The smell of ozone and burning chalk was the first thing that hit Julius Grey.
He didn't panic. In fact, his heart hammered with a wild, ecstatic joy. He knew this exact scent. He had read about it in over five hundred web novels, manga, and light novels. The dizzying sensation of vertigo, the glowing geometric patterns fading from his vision, the grand stone pillars rising into a vaulted ceiling—it was happening.
The Summoning.
"Oh, brave heroes from another world, welcome to the kingdom of Aurelion" a booming, resonant voice echoed through the grand cathedral. "The demon king's army attacks and we are on the brink of ruin. You are our only hope."
Julius stood up quickly, brushing the dust off his school uniform. He looked around. His entire high school class was here, roughly thirty students, all dazed and murmuring. In front of them stood an elderly man in pristine white and gold robes—the Pope archetype—flanked by heavily armored paladins and a beautiful, princess.
Perfect, Julius thought, a smug grin creeping onto his face. It's the classic setup. Now, where is it?
As if on cue, a translucent, holographic screen shimmered into existence right in front of his eyes. Julius nearly squealed. His finger hovered in the air, eager to see his broken, overpowered cheat skill. Would it be Universal Creation? Infinite Mana? The Necromancer King?
He focused on his Status Board.
STATUS BOARD
• Name: Julius Grey
• Class: Magic Swordsman
• Rank: Common (F-Tier)
• Base Stats:
• Strength: 12 | Agility: 11 | Vitality: 10 | Intelligence: 13 | Mana: 15
• Initial Skills: Basic Sword Mastery [LV 1], Mana Manipulation [LV 1]
Julius blinked. He rubbed his eyes. The screen didn't change.
"Wait," he muttered, his smile instantly dying. "Magic Swordsman? That's it? No unique passive? No multiplier? My stats are barely above a regular peasant!"
Before he could process the crushing disappointment, a loud gasp echoed from the front of the crowd.
"M-My King! Look at this!" the royal appraisal wizard shouted, pointing a glowing crystal at the class president, a tall, handsome guy named Damien.
A massive, golden aura erupted from Damien's status screen, visible to the entire room.
STATUS BOARD (Public Appraisal)
• Name: Damien Clark
• Class: Holy Sun Vanguard
• Rank: Legendary (S-Tier)
• Unique Skill: Divine Radiance [LV 1] (Multiplies all physical and light magic damage by 5x)
The cathedral erupted into cheers. The princess rushed forward, her eyes shining as she took Damien's hands.
"The prophecy is true! A Legendary Hero has arrived to slay the Demon King!"
Julius watched in mounting horror as the rest of the popular kids stepped forward. The vice president got Calamity Sorcerer, the head cheerleader got Saintess of the World Tree, and even the quiet kid who sat next to the window got Shadow Assassin.
The royal knights practically tripped over themselves to hand out mythical-tier relic weapons, enchanted armor, and plates of gourmet food to the "Chosen Ones."
Then, it was the back row's turn.
The appraisal wizard walked down the line of average students, his expression growing more cynical and bored with every step. When the crystal passed over Julius, it flashed a dull, uninspired gray.
"Class: Magic Swordsman. Rank: Common," the wizard droned, not even bother to look Julius in the eye. "Next."
"Hold on," Julius said, his voice tightening. "Is there a hidden evolution path? A locked potential?"
The wizard chuckled dryly. "Young man, a Magic Swordsman is a jack of all trades and a master of absolutely nothing. You cannot cast high-tier spells because your intelligence is too low, and you cannot wield heavy blades because your strength is pathetic. You are filler. Fodder."
The King spoke from his throne, his voice cold and commanding. "The Legendary Heroes will remain in the palace to receive royal training and eat from the royal treasury. As for the twenty Common-tier summons... you will be drafted into the Imperial Vanguard Frontlines. You will march to the border tomorrow morning to serve as a shield for our kingdom."
The popular kids didn't even look back as Julius and the other "failures" were escorted out of the grand hall by low-ranking guards. Damien was already laughing, surrounded by beautiful court maids, soaking in his new main-character status.
Julius was led down a spiral stone staircase, deep into the damp, dark barracks of the castle. He was tossed a dented iron breastplate, a rusty, standard-issue shortsword, and a basic, dusty spellbook containing a single spell: Friction.
Sitting on a hard straw cot, the cold reality of the world settled into Julius's chest. But sorrow didn't take root. Instead, a burning, toxic wave of absolute bitterness consumed him.
He had spent his entire life preparing for this moment. He knew every cliché. He knew every trope. And he had just been cast aside like an unnamed background extra in someone else's grand adventure.
"Fodder? He called me fodder..." Julius whispered, staring at the rusty iron sword in his lap. His knuckles turned white as he gripped the hilt. "They think they're playing a heroic fantasy novel. They think stupid Damien is the protagonist."
A cold, sharp smile slowly spread across Julius's face. His eyes, reflecting the dim torchlight of the barracks, narrowed.
"They don't get it," Julius muttered, opening his status board again. "A specialized class is locked into a path. A Holy Knight can never learn dark magic. A Sorcerer can never parry a blade. But a Magic Swordsman? Zero restrictions. I have the entire meta-knowledge of Earth in my head. If this world won't give me a cheat skill, I'll just break the game mechanics myself."
He stood up, ignoring the armor, and looked at his reflection in a small, cracked shard of glass on the stone wall. He didn't want to look like a generic imperial soldier. He wanted an identity that would strike fear into the hearts of both demons and arrogant heroes.
Tomorrow, he would march to the frontlines. He would let the kingdom use him as fodder. But he wouldn't die. He would grind. He would exploit every single loophole in this world's magic system until he eclipsed every single one of them.
"Enjoy your spotlight while it lasts, Damien," Julius whispered into the empty, cold dark. "Because i'm coming to steal the show."