The air in the bookstore was stagnant, smelling of old paper and the owner's greed. At 11:00 PM, the only sound was the rhythmic thud of books being shoved onto shelves.after that,i just
I wiped the sweat from my brow, my reflection in the window looking like a ghost—pale, thin, and drained.
"Wealthy bastards," I muttered. The owner didn't care that I had been on my feet for twelve hours. To him, I wasn't a student; I was just a cheap tool. "If my life weren't tied to this paycheck, I'd leave this suffocating freedom behind."
[Memory Synchronization: 6 Years Prior]
The shouting always started at dinner. My mother's voice was a jagged blade, cutting into my father for the money he couldn't earn. I used to think he was the 'honest' one, a man of integrity.
Then came the night I saw his hands—the hands I respected—trembling as he slid bills out of my mother's purse. It wasn't just greed; it was the desperation of a gambler. Then came the cancer. Then came my mother's remarriage to a man with deep pockets.
I wasn't part of her new "affluent" life. I was the leftover mistake.
Present Time: 12:15 AM
"Done," I whispered, the last book clicking into place.
I walked home along the lonely slum road. The moon was a pale eye hidden behind thick clouds, refusing to look at me. At seventeen, my friends were at university, chasing futures. I was chasing a survival in a slum.
"If I had just a bit of luck... a single chance to prove my worth," I thought, my fist tightening.
Suddenly, the ground didn't feel like dirt anymore. A violent, rhythmic hum shook my bones. A Crimson Magic Circle erupted under my feet, the light so bright it turned the dark road into a slaughterhouse red. My Senses spiked, though I don't know what is happening to me.
"WHAT IS THIS?!"
I wasn't screaming in fear. For the first time in my life, I felt a shock that wasn't caused by misery. It was the sound of a gear finally turning. The crimson vortex didn't just transport us; it shredded my sense of reality. When my eyes finally snapped open, the world was no longer a slum road. It was a cold, windowless stone chamber lit by flickering, rhythmic flames of ancient lamps.
An iron door loomed at the end of the room—a silent, heavy sentinel.
"So, the late-waker finally joins us," a sharp, arrogant voice cut through the silence.
I sat up, my head throbbing. Six others were scattered across the floor. The speaker was a muscular youth with eyes like flint, his posture radiating a forced authority. This was Ryota Kaname.
"You're the only one who took this long to crawl back to consciousness," Kaname scoffed.
"Are you... alright?" a girl asked. She had golden hair and skin so pale she looked like she was carved from porcelain. Sera Takeshi. Beside her, a quiet boy with eyes like a hawk muttered, "Doesn't matter how he feels. What matters is where we are."
A boy with short, neat hair stepped into the center. Keita Ishizaki. He projected a calm that felt almost artificial. "Calm down, everyone. Panicking is a waste of breath. There are seven of us. We should start with names."
One by one, the "Heroes" introduced themselves.
Ren Itsuki, lean and nonchalant.
Hirata Migori, shivering and clutching his knees.
And in the corner, a girl so still her Aura Density felt like a fading ghost—Yui Amagi.
Finally, it was my turn. I took a shaky breath. "I'm Ash... Ash Kurami. Seventeen."
The silence that followed was heavy. Kaname's nose wrinkled in disgust. "Seventeen? You look like you've been living in a sewer, Ash. The smell is revolting. If we get out of here, come find me. My old man is loaded—I'll buy you some rags so you don't embarrass us."
"Shut up, Kaname," Sera snapped, her eyes flashing. "Being a rich brat doesn't give you the right to be a piece of trash."
"Watch your mouth, girl," Kaname stood abruptly, his physical presence looming. "I don't care who you are; I'll shut it for you."
"As i am scared by shitty muscles lf your" Sera spoke loudly in sharp gazed.
Keita said "Guys clam down we must understand the situation and work as a team" his word hold at true nature of Guide for a team.
Kaname spoked pointing is finger at sera "Team you said keita , This girl poked me being spoiled brat ".
'Before the quarrel went more and more wild suddenly we heard a loud strange noise from iron door beside the dark room'
CRACK.
The iron door didn't open; it groaned. A man in a deep cowl and a wide-brimmed hat stepped in, holding a leather-bound tome.
"Welcome, Travelers," his voice was like dry parchment rubbing together. "You have been summoned to the World of Sumania as the foretold Heroes. Do not panic. Follow me; the King awaits."
"Heroes?" Ren whispered, a dark curiosity in his eyes.
"Sumania?" Kaname laughed, though his hand was trembling. "What is this, some Isekai garbage?"
"Heroes this man looked weird by clothing is it really earth or any other world" she flinched herself making sure it isn't dream.
Yui "interesting cause I never analyze outer dimension"her smart and elegant manner of speaking was difficult to understand.
"Finally nerd girl is taking intrest ha , let it be let's follow this strange man right guys".
Everyone of us started following the knight through hallway>
As we walked, escorted by knights in silver plate armor, the air grew thick. The knights didn't just walk; they marched with a Killing Intent that felt like a physical weight against our skin.
"Aren't you scared?" I whispered to the group. "They could turn us into slaves."
Hirata let out a whimper, but Kaname just grinned. "Slaves? Let them try. I'll punch their teeth through their skulls until they send us back to Earth."
We reached the Grand Hall. It was an expanse of gold and marble, filled with the hushed whispers of a crowd. "The Heroes... so young... can they truly hold the Weight?"
At the far end, sitting upon a throne of obsidian and gold, was a man who defined the word 'Heavy.' He wore a cloak with golden straps, a massive broadsword resting against his knee.
"Welcome, Heroes," the King's voice resonated through our chests. It was Zelderis Kanzaki. "I am the King of the Imperial Kingdom. I know your names—Keita, Kaname, Ash... all of you. Sit. Listen. The world you knew is gone. Sumania is dying, and you are the cure."
"That man is King he looks like he born to be king"
Sera was surprised seeing person with clothes like that "he is so honorable here i guess".
I said with a smile " He king isn't it why you're so surprised sera. While time we were in our own thoughts suddenly ,,
Keita stepped forward, bowing with practiced grace. "We are honored by your greeting, King Zelderis. Please... explain why we are here."
I stayed in the back, my heart hammering. The others looked excited, or angry, or calculating. But as I looked at the King, I didn't see a savior. I saw a man looking at seven new weapons.
The King didn't stand. He didn't need to. He simply leaned forward, and the Aura Density in the room shifted, making the air feel twice as thick.
"Heroes," King Zelderis began, his voice a low vibration that rattled the silver plates of his knights. "I will not lie to you. Sumania is a dying world. For centuries, our land was balanced. But now, the earth itself has begun to bleed. We call them The Dungeons—jagged wounds in reality that vomit forth monsters we can no longer contain."
He unsheathed the massive sword an inch, revealing a blade that hummed with a rhythmic, golden light.
"Our warriors are falling. Our common soldiers cannot even step inside these Dungeons without their hearts stopping. Why? Because the Aura Level of this world is disbalanced. We are natives of this soil, and we are being rejected by the very mana that once fed us. But you..."
He pointed a heavy, gloved finger toward the seven teenagers.
"You are outer beings. Your souls are not yet bound to the laws of Sumania. You are blank canvases with the potential for infinite Aura Density. You are the only ones who can enter the depths of these Dungeons and cut out the rot at the source."
The Heroes' Reaction: A Clash of Wills
Kaname let out a sharp, jagged laugh. He stepped forward, ignoring the knights' glares. "Dungeons? Monsters? You're telling me I'm a protagonist now? Fine. If I'm the hero, I want the best weapons and the best food. I'll clear your little basements in a week."
Keita frowned, his mind moving like a clock. "Your Majesty, you speak of 'Disbalanced Aura.' If the air itself is toxic to your people, what makes you think we can survive it? Are we just... better? Or are we just expendable?"
Yui spoke for the second time all other listening, her voice a cold, flat line. "Calculating the risk... If the native population has a 0% success rate, our survival depends entirely on the 'gift' you intend to give us. King, what is the 'X-Factor' that makes a human from Earth different from a knight of Sumania?"
Hirata was trembling so hard his teeth were clicking. "Dungeons... monsters... this isn't a game. We're going to die here. I want to go back to the EARTH. I don't want to fight!"
Sera stepped next to Hirata, her face pale but determined. "We don't even know what 'Aura' is. You're asking us to fight a war in a world we can't even understand."
Ren remained silent, his eyes fixed on the King's sword. He wasn't scared; he was measuring the distance.
Ash looked at his own trembling hands. He thought of the bookstore, the smell of old paper, and the poverty he left behind. If I'm a weapon here, he thought, at least I'm not a slave to a paycheck.
The King's Closing Command
"You ask what Aura is," Zelderis said, his eyes glowing with a faint, rhythmic pulse. "You ask why you are here. These questions are the luxury of the living. Soon, you will see your own Status Windows. You will see the numbers that define your soul. You will feel the weight of your own density."
He slammed his sword back into its sheath. The sound was like a thunderclap.
"Guards! Take them to the Chamber of Awakening. It is time to see which of these children are truly Heroes... and which are merely fuel for the Dungeons."
We all looked at the King in a shocked and confused manner.
Keita looked at the obsidian floor, his fingers twitching as if he were counting invisible numbers. He looked back up at the King, his voice steady but laced with a cold logic.
Keita: "A 'Chamber of Awakening.' So, our bodies are about to be rewritten to fit the laws of Sumania. Tell me, King Zelderis—if we are the 'cure' for this world, what happens to the cells that fail to adapt during the process? Do we simply... cease to exist?"
The King's only answer was a slow, predatory smile that didn't reach his eyes. He signaled the knights.
Zelderis: "That is for the stone to decide. Move."
We were marched out of the Grand Hall. The transition from the gold-leafed luxury of the throne room to the damp, subterranean tunnels was a sharp reminder of our new reality. The air grew colder, vibrating with a low-frequency hum that made my teeth ache.
Hirata: "Guys, please... maybe we can just talk to them again? I don't want to go into a 'Chamber.' It sounds like a tomb."
Kaname: "Shut up, Hirata. If this is an RPG, the 'Awakening' is where we get our cheat codes. I'm going to have the highest Potential aura here. Just watch."
Sera: "Is that all you care about, Kaname? We're being treated like cattle being led to a slaughterhouse, and you're worried about your ego."
Ren remained at the back of the group, his eyes scanning the silver-clad knights. I noticed he was watching the way they gripped their swords—not in fear, but as if he were memorizing their movements.
Yui: "The atmospheric pressure is increasing by 0.3% every ten meters we descend. The 'Aura' the King mentioned... it's not just energy. It's mass. We are walking into a zone of high-density particles."
I stayed silent, walking between Yui and Keita. My heart was a frantic drum against my ribs. I looked at my thin, calloused hands. In the bookstore, these hands were only good for carrying dead weight. Here, the King said I was a "blank canvas."
Ash: "High density..." I whispered to myself.
The heavy iron doors of the Grand Hall swung shut behind us, replaced by a descent into the dark, vibrating heart of the castle. The air here was different—it was thick, tasting of iron and static.
We reached the Chamber of Awakening. In the center stood the Aether Pillar, a jagged monolith of violet crystal that pulsed like a living heart. Around it, three figures stood in high-collared military uniforms—the Commanders of the Imperial Army.
The King sat upon a temporary stone throne at the edge of the chamber, his eyes narrow, watching. Behind him, the Crowd of nobles and priests whispered in a rhythmic, hushed drone.
"The resonance is starting," Commander 1 whispered, his hand on his sword hilt. "Let us see if they are legends or corpses."
The Assessing: One by One
Commander 2 stepped forward, his voice a bark. "Kaname Ryota! Step to the Pillar!"
Kaname smirked, rolling his shoulders. "Watch and learn, peasants." He slammed his palm against the crystal. The violet light turned into a violent, roaring orange.
[Aura Density: 2,000]
[Attribute: Flame]
The Crowd gasped. "Two thousand? A beginner at this level, even elf prince had just 1900 at his age of 5 maybe he is older enough to get it?"
Commander 3: "Impressive. His aura is jagged and aggressive. A natural-born destroyer."
Kaname: "Only two thousand? Hah! That's already more than enough to burn this world down."
"Next! Hirata Migori!"
Hirata stumbled forward, his hands shaking. When he touched the stone, a sharp yellow spark cracked through the air.
[Aura Density: 800]
[Attribute: Thunder]
Commander 1 sighed. "Weak density, but the attribute is volatile. He will be a support unit at best."
Hirata: "8-800? Is that bad? Am I going to die?"
Kaname: "Stick to the back, kid. You're just a battery for the rest of us."
"Next! Yui Amagi!"
Yui walked with a rhythmic, steady pace. She touched the crystal for only a second. The light didn't flare; it turned a deep, unsettling purple.
[Aura Density: 1,700]
[Attribute: Psychic]
Commander 2 shivered. "My head... it feels like it's being squeezed. Her density is high, but her control is terrifying."
Yui: "Internal pressure is 1,700. Within projected margins. The cerebral resonance is acceptable."
"Next! Sera Takeshi!"
Sera stepped up, her face a mask of cold determination. As she touched the pillar, frost began to creep across the floor, turning the violet light into a brilliant, crystalline blue.
[Aura Density: 2,100]
[Attribute: Ice]
The Crowd erupted. "She surpassed Kaname! Look at the floor... it's freezing!"
Commander 3: "A density of 2,100. She's not a hero; she's a blizzard. Absolute potential."
Sera: "I don't care about the numbers. I just want the power to protect those who can't fight."
"Next! Ren Itsuki!"
The room went silent. Ren moved like a shadow. He didn't just touch the pillar; he gripped it. The entire chamber exploded into a blinding, white radiance. The violet crystal turned pure gold.
[Aura Density: 3,000]
[Attribute: Light]
Commander 1 fell to his knees. "Three thousand? That's... that's the highest beginner record in the history of the Summoning! He is the Sun itself!"
The King gripped his throne, his eyes wide. "Ren Itsuki... the God-King's chosen."
Ren: Silence. He simply stared at his hands, the light reflecting in his hawk-like eyes.
Kaname "what 3000 ? Is it that big deal mr.knight
"According to my calculations 2100 was more surpassing their orbsnlimit so 3000 is really big deal he is more powerful than us all, even he didn't talk mostly even far than me".
Sera whispered to herself "3000 ? 800 level more than me he is monster truly!.
The blinding gold radiance from Ren Itsuki slowly receded, leaving spots in everyone's vision. The Commanders were still whispering in hushed, terrified tones about the "God-King's chosen."
"Next..." Commander 2 cleared his throat, trying to regain his military composure. "Keita Ishizaki! Step forward."
Keita adjusted his collar. He didn't look impressed by Ren's 3,000 density; instead, he looked like he was solving a difficult math equation in his head. He walked to the crystal .
with a rhythmic, measured stride that showed no hesitation.
Kaname: "Go on then, Mr. President. Let's see if your 'logic' can beat my fire."
Keita didn't glance back. He placed his hand flat against the violet crystal. Unlike Kaname's roar or Ren's explosion of light, the pillar reacted with a steady, pulsing hum. The violet light deepened into a structured, emerald green.
[Aura Density: 1,600]
[Attribute: Wind / Spatial Perception].
"Not a big deal still good Talkative boy" he laughed and get his hand on his shoulder.
" Feeling bad for hirata Kun."
The Final Awakening: Ash Kurami
"Lastly... Ash Kurami."Mage loudly announce
The atmosphere in the room plummeted. The nobles covered their noses, their whispers turning into sneers.
Kaname let out a loud, mocking laugh. "Look at him. The sewer rat is actually going to touch the crystal of power .Hey, Ash, don't get your hopes up. If your density hits 100, I'll be surprised. You're just the background character here."
Sera looked at me, her eyes filled with a mix of pity and frustration. "Ash... just do it quickly. Don't listen to him. Even if your number is low, we can still find a way."
I didn't answer. I walked toward the crystal, my ragged clothes fluttering in the cold draft of Sera's lingering ice. I felt the Crowd's judgment like a physical weight. I felt the Commanders' boredom.
I reached out. My hand, scarred from years of manual labor at the bookstore, touched the violet crystal.
The crystal didn't turn orange. It didn't turn blue or gold. It turned pitch black.
A rhythmic, heavy thumping began to vibrate through the floor—like a giant heart beating beneath the castle. The violet light flickered, struggling to stay alive as the blackness swallowed it.
[WARNING: CALCULATING ANOMALY..
.]
[AURA DENSITY: ???]
[ATTRIBUTE: ???]
The Mage screamed, "The crystal ! It's not reflecting his soul! It's being drained!"
[LOADING...].....