World Overrun by Zombies, but I have Transmigration Perks! Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Ambush at the Banquet

His head felt heavy like lead, and his consciousness wavered faintly. It felt like the state after pulling an all-nighter and spending the afternoon in a haze, or like when you have a fever close to 40°C. His consciousness was that clouded.

Groaning, he twisted his body, and the cold sensation of stone against his back reached him. It seemed he was lying on a hard stone-paved floor. Though there was a slight comfort, the feeling of discomfort wouldn't disappear.

---Why am I lying on the floor?

In his hazy thoughts, he tried to recall last night’s events. The Empire had thrown a feast to celebrate the defeat of the Demon Lord, and expensive barrels of wine had been freely served.

"Crossing dimensions grants special powers."

For this reason, he had been summoned to a human kingdom in a world resembling the medieval period. Summoning required vast amounts of magical power, and it seemed to happen once every ten years.

Three years ago, he had been summoned, the youngest of those summoned. However, he had gained the physical strength of a brown bear, holy magic that healed injuries and diseases, and the special ability of spatial storage. 

His physical abilities were said to increase; the man summoned 13 years ago, who had recently fought the Demon Lord to a standstill, now possessed the strength of an African elephant.

Holy magic could heal injuries and diseases, a power he had gained after arriving in this world. Spatial storage could hold the equivalent of ten 8-tatami room-sized spaces, or 10 twenty-foot containers. It was a unique ability only granted to those summoned.

Because of these powers, he was conscripted into the military.

---The Empire’s decision was correct since we defeated the Demon Lord.

Having won the war, the Empire’s military returned in triumph. He recalled being invited to a banquet at the castle and drinking wine, unable to refuse. There was no way to turn down an invitation from generals or marquises.

And then, he woke up lying on the stone pavement. But why had the castle attendants brought him to such a place?

Clearing away the fog in his mind, he squinted his eyes open. He saw the same summoning chamber from when he had been summoned to this world. Moreover, there was a magic circle drawn on the floor, and priests were gathered performing a ritual.

"Hey, he’s regained consciousness. What’s going on?"

"My apologies. It seems the dosage wasn’t enough. However, he should be paralyzed and unable to move for half a day."

In his dazed state, he heard words that were hard to believe.

Shifting his gaze, he saw the Prime Minister among the priests.

The Prime Minister sighed, looking down at him with cold, emotionless eyes. It was a gaze that made him seem no more than a stray dog, completely devoid of humanity.

"You heard me, huh? I’m sending you back to your original world."

He looked at the Prime Minister with suspicion as the man explained the reasoning.

"The war is over, and the purpose has been fulfilled. It’s dangerous to leave a wild beast around."

With a tone that implied it was obvious, the Prime Minister continued. He had been promised promotion, a noble title, land, and a noblewoman to marry. But of the summoned individuals, he was the only one still alive. If they sent him back, they would no longer need to fulfill those promises.

"In the past, there was a country that killed the summoned individuals, causing their summoning to fail. That’s why I’ll spare your life and send you back. You should be grateful for the noble sacrifices of your predecessors."

Upon hearing this, he could no longer refuse. Staying would clearly result in something terrible.

Should he stay in the Empire, where he risked being killed, or return to Japan, where three years of his life had passed but he had finished high school? Which was the lesser evil?

Seeing him fall silent, the Prime Minister let out a small, dismissive chuckle.

"The military supplies in your spatial storage will be your severance pay. Now, do it."

At the Prime Minister’s command, the priests began chanting. The chant was clear and loud, almost like a ritual. Underneath his body, the magic circle glowed with a pale light.

The light wrapped around his body, seeping into him, and he felt as though he were being broken down. Unable to resist, he was consumed by the light and erased from existence....