Chapter 1 - A typical lousy day

My name is Randy Russell.

I’m fifteen years old. A student at Borneo High School in Sabah.

And… yeah.

I’m a loser.

Not the smartest. Not the best-looking. Not popular. Not anything, really.

Just… background noise in someone else’s story.

The only thing I’ve ever had?
Books.

And an uncle—an archaeologist working in some big-shot museum in London. He barely comes home, but when he does… those are the only times life feels remotely interesting.

The rest?

Getting beaten up. Every. Single. Day.

Doesn’t matter if it’s a guy or a girl.
Sometimes they want money.
Sometimes they just want a punching bag.

And somehow… I always qualify.

God… I’m so damn tired of this life.

The classroom buzzes with morning noise as I rest my head on the desk.

Outside, the sky is dark—unnaturally dark. Thick clouds swallow the sun whole, like something bad is about to happen.

Thunder rumbles.

Wind howls.

“…Looks like a storm,” I mutter, half-asleep. “Great. Didn’t even bring an umbrella…”

At the front, Raul—the class monitor—stands straight like he owns the place. Marlisa beside him, neat and composed as always.

“Today is a new day,” Raul announces. “Let’s make it a good one.”

Yeah.

Right.

A good day.

That’s funny.

“Hey… Randy…”

A voice cuts through my thoughts.

I ignore it.

Bad idea.

WHAM!

The table slams hard, jolting my entire body. My chair tilts—then crashes backward, sending me sprawling onto the floor.

Laughter erupts across the classroom.

“Dumb Randy!!” Alfian grins down at me. “What the hell, man? Sleeping this early?”

I slowly sit up, rubbing the back of my head.

There he is.

Alfian.

Good-looking. Popular. Trouble magnet.

And me?

His favorite target.

Behind him, his girlfriend clings to his arm, pouting.

“Hey babe… I’m hungry…”

Ah.

Here we go again.

Alfian cracks his knuckles, staring at me.

“Go buy breakfast.”

No “please.” No hesitation.

Just an order.

Like I’m some kind of servant.

Or worse—an ATM.

Before I can even stand properly—

“Randy.”

Raul calls out.

“Since you’re not doing anything useful, help me deliver this attendance report to the teacher.”

I stare at him.

So that’s it.

I’m the errand boy now too.

A guinea pig for everyone.

“…Sure,” I mutter.

I grab the files and walk out.

The hallway feels colder than usual.

Or maybe that’s just me.

By the time I return—

I forgot the food.

…Of course I did.

I don’t even get a chance to explain.

THUD!

A fist drives straight into my gut.

Air leaves my lungs instantly.

“Useless!” Alfian snarls, grabbing my collar.

His hand slips into my pocket—taking what little money I have.

I glance at Raul.

He looks away.

Like I don’t exist.

…Yeah.

That’s about right.

My life in a nutshell.

Bad first impressions since primary school.
Never really fit in.
Never tried to.

I stopped caring a long time ago.

The only thing that keeps me going?

Fantasy stories.

And what my uncle taught me.

Survival skills.
Camping.
Improvising tools.

He once told me:

“You’ve got a rare talent, Randy. People just don’t see it yet.”

Yeah.

A talent for what?

Getting punched?

Sure.

I can shoot well.
Fix machines.
Build things out of junk.

But none of that matters here.

Math. History. Language.

That’s what counts.

Not survival.

Not reality.

The wind suddenly howls louder.

Way louder.

Windows rattle violently.

The sky—

…it’s wrong.

The clouds twist unnaturally, spiraling like a vortex forming right above the school.

“What the hell is that…?”

Students begin to panic.

The air pressure drops.

My ears ring.

Then—

WHOOSH!

A violent gust slams into the building.

“AHHHHH!!”

Desks fly.

Chairs flip.

People scream as we’re dragged—no—ripped out of the classroom.

My body lifts off the ground.

I’m flying.

No—

I’m being pulled.

Instinct kicks in.

I grab my sling bag—my survival bag—just before everything turns into chaos.

Good.

At least I have that.

Then—

A blinding light swallows everything.

Silence.

When my vision returns—

We’re no longer in school.

We’re inside… a massive chamber.

Stone pillars stretch high above us. Torches flicker along the walls.

The architecture… it’s like something straight out of my uncle’s stories.

Medieval European… mixed with Middle Eastern designs.

What the hell…?

At the far end—

A throne.

And someone sitting on it.

An old man with a crown.

Holding a long staff.

“Is this… a dream?”

The old man speaks.

But we don’t understand a single word.

It sounds like—

Arabic?

Russian?

Something… mixed.

Weird.

Then—

He raises his staff.

A pulse of energy shoots forward.

SHRIIIIING—!!

A sharp sound pierces my ears.

Pain.

Then—

A voice.

Clear.

Inside my head.

“People of the other world!!”

Wait—

We understand him now.

The crowned man rises.

“Welcome… to our world.”

A beautiful girl steps forward gracefully.

“This is my father, King Lozla,” she says. “And I am Princess Verica.”

She smiles gently.

“This world is called Mana.”

…Another world?

Seriously?

Raul steps forward immediately, confident as always.

“I’m Raul. We are students from Borneo High School. What is going on?”

Princess Verica nods.

“Do not be afraid. We are not your enemies.”

She pauses.

Then—

“You have been chosen… to become our champions.”

Silence.

Then—

“BROOO THIS IS ISEKAI!!!”

The room explodes into chaos.

We’re moved to another chamber.

Over 200 students. Teachers. Staff.

Even now—

Alfian hasn’t stopped.

THUD!

“There!! That helps me calm down!”

His fist drives into me again.

“What a loser!”

…Yeah.

Still the same.

Different world.

Same crap.

I push myself up slowly.

Then—

A hand reaches out.

“…Here.”

I look up.

A girl.

Different from Verica.

But similar.

Her presence feels… calmer.

Stronger.

She hands me a vial.

“Drink it.”

I hesitate.

Then drink.

Warmth spreads instantly.

The pain in my gut disappears.

“…Whoa.”

When I look up—

She’s already walking away.

“Better get going, sir.”

“…It’s Randy,” I call out. “I have a name, you know.”

She pauses slightly.

“…Sir Randy.”

“Just Randy!”

“…You’re different from the others.”

I blink.

“…Is that an insult?”

“…No.”

She turns slightly.

“My name is Luna.”

A pause.

“…Daughter of King Lozla.”

Oh.

So… another princess.

“Nice to meet you,” I say.

She leans closer slightly.

For a moment—

Her eyes feel… sharp.

Almost like she’s seeing through me.

Then—

She pushes me lightly forward.

“Go.”

Before disappearing, she whispers—

“…Be careful.”

Something slips into my hand.

A jewel.

“…Run… if anything goes wrong.”

…What?

Later—

We gather again.

The old man steps forward.

“I am Kuzman. The kingdom’s sorcerer.”

His eyes glow faintly.

“We will now appraise your abilities.”

One by one—

Students step forward.

Raul.

Kuzman’s eyes widen.

“Incredible… You possess great strength. A leader’s power!”

Cheers erupt.

Marlisa—

“A sage… remarkable!”

Alfian—

“Immense physical strength!”

More cheers.

More excitement.

Then—

Me.

I step forward slowly.

Reluctantly.

Kuzman stares at me.

Silence.

Then—

He frowns.

“…Average.”

A pause.

Then worse—

“No… below average.”

Laughter.

Louder than before.

“He possesses no strength of an archer… no skill of a blacksmith…”

More laughter.

“Stop it!!”

Teacher Luqman steps forward.

“This is not something to laugh about!”

Kuzman turns slowly.

“…Do you question my judgment?”

“He’s just a child—”

Magic gathers.

A spell forms.

Aimed straight at him.

Time slows.

I move.

I shove him aside.

The spell hits—

Me.

A flash of light.

A tearing sensation.

Like being ripped out of reality itself.

“…Damn it…”

So this is it?

Left behind.

To die.

Pretty typical eh?

To Be Continued…