Raze Arcwell carried many things.
Confidence.
Cheerfulness.
A quiet pride.
And when someone pushed him too far…
a hint of something sharper, colder—
a ruthlessness forged from years of being the Nexasless one in a world built for the gifted.
He never asked to be born without a Nexas.
But he refused to let the world decide his limits.
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Lionel Academy — Where Futures Are Forged
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In Lionel Academy, the first semester gathered every student—prodigy, noble, ordinary, elite—into the same classes.
Only after the basics were completed would they be sorted into departments that defined their futures:
• Hero Department — frontline combatants and crisis responders
• Support Department — healers, analysts, strategists, medics
• Auxiliary Department — Supprting heroes as their sidekicks, scouts, engineers, mobility-type abilities
• Non-Combat Departments — R&D, Combat Tech Engineering, Medical Science, Infrastructure Nexas, Hero Logistics
Some students dreamed of charging into blazing battles.
Some wished to defend cities from catastrophic threats.
Others preferred to build, heal, analyze, or support from behind the scenes.
But all paths began here—in the same classrooms, taking the same exams.
And for three weeks straight, one name had hovered at the top of every written test.
"Raze Arcwell — Rank 1"
People talked.
People whispered.
People doubted.
A Nexasless boy shouldn't dominate the intellectual portion of the continent's strongest academy.
A powerless kid wasn't supposed to outperform heirs of hero families.
But the scoreboard didn't lie.
Every week, when Raze's name appeared at the top, he heard the murmurs behind him:
"Is he cheating?"
"How can someone with no Nexas score that high?"
"Arcwells must be pulling strings."
"He's just lucky it's written tests. Once ability trials begin, he's finished."
But one voice always cut through all the noise—bright, loud, annoyingly supportive.
Roger Castellan.
He nudged Raze's shoulder as they walked toward the testing field.
"Bro, you do realize the entire academy now officially hates you, right?"
Roger whispered loudly—loud enough for ten people to hear.
Raze smirked.
"Let them hate me for something I actually control."
Roger snorted.
"Man's dropping wisdom while I'm struggling to pass basic math."
It was stupid banter.
Ridiculous even.
But Raze appreciated it far more than he'd ever admit.
Because for once…
He wasn't alone.
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The Day Everyone Waited For
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Today wasn't about books or theory.
Today was the **Ability Assessment**—the most anticipated exam of the first semester.
Hundreds of students gathered in the massive outdoor arena, their Nexas blazing like fireworks.
The sky shimmered under bursts of lightning, flames, mist, metal manipulation, gravity distortions, and elemental storms.
Students showed off their abilities to friends, rivals, anyone watching.
It was chaos.
Beautiful chaos.
A living storm of raw power.
And at the center of the field—
stood a boy with no glow.
No aura.
No Nexas.
**Raze Arcwell.**
He did not command fire.
He did not reshape metal.
He did not twist space.
He simply breathed in… then out.
Standing firm.
Unshaken.
Refusing to fade into the background.
Others had gifts.
Raze had discipline.
At age six, he studied anatomy and pressure points while other kids played.
At eight, he ran uphill with weighted bands until his legs failed.
At ten, he sparred with trained bodyguards—who underestimated him exactly once.
By sixteen, his body carried scars, hardened muscle, and lessons carved into him through relentless effort.
If Nexas users were forged by talent—
Raze Arcwell was forged by will.
Roger leaned closer.
"Alright. Be honest. How much are your hands sweating right now?"
Raze stayed silent for three seconds.
"…A little."
Roger laughed so loud four students turned around.
"At least you admit it! Bro, I knew you weren't secretly a robot."
Raze shot him a narrow glare.
"You're making it worse."
"I'm here for emotional support," Roger declared proudly, giving two thumbs up.
Raze wanted to punch him and thank him at the same time.
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The Instructors Arrive
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A long horn echoed across the arena—deep and resonant.
Students snapped to attention.
Five instructors stepped forward, capes fluttering under ability pressure.
One of them, a tall man with glowing amber eyes and a voice like thunder, raised a hand.
"FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS—!"
The arena trembled as ability energy flared around them.
"STEP FORWARD FOR THE ABILITY TEST!"
Cheers erupted.
Some students sharpened their stance.
Others cracked their knuckles, sparks or flames rippling at their fingertips.
The air buzzed with anticipation.
Raze stepped forward too.
No glow.
No special effect.
Just footsteps.
But he felt something else—
A heat rising in his chest.
A fire that had burned since the day he first understood what he lacked.
Roger nudged him.
"You ready?"
Raze let out a slow, steady breath.
"Nervous? No."
His expression sharpened.
"But I'm done being the Nexasless kid people whisper about."
He clenched his fists.
"Today… they learn why I'm here."
Roger grinned like a man about to watch the world shake.
"Then let's give them a show, partner."
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The Storm of Power
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The instructors fired a column of Nexas energy into the sky, signaling the official start.
The heavens erupted in light.
Around him, students unleashed their abilities with pride and force.
And showed them off to their friends.
And yet—
In the middle of that overwhelming spectacle—
Raze stepped forward calmly.
No Nexas.
No glow.
Just a boy with iron will walking into a hurricane of gifted monsters.
A Nexasless challenger.
A boy who refused to kneel.
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The Beginning of the Test
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As the first group prepared their demonstrations, Raze tightened the straps on his gloves.
His heartbeat steadied.
His turn would come.
And when it did—
He would show them all that even without a Nexas…
he was not someone who could be ignored.
"The Nexasless Arcwell was ready."
The test was about to begin.