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Light.
Not the gentle dawn of a new day, but a searing, absolute brilliance that burned away the comforting darkness of death. Kaito tried to close his eyes against it—realized he had eyes again—and immediately squeezed them shut.
*I'm breathing.*
The thought came with wonder and terror in equal measure. His chest rose and fell. Air moved through lungs that had been crushed by a truck. He could feel his heart beating, steady and strong, in a ribcage that should have been shattered.
*I have a body.*
Slowly, carefully, Kaito opened his eyes.
He was standing in a circle of light, intricate symbols glowing beneath his feet. The light was fading now, becoming bearable, and he could see beyond it to...
A cathedral.
Massive. Ancient. Beautiful in a way that made his breath catch. Vaulted ceilings stretched impossibly high, supported by pillars carved with scenes of battle and triumph. Stained glass windows depicted heroes in shining armor, demons with terrible faces, angels with pristine wings. Candles burned everywhere, hundreds of them, casting dancing shadows across white marble floors.
And people.
*Oh god, people.*
Dozens of them, arranged in concentric circles around him. Priests in white robes, knights in silver armor, nobles in fine clothing. All staring at him with expressions ranging from awe to calculation to barely concealed greed.
Kaito's social anxiety, apparently, had transcended death and followed him to another world.
His heart rate spiked. His breathing quickened. The familiar panic response kicked in—fight or flight, except he couldn't do either because he was frozen in place, surrounded by strangers, the center of attention.
*Can't do this. Can't. Too many people. Too many eyes.*
Then he noticed he wasn't alone in the circle.
Four other figures stood beside him, each in their own ring of fading light. They looked as disoriented as he felt.
A young man with perfect features and carefully styled dark hair, wearing what looked like a school uniform. He was staring at his hands like he'd never seen them before.
A girl with short hair and glasses, wearing a hoodie and jeans, technical specifications visible on the faded anime print of her shirt. She was looking around with rapid, analytical eye movements, already mapping her surroundings.
A tall guy with bleached hair and multiple ear piercings, dressed in a leather jacket and ripped jeans. His hands were clenched into fists, body coiled with tension.
And a girl with long, dark hair and delicate features, wearing a sundress. She had her arms wrapped around herself, trembling.
*They're like me,* Kaito realized. *Dead. Were dead. Now... not dead?*
"IT WORKED!"
The shout came from somewhere in the crowd. An elderly priest pushed through to the front, his wrinkled face split by an ecstatic grin. "THE HEROES HAVE ANSWERED OUR CALL!"
The cathedral erupted in cheers.
Kaito flinched at the noise. Beside him, the girl in the sundress actually stumbled backward, overwhelmed. The guy with bleached hair shifted into a defensive stance. Only the one with glasses remained still, though her rapid blinking suggested internal panic.
"Silence!" A new voice cut through the chaos—female, commanding, otherworldly.
The crowd fell quiet instantly.
A figure emerged from behind the crowd of priests, and Kaito's breath caught for an entirely different reason.
She was... he struggled to find words that fit. Beautiful felt inadequate. She moved with impossible grace, white robes flowing around her as if underwater. Her hair was silver—not gray with age, but pure metallic silver—and fell past her waist in a straight cascade. Her eyes were violet, luminous, ancient.
She looked maybe thirty years old. She felt eternal.
"I am High Priestess Seraphina," she said, her voice resonating through the cathedral with no apparent effort. "On behalf of the Kingdom of Elaria, on behalf of humanity itself, I welcome you, brave souls who answered our desperate call."
She approached the summoning circles, and Kaito noticed the crowd parted for her like water around a stone. Even the knights seemed to defer to her presence.
"You have been chosen," Seraphina continued, stopping at the edge of the circles. "Pulled from your world to ours in our darkest hour. I know you are confused. Frightened. Angry, perhaps, at being taken without consent." Her violet eyes swept across all five of them, and Kaito felt like she could see directly into his soul. "But please, hear what I have to say before you judge us too harshly."
The guy with the perfect face—the one in the school uniform—found his voice first. "Where are we? What is this place?"
His voice was steady, controlled. Leadership voice. Kaito recognized it from every student council president he'd ever avoided.
"The Cathedral of Divine Light, in the capital city of Elaria," Seraphina answered. "You stand in another world, hero. A world that desperately needs your help."
"Another world," the girl with glasses muttered, pushing them up her nose in a gesture that seemed automatic. "Isekai. Actual isekai. The probability of this being real versus a dying hallucination is..." She trailed off, calculating.
"It's real," Seraphina said gently. "You are no longer in your world. You have been summoned here through ancient magic, ritual handed down for a thousand years, to save us from—"
"The Demon King," the bleached-hair guy interrupted, surprising everyone. At their stares, he shrugged. "What? I read manga. This is literally every isekai plot ever. We got summoned to defeat the Demon King, right?"
Seraphina's expression flickered—something that might have been sadness or regret, gone too quickly to identify. "Yes. The Demon King Malachar has terrorized these lands for two centuries. His armies of monsters and demons have driven humanity to the brink of extinction. You five have been summoned as heroes, blessed with powers far beyond normal humans, to help us in this war."
"And if we refuse?" the girl in the sundress asked quietly. Her voice was beautiful—naturally melodic, like speaking was just singing at a lower pitch.
"Then..." Seraphina paused, choosing her words carefully. "Then you may stay here as honored guests, free to live as you wish. Or we could attempt to send you home, though I must be honest—we have never successfully returned a summoned hero to their world before."
*Because they all died fighting your demon king,* Kaito thought with sudden clarity. *That's what you're not saying.*
He didn't know where the thought came from, but it felt true.
"Before you decide," Seraphina said, raising her hands in a placating gesture, "please, allow us to explain fully. To show you our world, to help you understand what's at stake. I ask only for a few days of your time. If after that you still wish to abstain from our war, we will respect that choice."
The five summoned heroes looked at each other, a silent conversation happening in glances and micro-expressions.
*What do we do?* Kaito read in the sundress girl's frightened eyes.
*Analyze. Gather data. Don't commit yet,* the glasses girl's analytical stare suggested.
*Ready to fight anyone,* the bleached-hair guy's tense posture communicated.
*I'll take charge if no one else will,* the perfect-face guy's straight shoulders declared.
And Kaito? What did his expression say?
*I just want to disappear.*
"Three days," the perfect-face guy said finally, stepping forward as the de facto spokesperson. "We'll listen for three days. Then we decide."
"That is more than fair," Seraphina said, bowing slightly. "Thank you, hero. May I ask your name?"
"Ren. Ren Takahashi."
"Thank you, Ren Takahashi." She turned to the others. "And you?"
The glasses girl adjusted her frames again. "Yuki Shimizu."
The bleached-hair guy crossed his arms. "Daichi Sato."
The sundress girl hesitated, then said softly, "Himari Nakamura."
Four sets of eyes turned to Kaito.
*No no no don't look at me—*
"And you?" Seraphina asked gently.
"K-Kaito," he managed, voice barely above a whisper. "Kaito Yamada."
"Welcome, heroes," Seraphina said, and something in her voice—grief? guilt?—made Kaito's newly awakened empathy tingle. "Welcome to Elaria. I am sorry for what we've done to you. I am sorrier for what we must ask of you. But I thank you for being willing to listen."
She turned to address the crowd. "The summoning is complete! Let us give thanks to the gods for answering our prayers! Let us welcome the heroes with the hospitality and honor they deserve!"
The crowd erupted in cheers again—genuine joy and relief mixing with the sound. Kaito saw tears on some faces. Desperate hope on others.
*They really are dying,* he realized. *This isn't just propaganda. They're terrified.*
"Please," Seraphina said, turning back to the heroes. "The summoning circles will fade in moments. Step forward, and let us begin your introduction to this world."
Ren moved first, confident despite the situation. Yuki followed, her movements precise and measured. Daichi hesitated, clearly suspicious, but stepped forward. Himari moved like she wanted to disappear into herself.
Kaito was last, his legs trembling as he forced himself to step out of the circle.
The moment his foot touched the marble floor outside the glowing symbols, something shifted. Power flooded through him—foreign, electric, vast. It felt like touching a live wire, like diving into an ocean, like being struck by lightning while standing in sunlight.
His knees buckled.
"Easy!" Strong hands caught him. Daichi, he realized. The delinquent-looking guy had moved to steady him. "You okay?"
"I... yeah. I think. What was that?"
"Power awakening," Seraphina explained, approaching them. "The moment you accepted this world, it accepted you in return. You are heroes now, blessed by ancient magic. Each of you carries a unique ability, born from your soul's essence."
"Abilities?" Yuki's eyes lit up with interest despite her caution. "What kind of abilities?"
"That will take time to discover. Each hero's power manifests differently, reflects their nature, their desires, their core self." Seraphina smiled. "But we have experts who will help you learn and grow. For now, please—you must be overwhelmed. Let us show you to your quarters. You need rest, food, time to adjust."
She gestured, and several attendants emerged from the crowd—young men and women in simple robes who bowed deeply to the heroes.
"These attendants will escort you to the Hero's Wing of the palace. You will each have private chambers, access to the royal baths, the finest meals our kingdom can provide. Tonight, rest. Tomorrow, we begin your introduction to Elaria properly."
"The palace?" Himari asked. "We're staying in a palace?"
"Of course. You are heroes, saviors of humanity. Only the finest accommodations are appropriate."
*This feels wrong,* Kaito thought. *Too much honor, too fast. We haven't done anything yet.*
But he was exhausted—death and resurrection apparently took a toll—and the thought of a private room away from all these staring eyes was too tempting to refuse.
"Lead the way," Ren said, and the attendants bowed again.
They were escorted through the cathedral, past crowds of worshippers who pressed close, reaching out to touch them, blessing them, thanking them. Kaito tried to make himself as small as possible, grateful when Daichi's larger frame blocked some of the crowd.
Finally, they emerged into open air.
Kaito stopped, breath catching.
The world spread before them was impossible.
The cathedral sat atop a hill overlooking a city of white stone and red tile roofs. Buildings stretched as far as he could see, architectural styles mixing medieval European with something uniquely foreign. In the distance, he could see walls—massive fortifications surrounding the city. Beyond those, farmland painted the landscape in shades of green and gold.
And above it all, two moons hung in a sky that was the wrong shade of blue.
Two. Moons.
"Oh my god," Himari whispered. "It's real. This is really real."
"Different atmospheric composition," Yuki muttered, squinting at the sky. "Explains the color variance. Two moons suggest either a larger planet or different orbital mechanics. This is fascinating."
"This is insane," Daichi said flatly.
Ren said nothing, but Kaito saw his hands trembling slightly before he clenched them into fists.
They were led down the hill along a broad avenue lined with trees that had silver bark and leaves that shimmered gold. People lined the streets—humans, all of them, or at least appearing human—and they cheered as the heroes passed.
"HEROES!"
"THEY'VE COME!"
"WE'RE SAVED!"
The sound was deafening. Kaito wanted to cover his ears, wanted to run, wanted to disappear. But he forced himself to keep walking, keeping his eyes fixed on Ren's back in front of him.
The palace was enormous—a sprawling complex of white marble and gold trim, gardens and fountains, towers and courtyards. They were led through a private entrance, away from the main gates where even more crowds had gathered.
Inside was cooler, quieter. The attendants led them through hallways decorated with tapestries and paintings, past guards in ceremonial armor who saluted as they passed.
Finally, they reached a wing that the lead attendant—a young woman named Mira—explained was reserved for honored guests and visiting dignitaries.
"But it has been prepared specially for you, heroes," she said, bowing. "Each room has been furnished with everything you might need. If you require anything—anything at all—simply pull the cord by the door and an attendant will come immediately."
She showed them to their rooms, which were arranged around a central common area with comfortable couches and a large table.
"This common space is for you to gather, to eat meals together if you wish, to plan and discuss. Your private chambers branch off from here."
Each door had a name placard in elegant script. Kaito found his—the furthest from the entrance, naturally—and stepped inside.
The room was larger than his entire apartment had been. A massive bed dominated one wall, covered in silk sheets and plush pillows. A desk with paper and writing implements sat by a window overlooking a garden. A wardrobe stood open, revealing clothes in various styles. A door led to what appeared to be a private bathroom with actual running water.
It was more luxury than Kaito had experienced in his entire life.
He closed the door, leaned against it, and slowly slid down to sit on the floor.
*I died,* he thought, really processing it for the first time. *I died. Got hit by a truck. Felt my bones break. Tasted blood. Died.*
*And now I'm in another world. With powers. Expected to be a hero. To save people. To fight a demon king.*
The panic attack came on fast and hard. His breathing accelerated. His vision narrowed. His heart hammered against his ribs.
*Can't breathe. Can't think. Too much. Too much.*
He pressed his hands against his chest, trying to ground himself, trying to remember his therapist's techniques.
*In for four. Hold for four. Out for four.*
But his therapist was in another world. Another life. Another existence entirely.
A knock at the door made him jump.
"Kaito?" Ren's voice, muffled through the wood. "You okay in there?"
"F-fine," he managed.
"Can I come in?"
*No. Go away. Leave me alone.*
"...okay."
The door opened. Ren stepped inside, taking in Kaito's position on the floor immediately. His expression shifted from concerned to understanding.
"Panic attack?"
Kaito nodded, unable to speak.
Ren sat down on the floor next to him, careful to maintain some distance. "I get them too. Had one in the cathedral, actually. Just hid it better."
That surprised Kaito enough to pull him slightly out of the spiral. "You?"
"Yeah." Ren laughed bitterly. "Perfect student Ren Takahashi, always in control, always composed. I'm really good at faking it. But inside?" He tapped his chest. "Mess. Complete mess."
"Why... why are you telling me this?"
"Because we're in this together now, whether we like it or not. Five strangers from the same world, dropped into a fantasy novel, expected to be heroes." Ren leaned his head back against the wall. "We're going to need each other. And that means being honest, I think. No point in pretending to be something we're not."
Kaito's breathing was starting to slow, the panic receding. "I can't be a hero. I can barely talk to people."
"And I can't stop myself from trying to control everything. Yuki looks like she'd rather be analyzing data than dealing with humans. Daichi looks ready to fight everyone, including us. Himari looks like she's about to cry." Ren turned to look at him. "We're a disaster of a team. But maybe that's okay. Maybe perfect heroes would be boring."
Despite everything, Kaito felt a small smile tug at his lips. "That's... optimistic."
"One of us has to be." Ren stood, offering a hand. "Come on. I think we should all talk. As a group. Figure out what we want to do."
Kaito hesitated, then took the offered hand. Ren pulled him to his feet.
"Thanks," Kaito said quietly.
"Don't mention it. Seriously. My reputation as a perfect leader is at stake here."
They returned to the common area, where the others were already gathering. Daichi sat on one of the couches, leg bouncing with nervous energy. Yuki perched on the edge of a chair, fingers drumming against her thigh in complex patterns. Himari stood by the window, arms wrapped around herself.
"Okay," Ren said, taking charge naturally. "I think we need to talk. All of us. No bullshit, no pretending. We're all freaking out, right?"
"Completely," Yuki said.
"Yeah," Daichi agreed.
Himari nodded silently.
"Good. So let's start with the basics. We all died. Let's acknowledge that first. Hi, I'm Ren Takahashi, I died protecting my sister from my abusive father."
The blunt honesty was shocking. The others stared at him.
"What?" Ren shrugged. "We're starting over. New world, new life. Might as well be honest about the old one."
Silence. Then Yuki spoke up.
"Yuki Shimizu. Terminal cancer. Was working when I died. Sixteen years old."
"Daichi Sato. Nineteen. Stabbed by loan sharks while protecting my little sister. Left behind three siblings."
"Himari Nakamura. Seventeen. My mother died and I... I couldn't..." She couldn't finish, tears streaming down her face.
All eyes turned to Kaito.
He swallowed hard. "Kaito Yamada. Seventeen. Got hit by a truck saving a kid. I, um. I had social anxiety. Really bad. Still do, apparently."
"So we're all broken," Ren summarized. "All died tragically. All given a second chance in a world that wants us to be heroes." He looked around at each of them. "Question is: what do we do about it?"
"We should gather more information first," Yuki said immediately. "We don't know anything about this world, these powers, or what being a 'hero' actually means. Making decisions without data is illogical."
"Agreed," Daichi said. "But I don't trust them. This whole thing feels off. Too generous, too convenient."
"The priestess seemed sad," Himari said quietly. "When she talked about summoning us. Like she regretted it."
Kaito nodded. "I felt it too. Something's wrong here. They're not telling us everything."
"So we play along," Ren decided. "Three days, like I promised. We learn, we investigate, we figure out what's really going on. Then we decide if we want to be their heroes or not."
"And if we decide no?" Yuki asked.
"Then we figure out how to survive in this world on our own."
It was a plan. Not a great plan, but better than nothing.
"One more thing," Ren said. "I know we're all from the same world, but we're still strangers. Let's try to... I don't know. Be a team? Help each other? We're all we've got here."
Murmurs of agreement.
"Alright. Let's eat something—I'm starving—and then get some rest.Tomorrow we start learning about this world."
As if summoned by the mention of food, a knock came at the door. Attendants entered bearing trays laden with dishes that smelled incredible—roasted meats, fresh bread, fruits in colors Kaito had never seen, wine in crystal decanters.
They ate together in the common area, slowly relaxing into conversation. Stories from their old lives. Questions about this new world. Speculation about powers and magic and demon kings.
For the first time since dying, Kaito felt something almost like hope.
Maybe Ren was right. Maybe being broken together was better than being broken alone.
After dinner, they retreated to their rooms. Kaito lay in his too-large bed, staring at the ceiling, processing everything.
He'd died. Been given a second chance. Summoned to another world with four other people as broken as him. Expected to be a hero despite being unable to look strangers in the eye.
It was absurd.
It was terrifying.
It was... kind of exciting?
Maybe this time, he thought as sleep began to claim him. Maybe in this world, I can be different. Better. Someone who matters.
Outside his window, the two moons rose higher in the alien sky, casting silver light across a world that desperately needed heroes.
Whether it would get them remained to be seen.