Right. It was supposed to be a normal, single-player action-RPG game.

A game that you could buy at any console-game shop for an insignificant amount of money...

– "Adeline Ravens."

– "Here."

Inside a modern-looking classroom, a stern-faced Elven woman wearing a flashy mage robe stood on a raised platform, reading out our names one by one from a paper held in her hands.

Whenever their names were called out, the young students sitting next to me obediently raised their hands in response.

– "Evan Frost."

– "Present."

The classroom itself was almost identical to the usual high-school classrooms from my hometown.

Well, except for a single, glaring difference...

Just like the instructor calling out our names, most of the students sitting around me were not your typical humans.

– "Fiora Mistwood."

– "Here."

Unbelievably enough, I was currently living inside a fantasy world, filled with the wonders of magic and superpowers. A world that was only supposed to exist inside a game.

And now, it was this 'game' that had somehow turned into my new reality...

"Leir Ashbourne."

"Here."

My turn soon arrived, prompting me to raise my hand too.

The Elven instructor nodded her head slightly in my direction, before going back to calling the names of others.

*Sigh…*

A tired sigh unknowingly came out of my mouth.

All I ever did was play that damned RPG, and before I knew it, I was suddenly pulled inside the game I was playing mere moments ago.

'At least, I didn't end up as a powerless extra character…'

It was really fortunate that the story of my transmigration had a little twist. Or should I say it was unfortunate, instead...?

I took a sneaky glance at the serious-faced handsome male sitting next to my seat.

'Evan Frost…'

One of the future Heroes who would save the world by re-sealing the Demon King.

A playable character from the game I had transmigrated into...

'Thank God. At least I didn't end up transmigrating into that walking, talking ball of cringe!'

That's right. I wasn't a protagonist destined to save this damned world!

Neither was I an unknown extra that was irrelevant to the game scenario, nor was I a petty villain that the protagonist would slap into oblivion in the near future...

'The Demon King...!'

I felt my hands clenching tightly on their own.

After all, this was a character acknowledged as the unbeatable hidden boss of the original game!

Though I was a lot weaker than the original Demon King due to some circumstances, I still had all of his talents and potential in my new body!

Yeah. At first, I really felt like I had won the 'transmigration lottery' with this one...

...but sadly, in reality, such incredible advantages never came without a certain price.

Although I wasn't really given a choice before my transmigration, that didn't mean I wouldn't have to pay for this advantage one day...

'But for now, it sure feels good to be free from all responsibilities!'

That's right. Even if I didn't do anything, the world wouldn't end.

I didn't have to continue the original game's flow, fearing that the world would end someday if the Heroes didn't seal the Demon King.

I didn't have to worry about stealing the protagonist's cheat items, nor did I have to be afraid of making them underpowered!

'Their final goal is to seal me anyway, so it's better if they're underpowered rather than overpowered!'

Yes, everything about this transmigration would have been perfect...

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

...if only this world didn't have a pesky 'Goddess' interfering with everything!

But in order to gain something worthwhile, I had to make some concessions too, unwillingly as it may be.

Wasn't that also why I was here right now – attending the same Academy as the future Heroes destined to seal the Demon King, whom I ended up possessing after my sudden transmigration?

Even though I knew that this life of mine would be over if I was somehow found out, it was a risk that I had to take, to make sure that I stripped those Heroes clean of anything that could give them an edge over me.

After all, even if the original Demon King was unbeatable, I, for sure, was not that strong yet.

And before I became that strong, I couldn't afford to let these young Heroes come after me!

Be it the scheming demons lusting after the King's throne, or the Sun Goddess' Church seeking to eliminate the root of all Evil – both worlds wanted to tear me apart for their own reasons.

...Then, wasn't this a genius plan – hiding myself in plain sight, surrounded by my mortal enemies in all directions, using one enemy to shield myself from another one?

'It's really a shame that I can't continue this for too long.'

From here on, it was going to be a race against time for me. Before anyone figured out that the 'Demon King' had escaped his seal, I had to become powerful enough to truly claim that title!

'Yeah, the correct answer is not to just survive in this world...'

From the beginning, my goal was never to pitifully survive and be grateful for my life in this foreign, magical world.

That's why, even if I ended up with two entire worlds as my enemy — I would still aim to thrive, not just pathetically survive!

This damned game that became my new reality...

...I wouldn't let it triumph over me, no matter what it throws at me!

****

Inside a great hall, a large group of school-uniform wearing teenagers had gathered together under its massive dome.

The inner walls of this hall along with its tall dome were densely decorated with golden artistic inscriptions, as well as an innumerable number of dimly glowing magic circles inscribed above them. A huge, dazzling chandelier hung from its tall roof, illuminating every corner of this great hall.

The numerous students gathered under its gentle light were admiringly looking at a beautiful longsword glowing with a divine light.

"So this is the 'Divine Weapon' wielded by the previous Eternal Heroes..."

"...Woah. I can even feel the pulses of power it's giving off from here!"

"...I heard that they always go missing after resealing the Demon King..."

The shiny silver blade of the divine sword was stabbed into a huge boulder placed at the center of the great hall, its razor-sharp edge gleaming with a dangerous light.

The hilt portion of this divine sword was engraved with breathtaking golden artworks, while a mysterious set of intricate runes decorated the entire length of its luminous blade, intermittently flashing with a golden-white glow.

This was the Sword-class Divine Weapon — The Sunflare Blade, Heliosurge!

Today, this divine weapon would choose one of them as its next wielder, marking the beginning of another Hero's legend!

"I wonder who would be chosen by it this time..."

"I'm curious too. Haah, how cool would it be if it chose me...?"

"Hah! Keep dreaming, you idiot. If it has to choose, then obviously it will be someone from the—"

"—Hey! They're coming!"

At this moment, through the wide open gateways at the front, two small groups of teenagers wearing an immaculate set of academy uniforms stepped into the great hall.

Their uniform was noticeably different from all the other students gathered in the hall, clearly distinguishing them from the common riff-raff of the academy.

– Step. Step. Step.

Both of these groups had exactly twelve members, both male and female – coming from a multitude of different races.

From heavily buffed-up Orcs, slender and elegant Elves, a few well-dressed Humans, to a pair of rough Dwarven siblings, and even delicate-looking Nymphs – these two groups included representative members from every race in their alliance!

Still, in the eyes of everyone else, every single one of these individuals seemed to exude an unmistakable air of regal prestige and power.

After all, they were the best among the best – the future pillars of their world. Even if the sky itself was to crash down tomorrow, these individuals would be the ones to hold it up for them all.

They were the future Heroes of Etheria!

Seeing them enter the great hall side by side, the entire student body immediately started buzzing with discussions.

– Step. Step. Step-!!

Paying no attention to the crowd's gossip, both of the groups stopped before the boulder holding the glowing Divine Weapon in its crevice, a slight flicker of interest appearing in their eyes as they silently observed its glimmering blade.

*Whoosh–!*

At this instant, a wizened old man wearing a white garb embroidered with golden artwork and inscriptions slowly entered the grand hall, making the entire hall full of students go completely silent.

A small group of teachers followed him inside before taking their respective assigned positions at the periphery of the crowd of students gathered there.

Climbing up to the dais adjacent to the huge boulder holding the Divine Sword, the wizened old man swept his gaze over the numerous young students gathered under him, before speaking in a gentle voice.

"Greetings, distinguished students of our prestigious Aegis Academy."

– [Aegis Academy]

It was a place where the defending guardians of their world were nurtured. It was both the ultimate shield against the vile invaders of other worlds, and also the incubating cradle for the future Heroes of Etheria.

"As most of you might already know, I am the current Pope of the Solaris Church. It is a great joy of mine to see you all healthy and thriving in this place, where the future Heroes of our world are forged!"

A gentle smile graced his face as he addressed the hall full of teenage students, making them stand slightly straighter and puff out their chests in pride.

"I have no doubts that every single one of you will be a key figure in maintaining the peace and prosperity of our realm in the times to come. But that long-lasting peace is soon going to be threatened by our greatest adversaries once again...!"

The gentle smile on his face vanished, replaced by a grim look.

"As indicated by the Divine Weapons making their appearances in our world one by one, the Divine Seal placed on the Demon King is weakening. A new generation of Heavenly Kings would likely make their appearance very soon, and only the Heroes chosen by the Divine Weapons can hope to defeat them!"

"That is why, today, we have decided to hold this ceremony, in the hopes that one of you, young Heroes, can be chosen by the Divine Sword and become its next wielder!"

"We hope that among one of you, the Divine Sword of Solarflare can find its worthy master, so that our Etheria does not fall into darkness by the vile hands of the demons!"

*Dringgg~*

[New Quest Generated!]

As soon as the wizened Pope finished speaking, a notification window popped up on the dimly lit screen.

– [Storyline Quest: Advent Of A Hero!]