Chapter 1: The Summoning
Ash Kurami's morning started the same way it had for years: with a gnawing sense of exhaustion and futility. The convenience store where he worked was a cramped, dimly lit space filled with the faint smell of burnt coffee, stale bread, and the ever-present tang of disinfectant. He wiped his brow, his fingers sticky from spilled syrup on the counter.
Seventeen years old, with no extraordinary abilities, no wealth, and no one to rely on except himself, Ash had long ago stopped hoping for miracles. Bills piled high on his desk at home, tuition fees waiting to be paid, and a stomach that groaned louder than his alarm clock each morning were constant companions.
Another day… another pile of tasks… he muttered under his breath. I guess there's no rest for people like me.
He bent to stack a carton of instant noodles when the floor quivered. A faint tremor, like a passing truck—but then the vibration intensified, shaking shelves violently. Cans clanged to the floor, glass bottles rattled, and fluorescent lights flickered erratically. Ash froze, eyes wide.
Before he could process, a blinding golden light erupted from the ceiling. It filled the room with a brilliance so intense that he instinctively covered his eyes. The air thickened, almost tangible, pressing against him. His heart thundered in his chest as the light pulsed, like it had a rhythm of its own.
W-what… what is happening?! he stammered, but the words were swallowed by the overwhelming brilliance.
A faint, ethereal whisper echoed in his mind. "Chosen… hero…"
Ash's knees buckled, his entire body trembling. The store, the streets, the sun outside—everything melted away into the golden brilliance. A cold, weightless void embraced him, and then, as suddenly as it appeared, the world vanished.
---
When he opened his eyes, Ash was no longer on Earth. He lay on a cold, polished stone floor. The air smelled faintly of incense, mixed with a subtle metallic tang that made him wrinkle his nose. Sunlight streamed through towering, arched windows, scattering across the floor like molten gold. The chamber was vast, far larger than any room he had ever seen, with walls etched in glowing runes that pulsed faintly, as if alive.
He blinked several times, trying to process the scene. Was this a dream? A hallucination? Every instinct screamed that this was real, far too real to be dismissed.
Other figures began to stir. Six teenagers, all appearing roughly his age, were awakening around him.
A silver-haired boy ran a hand through his hair, scanning the room with wide, alert eyes. "Where… are we?" he muttered, voice tight with confusion.
A blue-haired girl blinked rapidly, shaking her head. "This… this isn't real…"
A red-haired boy, lounging casually against the wall, smirked. "Interesting place for a nap, isn't it?" His tone was teasing, almost taunting.
Ash's chest tightened. He had woken last, as always—the one everyone would notice last. He tried to shrink into the shadows, but all eyes seemed drawn to him.
Kaname Ryota, the red-haired boy, approached with a grin that seemed too sharp for comfort.
"Well, well… look who finally decided to join the party. Sleeping through the crisis, huh?"
Ash clenched his fists, breathing shallowly. He had faced mockery before. Plenty of it. But somehow, in this strange world, it felt sharper, more cutting.
I won't… I won't let him… or anyone define me, he thought. I'll rise… no matter what.
---
The massive chamber doors groaned open, drawing the attention of everyone present. A tall man entered, regal robes flowing, every movement radiating authority. The sheer presence pressed against the air itself, demanding respect.
This was King Aldoriya Masanobu, ruler of the Imperial Kingdom of Sumania. Behind him, a formation of armored generals stood motionless, eyes scanning the chamber with hawk-like precision.
"Welcome," the King's voice echoed, deep and resonant. It reverberated across the chamber walls, filling every corner.
"You have been summoned to the Imperial Kingdom of Sumania."
Panic erupted. The silver-haired boy's hands flew to his head. "Summoned…? By whom? Why?"
The blue-haired girl's voice trembled as she pointed at the King. "This is insane! I don't even know why we're here!"
Kaname leaned toward Ash again, amber eyes glinting with amusement.
"Including this one, apparently."
Ash's chest ached, not from fear, but from the sting of familiar rejection. He had been underestimated and ignored all his life. And now, even here, in a new world, the same dynamic had begun.
I won't let them define me. Not here. Not anywhere.
---
Time seemed to stretch. The teenagers argued, whispered, and sulked. Ash watched silently, observing, analyzing. The silver-haired boy appeared calm but alert, calculating every expression. The blue-haired girl was tense, clearly scared but trying to maintain composure. Kaname, of course, radiated confidence and arrogance with every casual movement.
Sera Takahashi, the blue-haired girl, finally spoke, voice firm.
"We need to cooperate… at least until we understand why we're here."
Kaname rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, teamwork. That'll go well when monsters appear."
Ash's gaze drifted toward the glowing runes. I may be weak now… but I won't be defined by anyone. Not by him, not by fate, not by this world.
---
Hours passed. Finally, the group was led to the grand hall, larger than any cathedral he had ever seen. Golden runes glimmered on the walls, pulsing faintly, veins of magic running through the stone like blood. At the center floated a crystalline Orb, suspended above a pedestal, glowing softly with a mysterious light.
"You will stand before the Orb," the King announced. "It will measure your Aura and reveal your strength. Your Heavenly Nature weapons will be granted according to your potential."
Whispers rippled among the heroes. Ren Itsuki, silver-haired and composed, stepped forward first. The Orb flared. 3,000. Murmurs filled the hall.
Sera Takahashi approached next: 2,200.
Mizuki Ayame: 1,910.
Hoshikawa Keita: 1,760.
Shinohara Yui: 1,620.
Ash was last. Kaname leaned forward, smirk sharp as a blade.
"Time to see if you're truly worthless."
Ash's hands touched the Orb. A soft golden glow spread around him. Nothing surged. Silence fell across the hall.
I may be weak… but this is only the beginning.
The fate of Sumania rested on these seven—and Ash Kurami had already decided: he would rise, no matter what.
---
To be continued…