Chapter 3: The First Calamity
The air was heavy as Zenith Academy prepared its students and teachers. The alarms in the city wailed, and Kenji Saito shivered. He stood at attention with his fellow first-year students in the academy courtyard, all gazing up at the red sky.
The gate was at the edge of the city, a big opening in reality that felt like it had strong, dangerous energy. Gates were normal; students practiced with smaller ones in safe training. But this gate was different; its large size and dark color showed a bigger danger than anything they had faced before.
"We're evacuating civilians from Sector 5," an instructor shouted, his voice amplified by a mana device. "All first-years, form defensive lines! Your job is to support the evacuation efforts and hold off the weaker monsters. Do not engage unless necessary!"
Kenji's heart pounded in his chest. His classmates murmured nervously, their bravado from training sessions replaced by genuine fear.
"This is insane," someone muttered. "We're not ready for this."
Kenji knew they were right. He also wasn't ready.
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The group moved toward Sector 5 while older students and teachers watched carefully. As they got closer to the gate, the air felt heavy, filled with mana that made it feel like they were walking through water. Kenji's head ached, and his body felt weak from the strong pressure.
In stark contrast, his memories of past life were exciting. He could remember such feelings, facing gods and calamities without batting an eye. But that was then—when he was a warrior. Now, he was just a scrawny, powerless teenager.
[SYSTEM ALERT]
Calamity Emanation detected. Eliminate the Divine Fragment within the gate.
Reward: System Upgrade, +500 EXP.
The bright message showed up in front of him, not bothered by the chaos around him. He looked at it, his mind racing.
The holy item was the cause of this gate's issue. If it was not taken care of, it would make the area unstable, allowing stronger monsters to enter. But just thinking about fighting something divine made him feel ill. He was not a hero—not yet.
The first group of monsters came through.
They poured out of the gate like a living flood, grotesque creatures with jagged limbs and glowing red eyes. Some resembled oversized insects, their carapaces glinting in the dim light, while others were more humanoid but twisted beyond recognition.
"Positions!" a senior student bellowed.
The first-year students hastened to form a line in defense, their hands shaking as they raised their weapons. Kenji stood at the back, clutching the hilt of a normal training sword.
The battle started with loud screams and sounds of metal hitting metal. Older students and teachers led the attack, easily defeating the weaker monsters. First-year students helped by throwing fireballs, bolts of lightning, or creating shining magic barriers.
Kenji stood still, his body not moving.
"Fight, come on!" a boy yelled, pushing Kenji forward.
Kenji tripped but just missed a clawed hand that tried to hit him. The monster growled and jumped at him again, showing its sharp teeth. His instincts kicked in, and Kenji lifted his sword, trying to block the attack.
The sword broke.
The monster's heavy body knocked him down, and he could feel its bad breath on his face. He felt very scared.
"Void Spear!"
He shouted those words without thinking.
A surge of energy erupted in his hand, forming a weapon of pure, crackling darkness. The Void Spear pierced the monster's chest with a sickening squelch, disintegrating its body into ash.
Kenji scrambled to his feet, his breath ragged. His classmates stared at him in shock.
"What the hell was that?" one of them whispered.
Kenji didn't know what to say. The spear he held felt alive, pushing him to move ahead.
You have earned: +50 experience points.
Void Spear has leveled up. Damage +10%.
He barely registered the messages as Kenji was focused back on the fight. More and more monsters were coming, and the defense was beginning to buckle.
The instructors were yelling commands, trying to maintain control, but the tide of monsters just kept coming. Kenji gripped the Void Spear tightly, feeling it as if it were a part of him.
He acted on instinct.
Every step reminded him of his past life: his stance, his strikes, his movements. He moved through the chaos with skill, the Void Spear cutting through monsters accurately.
When he reached the front line, many of his classmates were already down. Medics were pulling their bodies to safety, but seeing them covered in blood scared Kenji.
"Kenji!"
He looked to see a teacher pointing at a group of monsters coming through the eastern side.
"Cover that side! Now!"
Kenji nodded and ran towards the opening. A group of creatures was coming right at some civilians who were trying to escape.
"Void Spear: Cascade!" he yelled.
The spear shattered into a hundred pieces, each one flying toward a target. The monsters screamed when they were hit, their bodies falling apart when struck.
Kenji fell to one knee, panting. The attack had exhausted him, but the civilians were safe—for now.
[SYSTEM ALERT] EXP gained: +200. Ability unlocked: Void Shield.
The fight went on, but things were getting different. Older students and teachers worked together, pushing the monsters back to the gate. Kenji fought with them, and his new powers made him strong.
But when the last of the creatures were beaten, a loud, deep roar came from the gate.
The air grew colder, and a figure stepped through the rift. It was massive, standing at least ten feet tall, its body a grotesque blend of muscle and divine light. Its eyes glowed with an unholy brilliance, and its presence sent waves of terror through the battlefield.
"A divine fragment," someone whispered.
Kenji's blood ran cold. This was the source of the calamity, the mission his system had warned him about.
"Retreat!" an instructor shouted. "Fall back! We can't handle this!"
But Kenji didn't move.
The Void Spear shined in his hand, linking him to the fragment's presence. Memories from his past life filled his mind—the gods he had killed and the battles he had won. He wasn't just a scared teenager anymore. He was a godslayer.
"Kenji, what are you doing?" a classmate yelled as he moved forward.
He looked away from them and focused on the fragment.
"Do you think you can fight me, human?" the fragment shouted, its voice making the ground tremble.
Kenji didn't reply. He raised the Void Spear, his eyes filled with determination.
The fragment charged at him, its big fist swinging down. Kenji moved out of the way, and the spear sliced into its arm. Black liquid splattered from the wound, bubbling when it touched the ground.
The fragment howled in rage, lashing out with a flurry of attacks. Kenji dodged and countered, his movements guided by instincts he didn't fully understand.
[SYSTEM ALERT]
Damage dealt: 20%.
Critical Hit!
The fragment stumbled, but its retaliation was immediate. It called down a wave of energy, sending Kenji flying. He crashed into the ground, pain shooting through his body.
"Kenji!
His classmates looked at him in fear as the piece floated above him, its hand glowing with scary energy.
For a moment, he almost let fear win. But then he remembered what his past self had said.
"You are a godslayer. Act like it."
Gritting his teeth, Kenji collected all the strength he had left.
"Void Spear: Final Strike!"
The spear sparkled as he threw it at the fragment. The weapon went through its chest and made a loud noise when it hit. The fragment let out one last painful scream before its body turned to ash.
[SYSTEM ALERT] Mission Complete. Reward: System Upgrade, +500 EXP.
Kenji fell to the ground, shaking. The battlefield was quiet, and the gate's red light dimmed.
He had won.
But as the excitement died away, one thought remained with him. This was only the beginning.