Skyless
—It was a simple mundane start for any regular day to Shoji Sato, an introvert who prefers to isolate himself away from the rest of his class. He doesn’t find this way of life uncomfortable, more likely; it’s something he’s accustomed to. He’s always on his phone, not to play video games but to read visual novels and talk to his online friend! And probably is his one and only friend.
Shoji and his online friend have daily discussions about topics they’ve found fascinating. They often read to each other where one is the reader and one acts as the listener or audience. Since they’re so naturally attached to each other they often do homework on call and even though they’ve never met each other in real life their bond felt genuine. His online friend’s name is Riri Haimawari.
Shoji always looked forward to returning home to talk to Riri; it felt like the only safe place in this world for him. After all he was just a simple bookworm. He was simply glad to share hobbies with someone else.
He gazed longingly at the clouds above as the class settled into silence, the teacher walked into the classroom. Everyone organized themselves into their seats except Shoji who was already seated, his eyes remained fixed on the sky above in search for a deep longing he found hard to describe. Reminiscent? Maybe.
’Must be nice huh… I want to know more of this world, I wonder if Haimawari-san thinks the same thing. I wish I could look at something and go “Oh I know this” it would be so cool, I want to meet Haimawari-san one day.
’This world is really big and fascinating. Although I don’t go outside I want to learn more about existence, you know what they say. “Knowledge is power –Francis Bacon” I want all the knowledge in the world. But that would probably make my brain collapse—Oh, I know! I want to know the exact date me and Riri will meet in the future.’
’Wait… why do I sound like I’m crushing over her? I think they call it ‘limerence’ but that wouldn’t make sense since me and Riri have known each other for quite a long time.’
Shoji continued with his reminiscent daydream peering deeper into the vast blue of the sky with a relaxed smile.
“Alright class, I’m going to be in the bathroom. Make sure to behave!” the teacherexited the classroom and the door sealed shut.
A student with sharp yellow hair and a particularly average face, Nijiro Aki, smiled and cued everyone a thumbs up. “Hall clear!”
“Hell yeah!”
“Nijiro, did you finish that new pixel quest dungeon?” His brown-haired friend asked. This friend also had quite the average build, but his presence felt more playful and he had green eyes. His name is Riku Abe.
“You bet I did! Some guy at level 41 carried me ‘w’.” Nijiro exclaimed.
Before the class could finish their light celebration a blinding flash of blue and white enveloped the room.
As the light faded they regained their vision, slowly, some of them got up. They were immediately struck with confusion. Shoji slowly stood up and scanned the periphery; white and masterfully designed marble pillars equidistant and adjacent to each other perpetually stretched out towards the stadium in front of them.
“Where are we?!” A girl with a petite figure and orange hair demanded an answer, she was visibly frustrated and presumably a tsundere archetype. Hikari Goto.
“Calm down, we don’t know yet. Head count how many of us are there?” A voice spoke calmly, it came from a blue-haired boy who spoke with unhidden laziness but moved with absolute confidence and leadership. His presence sent murmurs rippling throughout the class, with the tacit agreement of everyone they decided to have him as the leader. “21 of us, I’m Ken Sato, the one who sits at the back near the door. Surprise, surprise most of you don’t know me.” he jestingly shrugged, eyes up with a smirk.“I understand that everyone is confused but we’re all in the same situation, crying or panicking won’t do us any good.” He said with equal laziness, enviably enough he was extremely charming and handsome.
“So… ‘Ken’.” Hikari said with a sharp edge. “What now?”
“From what seems like it we’re inside a palace, but we can’t be so sure. This is obviously the classic isekai hero’s party thing so we wait for 30 minutes and if no one comes to us we leave.” Ken tucked his hands in his pockets, his facial expression shifted to something more calculating but still inherently lazy.
‘He’s not wrong… but with all these eyes how is he holding such composure? I wish I could do that too.’ Shoji’s eyes sharpened with newfound determination, ‘What am I thinking? I have to stay low. Right! I shouldn’t try to get the spotlight, someone like me doesn’t belong there…’
Footsteps echoed from the stadium, the distance narrowed with each step causing growing suspicion, anticipation, and wariness. A figure emerged from the arched doorway, a woman cladded in a white dress with an astounding figure. A goddess perhaps? No. Why would a goddess be here? Maybe a priestess or a Saintess?
The voice suddenly spoke, abruptly cutting all the murmuring from the twenty-one different students. “Greetings hero party! I understand all of you might be confused or perplexed, but that is only natural. Let me introduce myself; I am the Saintess Valeria of the fourth Cathedral of the Holy Empire. And I have come to announce to you all that we were the ones to summon you, don’t worry about housing, food, or supplies since the church will provide for it all. Any questions?”
“Called it. Hero’s party.” Ken delivered with a smug expression, took two steps forward and raised his right hand. “And yes I do have a question,” his tone wasn’t impolite but also wasn’t polite. It was unhurried and more casual. “Do we get skills or classes?”
“OH MY GOD IS THAT YOUR PRIORITY?! Not ‘how do we get back home?’ or ‘what are you gonna do with us?’ instead you ask for video game stats?!” Hikari shouted in frustration.
Responding to her frustration Ken shrugs and dismissively waves his hand. “If we aren’t in our world anymore, what’s the point in sulking in frustration? I’d rather know that we have cool powers that help us survive rather than how to get home, it is naïve of you to think that we even have a chance of returning to Earth.”
Ken’s word struck some cords amidst the crowd. Naturally they felt anxious, some growing even more concerned. “Tch… fine.” Hikari reluctantly submitted to his reasoning.
’At least Ken is being straightforward and reasonable. He’s already claimed the role of the leader, so that makes him central to our structure.’ Amidst his thoughts Shoji felt deeply saddened. ‘If his statement is correct then I might not see Haimawari-san again. So I’m definitely not in the same page as he is, I refuse to believe there isn’t a way back. Because there has to be. I need to return to her.’
“This young gentleman here is right,” Saintess Valeria let out a faint laugh in amusement. “You might not be able to return home.” The Saintess’s unexpected honesty had the crowd widen their eyes. “But you will be given classes and you can unlock skills. But most importantly you will be given a ‘gift,’ a gift is equal to an authority. Only a member of the hero’s party can have gifts, you gain new gifts the stronger you get.”
Valeria’s explanation gave the crowd a share relief as she continued. “And to answer the lady’s question…” she glanced at Hikari for a brief moment before her gaze drifted back to the crowd. “Yes, you can return home. Only after you defeat the demon king. And as for what we intend to do to you, we’re obviously going to train you. It’s only natural to prepare the hero’s party for their march against the demon king.” She explained.
“So you just happened to herd a bunch of teenagers like sheep following a shepherd, but instead of following you essentially just kidnapped us.” A voice emanated further back, the source was a girl with long ash blonde hair that cascade down to her hips with soft waves and volume. Her bangs are side-swept enough to show her eyes, double eyelids and amber eyes with a delicate and profoundly ethereal visage. This was the school’s top beauty Himawari Akiyama.
“Oh my~! The word ‘kidnapped’ might be an exaggeration. Perhaps you just need time to integrate.” Valeria waved her hand dismissively, “Moving on, follow me to the stadium to receive your classes and gifts.”
The group fell into a slow rhythm, following Saintess Valeria a few paces behind. Everyone drew wary glances towards the royal guards at her side, finally as they halted in the middle the class awakening ceremony has begun!
Everyone organized in a single file line, after receiving their classes they gain access to their “system windows.”
【Status Window】
Name: Ken Sato
Age: 16
Class: Crusader
Level: 1
Title: Undying Light [+ 30% Will And Endurance]
Basic Stats:
Strength: E
Agility: E
Endurance: D
Mana: D
Will: D
Intelligence: A-
Charm: A
Skills:
·Final Light (Lv.1)
·Second Wind (Lv. 1)
Ken stared at the window blankly, he placed his hand under his chin and his lips slowly curled up.
“I’m the only one with two skills from the get-go, not bad.” He smirked at the status window before him.
“Don’t get it into your head.” Hikari hissed, followed with opening her own status window.
【Status Window】
Name: Hikari Goto
Age: 16
Class: Pyromaniac
Level: 1
Title: None
Basic Stats:
Strength: F+
Agility: E+
Endurance: E+
Mana: D-
Will: E
Intelligence: C
Charm: B+
Skills:
·Ember (Lv.1)
“Your stats are literally lower than mine, you’re even uglier. Lower charm.” Ken said with a sardonic tone.
“Hey! Not everyone gets as lucky as you!” Hikari pounced at him, he leaned back to fall onto the floor and said satirically. “Oh no, a short-cake highschool girl is gonna beat me up with her small hands!”
Hikari paused, and glared at him intently. Then she looked at her hands and sighed. “Small…” she said it with the heavy disappointment of a sad puppy.
【Status Window】
Name: Nijiro Aki
Age: 16
Class: Summoner
Level: 1
Title: None
Basic Stats:
Strength: E
Agility: D-
Endurance: D+
Mana: D
Will: E+
Intelligence: C+
Charm: C
Skills:
·Summon (Lv.1)
“Aww man. Did this thing really just call me ugly?” Nijiro slouched his back in hurt disappointment.
“C is not bad… but it’s also not good either.” His friend, Riku said reassuringly.
【Status Window】
Name: Riku Abe
Age: 16
Class: Geomancer
Level: 1
Title: None
Basic Stats:
Strength: E+
Agility: E+
Endurance: D
Mana: D+
Will: F
Intelligence: C
Charm: D+
Skills:
·Earth Magic (Lv.1)
“You’re uglier than me.”
“Hey! Uhh… shut up!”
