1 Late Again

In an open grassy area, there was a muscular middle-aged man with golden hair, glaring at a black-haired kid with anger in his eyes. The kid had broken his son's teeth with a punch.

The kid's name was Kyle. He just turned 15 a few weeks ago and today, he awakened his talent.

Talent was something that determined everyone's potential. The moment someone awakened their talent, they could walk on a new path, filled with magical and extraordinary abilities.

Kyle stared back at the man, then coldly looked at the 15-year-old golden-haired boy standing behind him.

"Why should I apologize? It's Sen's fault!"

Kyle's father, Baron Ohan, who was standing beside him, looked at him with worry. The muscular man in front of them was named John.

John was someone they couldn't afford to fight. He was way stronger than them. In the end, all Ohan had was the useless title of 'Baron' that he acquired after helping some nobles.

'I can't let anything happen to Kyle.'

Ohan thought with a worried expression. He lowered his head and apologized because he was too weak to protest. Kyle's eyes widened at his father's actions, but then he realized something. He looked at John with a blank face.

'Ah... they're strong. We can't do anything.'

Kyle's heart sank as he realized the harsh reality of the world they lived in. It was a world ruled by the strong, where power was everything, and he was just an ordinary person.

He firmly grasped his father's shoulder, determined to take responsibility for his actions.

"I was the one who hit him. I will apologize for my mistake."

He said, his voice steady but his fists clenched tightly, and his eyes extremely cold.

Sen looked at Kyle with disdain before leaving with his father. As they walked away, Sen glanced back at Kyle and muttered under his breath.

"Tsk, weak ants."

Once they were gone, Baron Ohan looked at Kyle with a soft and worried expression.

"Kyle..."

But Kyle shook his head, his face devoid of emotion. He knew that his reckless actions had put his family in danger.

"I am fine."

He said though the brilliant light in his eyes had dimmed.

'An Ant.'

The word 'Ant' echoed in Kyle's mind, reminding him of the insurmountable gap between him and Sen. No matter how hard he worked or how much he tried, he would never be able to bridge that divide.

'What's the point of getting angry and dwelling on it when I can't even touch him in this lifetime.'

.....

One year later, in Nyan City, a decent-looking house housed a black-haired middle-aged man sitting in the dining hall with his two older sons.

It was Baron Ohan, enjoying breakfast with his family after a busy week. The dining table was filled with a light yet delicious morning meal, but unfortunately, one chair remained empty even as Ohan neared the end of his meal.

After a few moments, a young boy entered the hall, looking sleepy. Just like his father, the boy had black eyes and dark black hair, but there was something unique about him. The tips of his black hair were silver.

This boy was none other than Kyle, Ohan's youngest son. After giving his father a nod, Kyle approached the dining table and started eating without a care in the world.

Baron Ohan sighed as he looked at Kyle's hair. Last month, the corners of Kyle's black hair had suddenly turned silver. At first, Ohan was worried about the strange change, but after asking around, he couldn't find any health issues related to Kyle.

'As long as he's healthy, it's fine.'

A smile appeared on his face as he gazed at Kyle with a soft expression.

"Late again."

"Sorry, father. I overslept."

Noticing Kyle's lackadaisical attitude, Ray, Baron Ohan's eldest son, furrowed his brow. However, he quickly let out a sigh. It had become quite normal for Kyle to be late for breakfast or even skip it altogether due to his lazy nature.

While Kyle was munching on a piece of bread, his second brother, Neon, gazed at him with a mischievous smile.

"Hey, Kyle! Tomorrow, the Royal Academy is holding a test to find young talents. You should totally give it a shot!"

The Royal Academy was a renowned institution known by everyone on the East Continent for its prestige and rich history. It held the title of being the number one academy in the Kingdom of Escalante, with the Principal of the Academy being the strongest individual in the entire kingdom.

Every year, the Academy conducts a test to discover and nurture new talents. As long as a person was not a criminal and aged between 16 and 17, they were eligible to participate.

Turning 16 this year, Kyle was the perfect candidate according to Neon.

Kyle nearly choked on his bread, his eyes widening as he looked at Neon.

'Are you talking to me?'

He placed the bread back on the table and blinked in surprise.

Even Ray, who possessed an impressive (A)-Rank talent, had failed to pass the Royal Academy test. How could Kyle, with his meager (B)-Rank talent, stand a chance?

In this magical realm called the 'Blue Planet', where different races coexist, unlocking one's true potential is closely tied to the awakening of their talent. As individuals awaken their talent, they start at the (F-)-Rank, gradually refining their abilities until they reach the end of their talent.

Humans, elves, dwarves, and all the other races living on this planet can awaken their talent once they reach the age of 15. Talents are ranked from the lowest (F)-Rank to the highest (SSS)-Rank.

Each rank is further divided into three sub-ranks: (F-), (F), and (F+).

Kyle, unfortunately, possesses only a (B)-Rank talent, and even after a whole year, he remains at the (F-)-Rank! This is why he has no desire to become a warrior or mage. He'd rather keep his distance from anything related to fighting, thousands of meters away!

Ray glanced at Kyle's blank expression, a mischievous smirk forming at the corner of his lips. He eagerly chimed in, wanting to see his lazy brother face a bit of hardship.

"That's a great suggestion, Kyle! You should definitely participate. Even if you fail, well, you're bound to fail anyway, but you'll gain valuable experience from it."

Baron Ohan looked puzzled, but upon seeing the signal in Ray's narrowed eyes, he quickly nodded in agreement. As a wealthy merchant and a (B)-Rank individual himself, he understood the harsh realities of their world, where the weak often faced adversity. Both of his eldest sons had encountered setbacks, but Kyle, being the youngest, always seemed carefree and lazy. Baron Ohan wished for Kyle to mature and explore the outside world, gaining valuable experiences along the way.

He knew that the entrance test at the Royal Academy was tough, but he wasn't worried. Unlike other academies, the Royal Academy had never had any death casualties during their test. They made sure to keep all the participants alive.

Kyle glanced at his father and then at his brothers, feeling like crying because of their serious expressions. He tried to show his father that he wasn't happy, but he was completely ignored.

With anger in his eyes, Kyle shifted his gaze towards Neon, the one responsible for his misery. A few years ago, Neon also awakened a (B)-Rank talent, just like Kyle. However, Neon chose to apply to a local academy instead of the Royal Academy.

'Why do I have to go through the cruel test at the Royal Academy?'

Kyle grumbled silently. He enjoyed the peaceful and lazy life he had with his family.

From a young age, Kyle had never been a competitive person, and after his mother's death, he became even less outgoing. Despite awakening a (B)-Rank talent, which exceeded his expectations, he found himself facing someone his age with even greater talent. This person's presence made it challenging for him to connect with anyone outside of his family. That's why, the few friends he had left him.

'Well, I can't even call them friends. They were just passing through my life.'

In the end, Kyle gave up on making friends and settled into an ordinary life with his family. He reluctantly practiced basic sword moves because of Ray's constant nagging, but that was the extent of his efforts. He never pushed himself because it felt like too much of a hassle. After all, what was the point of working hard when he already knew his limitations?

All he wanted was to live a simple and lazy life. In fact, he had already planned out his future. In a few years, he would start a small business in the city and enjoy a comfortable life.

Kyle let out a sigh. His dreams of a normal life were shattered by his annoying brother, who was currently stuffing his face right in front of him.

'I wish you'd choke on that food.'

Neon, who was eating, suddenly felt a shiver run down his spine. He looked at Kyle, the only one who could be responsible.

"Are you cursing me silently?"

Neon asked, a hint of suspicion in his voice.

Kyle blinked innocently and put on a confused expression. He looked around.

"Who, me?"

Neon felt the urge to throw a punch, but he took a deep breath to calm himself and went back to eating.

'I'll see him suffer tomorrow, anyway.'

Meanwhile, Kyle narrowed his eyes as he looked at Neon again. It seemed like he didn't have much of a choice in this matter.

'It's not like I'll pass the test anyway. So, trying it for the sake of experience isn't a big deal...'

'The only problem is whether I can make it through the entrance test with all my body parts intact.'