They called me a mistake.
A curse that should've never been born.
An anomaly—something that didn't belong in their perfect little bloodline.
The whispers followed me like a shadow.
"Filthy half-blood"
"Not even worth the food he eats."
Some threw stones. Others used words—
those hurt more.
Laughter echoed louder than my name.
Even the servants looked down on me…
Like I was dirt in their golden halls.
To them, I wasn't a person.
I was a stain.
So I ran.
I left the village behind, with no clue where to go.
At just fifteen, I walked away from a life that never wanted me.
Through burning deserts, across silent plains, into whispering forests—
Where monsters lurk with every step.
Each night was a fight to survive.
And then I found it—
A city cradled by mountains, protected by towering walls,
And laced with canals that keep creatures from approaching the gates.
They say the peaks shield it from the monsters beyond.
But I wonder…
Will they shield me from the monsters within?
–– ––
2 years later
Since then, I've been attending a school designed to make us stronger.
Or so they claim.
In truth, it doesn't teach us.
There is no "us".
There is only them—the nobles, the chosen.
Dressed in gold and soaked in power,
They smile with fangs behind velvet masks.
But this time, I didn't run.
I stilled my heart.
Clenched my teeth.
And chose to move forward.
I buried the past deep inside me—not to forget it,
But to forge something new.
---
But even among the nobles, some stand above the rest—
The true elites.
They are the ones who demand respect.
Their power is unmatched, their presence undeniable.
They are the city's strongest force—
The warriors at the frontline,
The protectors at the border between those they defend and those they must destroy.
And above them all… stands the City Lord.
Unlike other nobles, he doesn't boast.
He doesn't need to.
He demands respect through silence and strength.
He stands at the pinnacle of Black-Gold,
Just one step away from ascending to the most coveted rank of all: Legend.
But even so, he's not the strongest in the city.
That title belongs to his father—
A true Legend-rank.
A figure so powerful, his very presence keeps the city's enemies—and its nobles—in check.
Then there's the Sacred Family.
Arrogant. Extravagant.
Second only to the City Lord's bloodline.
They wear their wealth like armor.
Their pride—sharper than blades.
Wherever they go, gold follows—
And so does attention.
They've turned flaunting into tradition,
And status into currency.
In this city, power decides everything.
Present Day – My POV
And then… there's me.
Power? Influence? Some innate gift?
I've got none of that.
Not even a clue how it all really works.
All I have are two things:
Adaptability. Survival.
Those two kept me alive when I was just a kid,
Wandering deserts and forests alone.
But here—
In a city obsessed with bloodlines and rankings—
They don't seem to be enough.
Boring lecture again...
Sigh. Am I stupid or something?
I've been studying for a year now, and still—no progress.
Still stuck at the bottom. No rank increase. No breakthrough.
Nothing.
Maybe I am just a nobody.
But… my mom is a noble.
There has to be something in me, right?
Even a tiny spark?
I mean, with a name like Aiden,
I have to be some kind of protagonist… right?
Sigh. No point overthinking it.
I'll just focus on getting the materials I need to help with cultivation.
Guess I'll look for a part-time job instead of relying on the orphanage to feed me.
Still…
If I could just get lucky and stumble into some kind of miracle—
An opportunity to evolve, to rise—
I'd take it in a heartbeat.
Later That Night
Alleyway behind the school
???: "Hey kid… wanna get strong, fast?"
Me: "...What's in it for me?"
???: "Uh… becoming strong? DUHH?"
Me: "Yeahhh, no. I'm out."
Calls the guards nearby
Back at the Orphanage
Sigh. "I guess there's no safe cheat code."
Shrugs. Flops onto bed.
"…Ignore whatever the hell that was. Time to sleep." 😴
---
If there is anything wrong or grammar error please feel free to comment .
A/N: I am still studying how to write novels/FF please be careful with your words I am gonna cry frfr.
And lastly if you like this chapter and likes to where it is going please feel free to comment.