The first thing I noticed when I opened my eyes was the smell.
Not something pleasant, like fresh laundry or pancakes—no. This was a mix of burnt incense, dust, and something that smelled suspiciously like roasted chicken. Which, by the way, isn't what you want your first impression of a new world to be.
"Huh…?" My voice cracked like I was a prepubescent boy. My throat felt dry, my head was spinning, and my body felt oddly light.
When I sat up, my brain needed several seconds to process what I was seeing. A huge, circular room with towering marble columns, gold-inlaid walls, and stained-glass windows that threw rainbow-colored light onto the polished floor. There was also a giant glowing circle on the floor, pulsing faintly beneath me like it was alive.
And then I realized—there were people staring at me.
Not just one or two. At least a dozen armored men stood around me, gripping swords and spears, like they were ready to poke me if I so much as breathed wrong. A row of robed figures—mages, I guessed—watched me with wary, evaluating eyes. And in the center, a tall man wearing a crown that looked too heavy to be practical stepped forward.
"…Is this the hero we summoned?" one knight muttered, loud enough for everyone to hear.
Another, a guy with blond hair so shiny it might've been dipped in gold, leaned in closer. He frowned at me like I was a bootleg version of what he ordered from the hero catalog. "She looks… fragile."
Fragile?!
Excuse me, I know I'm not built like an Olympic athlete, but that's just rude.
I opened my mouth to argue—then caught sight of my reflection in the glossy marble floor. And… okay. Maybe they had a point.
The girl staring back at me looked like she'd stepped straight out of some high-end dollmaker's collection. Straight indigo-colored hair flowed over my shoulders, soft and silky, covering half of my pale face. My eyes, barely visible behind my bangs, were a muted lavender-gray, the kind of eyes that looked like they avoided the world rather than facing it.
The combination made me look like the kind of princess who spends her entire life locked in a tower reading poetry, not… you know, saving kingdoms or fighting demons.
"…Where am I?" I asked softly, my voice barely louder than a whisper.
The king stepped forward, clearing his throat like he was about to announce something grand. "Young maiden, you stand in the Kingdom of Luvellia. We have called upon you, along with others, to serve as one of the chosen heroes who will defeat the Demon Lords and bring peace to our realm."
I stared at him. Then blinked. Then blinked again. "…What?"
---
The Other Heroes
That's when I noticed I wasn't alone.
Standing in a line to my left were four other people. Four extremely good-looking people, to be specific. They looked like they had walked straight out of a fantasy RPG's concept art.
The Protagonist Type: A tall boy with messy black hair and a smug expression. He had a sword almost as long as my entire body strapped to his back. I could practically smell the "main character energy" radiating from him.
The Cool Girl: A short-haired girl in sleek leather armor, dual daggers at her waist, her sharp brown eyes scanning the room like she was already planning 12 different assassination routes.
The Perfect Knight: A guy who looked like the cover of a knight-themed romance novel—shiny silver armor, well-combed hair, perfect jawline.
The Token Mage: A pale guy in deep-blue robes, holding a staff topped with a glowing crystal, like he'd come straight from a Dungeons & Dragons cosplay contest.
And then… there was me.
If they looked like epic heroes destined to save the world, I looked like someone who got lost on her way to a tea party.
The black-haired guy took one glance at me and smirked. "Wait, she's one of us? Are they summoning background characters now?"
I glared at him—or at least, I tried to glare. But my bangs probably made me look like I was sleepy instead.
---
Excuse Me, My Stats Are What?!
"Let us assess their abilities," said the lead mage, holding up some glowing crystal. A magical screen popped into existence right in front of me, and words started to fill it out.
[Name: Auriel Himekawa]
[Class: None]
[Level: 1]
[Strength: 3]
[Agility: 2]
[Endurance: 1]
[Magic: ???]
[Luck: 7]
I stared at the screen. "Why is my endurance… one?!"
The cool girl peeked over my shoulder and snorted. "Wow. You're basically a glass vase."
"E-Excuse me?!" I whirled around.
The perfect knight tried to look sympathetic, but his lips twitched like he was holding back a laugh.
---
Cue the Monster Attack
Before I could even process my insultingly low stats, the massive double doors of the throne room burst open with a loud bang.
"Your Majesty!" A messenger rushed in, sweating and panting. "The southern gate is under attack by shadow wolves!"
The entire room erupted into chaos. Knights scrambled, grabbing weapons. The other four heroes immediately drew their weapons, their eyes lighting up like this was their big chance to shine.
And me?
I froze. Like a deer caught in headlights.
---
"Lady Auriel!" A knight tossed a wooden training sword at me. I barely caught it before almost dropping it. It was heavy and awkward. "Follow the other heroes and defend the gate!"
"Wait, wait, what?!" I protested, but before I could finish, the black-haired "main character" grabbed my wrist and dragged me toward the door.
"Don't slow us down, Princess."
"Wha— I'm not a princess!"
"Could've fooled me."
Dragged to My Doom
You'd think if someone summoned a "hero," they'd give you some sort of prep time. A sword lesson, a pep talk—anything. Instead, here I was, being dragged through a marble hallway by Mr. "Main Character Energy" while knights shouted orders behind us.
"Wait! I'm not ready!" I protested, gripping the wooden training sword like a terrified grandma clutching a broom. "I don't even know how to swing this thing! It's… it's heavy!"
The black-haired guy—let's call him Mr. Smug Sword Guy for now—glanced back at me. "Are you serious? It's wood."
"Wood can still be heavy!"
He rolled his eyes. "Look, if you don't want to get eaten, just stay behind me."
"Oh yes, because that's reassuring," I muttered, but I didn't really have a choice. The sound of growling and chaotic barking echoed faintly from outside the gates, growing louder with every step we took. My heart pounded so hard I was convinced everyone could hear it.
---
When we burst through the castle doors, the scene was… pure chaos.
Knights clashed with enormous shadow wolves—creatures twice the size of normal wolves, their black fur swirling like smoke, their glowing red eyes locked on anything that moved. Their teeth looked like they could chew through a knight's armor, no problem.
I froze in the doorway, my wooden sword trembling in my hands. Nope. Nope nope nope. I did not sign up for this. I was supposed to be reading a manga under my blanket right now, not… this.
The twin-dagger girl—the one I'd mentally dubbed Assassin Barbie—didn't hesitate. She darted forward like lightning, slicing through the nearest wolf's throat in a clean motion. Her face remained completely calm, like this was just Tuesday for her.
The mage guy raised his staff, chanting something in a language I didn't understand. A bolt of fire shot out, exploding in a ball of light that lit up the battlefield. The perfect knight charged with his sword, cutting down wolves left and right like the protagonist of an over-the-top fantasy anime.
And me?
I shuffled forward about five steps and almost tripped on my own dress.
---
"Hey! Don't just stand there!" Smug Sword Guy shouted at me, slicing through two wolves like they were made of paper. "Swing at them! Do something!"
"D-Do something?! What exactly do you expect from someone with Strength 3?" I yelled back, but I still raised my wooden sword like a total amateur.
The nearest wolf growled, crouched low, and leapt at me.
I shrieked. High-pitched. Undignified.
In pure panic, I swung the sword as hard as I could.
BONK.
The wooden sword smacked the wolf square in the snout with the weak force of someone trying to kill a mosquito.
To my surprise, the wolf actually stumbled back, blinking in confusion. My equally stunned expression probably matched its own.
"…Did I just—"
WHAM.
Another wolf tackled me from the side, and I went rolling across the dirt like a sad burrito. My wooden sword flew out of my hands and landed a few feet away.
I coughed, groaning, my face covered in dust. Oh great. This is how I die. Chapter 1, and I'm already wolf chow.
---
The wolf snarled, towering over me, its hot breath fanning my face. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing myself.
And then—something inside me stirred.
It was like someone had flipped a switch. My entire body burned—not painfully, but like a surge of energy I'd never felt before was exploding in my chest.
When I opened my eyes, the world… changed.
Everything slowed down. The wolf's movements became clear, like I could predict its next action before it even moved. I saw lines—faint threads of light—tracing every possible path it might take. I didn't know how, but I knew exactly where to move.
My hand shot out, grabbing the wooden sword I thought I'd dropped far away. I swung.
CRACK.
The wolf collapsed, yelping, as if my weak wooden weapon had suddenly gained the force of steel.
"What the hell…?" I whispered.
---
Everyone Saw That
Smug Sword Guy paused mid-fight, staring at me. "Wait… did you just predict that wolf's move?"
"I-I don't know!"
Even the assassin girl blinked, momentarily distracted. "Her eyes… they're glowing."
I blinked. Sure enough, I saw a faint light reflecting in my own hands and the dirt around me.
Then I realized: my eyes were glowing. A pale lavender light was radiating through my bangs.
The wolves froze for just a moment, their red eyes flickering like they'd seen something terrifying.
---
Something inside me snapped. A strange, instinctive force guided me as I ran forward—not gracefully, but like someone possessed. I dodged a wolf's claw by leaning back at just the right moment, swung my sword in a weirdly perfect arc, and smacked another one across the face.
"W-Whoa!" I gasped. Did I just do that?
Another wolf lunged, but I stepped aside like I'd rehearsed this a hundred times.
"Since when is she… good?" the mage guy muttered.
"I'm not good! I don't know what's happening!" I shouted, still wildly swinging my sword.
---
And Then I Blew Myself Up
Just as I was starting to think maybe—just maybe—I was doing okay, I felt another surge of energy pulse through me.
A glowing circle of faint light suddenly appeared under my feet.
"…Uh-oh," I muttered.
Before I could react, a burst of mana exploded outward. Wolves were thrown back like rag dolls. Unfortunately, I was also thrown back—straight into a pile of barrels near the wall.
"AHHH—" CRASH.
I groaned, sitting up with a splintered barrel lid stuck on my head like a hat.
"…Did I win?" I asked weakly.
---
When the dust cleared, the wolves were gone—either retreated or unconscious. The knights were staring at me like I'd just grown two heads.
The king himself came rushing out of the castle doors, his face pale. "What… what just happened out here?!"
Smug Sword Guy jabbed a finger at me. "She happened. I don't know what she did, but it was… something."
I blinked, still dazed. "I… think I might've accidentally invented a new combat style called swing until something explodes."
Got it! I'll continue from the exact line you gave and extend the chapter naturally to reach 3000+ words. I'll add more dialogue, humor, action aftermath, and world-building, making it feel like a true web novel opening chapter.
---
I blinked, still dazed. "I… think I might've accidentally invented a new combat style called swing until something explodes."
The silence that followed was awkward enough to make me want to sink into the ground and never come back. A knight near the wall cleared his throat, looking like he wasn't sure if he should clap or call an exorcist.
"…Well, it worked," someone finally muttered.
"Worked?!" I pushed myself up, wobbling on my feet and pointing at the destroyed barrels around me. "I nearly blew myself up! That wasn't skill, that was… that was some weird accident mixed with pure panic!"
"You're welcome for surviving," the black-haired guy said with a lopsided grin as he wiped blood from his sword. "That was… creative. Clumsy, but creative."
"Creative?!" I sputtered. "It was literally me flailing like a maniac while screaming! Don't make it sound like I had a plan."
He smirked, like he was enjoying my humiliation. "Could've fooled me."
I groaned, picking splinters out of my hair. My entire dress looked like I'd rolled down a hill while being chased by angry raccoons. "This is not how a first day in another world is supposed to go. Where's my overpowered cheat skill and cool intro moment? Instead, I nearly died of wolf breath."
The dagger girl stepped closer, tilting her head slightly as she looked me up and down. "Your eyes glowed during the fight," she said matter-of-factly. "They were glowing lavender, like a mage casting high-level magic."
"They were?" I reached up, touching my face as if I'd feel heat or something. "Uh… I don't know how I did that. My stats are garbage. Look—Strength 3, Endurance 1. I'm basically a piece of wet paper in combat."
The mage adjusted his glasses, his staff still glowing faintly. "It's true. I sensed an unusual mana surge from you. Something… unstable, but powerful."
"Unstable?" I repeated, pointing at myself. "Excuse me, I'm already unstable emotionally. I don't need magical instability added to the mix!"
The knight guy—let's call him Shiny Armor Man because I didn't know his name—cleaned his blade and approached. "Regardless of what happened, you helped us push back the wolves. That is commendable, Lady Auriel."
I blinked. "Wait, did you just call me Lady Auriel?!"
"It is customary to address heroes with respect," he said, completely serious.
I couldn't help but laugh nervously. "Oh no. No, no, no. You can't call me lady anything. I'm just Auriel. You know, the girl who almost face-planted while holding a wooden sword?"
Smug Sword Guy smirked again. "Lady Face-plant. That has a nice ring to it."
I glared at him. "You're insufferable."
---
Before I could argue further, the king appeared at the castle entrance, looking both relieved and concerned. His robes fluttered dramatically, because of course they did. "Heroes! You have defended the gate valiantly. But we must discuss what just happened." His gaze landed on me, and I swear his brows knitted together as if I were some puzzle he couldn't solve. "Especially you, young lady."
"Uh-oh," I muttered under my breath.
---
We were escorted back into the throne room, which was somehow still spotless despite all the chaos outside. I stumbled into line with the other four heroes, feeling like the class clown being forced to stand next to the top students.
One of the mages brought over a strange glowing crystal and set it on a pedestal in front of me. "Please place your hand on the orb. We must measure your mana."
"What if I break it?" I asked, staring suspiciously at the crystal ball.
"You won't," he said with too much confidence.
I sighed and slapped my hand on it.
The orb flickered once. Then twice. And then it lit up so bright the entire room gasped.
The mage stumbled backward. "W-What in the name of the Goddess is this reading?!"
I yanked my hand away. "What? What's wrong? Did I just fail the test? Did it explode? Am I cursed?"
The mage's face twisted into confusion and awe. "It's… unmeasurable. Your mana output is… off the charts. It's like staring into a void of endless energy."
"That sounds terrifying! I don't want to be a void!" I shrieked.
The black-haired guy leaned against his sword casually. "Well, that explains the random explosion earlier. You're basically a magical time bomb."
"Thanks. I feel so much better knowing I'm a hazard."
The dagger girl narrowed her eyes, like she was reassessing me. "You might not be weak after all. You just don't know how to control whatever is inside you."
"Well, I'd like to know how to control it before I accidentally blow up a castle," I said, crossing my arms.
---
The king cleared his throat, his voice booming. "Auriel Himekawa, you may not see it yet, but you are clearly blessed with a rare gift. I decree that you will undergo intense training, starting tomorrow, alongside the other summoned heroes."
"Training?!" I squeaked. "Can't we just… talk about this? Maybe have a peaceful meeting, some tea, a nap?"
"No naps," the black-haired guy said with a smirk.
I glared. "You're enjoying this way too much."
---
Later that evening, after the official debriefing, I was led to a lavish guest chamber. The bed was so big I could roll around like a croissant for hours without falling off. I collapsed onto it dramatically, groaning.
"This is insane," I mumbled to the ceiling. "One day I'm in my apartment trying to fix my broken kettle, and the next, I'm fighting shadow wolves and glowing like a discount Christmas tree. Why me?"
I rolled over, burying my face into the ridiculously soft pillow. It smelled like lavender and comfort, which was extremely unfair given how much my life currently sucked.
My mind wouldn't stop replaying the fight. That moment when everything slowed down and I could see the wolf's every move. That strange, powerful energy that exploded from me. It didn't feel like me, but also… it did.
"What even are these eyes of mine?" I muttered. "And what if I can't control them? What if I accidentally… blow up the bathroom or something?"
I groaned into the pillow again.
---
There was a knock on the door.
"Go away," I called weakly.
The door creaked open anyway, because apparently no one respected privacy in this castle. Smug Sword Guy strolled in, hands in his pockets, looking infuriatingly relaxed.
"What do you want?" I muttered, sitting up and trying to smooth my messy hair.
He leaned against the wall, studying me with that annoyingly smug grin. "Just checking to see if our accidental grenade survived her first day."
"I'm alive, thanks," I said, crossing my arms. "Barely."
"You're not as hopeless as I thought," he admitted.
"Wow, don't shower me with compliments all at once," I deadpanned.
He chuckled. "You've got raw power. More than any of us, probably. But raw power without control? It'll get you killed."
I frowned. "…Is that supposed to be encouragement?"
"Sort of," he said, pushing off the wall. "Tomorrow, we start training. I'll make sure you don't blow yourself up again."
I narrowed my eyes. "Why do I feel like your training will involve me suffering a lot?"
"Because it will," he said with a grin, and walked out before I could throw a pillow at his head.
---
I flopped back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling again.
"Great. Summoned to another world, mocked by everyone, almost eaten by wolves, discovered I'm basically a mana bomb, and now I'm stuck training with Mr. Smug. This is my life now."
I closed my eyes, exhaling slowly. Despite everything, a tiny part of me felt… a spark of excitement.
Maybe, just maybe, I wasn't as hopeless as I thought.