"It's harsh and disappointing,"
The old principal let out a deep, upset breath and lightly shook his head as the 300th student failed in the summoning ritual.
Today was a crucial day for all teenagers around the world, where their fate would be decided by what they summoned.
If they summoned a knight or anything powerful, even a low creature like a goblin… then congratulations to them, because their lives would be changed completely. They would enter the world's main academy — trained, protected, and even more than that, they would become rich, gain high status, and grow into strong individuals even if their original place was at the very bottom of society.
Why was there such a huge favor for summoners?
Because summoners in this world were extremely rare— and more importantly, the world was on the verge of collapse. So, surely, they were priceless.
Well, that explains why the principal had such a sad and disappointed look on his face.
"Move up, next!"
…
Silence.
...
"Huh? I said—next one!"
The principal slowly frowned, clearly annoyed, and shifted his gaze toward the student standing below the ritual site.
Not exactly, If anyone actually noticed that student closely, he hardly looked like a normal one. He was rather tall but emaciated, and on top of that, he was cuffed and shackled. He truly looked more like a slave than a person with basic civil rights.
The nameless slave did not respond, just rooted to the spot, his leg frozen, looking up with hollow eyes as if a corpse had lost its soul…until he suddenly flinched for no reason.
Because the muscular slave waiting behind him couldn't wait any longer, he simply pushed the nameless slave away in annoyance by his shoulders and approached the ritual site, sending a curse to his fellow slave.
''You freak.''
Pretty soon, awakened, the nameless slave then widened his eyes in shock and bewilderment as he looked around, only seeing the strange arena where he had not ever seen in his whole life.
"W-What the hell?"
However, a sudden wave of pain and exhaustion quickly squeezed his current emotions…Well. The feeling of weakness of someone carrying hundreds of kinds of cancer… he supposed.
His name was Alaric. A newly graduated student full of ambitions, who later ended up unemployed and became a loser, living off government benefits.
From that day, his life became so monotonous, just eating and sleeping, reading novels, and so on
Until one day, he suddenly had a stroke while watching a film—something he guessed was the consequence of staying up late for too many days and living an unhealthy routine.
Then he smiled. "Now I'm reincarnated already… this isn't a dream… yeah, the pain suffering me is solid proof."
However, his delight didn't last long when he remembered the moment before he died. Countless scenes formed in his mind… he'd died, thus people would quickly discover him thanks to the smell of a corpse in his rented room.
"No–No… damn! I want to go back to turn off my computer… no, I need to destroy it… I need a dignified death… I don't want to die in humiliation… my death would be a joke for every woman in the old world."
His lungs tightened as he tried to speak… he coughed a few times, then lifted his tired, dark-circled eyes, forcing himself to think positively. But deep down, he was just deeply embarrassed.
"Never mind… I'm not staying there to witness everyone mocking my death… no see, no hear, no pain."
Yet even then, his voice was filled with pure disappointment. Clearly, this damned body had added new wounds to the ones he was already carrying in his mind about his embarrassed death.
"I have a second chance to do it again… but why am I such a wretched, pathetic slave?…"
A wave of memory stirred in his mind, making him feel as if he had just gone through this body's life, and he remembered what kind of person he had been in this world.
He had been suffering from Mana Circulation Disorder ever since he was born into this damned world—a sickness, a destiny he could never escape unless he gained a proper summoned creature. Only through connecting with a summoned being could his mana core form and cleanse the polluted mana in his veins. Without that, he would never live past 30.
Not only yet, the life of the slave looked like an empty shell. There was nothing to say literally.
"A–Ascendant Potential? HAHAHA… What luck for us humans!"
Alaric snapped awake from his daze and looked back up at the ritual site.
He stared at the summoned creature, his eyes widening in shock—not only at what kind of creature it was, but also at the blinding light radiating from it.
He wasn't the only one stunned. Countless expressions and emotions rippled through the arena, where students and professors watched in awe.
"A Stoneborn Knight? She, having black hair, seems to be the daughter of the Leonard Clan's leader—one of the three legendary clans?" a professor muttered, frowning as he analyzed the summoned being.
"Yes… it's her. Dana Leonard," another professor confirmed, admiration obvious in his voice. He didn't even bother hiding the jealousy in his eyes as he stared at the girl.
Whispers erupted everywhere once her identity was confirmed.
Meanwhile, Alaric simply observed her with a light curiosity. She was gorgeous, clad in magnificent silver armor that even if it looked like it had endured battles big and small.
"Guess she's not just sitting in a glass cage like other nobles… Yeah, a legendary clan wouldn't waste their potential bloodline."
He then turned his gaze toward the Stoneborn Knight, who knelt with unwavering loyalty before her summoner.
He had heard plenty of tales about the three legendary clans — stories of their leaders who had reached the pinnacle of humanity. Some said they possessed summoned creatures that could wipe out an entire city with a single strike, and so on.
If their parents were like that, obviously, their children would not be normal people.
''No surprise….If everything's going to what I thinking like all trash novels has ever readed.''
Fortune? She had it.
Huge background? She had that too.
High Potential? Also hers.
Everything came to her so easily… as if it was the most normal thing in the world.
''I hope I can summon something useful… No… I'll definitely summon something badass and strong, just like in those bullshit novel''
''An inferior MC who then overthrows the world with a super cheat.''
Alaric smirked weakly while slowly dragging himself toward the ritual circle. His breath turned ragged as he approached the ritual circle. Dizzy, he forced what little mana he had through his brittle veins, trying to summon with the aid of the circle ritual.
''Am I doing it wrong? According to the slave's memory, this is how the mana should operate''
After nearly a minute of struggling, he finally succeeded.
But Alaric's vision was still blurry from the strain.Despite his hearing still being fine, he could only make out the mocking and curious voices of the students below.
He failed? No… clearly not. He had done it. He had successfully summoned a creature.
So, he gasped for air and fought to see the peculiar runes floating in front of him.
—
Name: Massive Useless Stone Egg
Potential: --
Evolution Stage: --
Mana Core Count: --
[Description]: A massive stone egg formed over many weathered centuries on the rocky mountain. Useless in fighting, but the top of the stone can be used to sleep on or dry clothes.
—
The old principal sighed, looking at the wretched boy with sympathetic eyes.
"I'm sorry, boy… but don't despair too much. This isn't uncommon."