Chapter 1
When Zero Means Nothing
In a quiet classroom, our protagonist, Kenji, sits in the far corner. He’s the kind of guy you don’t really notice unless you’re taking attendance or need someone to borrow a pencil from. He’s neither athletic nor attractive; if anything, he’s just... normal. Too normal. His unremarkable brown hair, plain hoodie, and glasses define him more than any personality trait could. But beneath that calm exterior, Kenji has an incredible gift, the ability to divide his class into neat categories in his head.
First, there’s the Cool Kids. You know, the ones who never try in gym class but are still somehow popular, good-looking, and socially effortless. Then there are the Cool Girls, always in the latest trends, effortlessly managing grades and social life like they’re playing on easy mode.
Then we come to the Average Kids. Not cool, but not outsiders either. They can float between groups with ease but never really stand out.
And finally, there’s Kenji himself. An outsider. He tries to mix with the others, but no group truly fits him. He’s mastered the art of drifting through conversations without being noticed, like a ghost haunting a place he was never meant to belong.
Right now, he’s zoning out, resting his head on his desk. Man, when can I go home? He thinks, as the teacher drones on about something or other. It’s not like he needs to pay attention. He’s not here to impress anyone.
Suddenly, a weird light fills the classroom. Kenji, still half-asleep, feels the room shaking slightly but ignores it, thinking it’s a dream. A glowing magic circle forms in front of the classroom, pulling everyone into it like some cheap fantasy anime. He doesn't notice anything until the screams hit his ears.
"W-What the hell is happening?!" A voice from the front yells.
Kenji blinks awake and rubs his eyes groggily, only to be met with sheer chaos. His classmates are being sucked into some kind of portal. Panic sets in immediately. Oh crap!
“I can’t die yet!” he shouts in a panic, sprinting towards the back door like it’s his last hope. “I haven’t even gotten my first kiss!”
But it’s too late. The light engulfs him too.
When Kenji regains consciousness, he’s not in the classroom anymore. Everyone is in some strange, medieval-looking hall. With massive stone walls, and torches burning in sconces, it looks like they’ve stepped right into the middle of some low-budget fantasy game.
Around him, his classmates are standing up, confused but clearly excited. A screen appears in front of each of them, floating like some kind of hologram.
"Reincarnation Complete: Status Check!"
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"Oh my Gosh, we're really in an isekai!" someone yells.
Kenji watches in disbelief as everyone starts freaking out. One by one, people are checking their stats and abilities, and apparently, they’re pretty impressive. Some have high-level combat skills, others have magical affinities that make them look like the next anime hero.
“I’ve got fire magic!” someone else brags, their screen glowing with bright red stats.
Kenji's screen flickers in front of him too, but he’s too focused on the reactions around him to check right away. Everyone’s acting like they’ve just won the lottery. But the excitement dies down when a group of knights enters the room, led by a regal-looking woman who tells them to follow her to the castle.
At the castle, they’re led to the throne room where a king, in full royal attire, sits on his throne. He orders the entire group to display their abilities.
The first student steps forward. The king nods approvingly.
“Strength: 300. Agility: 92. Speed: 100. Magic: 102.”
The room erupts in cheers. Another student goes up, more high stats, more congratulations. It’s all like a dream come true for them.
Then it’s Kenji’s turn.
His screen appears.
“Strength: 0. Agility: 0. Speed: 0. Stamina: 0.”
The room falls silent. The king looks at him in disbelief, muttering something under his breath.
"How is this possible?" the king questions, his eyebrows furrowed. "A newborn has more strength than this!"
Kenji feels the stares burning into his back. Oh great, here we go. I’m the useless guy in the hero party.
A few kids in the back snicker. He hears their whispered comments. "Did you see his stats? Zero across the board? What a joke."
But then the king notices something on his stat sheet, and his expression changes to one of confusion.
“You have a skill... Transformation to Defeated?”
Kenji looks up, bewildered. “What the hell does that even mean?”
The king waves his hand dismissively. “It means you can transform into anything you've defeated.”
Kenji smiles “Maybe this skill isn’t so bad after all.”
The king responds “But with skills lower than that of a baby you wouldn’t even be able to defeat an ant.”
Laughter breaks out behind him. Even some of the knights are stifling their chuckles.
“Well,” the king says, rubbing his temples, “there’s no place for someone like you here. Guards, take him away.”
Kenji looks around, hoping someone will step in. But no one does. Not even his so-called friends. Well, except for one, his childhood friend Yumi. She steps forward, asking the king to reconsider.
“He has a skill. Isn’t there a way to…"
“No,” the king interrupts. “He will be exiled.”
And just like that, Kenji is escorted out of the castle, into a nearby forest. The guards leave him at the edge of the woods with nothing but the clothes on his back.
He stumbles forward, seeing a broken sign half-buried in the dirt: WARNING: DANGER.
“Well, isn’t that just perfect,” he mutters, kicking the sign as he walks past it. He tries to run, but after two seconds, he’s already out of breath.
"How am I supposed to survive if I can't even kill a thing?" he groans, sitting down on a patch of grass. Everything about this world sucks. The stats, the magic, the powers. He’s just a normal guy with no hope in a world that thrives on heroes.
But Kenji knows he’s going to have to figure something out. Because going back isn't an option.