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Chapter 1 - Chapter 1: Summoned, Evaluated, Fired

John Paul—known to almost everyone as Empoy—was fixing a broken circuit breaker when the world ended.

Again.

It wasn't dramatic this time. No explosion, no sparks. Just a strange light filling the room, the buzzing sound of electricity rising to an impossible pitch, and then—

Silence.

Empoy opened his eyes.

He was no longer in the Philippines. The concrete floor was gone. The half-finished wiring job was gone. Even the unpaid invoice was gone, which honestly hurt the most.

He was standing inside a massive stone hall.

Around him were people.

Lots of people.

Teenagers. Office workers. Students. A delivery rider still holding his helmet. Everyone wore the same confused expression Empoy felt.

And in front of them stood robed figures, chanting dramatically.

"Oh no," Empoy muttered. "Group isekai."

"This is the Holy Summoning Hall," a priest announced. "You have been summoned as heroes to save our world."

The room erupted.

Some people cheered.Some screamed.One guy asked about returning home.

Empoy stayed quiet. He had learned long ago that when something went wrong, it was best to observe first.

One by one, glowing symbols appeared above the summoned people.

"Fire Affinity!""Sacred Sword Compatibility!""High Mana Output!"

Cheers followed each announcement.

When it was Empoy's turn, the crystal hovered… and stayed silent.

The priest frowned. "Again."

Nothing happened.

The crystal dimmed.

The priest coughed. "Next."

Empoy blinked. "Ay, yun na 'yun?"

Murmurs spread through the hall.

"No blessing?""No skill?""Was he summoned by mistake?"

Empoy scratched his head. "Boss… baka system error?"

The priests did not appreciate that.

By the end of the day, the kingdom had chosen its heroes.

They were given titles, equipment, and rooms in the palace.

Empoy was given a bench.

A very uncomfortable bench.

"This must be a misunderstanding," Empoy said calmly when a knight approached him. "I work with wiring. Maybe may delay lang."

The knight avoided eye contact. "You possess no measurable abilities."

Empoy nodded. "Ah."

That explained a lot.

The verdict came quickly.

"John Paul," the High Priest declared, not bothering to hide his disappointment, "you are unnecessary to the prophecy."

Unnecessary.

It was somehow worse than useless.

"You will be banished from the kingdom at dawn."

Empoy bowed politely. "Opo."

He had been fired before. This felt familiar.

Empoy left the capital with a small bag, a few coins, and a stamped document that read:

STATUS: EXTRA

He walked for days.

Past villages that didn't want him.Past roads that stopped existing.

Eventually, he reached a place that barely counted as a village.

A wooden sign leaned sideways.

BRAN VILLAGE

Population: few. Hope: lower.

There was an Adventurer Guild branch.

Calling it a branch was generous.

The building sagged. The sign was cracked. The receptionist looked like she hadn't seen a customer in weeks.

"Registration?" she asked.

Empoy nodded. "Lowest rank po."

She handed him a form without looking surprised.

Empoy rented a small shack.

He fixed broken lamps in exchange for meals. Repaired the guild's flickering mana board because it annoyed him. Patched fences. Cleared weak monsters.

No skills appeared.No blessings awakened.No system messages popped up.

Just work.

Quiet, honest work.

At night, Empoy sat outside his shack, looking at the stars.

"I guess this is it," he said softly.

No hero title.No destiny.No powers.

Just an extra in someone else's story.

And for the first time since being summoned, Empoy smiled.

Quiet wasn't so bad.

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