On the first day of classes at Shinkai Academy, most students were already showing off their powers. Some created ice. Others summoned floating weapons. The courtyard looked like a magical talent show.
Ren walked in, kicking the air, grinning wide.
— "What's up, monsters! The king of the powerless has arrived!"
Some laughed. Others just looked away.
— "Says the guy who made the Awakening Circle crash," muttered a tall student.
— "At least I'm original," Ren replied, striking a pose. "While you guys are copies of copies!"
Itsuki burst out laughing, giving Ren a friendly punch on the shoulder.
— "Ren's best ability is improvising," he said.
— "And yours is carrying me on your back, bro."
Despite the jokes, Ren had a knot in his stomach. He hadn't awakened. That was a fact.
But he trained on his own. Morning runs, push-ups, combat books. He wasn't going to let anyone say he was weak.
---
In their first combat class, students had to dodge magic orbs shot by an instructor.
It was basically magical dodgeball.
Those with powers used shields, insane speed, even invisibility.
Ren?
Ren just ran.
— "GO, RENN!" shouted Itsuki from the stands. "Show them how to fight with pure willpower!"
Ren dodged the attacks with flips, exaggerated jumps, and fake war cries.
— "AAAHH! RACCOON STYLE ATTACK!"
The instructor blinked, confused.
— "He's got no power… but he's the most agile in class…" he murmured.
In the end, Ren tripped and faceplanted into the floor — laughing, despite the scraped chin.
— "I lasted longer than summoner boy over there!" he shouted, pointing at a kid who had already been eliminated.
---
After class, a blonde girl with blue eyes approached. It was the same girl Ren had seen during the test.
— "You're… the guy who glitched the Awakening Circle, right?"
Ren bowed dramatically like a knight.
— "In flesh, bone, and secondhand embarrassment. You can call me Ren, future strongest guy in this school."
She smirked, clearly surprised.
— "You've got guts. That's rare around here."
— "And you've got very blue eyes. That's rare too."
She laughed — Ren hadn't expected that.
— "My name's Rika."
— "Rika… sounds like a romance anime lead. Are we in an anime and no one told me?"
She turned away, walking off.
— "See you tomorrow, 'King of the Powerless.'"
Ren stood there, smiling.
— "That nickname's kinda growing on me…"
---
But that night, while everyone else was sleeping, Ren lay awake in the dorm, staring at the ceiling.
— "I know there's something inside me. I just don't know how to wake it up yet…"
Far away… in the heart of an ancient forest, a demonic symbol carved into a forgotten stone began to glow.
As if something had heard his call.