Kyler wandered through the expansive library, searching through rows of history books. Dust floated lazily in the air; the occasional turning of a page from another student buried in their own task was surprisingly loud in the silence. He searched, scouring the spines of books that seemed to whisper, "Never been read once." until he stumbled upon a collection of volumes vaguely referencing the fall of humanity.
To his frustration, the records were sparse, fragmented like conspiracy theories. One theory speculated that humanity had breached a forbidden gate to another universe, unleashing chaos upon their world. The text was cryptic, describing this "gate" as a rift between dimensions, a place where natural laws broke down and strange beings emerged to consume and corrupt. Another theory suggested that humanity's rapid technological advancement had drawn the wrath of unknown, godlike entities who deemed their creations an abomination. These beings supposedly unleashed plagues, storms, and disasters until humanity's empires crumbled to dust. A third theory stated that humanity's own creations, machines that had achieved sentience, turned against them in a catastrophic rebellion, resulting in their eventual downfall. Kyler's mind churned with questions and amusement feeling indifferent, each theory more ridiculous than the last.
Before he could delve deeper, a sharp, resonating announcement echoed through the facility. "All students are to report to their specific rooms for roll call and the upcoming placement test." The voice was calm yet commanding, leaving little room for hesitation.
Kyler sighed, closing the book with a soft thud. "Just when I was getting to the good part. I'm sure a spinoff of the flat-earth theory would be in here next." Bored, he could only joke to himself. He still had some time, so he decided to return to his dormitory to freshen up. The water in the washbasin was cold but refreshing, and as he splashed it on his face, he couldn't shake the nagging feeling that the answers he needed would take more than just books to uncover. "I mean, after all, it's a 3,000-year gap," he muttered aloud.
When he arrived at the designated classrooms, he found groups of about twenty students clustered outside, their conversations a mix of nervous chatter and quiet confidence. The air buzzed with tension, and Kyler could feel the weight of their collective anticipation. He leaned against a wall, observing the diverse mix of students. One girl stood out immediately—she was tall and broad-shouldered, with fiery red hair braided tightly down her back. She carried herself with a confidence that bordered on arrogance, her piercing dark eyes scanning the crowd like a predator sizing up its prey. A wiry boy with black hair and a sly grin lounged against the doorframe, his eyes darting around as if calculating everyone's worth. Nearby, a petite girl with dark, curly hair clutched a thick notebook to her chest, glancing at a worn pocket watch.
Kyler stood near the back of the crowd, leaning against the wall as he observed the mix of students. Among them, Caesar caught his eye first. His golden blonde hair gleamed in the light, and his blue eyes carried an air of effortless charisma. "Damn Why can't I look like that? Looks are 80% effective to get a girlfriend." Caesar stood tall, his confident posture and easy grin suggesting he was completely unbothered by the upcoming test.
Nearby, a specific girl was harder to miss. Her red eyes and striking white hair gave her an ethereal, almost intimidating presence. Her appearance was almost angelic, but something about her demeanor was unsettling. She remained silent, her arms crossed as she scanned the crowd with sharp precision, as if searching for someone.
Aria, on the other hand, had a softer energy but was no less intriguing. Her wavy gray hair framed her face, and her light green eyes darted nervously between her notebook and the clock on the wall. She whispered something under her breath, her words barely audible amidst the low hum of chatter.
A soft chime rang out, silencing the room. The classroom door creaked open, and a timid male teacher stepped forward, his presence almost swallowed by the rowdy students. "Y-You will be ranked based on your performance in two categories: intelligence and basic physical abilities. Your scores will determine your placement within the academy's hierarchy. P-Please proceed inside when your name is called."
Kyler watched as students were called in groups of four. When his name was called, he stepped into the room alongside Caesar and Aria. That white-haired girl followed closely behind, and Kyler couldn't help but notice her piercing red eyes fixed on him. She didn't look away, and the intensity of her stare made him feel nervous and uncomfortable.
Inside, the test was divided into two parts: basic knowledge and problem-solving. The first section consisted of questions on general history, common cultural knowledge—topics Kyler hadn't been taught or exposed to in his life.
1.(What is the average lifespan of a Wraith?)
(How are their powers unique compared to Specters?)
He stared blankly at the question, realizing just how much he didn't know. Each attempt to answer felt more like a stab in the dark, and his growing frustration made the clock feel like it was ticking faster."
"Okay, multiple choice section," he muttered to himself. "The answer is always C."
Caesar seemed to breeze through the first section with ease, but Kyler caught the slight tension in his friend's expression. Caesar's relaxed demeanor seemed forced as he kept glancing at the white-haired girl and visibly shuddering.
Meanwhile, the white-haired girl worked methodically, her answers precise and deliberate. But every so often, she paused to stare intensely at the back of Kyler's head, sending a chill down his spine.
Aria appeared bored but sluggish in her approach, her pencil moving lazily across the paper as she mumbled quietly to herself.
When they moved on to the problem-solving section, Kyler's confidence returned. These questions were more about puzzles, logical patterns,. Kyler's mind raced as he pieced through each challenge, his thoughts flowing naturally like water filling the gaps. Within minutes, he was several questions ahead, the thrill of solving easy problems reigniting his focus.
Caesar took his time, his brow furrowed in concentration. The white-haired girl maintained her steady pace, her red eyes scanning each problem with intense focus. Aria, despite her earlier lethargy, seemed to find her rhythm as the section progressed, her whispered calculations now inaudible.
When the test ended, the proctor collected their papers without a word, and the group filed out into the hallway.
Caesar stretched his arms above his head with a satisfied grin. "Well, that wasn't so bad," he said casually.
"Easy for you to say," Kyler replied, running a hand through his hair. "At best, I got 50%."
After a brief break, the students were directed to an open training yard adjacent to the main building. The space was a sprawling field of dirt and stone, bordered by towering walls that gave it a coliseum-like atmosphere. Several instructors stood waiting, their stern expressions. The students were split into smaller groups, each assigned to a different area of the yard. Kyler found himself alongside Caesar, and the white-haired girl again
One of the instructors stepped forward, his gruff voice booming across the yard. "This portion will test your physical abilities, including strength, agility, endurance.
"Actually do I even need to try for this ranking?" Kyler whispered over the instructors monologue,
"Well the higher you rank the more freedom you get within here, and here your physique results are shown so it is a test but one that you don't have to try for" Caesar replied with a grin. "Easy right."
The white-haired girl, standing nearby, didn't respond but continued to eye Kyler with that same unsettling intensity.
Kyler leaned in slightly, lowering his voice to a whisper. "Caesar, what's up with the white-haired girl? She keeps staring at me. Did I do something?"
Caesar followed Kyler's gaze to Rebecca, who was across the room, her eyes fixed on him with an unnerving intensity. As soon as his gaze met hers, a flood of her obsessive thoughts hit him like a wave.
His stomach twisted, and his smile faltered for a split second. He quickly turned back to Kyler, trying to mask the unease creeping up on him. "Uh, I don't think Rebbeca's staring at you. Maybe she's just... spaced out or something."
Kyler raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced, but Caesar quickly added, "Yeah, people do that sometimes. Don't worry about it."
The silence stretched between them, and Caesar felt a cold shiver down his spine as he tried to push away the suffocating thoughts lingering in his mind. The training grounds buzzed with anticipation. Students gathered around the glowing Triune Gauge, an artifact of incredible magnificent. The crystal pillar, covered in swirling runes, hovered slightly above the ground, humming with latent energy. Around its base, three smaller gems spun in synchronized orbits, as if mimicking the solar system, each representing a physical attribute: strength, agility, and stamina.
Standing before the artifact was the Appraiser, a man with slicked-back black hair and an air of smug superiority. His golden robes shimmered in the sunlight, drawing attention to his every move.
"Students of the academy!" he announced, his voice resonating with magical amplification. "Today, we shall uncover how much your capabilities have improved since last inspection. Step forward, place your hand upon the gauge, 3 at a time!"
The first student stepped forward—a tall, muscular boy named Marcus Tanner. He smirked confidently as he placed his hand on the pedestal. The runes flared to life, and a holographic display appeared above him, shining in bold colors.
Name: Marcus
Strength: 15+3(18)
Agility: 12
Stamina: 15+1(16)
Potential: 85
The crowd lightly murmured. Marcus grinned, flexing slightly for effect.
"Well done," the Appraiser said with a nod. "Promising potential."
Next came Lila Ardent, a petite girl with sharp eyes. Her hands trembled slightly as she approached the gauge. The holographic screen formed with a soft hum.
Name: Aria
Strength: 9
Agility: 20+3(23)
Stamina: 10
Potential: 79
"Impressive agility," the Appraiser remarked. "But you'll need to work on your Strength."
One by one, the students took their turns. Scores varied, sparking excitement or disappointment among their peers. Some noteworthy highlights included:
Evan:
Strength: 11, Agility: 14+1(15) Stamina: 12, Potential: 77Samantha:
Strength: 15+1(16) Agility: 9, Stamina: 13, Potential: 75Todd (Kyler's roommate):
Strength: 8, Agility: 15+1(16) Stamina: 10, Potential: 63
The crowd murmured with banter as each display illuminated the air. The tension built as fewer students remained.
Name: Caesar
Strength: 21+2(23)
Agility: 24+3(27)
Stamina: 18+1(19)
Potential: 93
Name: Rebbeca
Strength: 20+2(22)
Agility: 22+3(25)
Stamina: 21+1(22)
Potential: 96
"These two monsters!" The Guy, Marcus yelled aloud. "Doesn't human potential max out at 100 and their improvement rate is ridiculus"
The Instructor Could only smile at the promising results. "Noble bloodlines seem to show the best results." There was clear bias in his voice.
Finally, the Instructor turned to Kyler, his smirk widening. "Now for our most intriguing participant. Step forward, Kyler."
All eyes turned to him. Whispers filled the air, some curious, others mocking.
Kyler stepped forward, his face calm but his mind racing. "This is where the isekai special powers come in, I Will totally be above 100." He placed his hand on the pedestal, feeling a cold pulse run up his arm as the gauge activated. His expectations were quite high considering how he was talked about.
The screen materialized over the device:
Name: Kyler
Strength: 10
Agility: 11
Stamina: 10
Laughter rippled through the crowd. "Is that it?" someone jeered." Wasn't he unrankable last time?" Kylers hope plummeted.
But before the mocking could grow louder, a second screen formed.
Potential: —
The crowd fell silent, watching in awe and confusion. But not too surprised,
Then the gauge erupted in a burst of light the results changed
Name: Kyler
Strength: 93
Agility: 92
Stamina: 85
Potential: —
Like a computer glitch the screens kept alternating
Name: Kyler
Strength: —
Agility: —
Stamina: —
Potential: —
Finally It returned back to
Name: Kyler
Strength: 10
Agility: 11
Stamina: 10
Potential: —
A loud crackling noise erupted before finally.
The gauge shut down with a loud clang, the spinning gems grinding to a halt. The Instructor stepped back, his confident demeanor replaced with a mix of shock and intrigue.
"Well," he said, recovering quickly, "It seems we still cannot measure your potential. Fascinating."
The crowd murmured again, their earlier mockery replaced by whispers of confusion and curiosity.
"We have a rare opportunity today," the Instructor continued. "A member of the Appraiser class has arrived to conduct an advanced evaluation. This test will provide a deeper understanding of your abilities and potential, not just physique. It will be the first time an Appraiser has evaluated a 2nd-year class. Be grateful."
Excited whispers erupted among the students.
"An Appraiser class test? No way!"
"They only do this for top-tier candidates!"
"Do you think it'll show hidden talents?"
Kyler's eyes flicked to Caesar, expecting his usual grin or sarcastic comment, but his friend's expression was far from amused. Caesar's face had gone pale, and his golden-blonde hair seemed almost dull under the sun.
"What's wrong with you?" Kyler asked.
"Nothing," Caesar said, his voice tight. He forced a smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. "This just... doesn't feel right."
"Why not? Everyone else seems excited."
"That's the problem," Caesar muttered. "Appraisers don't show up for routine evaluations. There's always an agenda."
Before Kyler could ask more, the crowd parted as the Appraiser entered the yard. He was a tall man with sharp, angular features, dressed in dark robes embroidered with golden runes that shimmered faintly in the light. His piercing gaze swept over the students, lingering briefly on each one before moving on. There was something predatory about the way he looked at them, as if sizing up a meal.
"Thank you for your warm welcome," the Appraiser began, his voice smooth but with an undertone of malice that made Kyler's skin crawl. "This evaluation is unlike the simplistic tools you've encountered thus far. Today, we'll reveal the truth of your potential—publicly."
The last word hung in the air, drawing mixed reactions. Some students buzzed with excitement, while others shifted uncomfortably.
"Publicly?" Caesar muttered under his breath. He stepped forward, addressing the Appraiser directly. "Sir, wouldn't it be more efficient to conduct these evaluations privately? Some of us—"
"Are you questioning the process?" The Appraiser's voice cut through the yard like a blade. His smirk widened as he tilted his head toward Caesar. "I assure you, transparency is essential for this exercise. Or do you disagree, Your Majesty?" The last two words were dripping with condescension.
Caesar clenched his jaw, his fists tightening at his sides. Kyler watched as his friend visibly struggled to keep his composure.
"Shall we begin?" The Appraiser gestured toward the first student, a boy near the front of the group. "Step forward."
The boy hesitated, but under the Appraiser's piercing gaze, he approached the pedestal. The man waved his hand, and a holographic screen materialized above the boy, glowing with vivid symbols and text.
Name: Jaren
Age: 17
Race: Human
Mental Strength: 9
Powers: Gravel Deity
Affinity: 16
Jaren's face lit up at the results, and murmurs of approval rippled through the crowd. The Appraiser didn't acknowledge the boy's grin, merely waving him off and calling the next student.
One by one, students stepped forward, each greeted by a glowing display of their stats. The crowd reacted with awe, laughter, or whispers, depending on the results.
"Wow, she has a 20 in Mental Strength!"
"That guy's Affinity is barely at Beginner—what a joke."
"Do you think anyone will max out an Affinity?"
When Rebecca's turn came, the yard fell quiet. She approached the pedestal with confidence, her white hair catching the light. The holographic display formed, revealing her details:
Name: Rebecca
Age: 17
Race: Human
Mental Strength: 19
Powers: Primordial of Wind
Affinity: 37
The students gasped at her stats, especially her high Mental Strength and Affinity. Rebecca glanced back at Kyler briefly, her expression unreadable, before stepping away.
"Interesting," the Appraiser mused, his smirk deepening. "Such rare talents."
Caesar, clearly restless as if he knew something, urged Kyler, "Leave now. I can cover for you."
The Appraiser turned to Kyler as if hearing what was said. "Ah, the one I've been waiting for." His voice took on a theatrical quality, as if performing for an audience.
Kyler's stomach churned. He felt he was forced to step forward reluctantly, feeling the weight of every eye in the yard on him. The Appraiser's grin widened as he gestured for Kyler to place his hand on the pedestal.
Caesar was panicked, as if signaling something. He raised a hand, held up three fingers, then made a fist.
The holographic display formed, but unlike the others, it split into three separate screens. Gasps echoed as two of the screens were blurry and unreadable. The single clear screen revealed Kyler's details:
Name: Kyler ???
Age: 8 days
Race: ???
Mental Strength: 5
Powers: Innate
Affinity: Max
The yard descended into stunned silence.
Kyler, seeing this for himself, could only speculate that the 8 days corresponded to the time he was knocked unconscious, so it could have been when he was transported here. But why did his race show as ??? Could he be a different type of human, like a High Human, since 3,000 years had passed? But is my Mental Strength really that low? I'm assuming 5 is horrible compared to the others.
"What... what does that mean?" someone finally whispered.
"Eight days? Is that a joke?"
"What's Innate? And how can an Affinity be Maxed?"
Kyler stared at the display, his heart pounding. The Appraiser's smirk had transformed into something more sinister.
"Well, well," he said, his tone dripping with satisfaction. "Everyone, if you look at his results, you can see he clearly isn't human, and I don't mean that metaphorically. To protect the students, we will contain this danger."
Over five men emerged from their hiding spots. Seeing this, some of the instructors tried to intervene.
"Even so, that doesn't give you the right! What are you planning on doing with him?" one instructor demanded, stepping forward with an authoritative air, his voice trembling just slightly under the pressure of the tense situation.
"For the protection of our country's future, we will have to…"
"Take him."
The Appraiser's voice was calm, almost casual, but the moment the words left his lips, two of the armed men moved with lightning speed. Hidden blades gleamed in the sunlight as they struck from opposite angles, slicing cleanly through the neck of the protesting instructor. The motion was so precise and synchronized that the head hit the ground before the body could slump to its knees.
The decapitated head rolled grotesquely along the dirt, coming to a stop with its lifeless eyes still wide open in shock. A dark pool began to form beneath it, and the smell of iron filled the air.
The students, who had been frozen in fear, now broke into chaos. A collective gasp of horror swept through the yard, but no one dared to move. One girl clutched her stomach, her face pale as she vomited onto the ground. Others whispered frantically, their words lost in the rising tension.
The Appraiser, unfazed, stepped forward and spoke with a chilling calmness. "After attempting to escape when his abilities were revealed, Kyler—the so-called hero of this country—mercilessly killed all witnesses, students, and instructors alike. He was subdued only after an elite Appraiser from the military was dispatched."
The Appraiser's tone shifted, adopting a mock solemnity, as though narrating a grim report to an audience. "Sadly, despite his valiant efforts, the Appraiser was unable to save the lives of the innocent."
His lips twisted into a demonic grin, his sharp teeth glinting unnaturally in the light. The malice in his expression was unmistakable, growing more sinister with every word. "That will be the headline, of course."
Kyler's heart pounded in his chest. His instincts screamed at him to run, but his legs felt rooted to the spot. He could feel every pair of eyes on him, their fear and distrust like a physical weight.
They're going to kill me... and blame me for everything.
As the Appraiser raised a hand, the armed men began to close in, their movements deliberate and menacing. Kyler forced his legs to move, pivoting on his heel as he prepared to bolt.
But then, in the corner of his vision, something appeared.
Words. Writing. But not just any writing—his own handwriting.
It was as if someone had scrawled them directly onto the air before his eyes.
Mission: Say, "I wish to switch."
Reward: Escape from Danger.
Kyler blinked, his breath catching in his throat. What did it mean? Was this another trick, another illusion? But he had no time to question it. The men were advancing, and the Appraiser's twisted grin was still spreading wider.
The mission floated in his vision, glowing faintly, almost urging him to obey.
"I wish to switch"?
He clenched his fists. He didn't know what would happen if he said the words, but staying meant certain death—and worse, being remembered as the monster who killed everyone.
Swallowing his fear, Kyler took a shaky breath.
"I… I wish to switch," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
In an instant, everything changed.