[ Episode 1 ]

** Part 1: The Outcast **

In this world, humanity has gained access to unlock their own supernatural ability.

But there is one particular boy — he's different than anyone else.

Unlike everyone, he doesn't possess one.

Not a single ability, his name was…

"It's 'Tetsuya' right? that's him isn't he?"

"Yeah— Just ignore him, he's not worth talking about."

"Ha, he's not even worth looking at."

"I bet my kid is way stronger than him, I mean he doesn't even have a single ability."

"Hahaha! You're totally right!"

… Tetsuya, his name was Tetsuya. He was only 12, yet he managed to survive to this shitty life. He endured every word from them, even though it's too much for him to bear.

Not a single person ever trusted him.

***

Every day for Tetsuya was a repeat of the last. Waking up in the same cold alley, feeling the harsh stone and insects beneath him.

He had no home, no blankets, no shelter, no family. Just the streets and the quiet hum of the society that ignored him.

The first thing he'd do after waking up was to check the trashbins near the houses or the marketplace, if he's lucky he'll find a piece of bread or a fruit.

'Damn it, there's nothing in here but a piece of bone…'

When that didn't work, then he'll just walk to the village streets, tying to find something to do, something he could earn.

He'd offer to help the blacksmith carry the heavy loads or sweep the floor near the merchant's stalls.

'Please, atleast give me some…'

The merchant, though, would give him nothing, and even says:

"We don't need your help, boy!"

Sometimes these assholes wouldn't even acknowledge his gratitude.

Even the children, who should have been his age, ignored him, laughing at his ragged clothes and messy hair.

"Look look, it's him haha, look at his dirty clothes."

"You're right, he can't even afford a piece of mud, hahaha!"

Sometimes they would throw things at him, calling him a "useless beggar" or "a weakling with no future." They were right, of course.

He had nothing, no one would ever look at him and see anything more than the homeless kid who didn't belong here.

But there were times when he couldn't help himself. He'd watch the other children practice their magic, hurling fireballs or manipulating water, and he'd feel that familiar, sharp pain in his chest. His hands would twitch, longing to do something, anything, to feel powerful like them.

But no matter how hard he tried, nothing ever happened, not a single force or whatever magic came out through his hands…

'Why did I go through all this… What's the point of living, just kill the hell out of me.'

Once, a noble kid dropped a gold coin in the floor, purposely. Tetsuya reacted fast and took the coin to bring it back to him but the noble yelled:

"T-Thief, a thief! He stole my money, help!!"

Tetsuya was surprised by this action, and everyone looked at him.

"What, no I was just giving it b—"

"Ahh! He even tried to silence me! He's trying to hurt me, a noble!"

"Wait, n-no I'm not doing anything…"

"That kid, he's stealing from a noble."

"He even tried doing something wrong to him!"

"That's disrespectful, get him!"

They grabbed Tetsuya then punched, and pushed him.

"Wait, please liste—"

"We don't need to hear it!"

"Stealing from a noble is a crime you idiot!"

They kept punching and punching, until Tetsuya bleed while the noble cried on purpose.

The noble's parents came.

"What the hell is going on!?"

"Uhm sir, this little brat right here tried stealing from your son."

"I… I was just—"

"Shut the fuck up! You tried stealing from my son? You better know the consequences!!"

He ordered the near villager to beat him up, and the noble kid smirked and stopped crying, Tetsuya looked at him.

'Why, this is so foolish…'

Later, after what happened, he sat near the stall in the marketplace then grabbed his guts, growling loudly since he haven't eat anything for the past 3 days, and all he could do is beg.

"C-Can I have… Spare foo—"

"Ew! Don't touch me you dirty child! Help!"

"Him again?"

"Get him!!"

"I… I didn't do anything wro—"

Without a word, they grabbed Tetsuya again and pinned him down.

"He— He tried assaulting me!"

"What!? How dare you!"

"N-No… Please I didn't—"

They continued, not even listening to him. Everyone looked at him in disgust, he was scared of their gaze and he tried to bear it but it's just unyielding.

Later, Tetsuya walked through the side of the village again, then sat down to get some rest, still recovering from the bruises.

"Food… I need, food… Please"

"Get off me you stupid child!"

"Mom, what is he doing—"

"SHH! Don't talk to him, don't even look."

Some spared a food, but the food are already dirty or raw, some even gave a bone, or just ignored.

'This life is unbearable, do they really treat weaklings this way…?'

He had no choice but to eat those rotten foods, and as he eat he noticed a suspicious behavior — a kid, slowly took someone's pouch without being noticed.

Tetsuya quickly reacted and rushed to tackle the thief.

"You're not going anywhere!"

"Ahh! H-Help me, he's trying to hurt me!—"

Tetsuya punched him in the face and took the pouch, making the kid to cry.

Then the villagers walking nearby looked at Tetsuya.

What they've seen is: A pouch in his hands, above the helpless kid who is the actual thief.

"That kid, he's a thief! He took that kid's pouch!"

"Wait that's my pouch, that kid is trying to get the pouch back for me from that boy!"

"Get him!"

As Tetsuya thought he was finally recognized as a hero, it's the opposite.

They slowly approached Tetsuya, grab him and pin him to the wall.

"Wait, I'm not—"

"Shut up! It's clear that you're the thief!"

"You're not just a homeless brat but you're also a thief huh?!"

They beat him up again, and again, mercilessly while Tetsuya begged to stop but it's no use.

"Please—"

"We don't need hear your dumb excuses!"

"M-Mom, that kid. He— He tried to hurt me!"

"Don't worry, you're safe now, we'll teach him a lesson."

"I didn't, he was the one who stole—"

"Now you're blaming the victim?"

They kept beating Tetsuya up not showing any mercy, not a bit.

When they are done, they left like it's nothing.

"Haha, that's what you get for trying to stop me, iiiidiot!"

The kid mocked and laughed at him without being noticed by anyone besides Tetsuya.

'Damn it…'

Tetsuya helplessly carried himself, blood fell down from his cheeks, who was battered and bruised.

'What is this, some kind of sick joke? They didn't even spare to hear what I say…!'

At times, desperation would drive him to try to steal, though it was never his first choice. He'd sneak into the bakery or the butcher's shop, hoping to grab a piece of bread or a chunk of meat.

"Shit, those rats came inside the kitchen again!"

"You really need a janitor now, look at this place."

'This is wrong, but I have no choice!'

He knew it was wrong, but he also knew what hunger felt like. He quickly rushed to grab the hanging meat but…

"What? Hey, you again!"

"Just how many punishment it will take you to learn your lesson!"

"Please, let me eat—"

"SHUT UP! YOU DON'T DESERVE THIS!"

"Yeah, you will never have the opportunity!"

He was always caught. Every time, the punishment was the same: a slap across the face, a kick in the ribs, and being thrown into the mud. He never managed to get away with anything.

Later, he was still recovering from the bruises and wounds.

Until a bunch of kids, matter of fact a bunch of bullies.

"Hey'a homeless trash, how it feels eating grass?"

"Haha, he doesn't eat grass, he eat rotten foods, because that's what he deserves!"

"He also smell like pig, can't you tell?"

"Please, leave me alone…"

"What did you say? I can't hear youu… Hahaha!"

The bully grabbed Tetsuya's shirt and punched him in the face, while other bullies applaud and kept laughing.

"Ew, my hands got dirty just by getting near you."

"Yeah! Punch him one more!"

"Kick him now, Kick him!"

"Please… S-stop—"

Despite his begging, they never listened, they even mocked him.

"Did you just ordered me to stop!?"

"Yeah, how dare you!"

"No, I—"

"Stop talking back!"

Hours of bullying, they finally stopped, pinning Tetsuya to the ground.

"Hahahaha! This is so funny!"

"Let's get out of here, even if we don't no one will care for that homeless trash!"

'Why is this happening to me… Damn it!'

Tetsuya got up, carrying his own body again and walked toward where he usually rest and hide from the ruthless people.

He can't walk straight after being beaten up multiple times, his ankle are already severely bruised.

Tetsuya slowly lost his vision, he's all battered, bloody, bruised, hungry, cold, and so much in pain.

He collapsed on the ground away from everyone.

'Am I gonna die…?'

"H-Help…"

'Even if I yell it how many times I can count, no one will even dare to help me… Just let me die.'

But then, a young voice of a girl:

"Hey! Are you okay?"

Tetsuya barely heard her since he's all beaten up and seems to can't hear properly.

'Who is this…? Leave me alone…!'

The girl reached Tetsuya, laying down on the ground, and then the girl dropped some kind of orb to Tetsuya and then Tetsuya was fully recovered, his bruises faded and the blood dried.

Tetsuya's eyes snapped opened, he didn't know what the heck jut happened to him.

"Ahh! What.. What happened, why do I feel light!?"

"It's because I healed you…"

"Who are you? How did you find me?"

The girl smiled and got up.

"I'm, Fukuyawa Asuka the princess of the kingdom."

** Part 2: A Fateful Encounter **

[ Fuyuka Asuka, 3 years older than Tetsuya, she's a princess of the Kingdom who is respected by the most. ]

Tetsuya took a step back, sweat dripped down to his forehead.

"What the— A princess?"

Tetsuya turned around and sat on the ground leaving Suzuki confused.

"Hey! Don't just ignore me!"

"Aren't you disgusted to me, I'm a homeless dirty person."

"Not really, you're still a human to me."

Tetsuya got caught off guard by her sudden words.

'Human…?'

"Y-You mean it?"

"Yeah!"

Tetsuya finally smiled a bit.

"Also you haven't tell me your name yet."

"T-Tetsuya, I'm Tetsuya…"

"Tetsuya? That's a wonderful name."

"Thank you…"

Then, the knights have found Asuka.

"Asuka-sama, you shouldn't be here alone."

"Wait, that boy…"

"What do you think you're doing to the princess!?"

"I'm… Not doing anything."

"Shut up! I'll teach you a lesso—"

"Don't do it, he didn't do anything wrong and we're just talking!"

"Asuka-san…"

"Asuka-sama…?"

"O-Okay m'lady, let's get you back to the palace."

"Okay… See you tommorow Tetsuya!"

They lead Asuka out of the deep corners of the village houses, away from Tetsuya.

"R-Right… See you tommorow…"

For the first time, someone actually cared for him, that made him feel warm inside.

The sun started to set and Tetsuya went to sleep, he's not hungry anymore too thanks to Asuka after she healed him, ofcourse 'healing' is straightup a pain killer, which hunger is pain to his ass.

***

Next morning…

Tetsuya, his usual homeless routine is to sit in the street corners and beg.

But as always, the same days kept happening, being ignored or be given by a rotten piece of bone.

Later, Tetsuya always watch the Knights — how cool they are and how powerful, they are.

'I wish I could be like them…'

But they sometimes saw Tetsuya secretly watching them, and they saw him only as an inconvenience. They didn't care about the boy who had no powers, who couldn't fight or defend himself. They looked at him with disdain, sometimes laughing at his hopelessness.

"Hey idiot, one more peek I'll stab your eye."

"Hey, don't scare him like that, you know beggars gets easily scared, hahaha!!"

"I bet he wanted to sign up as a knight, that's not happening."

"Heh, you're absolutely right, I mean how can a child without any ability can even be accepted?"

"Who knows, he might fly one day and fell down to his 'tragic' death. Hahahaha!"

"I'm s-sorry… I'll l-leave now—"

"Yeah you better have, you shouldn't even have exist!"

"I heard he tried to steal from the noble, and got what he rightfully deserves!"

They laughed at him, as if he was a piece of dirt in their shoe who happen to talk. (That's too much though)

'I shouldn't have come here, and I knew this would happen…!'

While Tetsuya walled through the village streets, Asuka quickly approached him again.

"Asuka-san…?"

"Tetsuya! It's good to see you again."

"Y-Yeah, it's good to see you again."

Asuka excitedly took something out of her pockets, her pockets seems to be expensive though..

"Here, I sneaked up some bread and fruits from the palace on my way here!"

"Are you… Are you sure?"

"Ofcourse!"

Tetsuya took a bite and in this bite it's unforgettable, he finally get to have to eat a more proper food.

"T-Thank you, it means alot…"

Tetsuya welled up in tears as he respectfully ate the food and appreciate it, savoring every bite.

Although there's a random taste, it's particularly different and noticable but he ignored it.

But, some people looked at them, why would a Princess even play with a homeless garbage.

"Look how happy that trash is."

"You're right, why would a Princess do that for a low-ranking idiot?"

"Mom I'm jealous!"

"Ah, Uhm… Y-You should be! That's a Princess!"

"Should we report this to the knight?"

"We'll be in huge trouble if we did, the Princess might imprison us."

Tetsuya and Asuka continued talking, laughing, and playing.

"Oh, I have to go. My parents will probably send a whole army to find me again."

"Right… Take care!"

But from the shadows, two mens secretly watched them from afar, acting suspiciously.

"Should we do it?"

"Wait for the signal…"

After waiting for a few seconds, they felt something run through their body, and it is the signal.

"I feel it, it's the signal."

"Let's go!"

They walked out to the bushes and rushed toward Asuka, who are they aiming for.

"Goodbye, Tets—"

"You're coming with us, young lady!"

"Hahaha!"

"A- Ahh!! Tetsuya, help me!!"

Tetsuya's eye snapped opened, two strong mens kidnapped Asuka.

"ASUKA-SAN!"