Landon Addison was a simple man.

In a world where might makes right, where talent can overcome hard work, and where the weak are prey to the strong, of course, he'd want to be on the top.

It was every child's dream to be the top dog, to rule above others with their strength.

Where Mana was abundant like the air around them, every child at their early years strives with this one goal in mind.

Sadly, things aren't always to one's favor, and fate had other plans for Landon.

The gears of fate turn, as a small gear is put into place and set events turn into motion.

...

"I suggest Little Landon lowers his goals to the future Grace."

The man who spoke those words was a medical practitioner on the human body, a licensed man with abilities to determine a child's potential at the young age of five.

He spoke those words to a mother and son, they were visiting him due to the son's age-eligible to analyze his body's potential towards Mana.

The mother was shocked to hear his words, she caressed her son's short dark blue hair that he got from his father. He looked up to see her face, his brown eyes from her straight on her face, as a sign not understanding what the practitioner meant.

"Is his potential really bad Sir Rainer?"

Potential meant one's body's capability towards harmonizing with the Mana surrounding them. Be it to strengthen one's body by forging their bodies with Mana or commanding the elements surrounding them to smite one's foes.

The potential of one's ability to harmonize with mana was graded from grade-1 being the lowest to grade-9 the highest. It's even further classified as low, intermediate, and high.

She feared the worst due to her husband and herself having mediocre potential, herself being grade-4 low rank and him being a bit higher with grade-5 intermediate rank.

The practitioner shakes his head and assures Grace of her son's potential.

"In the context regarding you and your husband's potential, he's gone above and beyond. He has a grade-6 high rank."

"What I said earlier was regarding his high hopes, I know children his age who have roughly the same potential as he is and can't stand they're just above average."

"I can only advise that he's grounded from an early age and knows his limits. Be realistic."

...

After returning home, Grace wanted to pull her son for a moment to talk regarding what Sir Rainer; she couldn't find the courage that he won't be at the peak like some others he'll encounter in the future.

She lived a modest life with her family, her husband making decent pay being part of the town's security team allowing them to live in a decent-sized house with a small backyard. His background of being a mercenary certainly played a part of him landing the job.

She sat on a chair that they placed outside as a way to view the night sky every day in each other's arms. Sometimes with Landon too if he was still up and not sleepy.

She stared into the night sky painted with countless stars, creating a breathtaking image to a common housewife.

She's was deep in her thoughts that a mere pat on the shoulder surprised her, she turned her head to see her husband, with a worried look on his face.

"Grace, did the visit to Sir Rainer went okay?"

"Joseph his potential is above of us. Sir Rainer said that this was the best possible outcome..."

"And yet you're out here with a perplexed expression, staring into the night sky..."

Grace didn't notice that was what she conveying to others, hopefully, her son didn't notice.

"... it's just that I don't know what to truly do when talking to him. I've always been at the bottom for most of my life and seeing him with eyes filled with hope makes me confused Dear..."

She confided to her husband regarding her inept ability to talk to her son regarding Sir Rainer's examination.

Joseph knew his wife had always felt below others, as she was from a family belonging to the nobility, albeit low ranking.

Thankfully her parents were understanding and only asked that he took care of her with great care. This, in turn, made his sister-in-law the heir to the Noble title and rights to the land, with her potential playing a part in it.

He pulled her into his embrace whilst gently caressed her hair, then his shoulders felt a bit wet with small sounds of sobbing filling the silent night.

"Grace Bell, when I chose you to become my wife I didn't do it to find someone with high potential. If I was like that I wouldn't have stuck with you and asked your hand in marriage."

"This must be proof of our love that Landon has a higher potential than both of us."

She finally looked up, seeing her husband's face straight on. Her face filled with tears with her makeup running on it.

"But Dear..."

"Don't you worry Grace, I know how to word it out the kid. So..."

"I don't want to see that face anymore, alright? Shouldn't this be a joyous occasion and instead of worrying what's to come, why not celebrate that he'll strive to be better."

Wiping her tears she finally calmed down and nodded at her husband.

"You're right, I guess I was feeling funny after all this time. I'm glad I met you, Joseph Addison."

"Likewise."

They both sat back down on the chairs as they just gazed upon the stars with one another in the other's arms.

...

At a park near his house was Landon. It was in the middle of the afternoon with the sun present yet not overbearing on the young child.

The park was currently empty besides him and another child, they both were playing with one another, bonding.

The other child wore overhauls and a feminine face, paired with a blonde bob cut with green eyes.

"Hey, Alex, have you gotten your examination done?"

"Yeah... I have. Have you done your examination, Landon?"

"Of course, Sir Rainer knows my Mom so he came as soon he was free from his duties!"

The both of them knew each other from the day the other began to talk, their mothers met each other before the thought children went in their heads. They saw no reason not to befriend each other and have kept in touch with each other pretty closely.

"Can I ask you what's your potential, Alex?" Landon asked his friend, not wanting to give out his results beforehand.

Alex seemed shy answering Landon as if it was the hardest thing in the world.

"Promise you won't laugh at me?" Landon nodded at his friend hoping to finally get an answer.

"My potential is... fourth grade. Intermediate rank..." Alex choked out as he was afraid that Landon would abandon their friendship and pursue other kids with higher potential.

Soon Alex began to cry, hoping the worst wouldn't come. That Landon wasn't like them at all and still wanted to be friends.

Landon looked at his friend in a daze, hearing his friend's potential being average at best made him remember his father's words the night before.