Chapter 1

His classmates, in contrast, buzzed with energy. Hikari Sato, the radiant class president, held court near the front, her laughter as bright as her smile. Ren Yoshida leaned back against the far wall, watching everything with narrowed, analytical eyes. The rest… well, Kaito never learned all their names, and that was exactly how he liked it.

He reached for his bento, intent on enjoying a solitary lunch, when the world went white.

It was not the gentle white of a snowy morning, nor the sterile white of a hospital room. This was the blinding, all-consuming white of a blank page, a reset button pressed by some overzealous cosmic author. When color returned, Kaito was no longer in the classroom.

The echo of a hundred gasps filled the cavernous hall. Pillars of marble soared overhead. Stained glass windows painted rainbows across the faces of twenty-seven disoriented teenagers. At the far end, a group of adults in elaborate robes looked just as anxious. Kaito’s stomach dropped. This was, unmistakably, another world.

The tallest robed figure—his beard so white and majestic it deserved its own title—stepped forward. "Welcome, brave heroes, summoned from afar!"

Kaito blinked. Brave was generous. Many of his classmates were still clutching their lunchboxes.

Hikari was the first to regain composure. She stepped forward, posture straight, voice clear. "Thank you for receiving us. May I ask—where are we?"

The bearded man inclined his head. "The Holy Empire of Elysia. We are under grave threat. The Demon Lord’s forces ravage our lands. Only the chosen from another world—heroes like you—can turn the tide."

Kaito, meanwhile, was calculating the odds of being overlooked in a room where everyone wore the same uniform.

The ritual continued with all the bureaucratic formality of a city hall appointment, only with more glowing runes. Each student was ushered before a crystalline altar, where a priestess read aloud their newly granted ability and its rank.

"Mana Bolt, C-rank."

"Healing Touch, B-rank."

"Flame Shield, B-rank."

The room politely applauded. Kaito, second-to-last, shuffled forward, careful to keep his expression firmly set to 'mildly confused.'

The priestess pressed her hands to the crystal. Her eyes widened. The room fell silent. For a moment, Kaito considered fainting—it had worked for a girl in the year above last semester, and it certainly drew attention away from her grades. But before he could execute his plan, the priestess recovered.

"Analysis… complete. Ability: Null."

A few giggles rippled through the class. Kaito’s shoulders sagged in relief. Null! Perfect. There was nothing more unremarkable than nothing. He shuffled away before anyone could ask questions, but not before meeting Ren’s curious gaze. Kaito looked down at his shoes.

Hikari was next. The crystal pulsed blinding gold. The priestess nearly dropped it. "Ability: Divine Power. Rank: S."

A collective "ooh" swept the room. Hikari smiled modestly. Kaito applauded just enough to avoid suspicion.

The ceremony ended with a lavish feast. The food could have filled three cafeterias. Hikari spent most of dinner fielding questions and plans, already assuming the mantle of leadership.

Kaito inspected his status screen—summoned onto his retinas the moment he’d heard ‘Null’. He scrolled past lines of unreadable stats until he saw it: 'Max Level.'

He nearly choked on his bread.

'Ability: ??? (Max Level)'

No one else seemed to notice; all attention was on Hikari, who graciously explained how she planned to lead their new party to victory.

“So, maybe, we could form smaller groups to train?” someone suggested.

“Absolutely! We must face this together! I won’t let anyone get hurt!” Hikari declared, fist raised.

Kaito tried to become one with his chair. Ren, seated nearby, leaned in. “Null, huh? That’s rough.”

Kaito shrugged. “It’s probably nothing. I’m sure someone else will handle it.”

Ren’s eyebrow arched. “Some people have all the luck.”

Kaito wondered if that was a compliment or an accusation.

Later, they were shown to their quarters. Rows of beds and trunks lined the old stone dormitory. Hikari’s bed was already surrounded by admirers; Kaito picked the one closest to a shadowy corner. He ran his fingers over the blanket and tried not to think about demon lords or divine power or the fact that his ability, for better or worse, was the most dangerous secret in the empire.

The first training session was scheduled for dawn. Hikari was already up when Kaito shuffled out, directing people with a whistle. “Let’s give it our best!” she said, beaming.

Kaito joined the back row. He practiced his blank stare.

The imperial trainer, a burly man named Sir Garvin, barked orders. “Form up! Those with offensive abilities, left. Defenders, right. The rest, center.”

Kaito drifted to the center and tried to look as unremarkable as possible. He needn’t have bothered; Sir Garvin scanned the roster, found 'Null', and nodded as if Kaito were a piece of furniture.

The exercises began. Hikari’s demonstration was spectacular—blinding rays, shields of light, healing waves. The class cheered every time. Kaito, meanwhile, jogged quietly, arms at his sides, and prayed no one would notice the way the grass seemed to mend itself where he stepped.

“Hey, Tanaka—catch!” someone called, lobbing a practice spear his way. Kaito reacted without thinking; the spear froze in midair, hovering, then gently fell at his feet. He kicked it behind him. No one seemed to notice but Ren, whose eyes narrowed further.

By noon, the class was exhausted. Kaito was only slightly winded. He considered fainting again, but decided against it—if only because the floor looked uncomfortable.

That evening, as the group returned to the main hall, an alarm sounded. Bells clanged. The robed staff raced to shutter doors and draw weapons.

“Demon beasts! Everyone inside!”

Panic rippled through the class. Hikari instantly took charge, organizing students into defensive groups and reassuring everyone. Ren scanned the perimeter, lips pressed tight.

Kaito slipped toward the back, heart pounding. He peeked through a window: shadows moved in the outer courtyard, shapes too large and twisted to belong to any animal he knew. He watched Hikari, radiant in the torchlight, preparing a barrier spell.

A demon beast—a hulking, horned thing—charged the doors. The barrier flickered. Hikari braced, her power blazing gold. The rest of the students scrambled to help, launching spells and swinging practice swords with all the coordination of a particularly anxious marching band.

Kaito’s mind raced. He couldn’t let anyone get hurt, but he couldn’t let anyone see what he could actually do, either. He edged behind a statue, focused, and thought very quietly at the world: Please stop.

The air shimmered. The demon beast stalled mid-charge, its momentum bleeding away as if it had hit an invisible wall. The students redoubled their efforts, believing it was their own spells holding the monster back.

Ren caught Kaito’s eye across the chaos. Kaito looked away quickly.

Hikari stepped forward, palms glowing. “Together!” she shouted. The class rallied around her, and, in a surprisingly coordinated push, toppled the beast. It dissolved into smoke, leaving only scorch marks and an awkward silence.

Cheers broke out. Hikari sagged in relief. The imperial trainers congratulated everyone, though most of the credit was heaped on Hikari. Kaito retreated to the edge, hoping the adrenaline would fade before anyone wanted to ask questions.

Ren cornered him near the dormitory stairs. “Strange, wasn’t it?”

Kaito feigned ignorance. “I guess? I didn’t see much.”

Ren tilted his head. “You always end up right where things go wrong—or right, depending on how you look at it.”

Kaito shrugged, eyes down. “Coincidence, maybe.”

Ren grunted. “That’s… remarkably coincidental, wouldn’t you say?”

Before Kaito could muster a reply, Hikari appeared, still glowing faintly. “Are you both all right?”

Kaito nodded, mumbling, “It’s probably nothing.”

Hikari smiled. “Well, let’s be careful from now on. I’ll do my best to protect everyone—but if you see anything strange, let me know, okay?”

Kaito felt the weight of responsibility settle on his shoulders. He glanced at Ren, who was still watching him curiously, then at Hikari, luminous and unafraid.

He wondered, not for the first time, how long he could keep this up.

As the others filed inside, Kaito lingered by the window, watching the moonlit grounds for any more signs of danger. All he wanted was to blend in, but the world seemed intent on casting a spotlight. And now, with both a demon lord and a suspicious classmate looming, the stage felt smaller than ever.

Somehow, Kaito knew this was only the beginning—and whatever happened next, it would be impossible to simply disappear.