Everything was the same as usual.

I closed my eyes for just a moment during class. The hum of voices and distant sounds from the classroom faded around me. But then, a blinding light filled the room.

Before I knew it, I was surrounded by strange lights. My eyes adjusted just enough to see what appeared to be runes—a massive magic circle that covered the entire classroom.

I looked around. Everyone else appeared to be as confused with some screaming in fear. The entire school was enveloped in light.

"What's happening?!"

"Is this some kind of prank or something…?"

"No way...is this even real?"

The light became overwhelming. Then the world shifted.

When light faded, I found myself in an endless, white space. There was nothing here—no ground or sky. Just a blank white space.

My classmates looked around, their voices raised in fear. The panic was spreading quickly.

"W-What the fuck is this place?"

"This can't be happening! It had to be a dream, right?"

"Can someone explain what's going on?!"

People were on edge. Some looked ready to scream; others stood frozen, holding onto each other in fear.

Then, a figure appeared—a white, blank shape with no face, hard to look at directly.

"Don't be afraid. I'm not here to hurt you."

The noise quieted a bit, but tension hung in the air. Nobody dared to move. .

"You've been summoned to another world. Before you go, each of you will choose a skill and set your status."

"W-What... another world?"

"This can't be real. Skills? Status? Are we in a game?"

"Fuck! Are you kidding me...?"

Kagami Reika, the student council president, stepped forward. Her long black hair swayed slightly as she moved, and her aquamarine eyes were firm.

"Listen up, everyone. Panicking won't help. Let's stick together!"

Her words seemed to calm the crowd. Students began to form groups, following her lead. It looked like there'd be ten groups, each with about thirty people. I stayed near the back, just observing.

Beside her stood Nakamura Akira, the vice president—a tall guy with a calm, confident demeanor. He crossed his arms and scanned the group.

"Yeah, freaking out won't help us. We just need to figure out our situation."

Tachibana Hikari, our class representative, stood nearby. She had sharp green eyes behind glasses and her brown hair tied back neatly.

She shot me a frowning glance, as if blaming me for not taking this seriously.

"Honestly, you're all way too calm. This isn't some group project. Does anyone realize how insane this is?"

"Maybe it is insane," Sakamoto Ryo, the ace of our basketball team, said from the back.

"But freaking out won't change anything. Let's just follow Kagami-san's lead for now."

Shibata Hanzo, the school's infamous delinquent, chuckled, folding his arms with a smirk.

"Yeah, yeah, guess we'll play along for now. But if anything shitty happens, I'm outta here."

"This is actually kind of cool. I mean, sure, it's terrifying, but look at these status windows! It's like a real game."

A few people rolled their eyes at Nakano Ren, our resident otaku, but he shrugged, a big grin on his face.

Finally, Mizuki Kana, an idol from the popular group Starlight Ember, chimed in, her laughter light. She tossed her long blue ponytail over her shoulder.

"Well, at least we're all in it together, right? Let's make the best of it, everyone!"

A few boys nodded in admiration, and even some girls seemed comforted by her calm approach.

Meanwhile, I just stood there, trying not to draw attention to myself.

Me, Kurosawa Tatsuya—just an ordinary high school student with nothing special to my name.

Average looks, average grades, not particularly athletic… Just a guy who'd somehow ended up here with everyone else.

No one really paid me much mind. And, honestly, that was fine. The less anyone expected of me, the better.

The faceless man reappeared in front of us, and he said. "Now, choose your skills," he said, pointing to the translucent screens that had appeared in front of each of us.

"These will be essential to your survival in another world. Choose wisely."

"Status…"

Name: Kurosawa Tatsuya

Level: 1

Age: 15

Race: Human

Class: None

Title: None

[Attributes]

Vitality: 100 / 100

Psyche: 50 / 50

Constitution: 10

Force: 8

Sense: 12

Endurance: 9

[Unused Attribute Points: 10]

"This… is the worst," I muttered, staring at my status window. I really messed up. My stats were the lowest among everyone else—bottom-tier.

I paused, trying to process it. "W-What am I supposed to do now?"

After a moment, I took a deep breath. There was nothing I could change about my stats or level, so I decided to check the skill menu. I clicked on it.

It turned out to be a good idea, which surprised me. The skills were listed in quite a list, with Normal being lowest and Mythic being the highest. The ranks were clear: Normal, Rare, Epic, Unique, Legendary, and Mythic.

Then I saw my point balance labeled as Karma. Simple put, good deeds earned high karma, while bad deeds lowered it. Surprisingly, my karma was high. I helped people without expecting anything in return and was a good son to my parents.

I smirked.

"Never thought the things I did on a whim would help me here."

The faceless man's voice suddenly spoke in my mind, stopping everyone in their tracks. It didn't sound like a normal voice—it was as if he was speaking directly inside our heads. The shock silenced us, but no one dared to move or look away as he began to explain.

"Choose the kingdom you will serve wisely," he instructed.

"The first is the Empire of Drakovia—known for its formidable military power and elite combatants. They are the leading force in advanced military technology, including combat mechs and awakened warriors."

"The Holy Empire of Syr focuses on knowledge and magic. They are experts in magic engineering and use advanced automaton. Syr is home to the Cube, the top institution for advanced elites."

"Then there's the Liyue Empire. They are experts in military tactics, using strategies similar to ancient military strategists. Their tactics are unparalleled, and they even have spacecraft for aerial combat."

"Next is the Beast Kingdom of Therion. This nation belongs to the beast-kin, a warrior society known for its strength and unity."

After a pause, he spoke again.

"The Elfrieden Empire, home to elves, is intertwined with nature. Their power lies within their connection to the world tree, 'Yggdrasil', and adept in spirit magic..."

"The Dwarven Kingdom of Ragnar," he said, "resides underground. Known for their craftsmanship, they excel in forging weapons and mining rare minerals."

"Aetheria is a floating kingdom, existing above the clouds. This empire relies on aerial mobility and advanced sky-bound technology."

"And lastly, the Land of Izanami, known for its mastery of ki and swordsmanship. It's a peaceful nation that focuses on traditional martial and weapon arts."

****

Reika looked around, letting everyone settle before speaking.

"Alright, what's the best choice we have?"

She suggested a majority vote, and everyone nodded in agreement.

Akira was the first to speak up.

"What about the strongest kingdom? I mean, if they're the best in the military, it could keep us safe. We'd probably start as soldiers and work our way up."

Some students nodded, but others looked unsure.

Reika thought for a moment.

"Hmm. Anyone else?"

Hikari raised her hand.

"How about the one focused on knowledge and magic? They have the best academy, and learning magic could really help us."

Her eyes lit up, but a few students groaned at the thought of more studying.

Reika nodded.

"Not bad."

"What about the beast kingdom? I love animals, and it would be lovely to meet demi-humans!"

Kana's excitement was clear, but Reika shook her head.

"We don't know if they'd accept humans, so that might be risky."

When no one else spoke up, Reika looked around.

"Mind if I suggest something?" she asked, and the group turned to her, waiting for her idea.

Reika took a moment to think, then spoke up.

"I believe the best choice is the Holy Empire of Syr. I agree with Hikari-san. It's the safest option for us."

She looked at her classmates, making sure they were paying attention.

"We don't know anything about this world. If we pick the strongest kingdom, we might get involved in political wars. We'd just be disposable pawns. The third option isn't great either; it would likely lead to complicated politics and haughty nobles."

"The beast kingdom is out of the question. They're demi-humans; how can we expect them to trust us? Even if they did, there's too much risk. As for the Elfrieden Empire, the elves probably won't welcome us, especially since they see us as weaker. The dwarven kingdom... Well, we don't need to discuss that."

Reika looked around, addressing everyone. "Finally, both Aetheria and Izanami are foreign countries. Living there wouldn't be easy for us. So I really think the second option is the best."

Everyone was surprised by her clear reasoning. It made sense coming from the student council president and top student in the academy.

However, I still had my doubts…

No matter which kingdom we choose, there are benefits and risks involved. High risk, high reward. From the moment we were summoned here, we were given choices, and that faceless man is testing us, pushing us in a direction without revealing his true intentions.

After the final decision, the majority voted for the Holy Empire of Syr. Reika looked pleased, satisfied with the choice.

Everyone else went along with it.

Normally, I would have refused, but I'm not the protagonist of some novel —just an extra.

It made sense for me to follow the flow for now. Besides, following the student council president would likely benefit me more.

Once we selected the warp stone location, everyone, including me, was transported to the Syr.

Meanwhile, the faceless man smirked, his mouth the only feature visible on his blank face.

"I see… that irregular chose the Holy Empire of Syr, huh?"