I found myself in a state of nothingness, where my sight started to become hazy and my body underwent drastic changes. I felt as though every part of me was being taken apart and put together again, making me feel more powerful as my senses grew sharper.
It was like I was going through a transformation, and I couldn't help but ask myself, "Could this be the start of a new life?"
Suddenly, my vision was restored and I saw a woman in front of me who bore a striking resemblance to the Goddess. She was wearing a saint-like outfit that was black and white.
I surveyed my environment and saw that all of my peers had been reincarnated with me. We were in a barren desert with nothing but sand, cacti and the intense heat of the sun.
The desert was immense; the horizon seemed to stretch on forever. The sun hung low in the sky, casting its golden light over the sand. There were no signs of civilization or even a trace of life, except for us.
The holy figure infront of us, clapped her hands to get our attention and cheerfully greeted us, "Welcome, otherworlders!" She then introduced herself, saying, "You may call me Saintess Meryl. I understand that the Goddess has already explained why you have all been summoned here, so that makes my job much easier."
Everyone was visibly still a bit perplexed as the reincarnation had taken a toll on them.
The Saintess then stated, "It's understandable that you may notice some changes in your body, but that's to be expected! During the reincarnation process, each one of you will obtain extremely rare Classes, and these Classes will cause your body to modify itself to suit." She declared with a grin.
The Saintess's words were strangely serene, as if they were sinking into one's spirit, yet something didn't seem right. I had experienced a lot of people in my past who put on fake smiles and acted friendly or kind, and the Saintess was no exception - she had a phony aura about her.
"She couldn't be trusted", I thought to myself.
The Saintess paused for a moment and surveyed the group. "Your first challenge begins now," she declared. "You must make it through this desert, which is teeming with monsters, and reach Fuvolius, the city to the north!"
After one of my classmates raised their hand to ask, "What if we don't have the power to get through this?" The Saintess was expressionless and she fixed him with a blank gaze. "If you cannot succeed in this challenge as a hero candidate, then you must accept your destiny and be prepared to die," she said in a detached tone.
"A similar response to the Goddess," I noted
As I speculated, the so-called Saintess is merely pretending to be kind and benevolent. I'm willing to wager that behind her cheerful expression and demeanor lies a malicious and wicked person.
I thought to myself, "No matter the world, there are always some who seem to be virtuous but are actually corrupt. This concept is sick to me, but it is the reality of the situation."
The Saintess then spun around, and a mysterious rift in time and space materialized. With a parting blessing of "Good luck!", she stepped through the distortion. The distortion dissipated quickly after the Saintess departed.
"Was that teleportation? So it is really a world of magic!" I thought.
Pretty soon, my classmates separated into groups according to their skills, mana, and interests. Of course, Sado's group was the most powerful, with him being the strongest person in the reincarnation.
The first group Sado led consisted of individuals with the greatest amount of power, skills, and multiple affinities.
The second group was comprised of those who were particularly intelligent and preferred to take a guarded approach with Student Council President Yae Mitsuo.
The third group was made up of all the nerds who felt they had a good understanding of the new world due to their gaming experience. The leader of the gaming club, Yuuta Kisake led this group. He is the same individual I attempted to stand up for so many years ago.
The last group included the delinquents and troublemakers who engaged in criminal behavior, used drugs, and believed they were superior to everyone else. Even though their mana was not as good as the others, their physical strength was far greater.
I couldn't help but wonder if the universe favored Sado as he seemed to have been gifted with the 'hero' status, multiple affinities, a great deal of mana, and various rare skills. "Even in another world, he gets more than others. It's not fair," I muttered to myself.
Although everyone had sorted themselves into their respective groups, I was left on my own. This didn't bother me too much, as I had anticipated this outcome. Besides, if anyone found out about my special Immortality Class and unlimited mana, it could cause gossip.
Shortly after, I spotted Sado making his way toward me. His blonde hair was blowing in the breeze, and his piercing red eyes were fixed on me with a mischievous glint. He stopped in front of me, a smirk on his face, "Yo, Kurai. Looks like you're alone again," he said.
Sado was audibly trying to provoke me, but I decided to ignore it and walk away from him. He then grabbed my shoulder firmly and said in a threatening manner, "Don't walk away from me, loser." His voice had always been deep, but I had never heard it so intimidating before.
I was filled with dread as my legs started trembling. I was automatically filled with fear since Sado had a habit of picking on me. However, this time I was determined to face him and not back down.
I pulled away his hand from my shoulder and gave him a stern look, demanding, "Leave me alone." My speech was more serious and intense than usual and my gaze was intense. Sado was taken aback by my response, never expecting that I would stand up to him.
Sado's expression changed from one of shockness to an uncontrollable, psychotic laugh. He quickly composed himself and shot me a stern look, saying, "Don't be a fucking idiot. I have been reborn as powerful hero, meaning I can do anything I please."
I avoided looking at Sado and kept walking. "I'm not your toy anymore," I said firmly.
Sado's countenance changed, the wicked smirk replaced by a look of rage. "Don't you dare walk away from me!" he shouted, his fists raised in my direction.
Suddenly, a huge beam of flame erupted from Sado's hand, hurtling straight towards me. Before I could react and try to evade it, it was too late. The blaze had engulfed me and I could feel each part of my body searing with pain, as if I was being roasted alive.
The agony was unbearable and all I could manage was a loud scream of anguish. "Aren't I supposed to be immortal?!," I thought miserably.
My classmates looked on in terror as I was engulfed in flames, leaving nothing but my ashes scattered in the wind. Sado was triumphant, a satisfied smirk on his face, as he just released a powerful wave of fire that destroyed everything in its path. "
That'll teach him!", he bellowed. The other students were too scared to respond, unable to do anything but watch in horror.
Sado became aware that everyone was observing him with fear and pride swept over him. "What are all of you staring at? Let's go!" He declared firmly, and everyone followed his orders without hesitation.
Sado and the rest of the students then moved northward in the hope of arriving at the city of Fuvolius, with Kurai being the first one to succumb to death.