The chamber buzzed with excitement as voices rang out, "Status Open!" A glowing pattern etched onto my hand, and a holographic panel flickered before me, like a smartphone screen brought to life. Classmates marveled, "It's like a game!" "Skill trees? VRMMO vibes!" The boys were thrilled, while girls, still rattled from the wolf's slaughter, muttered nervously about special moves and kill skills.
Vysis explained, "This system is optimized for your world's familiarity, like your devices." Her words made sense, the interface mimicked a game's home screen, intuitive for us. She was a goddess, after all, bending reality to her will with unnerving ease.
A robed man gaped at Kirihara's panel. "Takuto-dono's skills are active at Level 1! Unheard of!" Kirihara shrugged, "Just normal, right?" Girls swooned, "He's insane!" "So reliable!" Oyamada, not to be outdone, grinned at his +500 physical strength, crowing, "A-Rank's hot, baby!"
Sogou's panel sparked chaos. "Ayaka-dono's skill tree is unique!" a robed man gasped. She blinked, confused by the gaming jargon, but her S-Rank status promised greatness. The Takao sisters' aura kept robed men at bay. "S and A-Rank intimidation," one whispered, awed. Hijiri, calm as ever, strategized, "We'll use this system to return home." Itsuki nodded, "Aneki's got it."
Yasu's black-smoke display still lingered in whispers, his A-Rank tying him with Oyamada, who seethed at the comparison. The room split—some students, energized, peppered Vysis with questions about stats and skills; others huddled in corners, overwhelmed, grieving, or denying reality. Zakurogi, useless as ever, just nodded along, eyeing Vysis.
I muttered, "Status Open," and my panel appeared.
No skill tree sprouted, just a barren with one line:
Vysis appeared behind me, peering at my panel. "Um, my status?" I asked, hopeful. She turned away without a word, her silence cutting deeper than any insult. Back with the others, she resumed her Q&A, ignoring me completely. "All done?" she asked brightly, as if I hadn't spoken.
The class's questions shifted from shock to curiosity—details about this world, stats, survival. But the hierarchy was set: Kirihara, Sogou, and Hijiri as S-Rank stars; Oyamada, Itsuki, and Yasu as A-Rank elites; the rest of us, C, D, or E, fading into the background. I was the lowest, an E-Rank invisible mob, unseen even by a goddess.
I sank into my corner, tweaking my panel. "Abnormal State Endowment?" I murmured, tapping it. What could it do? Poison? Paralysis? It sounded useless compared to Kirihara's instant skills or Sogou's special tree. Still, it was mine, the only spark in my barren status.
The chamber's lanterns flickered, casting long shadows. Vysis's smile never faltered, but her eyes glinted with calculation, weighing us like tools. The soldiers stood ready, their spears a reminder of her power. My E-Rank title burned in my chest, a quiet defiance stirring.
What did it mean to be air in a world that demanded heroes? I didn't know, but I'd find out. My finger lingered on the skill's description, a faint hope in this cruel new reality.
Then, without warning, a blinding white light flooded the chamber.