"All of you," the man on stage said, his purple hair catching the light, "this will be the most important day of your lives."
His voice was calm, but powerful enough to silence the crowd.
Every student in the plaza turned their full attention to him.
Sam, standing somewhere in the middle, noticed how mixed the expressions around him were.
Some were filled with anticipation, others gripped by nervousness, and a few were even shaking slightly.
"Today," the man continued, "you will finally be able to enter the [Forsaken] Realm… and challenge it."
A heavy silence followed his words, as if everyone knew the weight behind them.
"As many of you already know, only a small number of people ever get the chance to enter the realm. That's because you need to awaken a class—something that only one in fifty people are capable of."
He paused, letting that fact settle into the hearts of the students.
"In addition to that, the danger inside is much greater than you think. Many of those who enter never even make it past the first layer."
Sam smirked faintly to himself, hands tucked in his pockets.
'Tell me about it,' he thought, remembering all the times he failed during his countless attempts in the game. 'I practically lived in that first layer.'
Still, everything felt familiar.
This moment, this speech, even the nervous energy that filled the plaza, it was all just like in the game.
The man on stage, the principal of [Eclypsia Academy], Oliver, was simply doing his job: explaining the history and importance of the [Forsaken] Realm, just like he did in the game's prologue.
"The [Forsaken] Realm appeared suddenly, without warning," the principal continued. "Humanity struggled to deal with the threats it unleashed, until people like you, Awakeners, emerged. Strong individuals who could face the dangers within. You are humanity's best hope."
Another pause, and then:
"Many of you may fall. But those who survive, those who prove themselves, may be noticed by powerful guilds. You may be recruited, trained, and given the resources to become legends."
He let the words sink in before finally finishing.
"This is your turning point. Your chance to rise. Now, we will prepare to send you all to the first Rift. From there, you'll be on your own. Prove your worth, and maybe… just maybe, you'll become the one who conquers the realm."
A moment later, the principal raised a hand and called someone over.
Just outside the academy gates, dozens of large black buses were already parked, waiting for the students.
"You can't access the [Forsaken] Realm on your own, at least not yet. This first entry is special. But once you've entered once, you'll gain the ability to return whenever you wish… and more importantly, your true powers will awaken."
The crowd began to move.
Most students quickly made their way toward the buses, carrying only small bags and nervous expressions.
Sam followed without a word, blending in with the rest as an extra.
Not that it mattered. He was here now, and he was ready to test out what the "Primordial" class could really do.
Sam climbed into one of the buses and sat by the window, resting his head against the cool glass as the vehicle hummed to life.
He closed his eyes.
He had no allies. No special connections. No fanfare. Just a sword, a strange class, and memories of a game he barely even started.
Even the "heroines" and "side characters" from the game were unknown to him.
He'd spent so much time trying to survive the first layer that he never actually progressed into the deeper parts of the story.
He remembered their names, but not their personalities or roles. In a way, it felt like going in blind.
He would be completely on his own.
"Hey, bud, mind if we sit here?"
A voice broke his thoughts, and Sam opened his eyes slowly.
In front of him stood a group of students, four of them to be precise.
The one speaking had a wide, smug grin. Sam's gaze shifted to the empty seats nearby, then back to the guy.
"There are plenty of other spots," he replied dryly, "Take one of them."
The group's friendly smiles quickly turned into sneers.
"You got some nerve," the red-haired leader of the group said, stepping closer, "Talking back like that when you don't even have a class? You really think you'll survive?"
Sam blinked.
'They actually think I don't have a class? But if so, what am I even doing in this academy...?'
Maybe whoever put me into this body before made it so that I didn't awaken anything, which would explain the hostility.
Either way, Sam didn't flinch.
"I don't have time for you," he said quietly, turning his eyes back to the window. "If you're so confident in your powers, then prove it in the realm."
The words clearly struck a nerve, and the group looked like they were about to attack, but thankfully, the bus was too cramped for anything serious.
After a few seconds of angry muttering, they walked away, taking seats nearby.
Sam wasn't worried. People like them barked the loudest, but rarely bit.
His mind was already somewhere else, focused on what awaited him inside the realm.
The ride was long. Nearly five hours passed before they finally arrived.
'No fast-travel button in real life, huh,' Sam thought to himself.
They had officially left the [Inner Ring] of the continent and entered the first [Outer Ring], a much wilder, less developed region.
The sky overhead was clear, and open fields stretched for miles… but in the distance, ruins loomed like forgotten memories.
Then came the announcement.
"We have arrived. The first [Rift] is just ahead."
Sam straightened up, his eyes narrowing as he looked outside.
The buses pulled to a stop, and one by one, the students stepped out onto the road.
[Good luck! May the will of the gods be with you.]
That was the last thing the students heard before the buses drove away, leaving them behind.
Sam walked forward with the others.
In the center of the ruined stone structures stood the [Rift], a shimmering, unstable portal, swirling with blue energy that distorted the air around it.
It was almost beautiful, in a way.
"Here it is," Sam muttered, stepping forward, "Once I go in… there's no going back."
Each person would be dropped into the realm in one of the instances of the beginning area.
There was no way to coordinate, no team-up function, not unless you happened to find someone else inside.
For now, it was pure survival.
One by one, the students walked into the portal.
Some did so with confidence, others hesitated, but all eventually entered.
Sam was among the last.
He approached slowly, feeling his heart beat faster as he got closer. The portal pulsed, flaring slightly.
[You have a bad feeling about this.]
He saw the message appear in his vision, but ignored it.
Whatever fear it was trying to instill… he didn't have time for that.
Sam reached forward and touched the portal with his fingers.
It felt like dipping into cold water, and then, in the blink of an eye, he was gone.
The world around him twisted.
For a moment, it felt like he was being pulled apart and stitched back together at the same time.
Then suddenly—
THUD!
He hit the ground.
Quickly, Sam got to his feet, scanning the area.
[You have entered the First Layer of the Forsaken Realm.]
[You are currently in: Novice Ruins.]
Stone walls surrounded him.
The hall was narrow, lit by old, flickering torches, and the air reeked of something foul. The ground was cracked and uneven.
"Perfect," Sam muttered, slapping his cheeks and shaking off the dizziness. "Time to see what I can actually do."
Ding!
[You have entered the Forsaken realm, and thus now awakened the powers of your SSS-Rank Class.]
Ding! Ding!
[Congratulations to Sam Walker for obtaining the skill: Basic Sword Technique.]
[Congratulations to Sam Walker for obtaining the skill: Shadow Bullets.]
Sam stared at the notifications, a smile slowly spreading across his face.
"Looks like I'm not powerless after all…"
His journey had officially begun.
...
A/N
Here we go, now we officially start!
Hopefully you didn't mind the small world building and the initial chapters themselves!