A flash of bluish-silver light illuminated the grand chamber with its lofty ceiling. At the center of the palace hall, surrounded by golden pillars and gleaming marble floors, a massive magic circle blazed to life, carving intricate patterns upon the ground. The kingdom's soldiers standing guard instinctively stepped back, remaining vigilant.
They waited for the light to fade and for the heroes to be summoned. This was humanity's hope to defeat the Demon King.
"The circle is active! The summoning of the heroes has succeeded!" cried an elderly magus beside the ceremonial stage.
The light reached its peak, and then—
BOOM!
A soft explosion echoed. The glow became blinding, forcing everyone to avert their eyes. Yet, within mere seconds, the brilliance subsided and disappeared. Every gaze turned toward the center of the chamber. Four figures stood there.
Three men and one woman. Their attire clearly foreign to this world—school uniforms, jackets, jeans. Their faces looked bewildered. Among them was Takuya Minami, still dazed after being pulled from his apartment. The setting before his eyes was utterly alien.
When he turned his gaze forward, he saw a man, perhaps around forty-five years old, smiling at them. The man wore luxurious golden garments adorned with silk feathers of high quality. His smile brimmed with satisfaction.
"Welcome, brave heroes," said the crowned man seated upon a jewel-encrusted throne. He was King Aldren IV, sovereign of the Kingdom of Valion.
Takuya furrowed his brow. For some reason, he instantly disliked the old man before him. He realized at once that the man was a king, yet his instincts whispered that this king was a fool.
"What does he want?" Takuya muttered under his breath.
While Takuya appeared calm, the other three were panicked. They too were confused. Takuya felt the same, but he had read many isekai and transmigration novels. Though unbelievable and absurd, the situation was strangely familiar.
Among the four, he was the calmest.
"Is this… a dream?" murmured one of the men—a muscular youth with cropped hair.
Another, wearing glasses, immediately observed his surroundings with sharp, serious eyes. He looked ready in case something went wrong. He was the most mature among them, already twenty-two years old, while the rest were still in their teens.
Meanwhile, the girl with shoulder-length red hair stared at the floor, her eyes narrowing in fear. Seeing armed men around her terrified her, so she drew closer to the others, clutching one of their hands. It was Takuya's hand.
Takuya glanced briefly at her. Normally, he would have been overjoyed, but the current circumstances killed any such feeling.
"Be calm!" a gentle voice echoed.
A woman with long silver hair, clad in a flowing white gown, stepped forward. A golden cross pendant hung from her neck, her eyes sharp yet dignified. She was Lady Seraphina, Saintess of the Grand Cathedral of Light—the highest spiritual leader of the kingdom, second only to the archbishop.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Seraphina. I shall evaluate your potential, O Heroes chosen by the Goddess of Light."
As Seraphina approached, one of the summoned heroes immediately stepped forward, raising his arm to block her path. His gaze was sharp and full of caution.
"Who are you? Why are we here and… what is this place?" demanded the man.
His name was Shigeru Takeshi, a diligent office worker with a strong sense of justice. Among them, he was the eldest and the most responsible, believing it was his duty to protect the others.
Seraphina bowed slightly. "Forgive me, noble hero. I shall explain everything," she said.
She explained that the four of them had been summoned by the mages of Valion. Their task was to save the world from the Demon King. She further explained that the heroes possessed various unique powers.
They were chosen by the Goddess as saviors. They were granted boundless blessings. That was the essence of Seraphina's explanation.
"We will provide you with the best facilities, to help you become honorable heroes and defeat the Demon King. Afterward, you may choose to return to your previous world—or remain here," Seraphina assured them.
Shigeru's eyes narrowed with suspicion. "Why should we obey your demands?" he muttered.
"Because if you refuse… you will never return to your world."
The short answer only deepened Shigeru's distrust. He opened his mouth to retort, but before he could, Seraphina approached and touched his chest. She gently stroked his chin. A faint violet glow shimmered, unnoticed by most.
Shigeru no longer protested, but Takuya had seen it. His eyes narrowed, yet he chose to remain silent.
"Very well, then. I shall now assess your abilities," Seraphina announced.
A transparent crystal appeared in her hand. She stepped toward the first man—Shigeru. He had caught her attention with his boldness, and she could sense a strong mana from him.
[Name: Shigeru Takeshi]
[Class: Sword Saint]
[HP: 1,220 | MP: 140 | STR: 85 | AGI: 72 | VIT: 68 | DEX: 70 | INT: 20]
[Skills: Sword Aura, Blade Storm, Heroic Charge]
Seraphina's eyes widened in awe. She could not hide her astonishment.
"Incredible. A future legendary sword saint," she remarked with a nod. "You possess immense potential. I am certain you will become one of the most renowned heroes in this world."
Next, she moved to the second man—the one with glasses. He was a schoolmate of Takuya, though from a different class. He was well-known for his academic brilliance, consistently ranking in the top ten of their grade.
[Name: Hiroshi Kanda]
[Class: Beast Tamer]
[HP: 1,010 | MP: 350 | STR: 38 | AGI: 45 | VIT: 55 | DEX: 30 | INT: 70]
[Skills: Beast Contract, Mana Link, Insight Eyes]
Once again, Seraphina was impressed. Not only one hero of great talent, but two. This was an extraordinary blessing.
"Deep insight and the ability to tame magical beasts… truly invaluable."
Then Seraphina's gaze fell upon the lone girl among them. Her hopes soared. Perhaps Valion's fortune was even greater than she imagined.
[Name: Aika Mizuno]
[Class: Grand Mage]
[HP: 1,010 | MP: 600 | STR: 18 | AGI: 30 | VIT: 28 | DEX: 40 | INT: 95]
[Skills: Elemental Mastery, Arcane Blast, Mana Flow]
Seraphina swallowed hard. This was even stronger than she had been at the same age. Despite being only level one, these heroes already possessed stats equal to level fifteen and above. It was unbelievable.
"Ah… this is astonishing. A genius mage," Seraphina said with a genuine smile.
Finally, her gaze turned to the last summoned hero—Takuya. He was staring at her, looking her up and down repeatedly. The attention made Seraphina uncomfortable, but because he was a summoned hero, she restrained her reaction.
[Name: Takuya Minami]
[Class: ??? – Human]
[HP: 700 | MP: 25 | STR: 39 | AGI: 27 | DEX: 38 | VIT: 30 | INT: 8]
[Skill: Unlimited Gacha]
When she saw Takuya's stats, Seraphina sighed softly and averted her eyes. "He is so weak. Why was he even summoned? Useless."
She glanced again at his skill section, only to lose further interest. Neither a fighter nor a mage. Seraphina clicked her tongue in annoyance and turned away, utterly dismissing Takuya.
Facing the king, Seraphina knelt. "Your Majesty, we have been blessed with three heroes of immense talent and potential. We are very fortunate," she reported.
"Weren't there four summoned heroes?" the king asked.
"The other one is worthless, Your Majesty. He has no value."
The king nodded in understanding. "Very well. Take them to their chambers! Treat them well!" he commanded.
Seraphina bowed her head. "As you wish, Your Majesty."
She rose and instructed the soldiers to escort the heroes to their designated quarters. One by one, the heroes were granted accommodations befitting their talents.
As Takuya watched the others receive luxurious rooms, he allowed himself a faint smile. But then something shocking occurred.
"You will stay here, Hero," said one of the guards.
Takuya blinked in disbelief. "Isn't this… a stable?" he muttered.
"Yes. This is your place."