The world was on fire…
Flames engulfed everything in sight, houses, streets, and lives. Smoke filled the air, thick and choking, and the sounds of screaming drowned out all else. Tetsuya, only nine years old, stood frozen in the chaos, his hand held tightly by a girl his age.
"Tetsuya… Tetsuya!" she cried, her voice shaking as her grip on his hand tightened. Tears streamed down her face as she clung to him, terrified.
He wanted to move, to help her, to run, but his legs wouldn't listen. The heat from the flames was unbearable, and the shadow of Pylomarias loomed in the distance. Its roar tore through the air, shaking the ground beneath them.
"Tetsuya…!" the girl whispered one last time.
And then, the fire swallowed her. It swallowed everything.
Tetsuya's vision went black as he fell into the void.
He woke up with a gasp, his chest heaving as he bolted upright. His entire body was drenched in sweat, his heart racing like it was about to burst out of his chest. For a moment, he just sat there, staring at the darkness of his small hut.
"That nightmare again…"
He turned to the small window beside his bed, where sunlight peeked through.
Tetsuya let out a shaky breath and pushed himself out of bed. At fifteen years old, he lived in a small hut on the edge of the village.
Three years ago, during his awakening, nothing had happened. No power had manifested, and he was branded the weakest awakener. To this day, he didn't know what his power was.
'Well, I'm Tetsuya. I live alone in this small hut built'
He grabbed the small pouch of coins hanging by the door and stepped outside. Inside were a hundred coppers, earned through hard labor.
'It wasn't much, but it was enough to buy three loaves of bread.'
As he walked into the village, the people greeted him with smiles and polite nods.
'Everyone greeted me with a smile everytime they see me'
"Morning, Tetsuya,"
"Good day to you,"
But their friendliness was fake. As soon as he passed by, their expressions changed.
'But on the other side, I was seen as a weakling and worthless'
"Why is he still here?"
"Useless. He'll never amount to anything."
"He should just disappear…"
'Its hard living like this you know?'
Every word cut deep, but he kept his head down and walked on. He didn't let them see how much it hurt.
At the bakery, the shopkeeper greeted him warmly. "Three loaves, as usual?"
"Yes," Tetsuya replied quietly, placing his coins on the counter.
The shopkeeper handed him the bread with a smile. "Take care now."
'Take care?'
But as Tetsuya walked away, he heard the man grumble under his breath, "He could at least clean his dirty coins…"
'I knew it…'
Tetsuya tightened his grip on the bread, his jaw clenched. He kept walking until he reached the outskirts of the village, where he finally allowed himself to relax.
There, waiting for him, was his only friend—Naoda.
"Tetsuya!" Naoda called out.
'Its Naoda, my only friend who treat me equally '
Tetsuya approached, a small smile breaking through his otherwise somber expression. "Naoda. You're early."
"Of course I am," Naoda said with a grin. "I've got good news!"
'Good news?'
"What is it?"
"I passed the knight trial!" Naoda declared proudly, puffing out his chest.
'As expected, he always dreamed of being a knight'
Tetsuya's eyes widened. "You… You did? That's amazing!"
"Thanks! But hey, you should try it too."
'Weakling like me?'
Tetsuya's smile faded. "I can't. I'm too weak. I don't even know what my power is."
"Doesn't matter," Naoda said firmly. "I'll help you. You're stronger than you think."
Tetsuya hesitated. "I don't know…"
Naoda clapped him on the shoulder. "Trust me. Just show up tomorrow. You'll be fine."
'Tommorow I see, well I'll try'
The next morning, Tetsuya stood among thirty other participants outside the kingdom's training grounds. Naoda, now wearing his knight uniform, gave him a confident grin.
"Tetsuya," he said. "I've got your back."
Tetsuya nodded, though his nerves were clear.
'This is making me uncomfortable, everyone is looking at me'
The first trial was simple: move a boulder using your power. Each participant stepped forward one by one. Some succeeded with ease, while others struggled to even budge the massive stone.
When it was Tetsuya's turn, the crowd immediately began whispering.
"What's he doing here?"
"He won't even move it an inch."
"What a waste of time."
Tetsuya took a deep breath and stepped up to the boulder. He placed his hands on it, his mind racing.
Naoda, standing among the knights, focused his gaze on the boulder. Without a word, he used his telekinesis to give it a subtle push.
The boulder shifted.
The crowd fell silent.
Tetsuya turned back, his heart pounding as he saw their stunned faces. For the first time in years, they weren't mocking him.
But deep down, he knew the truth. It wasn't his power. It was Naoda's.
Tetsuya stood nervously, hearing the murmurs.
"He's cheating, right?"
"There's no way he could've moved that boulder."
He glanced at Naoda, who smiled back, giving a reassuring thumbs-up.
"They won't know," Naoda whispered.
The second trial began: an obstacle course. The participants had to complete it, and Tetsuya's nerves were on edge. Most were finishing quickly, and he felt the pressure building.
When it was his turn, Naoda helped him with his telekinesis, pushing him through the ropes, faster than he could move on his own. The crowd watched, confused, as Tetsuya cleared the first part effortlessly.
The rock climb came next, and Naoda guided him up, making the climb easy. Tetsuya reached the top, breathing hard, but Naoda had already made it seem like Tetsuya had done it on his own.
Next was the jump. Tetsuya leaped, pushed high into the air by Naoda's telekinesis. The crowd was stunned, their disbelief growing.
Then someone from the crowd approached. "You're cheating! You're the weakest, there's no way—"
Tetsuya didn't respond, fear flashing across his face.
Naoda stepped in, a hand on the man's chest. "Back off, or you'll be disqualified," he warned, voice steady.
The man glared but stepped away, and Tetsuya gave Naoda a thankful glance.
The final trial was a duel against a magic puppet. Tetsuya charged, throwing a punch but it did nothing.
Suddenly, the puppet slowly started moving out of the circle, guided by Naoda's telekinesis.
The crowd watched, suspicious, as the puppet finally stumbled out of the circle. Tetsuya stood there, panting.
"Winner—Tetsuya!" the announcer called, but the crowd remained silent, uncertain.
'Thanks to Naoda, my earning will raise this time'
×××××
The night after the trials, Tetsuya felt like he was floating. No more mockery. No more whispers.
"Congratulations Tetsuya!"
"I never knew you'd make it!"
'Everyone finally greeted me that doesn't usually happens'
He was finally a Knight. As he walked through the village streets, people smiled and waved at him. It was like a dream come true.
"You did it, Tetsuya. Even if we had to... bend the rules."
Tetsuya grinned, feeling the weight of his achievement. Tomorrow, he'd wear the Knight uniform, and everything would change.
The next morning, Tetsuya rushed back to the village, eager to start his new life. But something was off.
People weren't smiling anymore. They weren't looking at him like before. Instead, they avoided his gaze, their expressions angry and cold.
When he reached the palace, the king stood at the entrance, flanked by Naoda, who had a smug grin plastered on his face.
'Huh? What's going on?'
"Tetsuya," the king said,"You are the weakest awakener to ever exist. You have no place in my kingdom. You are to be banished immediately and never return, for the case of cheating in the trials."
"Leave, at once!"
Tetsuya's heart dropped.
'C-Cheating…? Don't tell me—"
His worst fear had come true. He looked at Naoda, his voice trembling. "What happened? Why?"
Naoda's smirk deepened. "You really are clueless, aren't you? You're the weakest. You're worthless. No one wants you here."
'Naoda… Why?'
Tetsuya's stomach twisted. "But... but I thought we were friends."
Naoda's laugh was cold. "Why would I be friends with someone so pathetic?"
'What happened to you, Naoda…?'
Tetsuya's heart shattered. The betrayal hit harder than anything he could've imagined.
'You can't be serious right now, he wanted me gone before'
Naoda had been plotting this from the start. The trials, everything—it had all been a lie. Naoda had made sure he would fail, made sure Tetsuya would be cast out.
"Get out of here, Tetsuya." Naoda sneered, his eyes mocking.
'Naoda…'
Tetsuya felt the anger rise inside him, but it was drowned by the crushing weight of pain. Every part of him ached. He turned and ran out of the palace, the disgusted stares of the people burning into him.
As he returned to his hut, the sight that greeted him stole the breath from his lungs.
'Wait… No, no no no…'
The hut was in flames. The place he had called home was burning to the ground.
'My… My home, why…!?'
"WHY!?" Tetsuya cried out.
Tetsuya dropped to his knees, his chest tightening.
'Why do I have to feel this way… Why do they have to treat me THIS way.'
He had just wanted a normal life. A peaceful one.
Tetsuya stood, wiping the tears from his eyes. The kingdom had rejected him. The world had turned its back on him. But he wasn't going to stay down.
'Everything I thought would change…'
With a final glance at the ruins of his hut, Tetsuya turned and walked away.
'… Everything, I trusted… Naoda'
His expression hardened, and with every step, he left behind the life he once dreamed of.
"What's the point of living…"
×××××