The terrace air carried a strange tension as the students filed out from the throne room. The palace corridors—bright, polished, and unnervingly pristine—felt like an entirely different world from the ancient sanctum they'd been summoned in. The evening lanterns had begun to glow, washing the marble halls in warm gold.
But even with the almost serene atmosphere…
Hajime's Resonance wouldn't settle.
It hummed under his skin like a barely contained current, picking up every mana fluctuation in the walls, every faint ward carved into the floors, every shift in the magical density of the palace. If he relaxed even a little, he felt like he could almost map the entire building by instinct alone.
Kaori glanced at him worriedly as they walked.
"Hajime-kun… your face looks a bit pale."
"I'm fine. Just taking everything in," he answered, keeping his tone light.
She didn't look convinced, but Shizuku's subtle nod from behind suggested she understood he didn't want to talk in the middle of a crowd.
Ahead, the escorting priest cleared his throat.
"We will now proceed to the chapel annex for your status plate creation. This process is essential for your safety, your training, and your legal recognition within the kingdom."
Kouki straightened proudly.
"So this is when we get our, uh… fantasy-world stat sheets?"
Several students laughed nervously.
Hajime pocketed his hands. Knowing Kouki, he'd probably get "Hero" or "Holy Something" and glow like a glow stick for the next month.
The group crossed a small courtyard where silver-leaf trees rustled even without wind. A few knights on patrol paused to bow stiffly.
POV SHIFT: Knights
One knight whispered to another the moment the students passed:
"Those must be the God-Sent…"
"The blond one looks like a storybook hero."
"The others… hard to say."
Their gazes brushed Hajime, lingered for a split second, then moved on.
Shift back to Hajime POV.
Perfect. Everyone ignoring him was his favorite condition.
The annex came into view—a small cathedral-like wing branching off the palace, its stained-glass windows depicting glowing plates floating above kneeling figures.
Hajime mentally prepared himself.
If this world ran on a "system," then this moment was key.
Status plates = interface.
Interface = rules.
Rules = the first layer of understanding this world.
And understanding systems… he was good at that.
The Chapel Annex...
Inside, the air smelled faintly of incense and polished metal. The chamber was circular, lit by hovering motes of light. Five priests stood around a stone altar, each holding a metallic object the size of a pocket notebook.
The plates.
They were beautiful—silver-white metal etched with spiraling runes. Thin veins of blue mana pulsed faintly through the engravings like capillaries under skin.
Hajime's Resonance stirred instantly.
These things are connected to the world-system. Not independently enchanted… integrated.
He watched the lines of mana running through them. Like nodes in a network.
A priest stepped forward, bowing respectfully.
"We welcome you, children of another world. These plates will bind to your souls and reveal your initial parameters. Do not fear. The ritual is painless."
Most students relaxed at that.
Aiko-sensei, however, looked like she'd faint in three seconds if someone so much as sneezed.
Meld, who had joined them again, barked:
"Line up! When your name is called, step forward, draw a drop of blood with the pin, and let it fall onto the center glyph. Simple."
The first few students obeyed.
---
The First Status Plates
"Yuka Sonobe," a priest called.
She pricked her finger. Drip.
The plate shimmered.
"Job: Acrobat," the priest announced. "Highly Dexterous. Congratulations."
A few classmates clapped.
Next.
"Daisuke Hiyama."
The plate lit up, and his chest puffed.
"Job: light warrior. Strength, Agility suitable for frontline combat."
He grinned. "Hell yeah."
Then Ryutarou.
"Job: Monk."
He threw a fist up. "Wait what!!!!??? "
Student after student stepped forward, each plate illuminating briefly, showing their job, level, and parameters. Noboru Aikawa
received "Axe-Warrior". Shizuku's "SwordSaint" earned impressed murmurings.
Suzu taniguchi received the job "Barrier Master" , according to the knights gossip that's the same job profession as the princess.
And then—
"Kouki Amanogawa-dono."
Of course he stepped forward like a protagonist walking into his opening theme.
He pricked his finger. His blood fell.
The plate blazed so brightly half the class flinched.
"Job: Holy Sword," the priest intoned with barely concealed awe. ( I really want to go and do this Job : Glow Stick )
Kouki inhaled sharply, eyes shining. "So it really is holy…"
Hiyama muttered, "Showoff…"
Hajime quietly decided he'd need earplugs for the coming ego explosions.
Kaori went next.
"Job: Priestess."
Of course.
Her gentle smile practically glowed.
Shizuku whispered to Hajime, "Figures she'd get a supportive holy job."
Hajime nodded. "Fits her."
He meant it.
Then it was Aiko-sensei's turn.
She pricked her finger nervously. The plate glowed faintly.
"Job: Farmer."
The room went silent.
Aiko paled. "E-Eh…? F-Farmer…?"
A priest coughed delicately.
"That is… a respectable, production-oriented job. Rare, even."
Ryutarou whispered, "Aiko-sensei's gonna feed the army."
Hajime muffled a laugh.
But he felt something else beneath the amusement—an itch of curiosity.
Jobs weren't random. Not truly. They reflected something deeper.
Which meant…
His turn would reveal something useful.
---
Hajime's Turn
"Hajime Nagumo-dono."
Dozens of eyes turned toward him.
Kaori gave him a small, earnest nod.
Shizuku's gaze was analytical but gentle.
Kouki's look carried a flicker of pity.
That was normal.
Hajime walked forward calmly and accepted the plate.
It was cold.
No… cold wasn't accurate. It was neutral. Like metal that didn't obey thermodynamics.
His Resonance quivered.
This thing is linked directly to the world-system. Just touching it feels like brushing a server hub.
He pricked his finger.
The blood droplet hit the glyph—
PING.
A sharp, pure chime echoed through the chamber.
The plate lit up—not as strongly as Kouki's, but brighter than most.
Lines of mana spread across the metal, forming and reforming patterns. For a moment, the runes spasmed, searching for a job category to assign.
It's trying to classify me, Hajime realized. But it's struggling.
His Soul Core pulsed once.
His Resonance rippled outward unconsciously—just a faint wave of pressure, like static discharge.
And the plate—
Shifted.
The runes reorganized rapidly.
Not in a normal flow.
In corrections.
As if the system had tried to fit him into a template, failed, tried another, failed again, and then finally settled into the closest possible category.
The glow stabilized.
The mana circuits dimmed.
A priest leaned forward, reading the result.
"Job: Alchemist," he said with a restrained, polite tone.
Behind him, the other priests exchanged tiny, barely noticeable looks of disappointment.
Non-combat. Support. Ordinary.
Nothing special.
Meld gave a curt nod. "Alchemist… evolved Synergist subtype. Useful for crafting and creating potions. Not combat viable."
A few students snickered under their breath.
Hiyama muttered, "Figures."
Kouki let out a sympathetic sigh. "Don't worry, Nagumo. We'll protect you."
Hajime kept his expression neutral.
Exactly the reaction I expected.
He turned the plate over and looked at his stats.
And for the first time since arriving in this world…
His breath caught.
---
Hajime's Status Plate
Hajime Nagumo
Job: Alchemist (Synergist Evolution)
Level: 1
Strength: 50
Vitality: 65
Defense: 55
Agility: 70
Magic: 110
Magic Defense: 100
Skills: Transmute, Alchemy, Language Comprehension
All modest. All normal.
Except—
Every number had an echo.
He didn't see it on the plate.
He felt it inside himself.
A second layer beneath the visible stats. A hidden current that didn't fit the neat boxes printed on metal.
His Soul Core pulsed again, resonating with the plate like a tuning fork singing in harmony with another.
This world's system only measures a small slice of what I am.
It tries to categorize everything. Fit everyone into roles.
But my Core doesn't fit. My Resonance doesn't fit.
The plate represented what the world could understand of him.
Not what he truly was.
And the most telling part—
None of his gifts were listed.
Not "Adept of Infinite Resonance."
Not "Soul Devourer."
Not even "Soul Core."
The world-system couldn't read them.
Couldn't quantify them.
Couldn't measure them.
Kaori peeked over his shoulder. "Those stats… Hajime-kun, they're not bad at all! Actually they're really good for a crafter-type, aren't they?"
Shizuku nodded. "Yes. And your magic is unusually high. Higher than kouki even"
Her eyes flicked upward, meeting his briefly in quiet understanding. She remembers the oddity surrounding hajime —even if she didn't know the exact details.
Hajime shrugged lightly. "Guess I'll be the party's walking workshop."
Kaori frowned. "You're not just that—"
He cut her off gently. "Kaori, it's fine."
And strangely… it was.
The world could think of him as an Alchemist.
Let it.
He preferred being underestimated.
---
POV SHIFT – Priests' External Observation
One priest whispered quietly to another while Hajime walked back to the group:
"His parameters are… above average but..."
"Unfortunate. The church hoped for more combat-capable gifts."
"But Alchemists is a very rare job, in the past 100 years only 5 instance of this job has emearged."
"Mm. Crafting and support roles are necessary in wartime."
Their voices carried no hostility. Only mild disappointment and bureaucratic assessment.
Then they moved on.
---
The Remaining Students
The ritual continued.
The last few students showed an assortment of civilian and combat jobs:
"Archer."
"Rune Mage."
"Cleric."
"Cook."
"Assassin"
"Geomancer"
"Dark mage"
"Water mage"
"Pyromancer"
"Whip Master"
"Illusionist"
"Lightning Mage"
"Rejuvenist"
"Ice Mage"
"Aerothurge"
"Demolitionist"
The class reacted with a mix of jealousy, laughter, or resigned acceptance.
Aiko-sensei hugged her plate protectively.
Kouki offered half-prepared motivational speeches to anyone who looked discouraged.
Kaori tried to give reassuring smiles.
Shizuku stayed quiet but observant.
And Hajime?
He watched the plates.
He watched how they glowed, how the runes reorganized, how mana flowed through the circuits.
The world-system was built on structured logic. Categorized logic.
You are X. You have Y stats. You are meant for Z role.
Efficient.
Rigid.
Predictable.
Except where his Soul Core stepped in.
His Core was like a foreign substance the system couldn't parse. And his Resonance…
When he allowed it to touch the edges of the plate earlier, he felt the system bend.
That was important.
Very important.
It meant:
The world-system was not absolute.
Not unchangeable.
Not immune to interference.
And his Soul Core—whatever it truly was—could interact with it.
The implications clicked one by one in his head:
• He wasn't trapped by the status.
• His growth wasn't limited to numbers.
• The "weakest job" label meant nothing.
Support role?
He could work with that.
---
Meld clapped loudly.
"Alright! You now have your plates. Keep them with you at all times. Lose them, and we'll have to file paperwork. I hate paperwork."
A few students chuckled.
The ranking priest bowed.
"With this, your binding to our world is complete. You are recognized as legal individuals under Heiligh law and may now participate in sanctioned training and education."
"Training starts a week from now," Meld said. "Expect physical drills, magic lessons, combat basics, and world-history lectures. Tonight, rest."
He stepped aside as servants entered the annex with trays of refreshments—water infused with mana herbs, and small pastries.
Kaori took one but barely ate.
Shizuku took from Ryutarou when she thought no one was looking.
Hajime sipped the water.
It tasted different.
Thicker.
Mana-rich.
His Resonance reacted instantly, absorbing the flow like a second stomach.
This world's energy feels… clean.
---
Torches lit the halls gently as the group headed toward their assigned rooms.
Students talked in small clusters:
"Holy Sword! That's insane!"
"I got Paladin, dude! I'm gonna be unstoppable!"
"Why Farmer… why…"
"Alchemist suits Nagumo, right? He's quiet and stuff."
Kaori walked beside Hajime like a loyal golden retriever guarding her owner.
"Hajime-kun… if you need help with anything—training, or magic, or anything—I'll help. Always."
He smiled softly. "Thanks. Really."
Shizuku gave him a sidelong look.
"You handled yourself well. Most people would panic getting a support job in a war-torn world."
"I never planned to fight in the front anyway," he replied. (Heh~)
"That's not what I meant."
Before he could ask what she did mean, Kouki called ahead, "Guys! Our rooms are huge! Come look!"
Students rushed.
Hajime held back.
He touched the status plate in his pocket, feeling the faint hum of its connection to the world-system.
This thing only shows one layer.
My real power is deeper than numbers.
His Resonance pulsed once.
Steady.
Certain.
Calm.
Tonight, he rested.
Tomorrow, the training began.
And Hajime planned to understand this world-system from the inside out.
Not as its Alchemist… but as something it didn't have a category for yet.