"Useless, incompetent, a failure, trash... I've heard it all before."

Why did the world give me a Gift if it had no purpose? Why make me a genius?

Gifted individuals like me aren't allowed to work in regular industries. Instead, we're managed by the Talent Dispatch Agency, where they assign us roles supposedly "suited to our abilities."

"Date-kun, how was your day?" Aida-san's kind voice broke through my brooding thoughts. She was one of the few who genuinely cared.

"Nothing special," I replied, forcing a smile.

The truth? I spent the day cleaning a dormitory as assigned, received a meager paycheck that could barely be called wages, and filed a report that no one would read. This is my reality.

It wasn't the agency's fault, not entirely. Their funding comes from a mix of donations, aid, and minor taxes. They're not exactly swimming in money. Minimum wage? That's for ordinary people. Motivation? Hard to come by when you're stuck in a gilded cage.

But I had responsibilities—a family to support. My sister's tuition, my father's debts, and tonight's dinner were all on me. I didn't have the luxury to sulk in self-pity.

"But it's strange, isn't it?" Aida-san tilted her head. "Your Gift, Inquiry, hasn't revealed its abilities yet. Nobody knows what it does."

"Heh... If I knew how to use it, maybe my life would've turned out differently," I replied bitterly.

Gifts are unique powers bestowed upon individuals at birth. Some are combat-oriented, like Swordsman, Fighter, or Mage. Others are supportive, like Healer or Strategist. The strong Gifts thrive, the weak... well, they barely survive. And then there's me—an anomaly.

"Ugh, if only there were a Gift that could analyze other Gifts in detail..." Aida sighed.

Her frustration was one of the rare moments I felt seen. Most people, even among the Gifted, couldn't care less about my plight. The only ones who gave me the time of day were Aida-san and my family.

"Big Clans probably have artifacts that could help," she added. "But their secrets don't trickle down to us common folk."

Clans—groups of elite Gifted individuals—operate independently within the agency's framework. They're practically untouchable, a necessary evil to maintain balance and keep rogue Clans in check. If they wanted to, they could crush anyone beneath them with impunity.

"That aside, Aida-san," I interrupted, trying to steer the conversation. "Is there any higher-paying work I can take on?"

Her expression shifted to concern. "But you just finished today's assignment. You should rest."

"I can't afford to rest," I cut in, my voice sharper than I intended. "I need the money."

She hesitated. Of course, she did. What could she possibly offer me? My assignments were scraps, barely enough to keep me afloat. I endured endless menial jobs, from weapon maintenance to grocery errands for the Gifted. Even those acts of pity dried up quickly. No one respects a Giftless "genius."

"Well... there's one job..." Aida-san finally said.

"Really?!" I nearly leapt over the counter separating us.

"Date-kun! Too close!" Her cheeks flushed as she tried to push me back.

"Please, tell me what it is! I'll take it, no matter what!"

"Alright, alright! Just calm down!" She sighed, placing her hand on my shoulder to guide me back to a respectable distance. Then, she looked me in the eyes and murmured, "You're... surprisingly pushy sometimes, you know?"

"Sorry," I mumbled, scratching the back of my head.

"Honestly, if you keep acting like this, you'll give people the wrong idea," she said, averting her gaze. Aida-san was young, beautiful, and competent—rumors about her being pursued by elite Gifted weren't exactly uncommon. My sudden enthusiasm must've caught her off guard.

"So, about the job?" I pressed, hoping to change the topic.

"Yes, well... it's a cargo transport mission." She trailed off, her tone uneasy.

"Cargo transport? That's fine! I can handle that!" Relief washed over me. Transport jobs are simple enough—just moving supplies from point A to point B. Even without a physical-strength Gift, I could manage it.

But Aida-san's expression remained tense.

"These clients... they don't have the best reputation," she admitted. "The team is a mix of E and F-ranked Gifted, so they're not tackling anything too dangerous. Still..."

Her voice dropped to a whisper, her breath brushing against my ear. I barely caught the words over the pounding of my heart.

The implication was clear—there were rumors about these people, and not the good kind. But what choice did I have? Gossip wouldn't pay my bills.

"I'll do it," I said firmly.

Aida-san sighed and turned her computer screen toward me.

"Here's the team," she explained. "Masaki Udota—Rank E, Warrior. Ikkei Hasegawa—Rank E, Archer. Gou Tanaka—Rank F, Healer. Hibiki Fukada—Rank F, Mage."

"A balanced group," I observed, nodding. "But their records are sparse. Late bloomers, I take it?"

"Exactly. Their Gifts haven't evolved yet, which is why their combat experience is limited."

Gifts grow over time. A Swordsman could eventually become a Swordmaster, and a Swordmaster might ascend to Sword Saint. The strongest Clans boast members with fully evolved Gifts—S-ranked elites capable of shaping nations.

"Compared to them, I'm just dead weight," I muttered.

"That's not true," Aida-san said, leaning closer. "Your knowledge rivals that of seasoned veterans. I've heard the rumors, you know. You've studied every Gift, memorized their growth paths, and learned how to counter most monsters. If anything, you're a walking encyclopedia."

Her words caught me off guard. "But none of that matters if my body can't keep up," I said bitterly.

She hesitated, the silence stretching between us. I'd hit a nerve, but I didn't care. Words wouldn't change the fact that I was a failure.

"I'll take the job," I said, breaking the tension. "Please, let me do this."

No matter how low I sank, this was the only path available to me. I had to keep moving forward, even if it meant crawling through the dirt.