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Translator: Barnnn
“W-Where am I!? What is this place!?”
A shrill voice cut through the air, causing Izumi to flinch. It belonged to one of the high school girls standing nearby.
This can’t be happening.
Where am I?
How did I get here?
Is this some kind of dream?
But I see others.
I’m not alone.
Why am I here?
A whirlpool of confusion churned within her, nausea rising like bile in her throat. Her vision narrowed as her heart hammered violently against her ribs, the wild rhythm threatening to burst free from her chest.
Each beat sent stabbing pain through her temples, and she struggled to catch her breath. Amid the chaos, she barely registered the sound of a calm voice drifting across the room.
“Ladies and gentlemen from another world, please, would you hear what I have to say?”
Far off, at the opposite end of the cavernous hall — larger than any gymnasium Izumi had ever seen — sat a woman on what seemed to be a grand throne. She spoke with authority, her voice carrying easily through the room.
“Your shock is understandable. However, there is no time to waste. First and foremost, thank you for responding to this sudden summons.”
“Huh? Summons?”
“Responding? What are you talking about?”
“No way… Are we in another world?”
“Hold on! Give me a second to wrap my head around this!”
The high school students were in an uproar, bombarding the woman with questions.
Izumi’s brow furrowed at the mention of “responding to the summons.”
When exactly had she agreed to this? Had anyone even asked for her consent?
“Those who arrive from other worlds are bestowed with special powers by the Goddess and brought here. Surely, you too have received the abilities necessary to thrive in this world, granted by the Goddess herself — Is that not the case?”
“The Goddess? What’s with this sudden talk about goddesses? Sounds fishy.”
“Special powers? Like some kind of cheat ability?”
“Whoa, does that mean I’m a Hero?”
“Oh, please. You, a Hero? Get real.”
“Can we focus here? I’m sure you’ve all received some sort of power. Concentrate on your inner strength and say ‘Status Open.’ Everything will become clear.”
“Seriously? ‘Status Open?’ This isn’t some kind of prank, right?”
“No way, that’s so cringe. I’m not saying that out loud.”
“Well, I’ll do it! ‘Status Open!'” One of the boys thrust his right hand into the air and shouted.
To Izumi’s astonishment, shimmering fragments of light began to gather before him, coalescing into a floating window, translucent like a hologram.
“No freaking way!”
“Whoa, I can actually see your stats!”
“So it’s real? We’re actually in another world!?”
“Okay, I’ve got to try this too!”
One by one, the four high school students eagerly echoed the phrase “Status Open,” their voices brimming with wonder as their own holographic windows materialized.
The spectacle before her sent a shiver of excitement through Izumi, her realization slowly dawning.
[Another world! I’m really in another world! They even have magic that shows stats and everything!]
A surge of warmth flushed through her, the desire to see her own status growing with each passing second. She was just about to give voice to her thoughts when…
“Stat—”
“Hold it.”
A hand reached out, clasping her left hand gently but firmly, cutting her off mid-sentence. The voice was quiet, but laced with urgency.
“Huh?”
“Please, wait a moment.”
“What are you–“
“Shh. Just be still.”
The whispered plea barely registered over the excited chatter of the other students. Izumi turned her head slightly, keeping her gaze forward, and whispered back to the boy beside her,
“Why?”
“Don’t say it out loud. Just think ‘Status’ in your mind.”
“Huh?”
“Trust me. Just try it.”
Something in his tone compelled her to obey. Silently, she focused her thoughts inward, mentally chanting the word “Status.”
And then she felt it — a display materializing, not in front of her eyes, but deep within her mind.
The details of her status came into sharp relief, though some parts were still incomprehensible. But there was no doubt — this was her status window. However…
“Did you see it?” he asked.
“Yes, I did.”
“I’m sorry, but I need you to use one of your skills right now. Activate your ‘Stealth’ and make sure neither of us can be seen.”
“Huh? …All right.”
Nervously, Izumi concentrated on the Stealth skill she had seen listed on her status window, willing it to activate.
Gradually, a strange sensation took hold — a lightness, as though something was being erased. The two of them, connected at her left hand, seemed to fade, blending seamlessly into the surroundings.
Up ahead, the high school students continued to marvel at their newfound powers, their voices filled with excitement, while the woman tried to calm them.
But now, Izumi and the boy were no longer part of their reality, hidden as if they had vanished from the world.
“Phew… thanks,” the boy sighed, relaxing his grip on Izumi’s hand now that they were concealed.
“No, I should be thanking you.”
Though they were cloaked by her skill, they spoke in hushed tones, cautious not to let their voices breach the cover.
“Do you think that was intentional?”
“Most likely.”
The woman had insisted on using the phrase “Status Open,” yet Izumi had accessed her status with just the word “Status.” So why the specific command?
The difference, she realized, was whether or not the window appeared for others to see.
But why would that matter? The answer was as clear as day.
“I recognize this pattern — and it reeks of something bad,” the boy muttered, his words almost drawing a chuckle from Izumi.
Clearly, he was quite familiar with stories of being transported to another world, and he had reached the same conclusion as her.
“Can we move?”
“With your skill, we should be able to. But the problem is our position… and my stuff.”
If their suspicions were correct, lingering here was dangerous. They needed to leave, and quickly.
But as Izumi glanced at the boy’s side, she noticed a suitcase lying on the floor. He must have brought it with him.
He was right; dragging such a noisy object along would make stealth impossible. Even standing up without breaking their cover seemed unlikely.
“Hmm?”
The idea of standing suddenly gave her pause, but now wasn’t the time to hesitate. She forced herself to focus on their predicament.
“Do you think you can stand, carry the luggage, and move without being noticed?” she asked.
“I’m not sure… but here’s an idea. Could you take a look at your Stealth skill again? See if there’s more to it — any explanation, anything else it can do.”
Izumi nodded and turned her attention back to the Stealth skill in her Status window.
Closing her eyes, she let the details of the skill emerge in her mind.
Stealth (∞)
Erases the presence of the user and targets.
Includes all aspects of presence, such as aura, scent, sound, etc.
She released a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.
Opening her eyes, there it was — the detailed description of her skill.
It erased not just their aura, but their scent and sound as well — everything they needed.
The excitement of having a skill so perfectly suited to their situation was hard to contain.
But it was still too soon to celebrate.
She focused on the activated Stealth skill, intensifying its effect until it enveloped them completely.
The air around them seemed to thicken as the skill took hold.
“Is it working?” she asked.
“Yeah, that should do it. Thanks.”
“Let’s try standing up — slowly.”
“Sure thing.”
Still holding hands, they cautiously rose to their feet, moving deliberately. Izumi’s crutch clattered to the floor beside her.
[I knew it.]
That strange feeling from earlier — it was her knee.
The familiar discomfort was gone.
The pain, which had once been a constant companion, had vanished.
Her knee, once tightly bound in a brace, was now completely healed.
She couldn’t grasp it, not fully.
Her Stealth skill, her healed knee — it was as if something, or someone, was urging her to leave this place.
That was the feeling Izumi couldn’t shake.
“Seems like we’re safe for now.”
“Yup. Now, to grab my stuff…”
No one seemed to notice them as they stood.
The boy pressed down on the suitcase’s wheels to keep them from rolling, then hoisted it up with one arm.
Though the skill should prevent any noise, carrying it felt safer than dragging it along.
Izumi picked up her crutch with her free hand and glanced at the boy.
“Huh?”
“What’s up?”
A sudden jolt of unease made Izumi nearly release the boy’s hand.
She quickly tightened her grip, refocusing her energy into the Stealth skill to prevent it from faltering.
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
“Doesn’t seem like nothing to me… But, well, we can talk later. Let’s get going.”
“All right.”
With both hands occupied, the boy indicated their direction with a nod of his chin, and Izumi moved alongside him.
There was no telling what might happen to them if her skill failed.
She pushed the unsettling thoughts aside, concentrating on escaping the enormous room.
The voices of the high school students rose and fell, and the woman’s voice continued, making her Stealth waver with each distraction.
The boy noticed, casting concerned glances her way every few steps, but refrained from speaking, likely to avoid disrupting her focus.
Grateful for his consideration, Izumi concentrated harder, enveloping them in a protective shroud of Stealth.
The barrier solidified, and the boy squeezed her hand in reassurance.
[It’s going to be okay. We can get through this.]
They approached the open door leading outside.
As they slipped past the guards, the sounds of the woman’s voice and the students’ excited laughter echoed behind them.
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