Waking Up to a Changed World
Ian Clark woke up on the morning of the entrance ceremony, and the world had truly transformed. Not some metaphor or joke—literally.
"What the hell...?"
He stared blankly at the attendance check window floating before his eyes, only for a splitting headache to suddenly hit him.
"Ugh—."
A flood of information surged into his mind. Ian Clark, 17 years old, eldest son of the Clark Barony, freshman at Canopus Academy, today's the entrance ceremony... Dizziness and nausea hit him like a tidal wave, and instinct drove him straight to the bathroom.
Leaning over the sink and retching, he cautiously glanced up at the mirror.
"...Who the hell is that?"
A gray-haired handsome guy stared back with a pale, sickly expression.
There was a game called Project Luna. A trash game that pulled out all the stops to squeeze money from players. Ian Clark was an extra in that game.
I don't remember it at all...
Then again, if a mere extra stuck in anyone's memory, it wouldn't have been called trash. Getting terminally ill and facing death day by day was bad enough, but to get possessed into this garbage game? He'd even wondered if he was hallucinating from his illness.
But this vibrant body and vivid reality made that impossible. And above all...
Save the World
This boxy holographic window floating in front of him. Too intricate to be a hallucination from his brain, it swept away all doubts.
Staring at the quest window, Ian burst out laughing.
"Why the hell should I save it? I was gonna die anyway..."
He spat out the self-deprecating joke and stood up. Since he was doomed to die anyway, he had no intention of busting his ass to save the world. Now that he'd scored a young, healthy body, he'd just make the most of it and enjoy whatever time he had left. Profit.
Save the World!!
Ding ding!
This time, the exclamation marks had multiplied. He swiped at the persistently flashing thing, and detailed info popped up.
Reward: A healthy body.
Failure: Death.
"...Ah, so now you're controlling my life directly?"
His pride stung. Nothing could manipulate him. He wouldn't sell his soul.
Or so he told himself, but his life was still precious. More precisely, this healthy body was way too tempting. He quickly changed clothes and opened the door.
A massive arrow floated in his vision.
Entrance ceremony... game's prologue, huh.
As he walked, he recalled the game's story. True to its mobile gacha roots, the plot was paper-thin. Something about the Demon King reviving for some reason and threatening humanity, and only summoners who wield summons could stop it. The protagonist enrolls in an academy to train as a summoner and eventually defeats the Demon King. Cliché as hell.
Cliché story... but that's why it was perfect for pushing gacha.
Following the arrow, he arrived at the auditorium and pushed open the doors.
It was packed with students—minus him, anyway. The riot of colorful hair screamed "game world."
He killed time gawking at the nauseating variety of hues until the lights dimmed. Moments later, spotlights hit the podium up front, revealing a woman.
"—Attention, everyone."
The chattering kids shut up and stared. She nodded approvingly and introduced herself.
"I am the principal of this academy. Catherine."
She looked too young for a principal, sparking murmurs of surprise. But in this summoner-supremacist world, it just meant she had a powerhouse summon.
"Quiet."
She raised her hand. The crest on her hand glowed, and space tore open.
Boom!
A massive hand emerged from the rift, filling half the auditorium. It looked like it could crush mid-tier monsters just by dropping its weight—a colossal summon.
The students began to tremble. Satisfied, she dismissed it.
"That should suffice for introductions. Any further questions after the ceremony."
She dug in her ear, clearly bored with the formalities, and read from her script. The usual platitudes, advice for academy life... and soon, the finale.
"We now commence the entrance oath."
The entrance oath—one of the events early players raved about for its pretty illustrations. The reason pissed-off users stuck with this trash game's broken balance and paywalls.
Clack. A red-haired girl ascended the podium. Her hair shimmered like fresh blood.
She took the paper from Catherine and began.
"I swear.
As a student of Canopus Academy.
To uphold dignity and honor.
And to dedicate this body to humanity."
"Student representative, Stella Iritz."
Picture-perfect scene. The ceremony ended with the oath.
But it wasn't over.
"Students, please follow us."
The real star event of this world began. Tense, Ian trailed the teacher.
Guided by faculty, the freshmen marched to the Summoning Temple.
Familiar turf for him.
How much did I blow here...
The most vital spot in the mobile game—and this world. One of the few places where summons could be called. That's why Canopus Academy was the continent's top cradle and the empire's key stronghold.
...Gonna pull a 3-star?
Impossible to reroll, so he needed the best possible summon on the first try. But gacha was luck-based—he couldn't control it.
The teacher checked the roster upon arrival, handed it to the temple priest, who bowed slightly.
"Called students, proceed one by one."
The baldhead priest at the front drew eyes as he prepared the rite and called names.
"Eisen Doubt."
"Isaac Taisk."
"Nix Mondo."
Kids stepped up, pulling something from their pockets beforehand.
Ian freaked and dug out his own.
Guaranteed summon tickets—rewards for maxing out paywall spending.
Why the hell do they have these?
What's the point of gacha? They'd all pull 3- or 4-stars anyway...
But no—they prayed with items in hand.
"O God... grant me your blessing!"
A student offered golden fairy wings—a heirloom guaranteeing a 4-star hero.
The magic circle devoured it... but stayed dull, spitting out a 1-star.
...?
Something was off.
"Our family's heirloom... behold!"
Rainbow cloud next. Gulped down, another pathetic 1-star.
What the...
Ian realized: Despite guaranteed 3-4 star tickets/heirlooms, the circle didn't glow multicolored. National rule for rares and above.
Reality's different...?
More failures confirmed it. Offerings ignored.
Grinning, tongue flicking—he knew what to do.
The thrill of superior knowledge was intoxicating.
"Next, Stella Iritz."
All eyes on the rep. The redhead strode up unfazed.
"Ready?"
"Yes."
"Then, the summoning rite..."
Unlike others, no heirloom—just a casual hand wave.
The circle lit gold.
"Ooh! The golden circle... only for the talented few!"
...They know something.
Stella was a main heroine, fan-favorite. High noble, so privy to summoning secrets. But knowledge needed resources.
Soon, a fire spirit emerged: Salamander, 3-star.
Ian sighed involuntarily.
"Whoa, trash..."
He clamped his mouth. No one heard—or so he thought. Far off, Stella turned.
No way she heard that.
He looked away.
"Next... Ian Clark."
His turn. He stepped up; the priest smiled warmly.
"Ready?"
"Yes."
"Proceed directly?"
Ian eyed the circle. Gacha was luck. Could pull rare now.
But he knew his luck. No reroll? All-in on chance?
Stupid.
Grinning, he met the priest's benevolent smile.
"I'm not summoning."
"...Pardon?"
Silence blanketed the temple.
Stella Iritz, eldest daughter of one of the empire's four great ducal houses, summoner who inherited the Fire Spirit King Ifrit. Academy life was just bonding time with Ifrit.
The entrance summoning rite barely registered.
But as the Iritz heir, she couldn't falter. She sprinkled soul stone dust per family tradition.
The circle turned gold, summoning a 3-star no one else got: Salamander.
Salamander...
Fire attribute overlapping her Ifrit—not ideal, but passable.
Then, a sigh from the watching crowd.
"Whoa, trash..."
Faint, barely audible—she caught it, turned.
Couldn't pinpoint who, but heard it clear.
Students fixated on Salamander. Priest beamed.
"Truly, the academy's fortune."
"...Thank you."
Ignoring him, she contracted Salamander. Crest etched on her hand.
Back to her seat; priest called next.
"Ian Clark."
Unknown barony or viscounty. Forgotten instantly.
"I'm not summoning."
The voice echoed in her mind. That guy from before.