Chapter 2

One morning, I woke up to find myself in a classroom.

There were ordinary, run-of-the-mill school desks and chairs. The black student uniform I was wearing was not a blazer but a gakuran, a type of uniform with a high collar that felt a bit tight around the neck.

The floor was wooden, with a slight sheen from the wax.

Around me, classmates in student uniforms were sitting in their chairs, the girls in sailor fuku.

This scene, though a bit old-fashioned, was a typical school setting.

However, all the classmates, including me, were bewildered.

I tried to remain calm and objectively assess the situation, but... I was reaching my limit.

Where am I!?

What is this vast classroom!?

There must be over a hundred classmates here!

And what about these uniforms!?

I'm in my mid-twenties! This feels like a creepy cosplay!

I tried to shout, but my mouth just opened and closed without making a sound.

Wait, wait, calm down.

Why am I in such a place... I remember my mother asked me to go shopping at a nearby mall to buy sewing thread, fabric, fishing line, and vegetable seeds for the home garden. I was on my way back, and I even bought a kilogram of raisins.

Looking around, the other classmates seemed equally disoriented, their lips moving but no sound coming out.

I just realized that there is no sound in this classroom. No matter how hard I hit the desk, I can't hear anything. I've seen this kind of setup in several manga and novels where the characters are dragged into a death game.

Anyway, I can't stay here. I don't understand the situation, but doing nothing won't improve it. I have to escape—wait a minute.

I tried to stand up from my desk, but my body seemed to be stuck to the chair. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't move my lower body or stand up.

I couldn't gather information from the others either, as they were also unable to make any sound despite their efforts to shout.

Many classmates were panicking, realizing that escape was impossible.

A blonde woman with disheveled hair and spittle flying from her mouth.

A middle-aged woman trembling all over, looking suspiciously around.

An unhealthy-looking, balding man whose uniform seemed about to burst.

The classmates were a mix of ages and genders. This scene looked more like a variety show. Adults who should have long graduated from school were wearing uniforms that didn't suit them. If it weren't for this situation, I would have chuckled.

Upon closer inspection, a few people looked quite natural in their uniforms. They were probably actual students or had only recently graduated. About a third were in their teens, another third in their twenties and thirties, and the rest were older. There didn't seem to be any elderly people in their sixties or seventies. The oldest were in their fifties, and there were only two or three of them.

I decided to put off thinking about the classmates I didn't recognize for now. There were other things to do.

With no sound and unable to move around, the only thing I could do was check my belongings.

The bag I had brought to this bizarre classroom was hanging on the side of my desk. Inside were sewing thread, fabric, fishing line, plant seeds, and raisins.

I searched my body and the pockets of my student uniform. The pockets of my pants and jacket were empty, but I found a notebook in the chest pocket of my white shirt.

Flipping through the black, unadorned cover, I saw a photo of myself from the neck up on the top left.

It was a face I thought was neither good nor bad. My hair, which I hadn't cut for two months because I found barbershops intimidating, was messy. A friend once said,

"You look lifeless."

My half-closed eyes, a nose that was too well-shaped, and lips that parted slightly when I was daydreaming or surprised. It was a photo of my usual face, but I had no memory of ever taking such a photo.

Below the photo, it read "Kami Dachi, Otherworld Transfer Academy."

"So that's it."

At that moment, I fully understood the situation.

In other words, we had been gathered to be transferred to a fantasy world, apparently limited to Japanese people.

I had read many novels with similar setups on popular sites.

Heroes summoned by magic from another world, people reincarnated into another world as a result of a god's mistake, or people sent to another world to restore balance because the world was out of balance. Recently, there were also stories where people were put in difficult situations as a result of a mischievous or capricious god.

No matter the setup, it was typical for a god or some other being to appear to explain the situation.

"Everyone, I'm so sorry to keep you waiting."

The door to the vast classroom opened, and a beautiful woman in a navy blue suit and glasses entered.

Her lustrous black hair was tied back, the top button of her blouse was undone, and her skirt had a deep slit that made me want to comment.

Her chest, which seemed about to burst out, and her tight, well-rounded buttocks were drawing the attention of the men and the envy of the women.

Despite the situation, everyone was drawn to her suspiciously attractive appearance.

Of course, I was momentarily captivated as well, but upon closer inspection, her outfit was typical of adult video teacher characters, so I was able to remain somewhat calm.

"Okay, everyone, please pay attention. I can see you're all confused, so I'll explain. But I don't think you need a detailed explanation. You were chosen because you are the type of people who can quickly adapt to this situation."

Some of the classmates seemed to understand, their anxious expressions turning to bright, understanding ones.

Indeed, that's it. So, the next words were:

"You will all be transferred to another world."

The classmates within my view were filled with joy. Many were grinning widely, unable to contain their excitement.

To be honest, I couldn't say I wasn't happy. I had envied the protagonists in novels and sometimes cursed their good fortune, but I had also dreamed of being in such a situation.

"I'm so glad you're happy. Oh, by the way, I haven't explained why you were chosen. The story is a bit long, but the person in charge of Japan this year, a god-like being, has changed. The previous one was laissez-faire, letting people in Japan do as they pleased, but the new one is quite strict. He's unhappy with the current state of Japan and has decided to eliminate all those who harm it."

The classmates who had been floating in excitement now looked dark and serious, having understood the woman's words.

"In other words, you are all considered harmful to Japan!"

Wait a minute! I'm not claiming to be a saint, but I've tried to live without causing trouble to others.

I've never committed a crime, littered, or indulged in alcohol, tobacco, or gambling. If people like me are considered harmful to Japan, then most Japanese people would be in trouble.

"But, don't misunderstand. You're not directly bad people. You will, in the near future, have connections with people who will harm Japan. For example, lending a manga that depicts a cruel scene that triggers a young man to kill dozens of children. Or, saving a drowning child who later becomes a politician bribed by another country to undermine Japan."

That's not our fault!

It would be enough to punish the individuals—why involve us?

"That's what I thought too, but it doesn't work that way. People are born with threads of fate. Even if one thread is cut, another will connect, leading to the same outcome. It's fate, something people can't resist."

The woman's overly enthusiastic voice suddenly turned cold, and her words felt like a sharp blade piercing my chest.

So, everyone here is destined to have connections with people who will harm Japan. That's too cruel... We haven't done anything wrong, and we haven't committed any crimes, yet we're being mercilessly killed.

"But, I was angry that it was too cruel! You are all good people with no faults. So, as a special measure, you were granted the transfer to another world."

If that's true, this woman is our savior.

Some classmates looked at her with adoration, as if she were a goddess.

I couldn't accept it so easily. Anyone can make up a story. There's no reason for her to tell the truth.

"Okay, let's move on. I'll explain what happens next briefly."

This is the crucial part. The quality of life in another world can vary greatly depending on the place and situation. I need to listen carefully.

"The world you will go to is somewhere on the Rekkanteppun continent. You will be transferred to relatively close locations, so if you search hard, you might meet two or three other transfer students."

That's a hard name to remember. And "somewhere" means... the location is random?

"You are free to live as you please in that world. Of course, there are standard jobs like adventurers, so don't worry."

There's no set goal. That's a relief. I was worried about being tasked with defeating a demon king or something.

"And, you won't be sent to another world empty-handed. You know what's coming, right? It's time for the skill allocation! I've studied a lot from Japanese novels, so you'll understand the system easily."

As she said this, the ordinary desks began to emit light. A silver glow covered the desks, and countless words appeared.

"It's a touch panel system, so you'll understand. I'll give you 1000 points to allocate as you like. The time limit is two hours, so be strict. No consulting with others or giving advice, as it's considered cheating. If you do, you'll lose all your skill points. Remember these rules. Now, I'll lift the silence so you can talk."

The classroom immediately buzzed with activity.

"Hey, we can talk!"

"Is this real? I'm being transferred to another world too!"

"Awesome, I can finally get all the skills I've been fantasizing about."

"Alchemy, of course. And I want martial arts talent too."

"I want to change my appearance. I hope there's a way to do that..."

Everyone seemed to have read similar stories and accepted the situation easily, getting excited.

I observed the classmates out of the corner of my eye, feeling uneasy.

From what I've heard, they seem to be trying to send us to another world in the best possible condition, but I shouldn't be too quick to rejoice.

This will determine our future lives. It's better to be cautious.

"Okay, everyone, pay attention to me. You're all good, so I don't need to explain much."

No, that's not enough!

I tried to raise my hand and ask a question, but my arm wouldn't move, and the words wouldn't come out.

A few others seemed to have the same idea, gritting their teeth and trying to raise their arms.

The woman turned to us, and her lips, red like blood, twisted in a disturbing way.

"Now, let's start the skill allocation. If you go over the time limit, it will be cut off, so be careful."

The skill selection, which would determine our lives in the other world, was about to begin.