Every day after school, Xender sprinted home, driven by one thing — the new episode of his favorite anime. He didn't have time for the usual post-class chatter or hanging with friends; he never really had any to begin with.
To his classmates, he was just a nerd, a loner who preferred solitude over socializing.
But what they didn't know was that he lived in a vibrant world filled with anime and movies. This was his escape, his obsession. Nothing else mattered to him but the thrill of a good story and he was addicted.
Xender was a tall guy, with long legs and an attractive face framed by short, curly black hair. His pale, dark eyes told a different story, though — the result of countless hours spent glued to his screens.
Schoolwork barely registered on his radar, and while many girls noticed his looks and tried to capture his attention, he brushed them off.
The thought of missing an episode for a date made his stomach churn. Anime was his priority, and he didn't want to waste a single second.
He filled his time with tales of heroes and villains, always longing for one thing: an ending where the villains triumphed.
He had seen countless stories, but each time, it was the same predictable outcome. The heroes always emerged victorious while the villains faced defeat, which frustrated him beyond belief.
"Not again!" he yelled, slamming his laptop shut in frustration.
His favorite villain had been so powerful, a true threat to the hero, yet somehow the hero had won.
"How?!"
He couldn't understand it — the hero had looked weak against such a strong adversary.
Xender leaned back in his chair, disappointment washing over him. It felt like he was trapped in a never-ending cycle of predictability.
"There has to be a story out there where the bad guy wins," he muttered to himself.
But for now, he could only hope that one day he would stumble upon the twist he was so desperately searching for.
Xender sat in his dimly lit room, the glow of his laptop illuminating his frustrated face.
"If only I could be a villain," he muttered, clenching his fists.
"I'd show those heroes true cruelty! I'd use every dirty trick in the book to make sure they never stand a chance against me."
Every time he watched an anime, it was the same story. The villain always lost, no matter how powerful or clever they were. It made him sick. He hated how heroes always triumphed, always saved the day, while villains were left defeated and forgotten.
"Why can't a villain ever win?" he raged.
"Why can't they achieve their goals, no matter how nefarious they are? It's so unfair!"
He leaned back in his chair, the weight of his frustration heavy on his chest.
"I just wish I could disappear into a fantasy world, just like in anime. I want to be the villain for real. Not some staged show, but real power, real stakes."
As Xender's eyes glistened with longing, he felt a strange tremor in the air, as if the universe was listening. Little did he know, his wish was about to be granted.
Meanwhile, far away in another dimension, five mages cloaked in shimmering white robes worked tirelessly in a shadowy chamber filled with ancient writings.
They were engaged in powerful summoning magic. Their world was teetering on the edge of destruction, and they desperately needed heroes from another realm.
With a flash of magical energy, a wide circle of light burst to life in the center of the room. The mages joined their voices, chanting in unison:
"Spirits of the vast unknown,
Hear our call, our plight is shown.
From realms beyond the twilight's veil,
We seek the brave, we seek the frail.
Bring forth warriors, bold and true,
With the strength to stand against the rue.
From shadows deep, through time and fate,
Grant us heroes before it's too late.
To face the darkness, to light the way,
Through trials fierce, let them not sway.
With bonds unbroken, fate intertwined,
Bring forth the champions, let destiny bind!"
As their voices crescendoed, the center of the magical circle ignited with swirling colors, drawing upon the energy of the universe. A shimmering portal began to form, its edges pulsing with a radiant light.
"Take heed, great powers, grant us this boon,
Let our pleas rise like a silvery moon.
From the worlds of fantasy, from tales untold,
We summon our saviors, fierce and bold!"
With one final surge of energy, the portal exploded into brightness, and the mages felt the weight of their incantation settle within the chamber. One of the mages, a leader with silver hair and piercing blue eyes, stepped forward, anticipation shimmering in the air.
"Now we wait,"
She whispered, as the energies swirled, searching for the heroes they needed so desperately and, unbeknownst to them, the one who wished to embrace the villain's role.
Back on Earth, five random individuals from different corners of the globe were plucked from their everyday lives by the mysterious summoning magic.
An enchanting light—shimmering like a rainbow—surrounded them, filled with glowing ancient writings. The group consisted of two high school boys from different countries, two high school girls from different corners of the world, and an older boy who had just graduated high school.
Xender, one of the boys, sat in his room, his eyes glued to his favorite anime. Just as a climactic scene played out on the screen, the magical light flared to life, swirling around him.
"What the—?"
In an instant, the magic enveloped him, and he felt himself being pulled away.
"What's happening?!"
Shouted Leo, a boy from Brazil, who was in his own room, trying to finish a video game level. His game console blinked out, and he barely had time to comprehend the chaos around him before he vanished.
"I didn't even finish my homework!" lamented Mei, a high school girl from China, who was reading in her quiet corner.
"This better be a dream!" she said before she vanished.
At the same time, Mia, a spirited girl from Canada, screamed, "No! This can't be happening!" as the light engulfed her mid-laugh with friends during a video chat.
And then there was Max, the older boy from the UK. Just moments after receiving his graduation results, he was about to step out to celebrate when the light cast its spell on him too.
"What on Earth—this isn't funny!" he muttered before disappearing into thin air.
In a flash, they found themselves in a strange room filled with ancient writings and illuminated by softly glowing symbols on the walls. The atmosphere was thick with magic, and the air buzzed with an unexplainable energy.
They stood together in the center of the glowing magic circle, eyes wide with astonishment and confusion.
"Where are we?" asked Mia, her voice breaking the silence as she looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings.
"I can't believe this is real," whispered Xender, still trying to wrap his head around the sudden shift from his room. "This is like something out of an anime!"
Leo scratched his head, "You mean we're stuck in a fantasy world or something? Is this a joke?"
Mei squinted at the walls, reading the strange symbols.
"This looks like some ancient writing. Maybe we were summoned for a reason."
Max took a deep breath, attempting to regain composure amidst the chaos.
"Alright, everyone, let's figure this out. We need to stay calm. There's got to be a way to figure out what's going on."
Just then, the five mages entered the chamber, their shimmering white robes glistening in the magical light. The mages exchanged glances with one another, clearly taken aback by the unexpected arrival of this eclectic group.
"Welcome, chosen ones," one of the mages spoke, her voice echoing with power.
"We have summoned you from your world because we face a dire threat. You are to become our heroes!"
"A dire threat? Us?" Xender echoed, disbelief evident in his voice.
"What do you want us to do, fight evil or something?"