Next thing Alex knew, he was staring up at the cracked ceiling of his history classroom in high school, a moment ago bored with the lesson, praying for it to end. The world dissolved into a flash of blinding white light that was like being torn apart and reassembled on a quantum level.
He and his entire thirty-person class were on a dark steel dais under a sky filled with two moons and wisps of nebula clouds... in the middle of an absolutely enormous throne room that made any cathedral from human history seem small by comparison. Columns made from gold, carved with dragons that seemed alive, rose up to a vaulted ceiling embedded with a star field. Arrayed along the walls were knights in full silver armor with grim faces and hands resting on huge swords.
Seated on a ruby throne at the far end of the hall was a king with a golden beard and eyes that looked through the centuries. Beside him, an old man in flowing white robes stood, his staff topped with a pulsing crystal that cast eerie shadows across the room.
"Our other-dimensional heroes of bravery," spoke the voice of the king, filling the expansive space with echoes so resolute everybody felt compelled to listen. "I am King Theron of the Ethereal Kingdom. We have called you here in a time of true desperation. The Demon King Gorath threatens to plunge our beautiful world of Aethel into never-ending torment. You are our only hope."
There was a lot of murmuring amongst the gathered students, a mix of terror, confusion, and the kind of excitement that felt like they were suddenly inside one of the light novels or games they so dearly cherished.
The Head Mage, Valerius, pulled his robe tightly about his bony frame and walked forward. "Do not worry. The divine ritual that dragged you here will now decree a Class upon each of you—a blessed role that will give you the means to contest the dark that's closing in. Come forward, one at a time, put your hand on the Ascension Crystal."
An expectation of fulfilling something big flowed through the students. This was it—the moment their new lives began.
Kenji Tanaka—the school jock and regular bully—swaggered to the front. Taller than the rest, built solid, and with an arrogant grin fixed on his face, he slammed his palm down onto the crystal.
The crystal blazed with a light so yellow that, when directed up onto the celestial ceiling, shone a beam through it. It buzzed with power.
'[Class Bestowed: Sword Saint],' a grand, ethereal voice resonated from all sides.
In Kenji's hand the light condensed, becoming a spectacular dragon-wing-hilted longsword with a blade that made everyone's hair stand on edge. The knights in the hall gasped, mouths ajar, their eyes full of veneration.
"Oh, a Legendary class!" bellowed Valerius, his voice shaking with excitement. "Simply incredible!"
Kenji slashed the air. The blade whooshed, sharp and terrifying. He grinned widely. "Guess I really am the best."
After him came Mika Suzuki, the class president and top student—someone whose quiet beauty mixed perfectly with her intelligence. She gently placed her hand on the crystal, and a rainbow of colors leached out in such force that it made the air around her spin with pure magic.
'[Class Bestowed: Archmage].' A rainbow erupted and danced around Mika, then dissipated, leaving her standing inside a spinning ornate array of energy.
"A wielder of a Legendary class as well!" King Theron's voice boomed happily. "It is good to have the skies on our side too!"
The rest of Alex's classmates followed one by one: Paladin. Necromancer. Spirit Summoner. Beast Tamer. Every proclamation garnered gasps of awe and glowing fanfare, as not only had they all been given powerful, wondrous classes straight out of legend…
And then came Alex.
The guy who was painfully average in every way—grades, looks, social life. The one you'd forget was even in the room. As he walked towards the dais, his heart pummeled against his ribs like it wanted out. He didn't need to be a Sword Saint or an Archmage. Just something decent. Something that would let him survive. Please, he prayed, just let me be useful.
He took a deep breath, put one trembling hand on the crystalline dais, and closed his eyes.
The Ascension Crystal remained silent for a moment after he touched it, until a sputtering started. A weak, muddy light as thick and sluggish as sewage trickled out. It never quite hit the ceiling—just coated the surface of the stone for a moment before sputtering pathetically.
The grand ethereal voice from before sounded different this time—condescending, bored, unimpressed.
'[Class Bestowed: Trash Collector].'
Silence.
The entire room, once brimming with excitement, now felt like the vacuum of space. A pin would have been heard if anyone dared drop one. Alex looked at his hand, at the dull brown glow of the crystal, his mind failing to process the words.
Trash Collector?
Then, the bubble burst as someone chuckled, and that chuckle was followed by another, and another, until the whole hall erupted in riotous laughter. His classmates, people with whom he'd spent years, pointed at him—some doubled over, clutching their sides.
"King of Garbage?" one knight muttered, smirking.
King Theron's eyes dulled. The Head Mage turned away, amused, making no effort to hide it.
Confidence drained from Alex until he was left staring at the floor, his humiliation burning hotter than any flame.
Kenji's hand clamped down on Alex's shoulder hard enough to bend him, leaning close enough to sneer into his ear. His new sword gleamed across his back.
"King of Trash," Kenji whispered mockingly, before shoving him. Alex fell hard off the dais. With no enchanted body or shield, the impact sent pain up his spine. Laughter rained down.
At that moment, right as darkness seemed ready to swallow him, a different voice whispered into his thoughts. Not the system's grand, thunderous voice. This one was crisp, mechanical, meant for his ears only.
[System Initializing... Host compatibility confirmed.]
[Trash Absorption System has been activated.]
[Welcome, Host. Let's turn garbage into gold.]
End of chapter 1