My skill panel lingered in the air, its faint lines revealing a stunted tree stretching downward, unlike the vibrant branches of my classmates.
I glanced at Kirihara, his
I steeled myself to ask Vysis about my status, spotting her behind a thick pillar, the Q&A session over. But as I approached, her voice stopped me cold. "Only one E-Rank mixed in," she said, her tone dismissive. "What do we do, Vysis?" another voice asked, lacking honorifics, sharp and unfamiliar.
"Don't worry. Even the lowest rank has its uses," she replied, her words slicing through me. I pressed against the pillar, heart pounding, hiding like the air mob I was. My E-Rank wasn't just low—it was expendable.
The chamber's atmosphere shifted as more soldiers poured in, their numbers swelling to thirty, their armor glinting with menace. Their eyes locked on me, Mimori Touka, as if I were a marked target. A soldier to my right gripped his sword's hilt, his voice low. "Even heroes can't seize control here. Don't act out."
The threat was clear—move wrong, and I'd pay. Vysis's voice rang out, "All heroes, to the next room!" Her tone was bright, but her authority was ironclad. The class shuffled forward, led by her, while Zakurogi's weak, "E-everyone, follow…" trailed off, ignored.
Zakurogi's D-Rank, revealed earlier, had stripped him of respect. Vysis explained adults over their mid-twenties often ranked lower, while teens like us scored higher, hence the young summons. His past favoritism and leering didn't help—students now openly dismissed him, the goddess their true leader.
We entered a new chamber, its floor etched with a glowing magical circle. "When your name is called, step into the center," Vysis instructed. "After, you'll have time to rest." Relief rippled through the class; the whirlwind of this world had left us desperate for a pause.
Oyamada raised his hand, brash as ever. "Yo, what's this room for?" "A ritual," Vysis replied, clapping lightly. Kirihara frowned, "Another summoning?" She only smiled, evasive. "First, I'll call a name. Touka Mimori-kun, step to the center of the magic circle."
My stomach dropped. "Eh? Me?" All eyes turned, some curious, others indifferent. Kirihara's gaze was cool, Sogou's unreadable, Oyamada's mocking. The Takao sisters watched calmly, while Yasu's faint smirk lingered. The soldiers' stares pressed harder, urging me forward.
I stepped into the circle, the magical lines pulsing beneath my feet. Vysis's smile was serene, but her earlier words echoed: "Even the lowest rank has its uses." What was this ritual? A test? A trap? My E-Rank status and barren skill tree offered no answers, only dread.
The chamber's air grew heavy, the soldiers' hands on their weapons, Vysis's golden eyes glinting with intent. My heart raced, trapped in the center of this glowing circle, a nobody in a world of heroes.
Then, without warning, a blinding white light flooded the chamber.