The laughter echoed through the academy's grand hall, a suffocating wave of ridicule directed at a lone figure standing in the middle of the testing platform. Ethan Cross stood there, his face expressionless, as his awakening results were displayed before the crowd.
Rank: F
Mana: 0
Initial Ability: Never Give Up
A wave of hushed whispers turned into outright mockery. Some snickered behind their hands, while others laughed openly. The instructors shook their heads in disappointment, and the students… they were merciless.
"Zero mana? Is that even possible?"
"He's literally worse than a normal human. At least they don't embarrass themselves by trying to awaken."
"Haha, what a joke! A pretty face and nothing else. Maybe he should become an idol instead of an Awakener."
Ethan clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palm, but his face remained impassive. He had heard worse before. Growing up as an orphan, he had faced rejection, hunger, and the cold streets. This? This was just another challenge.
But deep down, something stung. He had hoped—just for a moment—that awakening would change his life. That he would finally be something more than the boy everyone looked down on. Instead, he was labeled an F-Rank with an ability that sounded like an insult.
Never Give Up?
Was that even a real ability? He had seen others awaken fire manipulation, lightning control, monstrous strength—but his ability was just… words. It didn't increase his stats, grant him any powers, or help in combat. It was just an idea.
Just another way for the world to tell him to struggle harder.
The Academy's Outcast
Life at Orion Awakener Academy had never been easy for Ethan, but after his awakening, it became unbearable. He was the weakest. A failure. And in a world where strength determined worth, that made him a target.
The academy courtyard was alive with activity as students trained, testing their newfound abilities. Fireballs scorched the air, ice spears formed with a flick of a wrist, and students sparred using enhanced speed and power. Ethan, however, had no such luxury.
"Oi, weakling! Still pretending to be an Awakener?"
A voice called out, followed by the sharp crack of a foot slamming into Ethan's back. He stumbled forward, barely managing to stay on his feet. He turned his head slightly to see Logan Pierce, a B-Rank Awakener, smirking down at him. His two lackeys stood beside him, grinning.
"You should just quit, Cross," Logan sneered. "You have zero mana. What do you even train for? You think hard work can replace power?"
Ethan didn't respond. He simply adjusted his posture and prepared to walk away. But Logan wasn't done.
"Tch, ignoring me?" Logan's smirk turned into a scowl. "I guess I need to remind you of your place."
A fist flew toward Ethan's stomach. He barely had time to react before pain exploded through his torso, knocking the wind out of him. He gritted his teeth, refusing to fall. Another punch came, then a kick. His vision blurred, but he didn't collapse.
Never Give Up.
The passive ability pulsed faintly in the back of his mind. It didn't heal him. It didn't make him stronger. But it did something else—it kept him standing.
"What the hell? You're still standing?" Logan scowled, shaking his hand. "Damn, you're annoying."
Ethan finally spoke, his voice quiet but firm. "Are you done?"
Logan's eye twitched. "Tch. Whatever. You're not even worth wasting my energy on."
He turned away, his lackeys laughing as they followed him. Ethan exhaled, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. Just another day.
Training Without Mana
After classes, while other students went to combat training, Ethan found himself alone in the abandoned schoolyard. He couldn't use magic, and he couldn't learn skills, so he had to find another way to become stronger.
And so he trained. Harder than anyone else.
Push-ups, squats, endurance runs—every night, he pushed his body past its limits. He ran until his legs gave out. He punched training dummies until his knuckles bled. He repeated each movement thousands of times, forcing his muscles to memorize them.
If I can't use skills, I'll make my body my weapon.
He ran. He fought against the pain. He kept going.
His passive ability whispered in his mind, a silent force that wouldn't let him stop. Never Give Up. At first, it was frustrating. A useless ability. But as the days passed, he realized it was more than that.
It forced him to endure. It made him keep moving even when his body screamed at him to stop. It wasn't a flashy power, but it was something only he had.
And he would make it his greatest weapon.
Mockery and Determination
A week later, during combat class, the instructor sighed as he looked at Ethan. "Ethan Cross, you will spar against Kevin Reed, C-Rank Awakener."
Kevin grinned. "This is unfair. He doesn't even have skills."
Ethan stepped onto the mat, ready. The match started.
Kevin dashed forward, mana-enhanced speed making him a blur. A normal person wouldn't even see the attack coming. But Ethan had trained his physical reflexes to the limit.
He dodged. Barely.
Kevin's fists swung again, this time catching Ethan in the ribs. Pain shot through him, but he gritted his teeth. He refused to fall. He refused to lose.
"Damn, you're annoying to put down," Kevin muttered, stepping back. "But that's all you can do, isn't it? Endure."
Ethan didn't respond. Instead, he took a stance. He wouldn't just endure. He would fight.
Kevin came again, but this time, Ethan moved. He sidestepped, and with every bit of training he had, he countered—a clean punch to Kevin's jaw. The impact stunned the C-Rank for a moment.
The crowd gasped.
"Did… Did he just hit Kevin?"
Kevin growled, mana flaring around him. "You little—"
Before Ethan could react, a burst of mana-enhanced force sent him crashing to the ground. The instructor called the match.
Ethan lay on the mat, breathing heavily. He had lost. But for the first time, he saw something different in the eyes of the crowd.
Not just mockery.
A hint of shock. A flicker of respect.
And that was enough. For now.
The Beginning of a Legend
As Ethan left the training hall, he clenched his fists. He wasn't done.
Others had mana. Others had powerful abilities. But only he had the power to push beyond human limits.
He looked at the system screen that only he could see.
Passive Ability: Never Give UpProgress: 1%
A small smile formed on his lips. The world thought he was an F-Rank.
They had no idea what was coming.