A flash of silvery blue light lit up the grand hall with its towering ceiling. In the center of the palace hall, surrounded by golden pillars and gleaming marble floors, a massive magic circle glowed, engraving intricate patterns into the floor. The royal guards stepped back cautiously.
They waited for the light to dim and the heroes to be summoned. This was humanity's hope to defeat the Demon King.
"The circle is active! The summoning has succeeded!" shouted an old magus beside the ceremonial platform.
The light reached its peak, then—
BOOM!
A soft rumble echoed. The light became blindingly bright, causing everyone to avert their eyes. But within seconds, the light faded and disappeared. All eyes turned to the center of the room. Four figures had appeared.
Three men and one woman. Dressed in clothes unlike any from this world—uniforms, jackets, jeans. Their faces looked confused. Among them was Takuya Minami, still dazed after being pulled from his apartment. This place was completely different.
As he turned to the front, he saw an older man around the age of 45 smiling at them. The man wore luxurious golden garments and feathers made from expensive silk threads. His smile was filled with satisfaction.
"Welcome, brave heroes," said the crowned older man, seated on a jewel-encrusted throne. King Aldren IV, ruler of the Kingdom of Valion.
Takuya frowned. For some reason, he didn't like the old man in front of him. He quickly realized that the man was a king, but something about him screamed foolishness.
"What does this guy want?" Takuya muttered.
While Takuya looked calm, the other three were clearly panicking. They were just as confused. Takuya felt the same, but he had read many isekai, transmigration, and similar novels. It was shocking and strange, but not unfamiliar to him.
He was the calmest among the four of them.
"Is this… a dream?" muttered one of the other men—a muscular guy with a buzz cut.
Another man, wearing glasses, immediately scanned the surroundings. His gaze was serious, ready in case something unexpected happened. He was the most mature of them, already 22 years old, while the others were still teenagers.
Meanwhile, the girl with shoulder-length red hair looked down at the floor, eyes narrowing. Seeing people holding weapons frightened her. She moved closer to one of the other summoned heroes and grabbed their hand. It was Takuya's hand.
"Calm down," a soft voice echoed.
A woman with silver hair and a long white gown stepped forward. A golden cross necklace hung around her neck, and her eyes were sharp and commanding. She was Lady Seraphina, Saintess of the Grand Cathedral of Light—the kingdom's highest spiritual leader after the archbishop.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Seraphina. I will assess your potential, chosen Heroes of the Light."
As Seraphina moved closer, one of the summoned heroes suddenly stepped forward and spread his arms. His sharp eyes were filled with vigilance.
"Who are you? Why are we here, and what is this place?" he asked.
That man was Shigeru Takeshi. A diligent office worker with a strong sense of justice. Being the oldest, Shigeru felt he had to take the lead.
Seraphina bowed slightly. "Forgive me for being forward, brave hero. I will explain everything," she said.
She then explained that the four of them were heroes summoned by the magi of the Valion Kingdom. Their duty was to save the world from the Demon King. Seraphina also said that summoned heroes had varying powers.
They were chosen by the Goddess to be saviors. That was Seraphina's brief explanation.
"We will provide the best facilities for you. Help you grow into honorable heroes and defeat the Demon King. After that, you may choose to return to your world or stay here," Seraphina explained.
Shigeru looked suspicious. "Why should we follow your demands?" he asked.
"Because if you don't, you won't be able to return to your world."
It was a short answer, but it only made Shigeru more suspicious. However, just as he was about to say something else, Seraphina suddenly stepped closer and touched his chest. She gently stroked his chin. A faint purple light shimmered, though almost no one noticed.
Shigeru didn't protest again.
"Very well, then. I will now examine your powers," said Seraphina.
In her hand appeared a transparent crystal gem. She stepped toward the first man—Shigeru. She was most curious about the one who had spoken so assertively. Seraphina also sensed a strong mana energy from Shigeru.
[Name: Shigeru Takeshi]
[Class: Sword Saint]
[HP: 1,220 | MP: 140]
[STR: 85 | AGI: 72 | VIT: 68 | DEX: 70 | INT: 20]
[Skill: Sword Aura, Blade Storm, Heroic Charge]
Seraphina was instantly amazed. She couldn't hide her shock.
"Impressive. A future legendary swordsman," she commented with a nod. "You have great potential. I believe you can become the most celebrated hero in this world."
She then moved on to the second man—the one with glasses. A fellow high school student of Takuya, though in a different class. He was well-known for his academic brilliance. Often ranked in the top 10 students of his year.
[Name: Hiroshi Kanda]
[Class: Beast Tamer]
[HP: 1,010 | MP: 350]
[STR: 38 | AGI: 45 | VIT: 55 | DEX: 30 | INT: 70]
[Skill: Beast Contract, Mana Link, Insight Eyes]
Again, Seraphina was amazed. Not just one, but two highly talented heroes had been summoned. It was truly a great blessing.
"Deep insight and the ability to tame magical creatures. Very, very useful."
When Seraphina looked at the only girl among them, her hopes soared. She prayed that the kingdom would receive even more fortune.
[Name: Aika Mizuno]
[Class: Grand Mage]
[HP: 1,010 | MP: 600]
[STR: 18 | AGI: 30 | VIT: 28 | DEX: 40 | INT: 95]
[Skill: Elemental Mastery, Arcane Blast, Mana Flow]
Seraphina swallowed hard. This girl was even stronger than she was. And all of these heroes were still just level one. Their stats rivaled those of someone at level fifteen or higher. It was absurd.
"Ah… this is amazing. A genius mage," Seraphina smiled genuinely.
Now, she turned to the final summoned hero. Takuya. He was looking her up and down repeatedly. Seraphina felt uncomfortable, but since he was a summoned hero, she tried to ignore it.
[Name: Takuya Minami]
[Class: ??? – Human]
[HP: 700 | MP: 75]
[STR: 130 | AGI: 112 | DEX: 100 | VIT: 84 | INT: 40]
[Skill: Unlimited Gacha]
Seraphina exhaled slowly. She frowned. "Class… Human? Isn't that a race?"
She was puzzled. And when she looked at his skill section, it didn't seem interesting. Not a fighter. Seraphina clicked her tongue in annoyance and turned her eyes away.
She faced the king and knelt. "Your Majesty, we have summoned three very talented heroes with incredible potential. We are truly fortunate," she reported.
The king tilted his head. "But didn't we summon four heroes?"
"One of them is just trash, Your Majesty."
The king nodded in understanding. "Then take them to their assigned rooms!" he ordered.
Seraphina nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty."
She stood and gave orders to the guards to escort the heroes to the rooms she had arranged. One by one, the heroes were given accommodations according to their talents. Each of them received luxurious rooms.
Takuya grinned widely. He assumed he would get the same treatment, but something unexpected happened.
"You will stay here, Hero."
Takuya stood frozen, shocked. "Isn't this… a horse stable?" he complained.