An ordinary profession creates the world's strongest

This time, she was also angered by the unreasonable reason for the summons and stood up angrily. "Ah, Ai is still so hardworking..." The students looked at Aiko-sensei tenderly as she confronted Ishtar, but when they heard what Ishtar said next, they all froze.

"I understand how you feel. However... given the current situation, it's impossible for you to go back."

Silence filled the room. The cold air weighed heavily on them. Everyone looked at Ishtar with expressions of confusion about what she was saying.

“Y-You said it’s impossible… W-What do you mean by that!? Since you’ve already summoned them, there must be a way for us to return, right!?”

Teacher Aiko shouted.

"As I said earlier, it was Master Esid who summoned you. We are here only to welcome you, the brave ones, and to offer our prayers to Master Esid. Since humans cannot cast magic that interferes with other worlds, your return depends on Master Esid's will."

“How, how could this be…”

Teacher Aiko slumped down in her chair, and the students around her started to make noises.

"You're kidding, right? What do you mean you can't go back?!"

"No! It doesn't matter what you do, just let me go back!"

"War is no joke! This is a joke!"

“Why, why, why…”

The students were in a panic. Hajime's mood was also unsettling. However, as an otaku, he had seen this type of work many times. Of the several scenarios he had previously considered, this wasn't the worst, which was why Hajime was calmer than the other students. Incidentally, the worst scenario involved treating the summoned as slaves.

As everyone panicked, Ishtar didn't interrupt, but instead quietly watched them. However, Hajime felt a tinge of contempt lingering in his eyes. Judging from his attitude just now, he probably thought, "What's so sad about being chosen by God?"

While everyone was still in shock, Guanghui stood up and slammed the table violently. The students were startled by the sound and looked in his direction. After confirming that everyone's eyes were focused on him, Guanghui slowly spoke:

"Everyone, there's no point complaining to Ishtar-san now. He's helpless... I, I intend to fight. The people of this world are truly facing extinction. Now that everyone knows this, I can't just sit there and do nothing. Besides, if we were summoned to save humanity, perhaps we can return once the problem is resolved... Is that so, Ishtar-san?"

"Well, I'm sure Master Esid wouldn't refuse the savior's wish."

"We have great power, right? After coming here, I feel full of strength."

"Ah, that's right. Compared to the people of this world, the power you possess should be several to dozens of times greater."

"Well, that's fine. I'm going to fight. And then I'm going to save all of life and bring everyone home. I'm definitely going to save this world and everyone else!!"

Guanghui declared this while clenching his fists tightly, his white teeth flashing uselessly.

At the same time, his charisma undoubtedly took effect. The students, who had previously looked hopeless, began to regain their energy and composure. Their eyes sparkled as they looked at Kouki, as if they had found hope. More than half of the female students cast enthusiastic glances at him.

"Hey, I knew you'd say that. It's really worrying seeing you alone... I'll get involved too."

"Ryutaro..."

"This is the only way now... Although I'm reluctant... I'll join in."

"Shizuku..."

"Well, since Shizuku-chan is joining, I'll do my best too!"

"Kaori..."

The old members echoed Kouki's words. Then, as if it were natural, the classmates followed suit. Teacher Aiko, tears welling in her eyes, choked out her words, saying, "No~," but she seemed powerless in the face of the situation Kouki was leading.

In the end, everyone decided to join the war. Perhaps the students didn't really understand what war was all about. Perhaps this was a form of escapism, a way to protect their minds from collapse.

Hajime thought so, observing Ishtar discreetly, and saw Ishtar smiling with great satisfaction.

Hajime noticed. While Ishtar was explaining the situation, she'd been secretly observing Kouki, trying to gauge his reaction. Kouki had a strong sense of justice, so his reaction to hearing about human tragedy was understandable. Later, Ishtar emphasized the demons' ruthlessness and cruelty. Perhaps Ishtar had already discerned who held the most influence within this group.

As the leader of a world-class religion, this was perhaps understandable, but this person couldn't be taken lightly. Hajime mentally added Ishtar to the list of people who needed special attention.

Having decided to join the war, they had to learn how to fight. Although they possessed extraordinary potential, they were just Japanese high school students deeply immersed in pacifism and could not immediately fight monsters and demons.

But this situation was of course to be expected. According to Ishtar, the headquarters of the Holy Church seemed to have been prepared to welcome them in the Kingdom of Heilig, at the foot of a certain Sacred Mountain.

The Kingdom has close ties with the Holy Church. Founded by Shalmu Baan, a follower of the Creator God Esid, the deity worshipped by the Holy Church, it is the nation with the longest history. Given the Church's cloaking presence behind the nation, one can only imagine the depth of the relationship.

Preparing to descend the mountain and reach the Kingdom of Heilig, Hajime and the others arrived at the main gate of the Holy Church. The Church seemed to be located atop the Sacred Mountain. Passing through the majestic gate, resembling a triumphal arch, a sea of ​​clouds stretched out before them. Without experiencing the characteristic breathlessness of high altitudes, Hajime hadn't realized they were situated high up in the mountain. Perhaps the living environment had been magically rectified. The brilliant sea of ​​clouds, reflecting the sunlight, and the clear blue sky, stunned Hajime and the others before this magnificent spectacle.

Ishtar, with a hint of pride, urged everyone onward. A large, round, white pedestal surrounded by a fence appeared before them. They walked through the beautiful corridors, constructed from the same materials as the cathedral, and followed the instructions to sit on the pedestal.

A massive magic circle was carved into the pedestal. Since the sea of ​​clouds lay beyond the fence, most students gathered in the center, though they couldn't help but glance around curiously. Then, Ishtar began to chant.

"The path to that other person begins with faith, the 'Way of Heaven'."

Instantly, the magic circle beneath their feet erupted in brilliant light. Then, the pedestal began to move smoothly like a cable car, diagonally descending toward the ground. It seemed the chanting had activated the magic circle carved into the pedestal. Perhaps this pedestal was a genuine cable car. Witnessing what was, in some ways, their first experience of "magic," the students chattered and boisterously chattered. Chaos reigned as they entered the sea of ​​clouds.

Soon, they passed through a sea of ​​clouds, and the ground suddenly emerged. A vast town, no, a nation, lay before them. A massive castle rose along the mountainside, its castle town radiating outward. It was the capital of the Kingdom of Heilig. A cable car seemed to lead all the way to the palace and the summit of a tower connected by an aerial corridor.

Seeing such a perfect performance, Hajime chuckled sarcastically. The scene was like a "Messenger of God" descending from the sky through a sea of ​​clouds. No wonder the followers of the Holy Church regarded Hajime and his companions, along with those affiliated with the church, as divine beings.

Hajime couldn't help but think of prewar Japan. It was a time when politics and religion were closely intertwined, leading to the tragedies that followed. Perhaps this world was even more twisted. After all, paranormal entities with the power to interfere with otherworldly realms existed in this world, and the entire world operated entirely according to the "will of God."

The future of the world, including the possibility of his return, depended on the will of God. Looking down at the increasingly clear view of the capital, Hajime desperately suppressed the indescribable unease that surged within him. Then he pulled himself together. In short, he could only do his best.

Upon arriving at the palace, Hajime and the others were led directly to the throne room. They walked along a corridor whose décor rivaled that of a church. Along the way, they encountered many figures in knightly attire, those who looked like civil servants, and servants like maids. All of them, however, gave them looks filled with anticipation or awe, as if they already knew who Hajime and the others were.

Hajime followed at the back of the group nervously.

When they arrived at the beautiful and unique double doors, two soldiers standing still on either side of the door loudly announced the visit of Ishtar and the brave man, and then opened the door without waiting for the response from those inside.

Ishtar walked through the door with a confident air. With the exception of Kouki and a few others, the other students walked through the door with trepidation.

Behind the door stretched a straight red carpet, and in the center at the end stood a luxurious chair—a throne. In front of the throne, a middle-aged man with a domineering and majestic air stood up and waited.

Beside him stood a woman who looked like a princess, and next to him was a beautiful, blond, blue-eyed boy of about ten, and a beautiful, blond, blue-eyed girl of about fourteen or fifteen. Furthermore, more than thirty people lined up on either side of the red carpet. On the left were those wearing armor and military uniforms, and on the right were those who looked like civil servants.

After arriving in front of the throne, Ishtar left the students where they were and walked towards the king.

At this moment, Ishtar slowly extended her hand. The king respectfully took it, kissing it gently, keeping within touching distance. It seemed the Pope held a higher position. "Now it's certain that the ruler of this country is a 'God,'" Hajime sighed inwardly.

The rest was a simple self-introduction. The King's name was Elisid S.B. Heilige, the Queen's name was Luluaria, the blond boy was Prince Randel, and the Princess was Liliana.

Then, high-ranking figures like the Knights' Captain and the Prime Minister also announced their names one after another. The beautiful boy's gaze seemed captivated, glancing at Kaori from time to time, proving that Kaori's charm also applies to the other world.

Afterward, a grand dinner unfolded, and everyone feasted on otherworldly cuisine. The food looked almost identical to Earth's Western cuisine. While there were occasional pink sauces and colorful drinks, they were still delicious.

During this time, a small incident occurred—Lord Randhir kept talking to Kaori, leaving the boys in the class to fret. "Will they turn their attention to Lord?" Hajime wondered, but ten years old seemed a bit too much...

Hajime and the others then learned that the palace would provide them with food, clothing, and shelter, and they were also introduced to the instructors who would be in charge of their training. The instructors seemed to have been selected from among the active knights and court magicians. This was likely intended to strengthen friendly relations between the two sides in preparation for the upcoming war.

After the dinner, everyone was escorted to their assigned private rooms. Hajime wasn't the only one surprised by the sight of the canopy bed. While the luxurious room made him a bit nervous, after a day as turbulent as the waves, Hajime felt his tension gradually relax. He threw himself onto the bed and lost consciousness.

Training and lectures began immediately the next day.

First, the assembled students were given a silver plate measuring approximately 12 by 7 centimeters. As the students gazed curiously at the plates, the Knights' Leader, Meld Loggins, began to explain the details.

“How about letting the captain of the knight order accompany us for practice?” Although Hajime had this doubt in his heart, it seemed that the responsibility of the “brave group” could not be entrusted to a half-hearted person, whether internally or externally.

Captain Meld himself said with a cheerful smile, "Great! Now I have an excuse to push all the troublesome chores onto the Vice Captain!" I guess it shouldn't be a big deal. But the Vice Captain might be having a hard time...

"Okay, has everyone got it? This board is called a status board. As the name suggests, it displays your status as objective numerical values, making it the most reliable form of ID. With this, you don't have to worry even if you get lost. Don't lose it, okay?"

Captain Meld spoke in a very relaxed tone. "From now on, we're all comrades. We can't always be so polite!" He spoke with a bold and forthright personality, and he also advised the other knights to treat the students with a normal attitude.

Hajime and the others also felt that this was much more relaxing. After all, being treated respectfully by someone much older than oneself was really uncomfortable.

"There's a magic circle engraved on one side of the board, right? Just prick your finger with the included needle and let a drop of blood drip onto the magic circle. That'll register the owner. Just shout 'activate status' and the surface will display your status. Ah, don't ask me how it works. I don't know anything like that. After all, it's a divine artifact from the Age of Gods."

"Sacred artifact?"

Hearing the unfamiliar term "sacred artifact," Guanghui asked.

"Sacred artifacts are magical items that possess powerful abilities that cannot be reproduced in modern times. They are said to have been created during the Age of the Gods, when the gods and their followers still lingered on Earth. This status board is one of them, and it's the only sacred artifact to have spread throughout the world since ancient times. Generally speaking, sacred artifacts are national treasures, but these are also circulated among ordinary citizens. After all, they're useful for proving one's identity."

By the way, there are artifacts in the world that make status boards. They are produced and sent out every year in response to demand under the strict management of the church.

After hearing this explanation, the students nodded in sudden understanding. Frowning, they pricked their fingers and smeared the resulting blood on the magic circle. Instantly, the magic circle glowed faintly. Hajime also smeared his blood on it.

Hajime's status board flickered. Then, like cotton soaking up ink, it turned sky blue. Hajime jumped. The other students' eyes widened in surprise.

Facing these students, Captain Meld explained that the color of magic power varies from person to person. After logging in their information, the status board will change color to match the holder's magic power. In other words, simply by comparing the status board's color to their own magic power, they can verify their identity.

(My magic power is blue, or should I say sky blue? It's quite beautiful...)

Fortunately, my heart isn't a dark color. Thinking this, Hajime looked around and saw that the other students were also staring intently at his color.

Incidentally, Kouki's is white, a very brave white. Ryuutarou's is dark green, Kaori's is violet, and Shizuku's is azure blue.

"I know this is rare, but please check the contents carefully."

Captain Meld smiled wryly and urged everyone to check. The students looked up as if awakened, then immediately turned to check.

Hajime also looked down at his status board. Above...

====================

Nanyun Hajime 17 years old Male Level: 1

Vocation: Alchemist

Power: 10

Stamina: 10

Resistance: 10

Agility: 10

Mana: 10

Magic Resistance: 10

Skills: Alchemy·Language Comprehension

====================

Display this information.

Hajime looked at his status board, feeling as if he had become a character in a game. The other students also stared at their status boards intently.

Captain Meld explained the situation.

"Everyone sees this? Let me explain. First, you see 'Level' at the beginning, right? Levels increase with various statuses. The upper limit of 100 represents the character's limit. In other words, the level represents the numerical value of the realm the character has reached so far. Level 100 means that one's potential has been fully utilized. However, there are not many people like this."

It seems that the status value does not increase only after the level increases like in the game.

"Status stats will naturally increase through daily exercise, and they can also be raised using magic or magic items. Those with higher magic power will naturally have higher other stats as well. While the details are still unknown, it's generally believed that magic power may be inadvertently assisting physical performance. Also, you'll be able to choose your equipment later, so stay tuned. After all, you're a group of brave warriors saving the country, and the nation's treasure trove is open to you!"

Judging from what Captain Meld said, simply defeating monsters doesn't seem to be enough to instantly improve your status. You still need to hone your skills in a down-to-earth manner.

"And then you saw 'Talent'? Actually, it's 'Talent'. It's linked to the 'Skill' at the end, allowing one to unleash unparalleled talent within that particular Talent. Not many people possess a Talent. Talent can be categorized as combat-oriented or non-combat-oriented. Combat-oriented people are only found in one in a thousand, sometimes even in ten thousand. Non-combat-oriented people, while rare as well... can be found in one in a hundred. One in ten is even more common. Most of them are in the production profession."

Hajime looked at his status. The words "Alchemist" were indeed written in the vocation column. Apparently, even the so-called "alchemy" required talent.

Ishtar had said that since they were from a higher world, their abilities were superior to those of Todas. If that were the case, it was only natural. Thinking about it, Hajime couldn't help but chuckle. It was indeed quite pleasant to be praised for one's talents.

However, after hearing what Captain Meld said next, Hajime broke out in a cold sweat, and his joy was wiped away.

"Next... the various stats are as you can see. The average level 1 stat is generally around 10, but yours are probably several to dozens of times higher. How enviable! Ah, tell me what's on the stat board. I need to use it as a reference for my training."

In this world, the average level 1 seemed to be around 10. Hajime's status was a neat row of 10s. While sweating profusely, Hajime was secretly puzzled.

(Strange~? This seems average no matter how you look at it… Totally average, right? Isn't that some cheat? Am I the strongest, even though I'm not the protagonist?… What about the others? They should all be like this from the beginning…)

Hajime looked around with a glimmer of hope, only to see that everyone looked very excited, and no one was sweating like Hajime.

Guanghui was the first to respond to Captain Meld's call and stepped forward to report his status. His status was...

====================

Tianzhihe Guanghui 17 years old male level: 1

Mission: Brave

Power: 100

Stamina: 100

Resistance: 100

Agility: 100

Mana: 100

Magic Resistance: 100

Skills: All-attribute adaptability, All-attribute resistance, Physical resistance, Composite magic, Swordsmanship, Strength, Shrinking the Earth, Prediction, High-speed magic recovery, Breath perception, Magic perception, Limit breakthrough, Language comprehension

====================

It's simply the embodiment of a cheat.

"Oh~ As expected of you, Brave Master. Your Level 1 status is already in the triple digits... and your skills too, normally you only have two or three... You're incredible! You're so reliable!"