Chương 2: Freedom

The sword came without warning. While Noa's gaze lingered on the teacher's strained composure, a flash of silver tore through the air toward him. He saw it with an unnatural clarity. Every minute ridge along the blade, the way the torchlight rippled across its polished surface like water, and the faint vibration humming through the steel as it cut cleanly through space. His purple irises tracked its trajectory effortlessly, but his body did the opposite.

It was almost amusing to him—like a reader wondering if a bad ending had just been triggered. Hey, hey… what's going on here? Am I actually gonna die right here? Noa thought, forcing himself to swallow past a sudden dry lump in his throat. The blade drew closer, halting a mere breath away from his throat. It stopped so close that a single shift forward would have opened his neck. The grand hall fell into a suffocating silence. Noa didn't flinch.

Instead, he slowly shifted his purple eyes toward the red-haired knight. That was killing intent, I'm sure of it. He scanned the simmering rage buried behind the man's rigid gaze. The knight holding the weapon possessed bright red hair, and a face that looked as though it had been carved from discipline. His expression did not twitch, his arm did not tremble; he might as well have been holding a common measuring tool rather than a weapon capable of ending a life.

"Kneel before speaking to His Majesty," the knight spoke, without sparing Noa another glance, directing his cold command at the teacher.

"Kyaaa… w-what are you doing?!" After a few seconds of frozen paralysis, a wave of fear finally snapped the students out of their shock. Cries erupted once more, echoing off the high stone ceilings. Several classmates stumbled backward in a frantic scramble, and one boy actually tripped over his own school shoes, hitting the floor with a dull thud before being dragged upright by a panicked friend.

The earlier excitement about getting 'Systems' evaporated instantly, replaced by the primal understanding that sharp metal ends lives. You kidnap us from our world, drag us here by force, and now you expect us to magically understand your culture? Pointing swords at us if we don't? Noa's gaze drifted past the knight, shifting toward the king on his throne. A feast of quiet, white-hot rage began to brew in his chest. Don't fuck with me. I'm not your slave!

They hadn't chosen to come here, they hadn't agreed to any contract, and being summoned did not equate to surrender. A prideful bastard like him would not kneel to some royal he just met.

"Darius, that's enough! Stand down!" the king commanded, his deep voice echoing through the expansive hall. For a second, the tension between military obedience and raw instinct flickered across the knight's eyes. Then, he sheathed his sword with a metallic slide and stepped back into the shadows of the guard line. The king leaned slightly forward on his throne, his movements deliberate and heavy.

"My apologies. I understand your confusion, so allow the head mage to explain the situation." As the king announced to the group, an elderly man stepped forward from the side. He appeared to be in his late forties, his midnight-blue robes flowing in layered fabrics embroidered with silver symbols that shimmered faintly under the chandeliers. He carried a twisted staff, a symbol of authority disguised as wood.

"I'm Elear, the head mage of Cyradis. Please allow me to explain the situation as best as I can." The old man offered a slight bow.

"First of all, you are now in a world called Mythara. And this is a kingdom in the northern region called Cyradis. Ski—""To accelerate your growth, each of you has been granted an Essence Fragment by our god, Illyrion," the head priestess, a woman with pristine silver hair, added from the side. Her fingers were clasped tightly against her chest in deep reverence. God Illyrion… gotta at least thank bro for teleporting me here, Noa thought, nodding to himself with a satisfied smile. Though…

that priestess looks like she's ready to offer up her own fucking head for them.

"Skills are ranked from Common, Uncommon, Rare, Unique, and lastly Legendary," Elear took the attention back to himself, his voice commanding.

"And magic ranks from Tier-1 to Tier-6. To use these skills and magic, we need Aether, the power of this world. That will be all the basic knowledge you will need." When he finished, the ensuing silence in the room was heavier than before. Yeah, yeah, you nerd. It's your average fantasy novel layout with a few tweaks, Noa thought, letting out a dramatic roll of his eyes as he propped a hand on his hip. Though… is Legendary and Tier-6 actually the limit?

While the group whispered among themselves, Kurose Hana—a girl with long pink hair cascading down her back—raised a trembling hand. Her pink eyes glistened with tears that she stubbornly refused to let fall.

"Umm… mister… can we go back home?" Her voice shook, fragile as a candle flame caught in a sudden wind. Hearing her step up, the dam broke, and others quickly followed.

"Yeah, what if we want to return right now?"

"M-my family is waiting for me…"

"Can we just leave?" The hope in their voices was thin, a fragile glass bridge over a canyon. Yeah, right. Like they'd just let us go back. Summoned dudes almost never go back to Earth in novels, Noa watched them, amused by the raw optimism clinging to them like stubborn dust.

"It is impossible," the head mage answered calmly. Two words. That was all it took to shatter their remaining hope like a heavy iron hammer striking glass.

"No way…" one girl collapsed onto her knees, burying her face in her hands as she sobbed.

"You better be kidding right now! I have fucking parents waiting for me at home, you sons of bitches!" a boy cursed loudly, slapping his own cheeks as if trying to wake himself from a horrific nightmare. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. But a few stronger-minded ones began firing overlapping questions at Elear, their voices rising defensively.

"How long are we expected to stay?"

"What exactly are we fighting?"

"Is there any research on dimensional return magic?" Then, a boy stepped forward from the crowd, moving to stand near the teacher. His blonde hair caught the chandelier light perfectly, and his blue eyes were steady and bright. His posture was straight-backed, as if he had practiced standing like a warrior his entire life.

"Your Majesty," he said clearly, projecting a wave of confidence without an ounce of arrogance, "could you grant us a room to rest for now? We need time to sort out our feelings and discuss what comes next." Holy shit… it's the textbook 'save-the-world' protagonist! Noa stared at him from the back, a wide and predatory smile stretching across his face. Even the teacher visibly relaxed with the outstanding student taking charge next to him, as if someone competent had finally grabbed the wheel of a sinking ship.

"I understand," the king replied, his stern features softening slightly.

"You may take your time."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Shun Aoyama replied, bowing with flawless grace. … After the otherworlders were escorted away, the massive doors of the hall shut with a low, resonant thud.

"Darius," the king said quietly, his voice instantly stripped of its royal ceremony. He leaned back into his throne.

"Why did you do that? You're not usually so rash." Darius remained standing where the group of students had been moments before, while Elear and the priestess stood flanking King Manus' throne.

"King Manus… that boy is dangerous. I strongly advise banishing him from the kingdom immediately," Darius replied, dropping to one knee before his sovereign like an educated knight. King Manus exhaled slowly.

"So you sensed it as well. His aura is immense—though others possess similar volumes, his feels… off." He leaned back, rubbing his temples as if the weight of governance pressed against his skull.

"Even so, we cannot act recklessly, Your Majesty. If we harm him without cause, the others will lose trust in us—or worse, rebel," Elear advised, moving his weathered hands.

"Framing him and banishing him to the wild may be our only option… and even that is dangerous."

"I understand that, do not worry," Manus replied, staring at the closed doors. Tsk! I can't fail this time. If I miss this chance, everything is over. Beneath his calm and obedient expression, Darius's fingers tightened slightly around the hilt at his waist.

In the expansive room prepared for them, the sheer scale of luxury was staggering. Velvet curtains, polished floors, and beds softer than anything they'd ever slept on were provided just for a casual 'talk to each other.' It was luxury most couldn't afford, protection better than local police, and comfort greater than their everyday lives of endless studying. But for a person like Noa who wanted freedom to do whatever he pleased, a gilded cage was still a cage.

I need to get the hell out of here, the thought circled his mind continuously, like a hawk tracking prey. This kind of story never ends well for the idiots who obediently follow orders. And my pride won't allow me to be anyone's servant. Heroes become tools, and tools become sacrifices. He hadn't come to this world to serve; he had come to enjoy himself. So whether their intentions were genuinely good or malicious—it didn't matter. He was leaving. The problem is… fucking how?!

After witnessing Darius's supernatural speed, sneaking past three hundred knights felt completely unrealistic. Which left one option: I gotta convince these idiots to come with me and then betray them in the process. Noa's features shifted, his eyebrows knitting together into a thoroughly annoyed, exhausted expression. … And protagonist number 695 is standing in my way. Noa cleared his throat.

"Guys, I think we should get ou—""Yes," Aoyama interrupted smoothly, stepping ahead of Noa with perfect timing that instantly commandeered the room's attention.

"We should hear them out. If there's a way home, we'll find it together. And if not, we should accept King Manus' generous offer and live here." Oh yeah, praise the guy who kidnapped you, genius. Noa clenched his fist tightly behind his back, keeping his face blank. Around him were crying girls, egotistical boys flexing invisible muscles after reading through their digital stats, and naive heroes dazzled by the word 'chosen.'

Convincing them would be like trying to convince a flock of sheep that the smiling shepherd was currently sharpening a knife behind his back. … This is going to be hell!

That corrupted aura of his… that's the feeling we've been sensing all along, Aoi thought, her eyes silently tracking Noa. Watching him had practically morphed into a habit for her at this point. And him too. Something is off about that guy as well. She turned her gaze toward another student sitting quietly in the corner. The other boy had short black hair just like Noa's, but unlike Noa's striking features, his eyes were normal, irises pure black.

He had been quiet and observant this entire time, fading into the background as if he didn't exist, calmly looking at his interface. Noa's presence felt corrupt and untamed, like a wild forest fire. This boy's felt calmly powerful, structured, and deep—like a silent, dark ocean. Aoyama is calming the group, his presence acting like a stabilizing pillar, but our time is limited. Aoi focused her gaze on the empty air, willing her invisible system window to manifest. What kind of technology is this?

[Name: Aoi Misora] [Race: Human] [Age: 17] [Affiliation: Otherworlder] [Titles: ---] [Essence Fragment: Active] [Synchronization: Initial Sync] Attributes • Strength: 5 • Agility: 7 • Endurance: 4 • Aether: 6 • Intelligence: 13 • Authority:??? • Existence:??? Skills [Perception Boost (Uncommon)] • Enhances awareness of surroundings slightly. [Narrative Awareness (Uncommon)] • Instinctive sense when an event holds significance. [Calm Mind (Common)] • Stabilizes thoughts under stress.

[Low Mental Resistance (Common)] • Minor resistance against fear, pressure, and mental interference. [Observer's Eye (Rare)] • Assess attributes of a target equal to or weaker than the host. • Cooldown: 24h [Narrative Awareness]… what does that even mean? She frowned slightly, reading the text. It sounds less like a skill and more like an author's wink. Anyhow, I need to use [Observer's Eye] efficiently. She looked around.

Some classmates stared at translucent panels like children discovering new toys, while others muttered to invisible voices in their heads. Some of us have panels that others can't see, and others have voices inside their heads. Are these Essence Fragments different from each other?

The more time passed, the more the students began to clash, each retreating into their own defensive thoughts. A few took the lead on providing solutions, but others immediately opposed them. Clap! Nahori, after finally steadying his mind, clapped his hands together with a loud smack.

"Listen up, everyone." He stood up and looked around at his students.

"As the adult here and your teacher, I am partly responsible for your future here." His voice trembled at first but gained a cold strength as he continued.

"Looking at what happened, it seems we have two options: either stay here under guidance or go our separate ways to find a way home. I personally think the latter isn't the best option. So first, let's discuss how each of you feels and agree upon one of the two—" Knock—knock—creak. Someone knocked on the door, and without waiting for a response, they pushed it open. It was Darius, followed by a tight squad of fully armed silver guards.

Darius' bluish eyes scanned the group—pausing briefly on Noa with a lingering gaze—before continuing toward Nahori.

"Your allotted time is over. Please follow us to the royal hall to assess your abilities." There was a technical 'please' in his words, yet the rigid presence of the guards left absolutely no choice. Several students gasped, while a few straightened proudly, eager to display their numbers. In a world without laws, people reveals their real selves quickly; disorder is inevitable. Some sought pride, some strength, some revenge, some justice, and some freedom and entertainment. Noa belonged to the last.

He had wanted something simple: friends for a life worth enjoying, even if it meant killing without mercy if it was fun. But because of a bad omen etched into his eyes, the world had labeled him a monster before ever hearing him speak. There had been stares, whispers trailing behind his back, and deliberate avoidance. But still, a memory flickered in his mind. There had been one idiot who didn't care about the rumors and spoke to him anyway. Why… Why couldn't you have stayed?

The thought flickered within his chest like a fading ember in a winter storm. A piece of shit like me didn't deserve someone like him, so it must be why. But still, I'm greedy enough to want to keep even what I don't deserve.

Clink-clink-clink. Darius's steel boots struck the floor, each rhythmic step echoing with authority. Each clang of armor reminded them that this was no dream. This wasn't just a summon to the royal hall, it was a systematic test of their utility. And somewhere in the quiet, dangerous space stretching between fear and ambition— Something dark inside Noa smiled.