed inwardly, stunned.
Moments later, the light slowly faded until it vanished entirely.
And then, above Axel's head, a glowing golden letter S appeared.
"S-rank? No way!"
"As expected of the Prince—he's incredible!"
"That's right! Only the Prince could pull that off!"
The boys shouted in admiration, tinged with envy, while the girls squealed in excitement, as if they themselves had awakened an S-rank skill.
"I really awakened an S-rank skill!" Axel shouted, clenching his fist in excitement.
His skill was called Hero, and it granted him mastery over all kinds of weapons—especially swords.
It also boosted his physical strength far beyond the average, along with several other powerful advantages.
However, only Axel knew the full extent of the skill's abilities.
He could share the details if he wanted to—but for now, he chose to keep it to himself and wait until his friends had finished their turns.
Once the initial shock had settled, Quinella turned her gaze back to the crowd and asked, "Who wants to go next?"
But strangely, no one stepped forward. This time, it wasn't hesitation that held them back—it was fear.
They were afraid of awakening a low-ranked skill after Axel's overwhelming success.
They wanted to see how the others fared before stepping forward themselves.
Just as the atmosphere began to grow tense and awkward, an indifferent voice rose from the middle of the crowd.
"Let me go next."