Invitation

Glenn put his fork down harshly grabbing our attention. "Jasper, I told you to fix your attitude, or else you will not last long in our industry. Besides, Dylan is the only one I officially recruited. Stop being a baby and focus on eating."

Jasper clicked his tongue but didn't talk anymore. The atmosphere on the table turned cold and awkward. The others also continued to eat including me, except the girl who called Glenn earlier.

As if not being able to read the mood, she continued on the topic.

"Hey, Glenn who is your new recruit? Introduce him to us. Hey, newbie, I'm Aira."

Glenn stopped eating and patted his lips with a tissue before clearing his throat.

"I forgot. Why don't you all introduce yourselves first with your name, class, class rank, and overall rank. You all received your report card earlier right?"

"Then Glenn, you start."

"Glenn Salvador, class A, Class Rank 1, Overall Rank 1."

"Dylan Estrella, class B, Class Rank 2, Overall Rank 6."

Dylan Estrella, he was the one that Glenn 'officially recruited' among the five students that were on the same table. Dylan had glasses and was quite handsome, he was the cool and smart type of a guy.

"Elise Silva, class C, Class Rank 1, Overall Rank 3."

Elise Silva, she was quite tiny and young compared to others. I wasn't sure about the age of everyone else, but Elise was the most eye-catching compared to others. Not only her small stature and height, she was quite beautiful and even I couldn't take my eyes off of her. Elise Silva looked like a living doll that you wanted to keep.

"Jasper Abad, class B, Class Rank 3, Overall Rank 10."

Jasper Abad, the one who was quite grumpy. Jasper was handsome yet he looked like the childish type of guy that looked arrogant and annoying, but when he introduced himself still sulking, he reminded me of a picture of a dog being scolded by his owner. I couldn't hate someone because of a small reason for being jealous because his owner brought someone.

"Aira Camama, Class F, Class Rank 1, Overall Rank 9."

Aira Camama, she was a manly woman that looked manlier than everyone on our table. From the way she ate, talked, and moved, it screamed manliness. She was quite air-headed though from the looks of it. But, from the way that others didn't mind her obnoxious and oblivious attitude, it seemed that she was quite loved by others.

"Fran Silva, Class C, Rank 2, Overall Rank 5."

Fran Silva, he was tall and buffed but from the way he carried and dressed himself, he was the nerdy type of a guy which would look handsome when done with a makeover. Since he was also a Silva, I assumed that he was related to Elise, and Elise was beautiful which was enough proof from concluding that Fran would also be handsome. Though I couldn't see it clearly because of his thick glasses and medium hair that mostly covered his eyes.

When everyone was done introducing themselves, they all looked at me except Glenn, who continued eating his food.

"I..."

Aira cheered me up after seeing me having second thoughts, saying, "Don't be shy! As long as Glenn brings you here, then you are already special."

"I agree."

Elise agreed without batting an eye, because Elise talked, Fran also nodded his head furiously waiting for me.

"But... I'm not recruited by Glenn?"

"You aren't?!"

"Don't tell me! Glenn, I didn't know you bat for the other team.", Dylan joked.

Glenn choked on his food because of Dylan's sudden joke. Dylan patted Glenn on his back helping him?

I wasn't sure, but from the way it sounded, Dylan looked like he was having fun.

"Yeah, I didn't recruit him. I just brought him here because he is my roommate."

"Oh! That roommate?", Dylan asked, wriggling his eyebrows while poking Glenn's arm.

"What roommate?!"

"Heh, Glenn, I didn't know you were romantic.", Elise said joining the fun before sipping her juice.

"Will I ever have a peaceful breakfast, lunch, or dinner?"

"Nope, you should have chosen well."

Dylan, Aira, and Elise laughed still teasing Glenn while Jasper was still sulking and Fran was eating his leftovers.

"By the way, you haven't introduced yourself."

Dylan brought the topic back to me after a while. Fortunately, I was already done eating, and from the looks of it, I wouldn't be scolded because I had leftovers.

"Alex Velasco, Class A, Class Rank 40, Overall 223."

"Same class and same room?! You are a match made in heaven! I give my blessing to you my brother."

'...and seatmates.'

"Stop spouting nonsense."

"Alex Velasco... I think I've heard that name before."

"Sis, he was that student from Class A."

"Oh! That person. I see... I don't see any reason why you aren't recruiting him. He is that student, right?"

Elise asked Glenn while looking at Glenn with a glint on her eyes.

'Is there something I'm not aware about?'

"What about me?"

"I guess the person himself wasn't aware of it."

"Stop. Don't."

"Alright, I'll stop. When's our next training?"

"Tomorrow after lunch."

"Is it a free day today?"

Glenn didn't answer but everyone understood that it was up to them.

"Alex, nice meeting you. I hope to see you tomorrow."

Elise said before standing up and bidding her farewell to us. Fran also stood up following Elise.

"I'll also go."

Jasper said before also leaving us behind. Aira left for a while but came back after getting another tray of food. Dylan and Glenn were whispering by themselves so all I could do was wait for them to finish.

It was quite a tiring day for me. I transmigrated not even a day had passed but I already wanted to lie on my bed and sleep for a long time.

I wasn't used to it. Talking to strangers was quite a chore. It was not for me. I'd rather have a single friend than many. My introverted self couldn't handle it.

"Fuck!"

I must have been so out of it because Glenn poked me on my side, startling me.

"Drink your medicine."

"Okay."

I wanted to tell him to stop poking him but after giving my medicine, he turned back to Dylan and continued where they left off.

After I drank my medicine with water, I continued to day dream.

There were keywords that the group slipped up when they were talking like, industry, that person from class A, and special.

Starting with the report card that looked like a Status Window, forming a group because it was a normal occurrence in our industry, and people that Glenn recruited because they were special... then I was in a fantasy-like world where magic and swords existed.

I wasn't sure yet because there was no current skill and mana in my report card. Assuming that tomorrow was a training day, then I might find more information that could help me find the truth about the world I transmigrated.

Having no clue at all could endanger my life especially seeing how weak I was. What's with the 1 Strength? Even a kid could have that strength...

"Frustrating, very frustrating."

"What is?"

"Huh?"

"You said your thoughts out loud?"

"I did?"

"You did."

"Oh..."

"Pft. You're a funny guy, I like you. Glenn I'll head up first. See you tomorrow."

"Sure."

Aira stood up after cleaning everyone's tray, leaving us behind with the trays on her hand.

"Is she okay?"

"Aira? Don't worry too much. She's super strong."

"Yes, we have a lot of brains but Aira is the only one with the brawls but she doesn't have a brain."

"Oh."

"There are a lot of surprises for tomorrow. Come with Glenn, I heard he already volunteered to be your trainer. You better come tomorrow to see what you'll go through."

"That's the plan all along. I have to increase his overall stats by at least 75."

"What's his overall stats by the way?"

"Not telling you."

"Not telling me or you don't know?"

"..."

"Pft. Don't tell me, he didn't give you an answer and you're the only one who assumed that he'll eventually agree?"

"..."

"Guys, I'm still here..."

"Oh, Alex don't worry. I just love teasing Glenn these days. He's so grumpy these days since the D-day is arriving."

"D-day?"

"You forgot? I guess not everyone will remember the things they wanted to escape from. D-day is not the graduation day but the day after graduation where the Gates of Hell will open."

"...Oh that."

"Exactly that. Don't worry too much. If you trained with us for a week, then you can raise your stats faster."

"How long did it take for you to reach your rank?"

"3 months."

"...but we only have 10 days."

"Don't worry. It didn't take exactly 3 months for us to reach our rank, but we made it look like that."

"So..."

"Within that 10 days, your overall stats will increase greatly. Well, as long as you hold on until the end "

"Don't think too much about it. You'll see what they meant tomorrow."

"Okay, sure."

"We better sleep early."

"Sure, let's head upstairs together."

Glenn and Dylan stood up, of course, I also stood up and followed the two. After they stood up they went towards the stairs that led to a higher floor.

Everyone that left before us all went upstairs which made me realize that the sleeping quarters of the students were in the same building as the school.

When we arrived upstairs, it didn't look fancy at all. Like in any dormitory there were room numbers on the door and there was no decoration on the hallway.

"Alex!"

"Hm?"

Glenn patted me from the shoulder and guided me to take the stairs, after understanding what he meant, I followed behind him. After climbing the sixth stairs, we finally reached our destination.

I realized that our room was on the highest floor. Dylan left us on the floor below us.

Glenn opened the dorm number A-01. It was a room number for Class A. If I guessed right, each floor had a designated class, starting from the floor above the dining hall, Class F, E, D, C, B, then A.

I wasn't sure of the reason why we were assigned the highest floor but asking would be strange so I kept quiet.

I followed Glenn inside after a while. The room was simple. There was a bathroom, two beds, a nightstand, and two wardrobes.

Fortunately, Glenn opened his wardrobe and put his clothes that he'll be using on the bed so I was able to know what bed and wardrobe was mine.

Instead of idling around the bathroom door, I casually went inside and washed my face before I went towards my wardrobe and opened it up.

There were a lot of things inside. It seemed that my family was quite wealthy. I grabbed a towel and a pajama outfit while also putting it on the bed.

"Don't take a bath. Instead clean yourself up by using a wet towel if you insist on taking a bath."

"Sure. You take a bath first."

"Thanks."

After that Glenn went inside the bathroom taking a bath.

I only realized that I didn't see a bag nor a book inside the classroom. Instead only the students and a teacher, which led me to a misunderstanding about my situation. Handling a report card was normal for me but right from the start, it was already giving me a clue that something was strange.

Not only that, but being poked by Glenn when I didn't hear the teacher should have woken me up if it was a dream because a sudden stimulation could wake you up especially if you were unready. If it was a dream, I should have woken up and entered a new dream, but, I only felt that it was lucid and I denied my 6th sense that was giving me a warning.

Fortunately, it seemed that no one was able to notice that I was a different person. Instead, my classmates and other students were too busy managing themselves.

But, when I was walking with Glenn in the dining hall, I got stared at by the students evaluating me. It seemed that Glenn and his group were famous because of their ranking... or maybe Glenn was the special one.

Dylan said that it took them three months to reach their ranking, but it did not actually take them three months to be that strong.

Everything was blanketed by a fog and I couldn't see clearly what was behind them. Assuming that I was also special because Elise and Fran knew me, then Glenn might not have helped me because he was kind.

It might have been an act to get close to me and there was a perfect opportunity that was presented to him due to my own carelessness. I have given him a chance to catch me.

'Tomorrow, I'll ask them how they were recruited, one by one.'