Not so normal anymore

Tension filled the gymnasium. Six hundred uniforms lined the rows, the sound of shuffling shoes and camera shutters mingling with the principal's steady voice as names were called. It was graduation day, marking the end of twelve years and the start of something new.

Suzuha sat straight-backed amid her peers, her hands neatly folded in her lap.

You did it, Suzuha; this is the day...

Her chest was still, her breathing measured, yet her pulse betrayed her. She had waited for this moment. Unlike others who were here for the plaudits or the ceremony, she is here to demonstrate that every hour of study, every sleepless night, and every sacrifice was worthwhile.

The principal speaks through the speakers, “Top graduate of the Class of 2012, with a record average of 99.4 percent across all subjects, with distinction in mathematics, biology, and literature... and with victories in six academic tournaments this year alone—Hasegawa Suzuha.”

People in the back started clapping, and soon the whole hall was filled with noise. Some of her classmates cheered and some whistled; it made the principal stop and wait, smiling slightly, as Suzuha stood up.

That’s right, I already proved that I’m the best here... Nothing to worry about.

As she walked to the stage, her shoes made a soft clicking sound on the polished floor. There were six hundred pairs of eyes on her, and she could feel the weight of all of the admiration, respect, pride, and sadness.

The principal smiled at her, “Congratulations, Suzuha.”

“Thank you, sir,” Suzuha responded, bowing a little.

“You are the first ever in this school’s history to get a score this high,” he continued. “You have warranted every second of this honor.”

Suzuha nodded as she accepted the diploma presented to her by the principal.

“Thank you.”

Finally... 1 step closer towards my bright future...

But—at the moment when her hand touched the edge of the certificate—something shifted; the sun seemed darker.

A low hum suffused the gymnasium, initially muted, like some tuning fork's vibration, but it then gained volume. Many blinked, shifting slightly in their seats; many others panicked, but all tried their best to keep calm. Fluorescent lights hummed, then flickered out. And at the gym’s center, faintly lit at first but increasing in luminosity, is a circular rune that appeared upon the glossy floor.

Sounds surrounded her, but they were silent, dazed even. Nobody flinched. Nobody. Not even the teachers or any of her peers. Suzuha paused in her step, her diploma still extended in her hand, eyes furrowing in awe at the radiant rune.

What… is this?

The rune's glow slowly spread, bouncing off walls and ceiling, until the whole gym was filled with a golden light.

And then, just like taking a step over an unseen precipice you didn't even know existed, their eyes shut naturally with there being nothing left to cling to.

And when they open their eyes back...

The gym had disappeared.

Now they were standing in a hall far larger than any school gym. Marble floors stretched to impossibly high ceilings, and light streamed from all directions. Arched windows lined the walls, yet the sky outside was a swirl of colors that no one recognized.

There were no teachers. There were no parents. There was no principal. There were only six hundred of them.

Whispers circled, and they glanced at one another. Some students clutched their chairs or the pleats in their uniforms.

Suzuha's stomach knotted up—not quite fear, but… profound irrevocable awareness.

I feel different; something just goes inside my hand. I’m not wrong... I’m feeling nauseous…?

She looked around at the others. There was confusion, awe, and terror at having just witnessed something phenomenal.

Suzuha's eyes were furrowed. She reached for her diploma, which had slipped out of her hands, but it wasn't there.

“What. What just happened?” A boy stammered. “Where are we?!”

A girl near the back let out a single, piercing scream that shattered the fragile quiet. It was followed by a wave of pure, unadulterated panic.

“Oh my god, oh my god, I can't breathe,” someone gasped, clutching their chest and hyperventilating.

“Call the police! Somebody call somebody!” a boy yelled, frantically stabbing at his phone screen before staring at it in horror.

“No signal! There's no signal!”

“My daily login streak for 'Astral Odyssey' is broken! My life is literally over!” another student wailed, tears streaming down their face. A boy with a wild look in his eyes let out a hysterical giggle.

“Is this another world? Are we heroes? I'm not ready for this responsibility!” Another student was holding up their phone, their hands shaking as they tried to record.

“Someone tell my followers what happened! Tell them I love them!”

“Suzuha-chan!!!” Haruna said amongst the crowd, her eyes were tearing. “Are you ok?”

Seeing her friend, Suzuha smiled warmly. “Of course I’m fine; seems like something magical just happened, huh?”

Haruna tilts her head down slowly. “Magical…?”

“Everyone, attention.” Said someone from above.

They looked up from their useless devices, taking in their surroundings through a haze of fear. On a raised dais, a group of men in black robes stared down at them. Haruna hides behind Suzuha.

One of them, a woman with eyes that burned golden bright, broke away and swept towards the grand throne carved from obsidian. She dropped to one knee.

“Your Majesty, it is done! The Grand Summoning is a resounding success!”

The king, a man whose weary eyes had clearly seen too much, leaned forward. He swept his gaze over the assembly of screaming, crying children. “These are our saviors, Cisite? They look… loud. And they are all obsessed with tiny, glowing rectangles.”

The magus, Cisite, rose, her face alight with a feverish, almost mad conviction. “Exactly, Your Majesty. They are our weapon! We shall fight Morvane with them. The golden days of peacefulness shall be ours once again.”

Her triumphant declaration was cut short by a sharp, unimpressed voice from the crowd.

“Okay, cool monologue, sparkle-hair.” A girl with sharp eyes and pink-streaked hair had her hands on her hips, her expression one of profound annoyance.

“But can you just tell us what the hell is going on? Who are you people, and why did you pull us out of graduation? Isn’t this inconsiderate?”

Emeraude, the ex-vice president of the student council, of course has a reason to be pissed.

Cisite froze, her jaw slack. The king, however, let out a low chuckle. He rose from his throne, silencing the panicking students. His voice boomed, rich and powerful.

“Welcome to the Kingdom of Noston!! I am King Ostoria! And I welcome the six hundred of you who will be our champions! I sense that every one of you had a better chance of protecting this kingdom and world! All your mana is impeccable!”

“Now without further ado, let’s—!”

“Wait!” Suzuha’s voice rang out.

“Sorry to interrupt, but if our job is to defeat that Morvane person. Why do you need so many heroes? A few may be enough to defeat one powerful being, isn’t it?”

The hall stirred with murmurs, but they died the instant the king raised his hand. He rose from his throne, descending the dais with a stride that silenced even breath.

“This world is vast, and its trials are unending,” he said. “No single hand can hold its burdens. Six hundred stand here, and six hundred shall bear its future. Your world is a mere half of this world. Certainly, we need as many so we can spread it out.” His gaze swept the crowd, sharp yet steady.

“But rejoice! To ensure all of your survival, for the next two weeks, you will be tested. These trials will measure your worth, your strength, and your resolve. Only through them will your place in this world be known.”

Emeraude continued, “What kind of test?”

The king’s lips curved into the faintest smile. “You will see when you arrive,” he answered simply, then said no more. “Now for the first test! Bring the thing!”

It was Cisite again, the robed magus at his side, who finally stepped forward. “What we can tell you is this,” she said. “These stones will reveal the flow of your mana, the element bound to your soul, and the weapon that answers your hand. Beyond that, the trials are yours to face.”

The king raised his arm, and the crystal pedestals shimmered brighter, their glow painting the floor in lines of living light. “Step forward,” he commanded. “Let the measure begin. Who shall be the hero, who shall be the saint, and who shall be the failure?”

“Suzuha-chan…” Haruna said shakily behind her.

“Don’t worry, it’s gonna be fine. Now let’s get this over with.”

.

.

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"Eh? 10 mana?"