1 No Potential

I leaned back in my gaming chair, the rainbow lights from my pc reflecting off my glasses. I felt the cramp in my arm and decided to stop gaming for tonight. Actually, I should probably go for a run, it has been almost a month since I stopped running.

The same time ago when I dropped out of college.

I laughed internally and noticed my phone vibrating to the point it almost fell off my desk. It was a message from my Father.

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Dad: So when do you plan on getting your life back in order. I already stopped sending you money and your phone will cut off in a few days. If you are reading this son, even if you have always dissatisfied me and your Mother, maybe try and do something with your life.

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Wow that hit hard. I chuckled aloud and clenched my fist, the message replaying in my head. That image was not going anywhere any time soon.

I sighed and got off my ass and trudged toward my closet. I perused through the few shirts I had, ignoring my high school uniform as I picked out a regular grey t-shirt. In the corner of my vision, I caught the view of a clear container, the contents inside making my mind go foggy.

Within the container were dozens of gold medals and pictures of me holding awards. Even with all those accomplishments, I still felt the numbness of not having gained anything. I knew how pathetic I was, and my dad who owned so many companies knew it best too.

I was worthless, his fourth son who even if he seemed like a prodigy, had nothing to show for it. Rizu Mika, a pathetic excuse for a person.

Medal after medal, award after award, I still ended up at a dead end job and no friends or even a girlfriend to boot.

Just a twenty one year obsessed with the idea that one day life might actually help him out.

Me.

I noticed a tear roll down my cheek and I quickly wiped it away and closed my closet without a second thought.

A loud knock came from my door, an angry old lady shouting, "YOUR RENT IS TEN DAYS OVERDUE, I KNOW YOUR FAMILY IS RICH SO COME OUT HERE AND PAY IT YOU FAT PIECE OF SHIT!!!"

I ignored her and put my shoes on, the banging slowly dying out, "Shit, he isn't here, I'll come back early tomorrow with the cops."

I heard her footsteps grow quieter and my mind still couldn't grasp the situation I was being put in.

I guess this is it, all my luck or whatever you could call it finally running out. My bank account read zero and I would soon be homeless.

BEEEP*

BEEEP*

I answered my phone, "Yes?"

"Hey Rizu this is your boss, David, I'm sorry bud but after your whole mix up with the missing money, I'm gonna have to let you go. Sorry about this," there was a long silence as my expression stayed unfazed, "Don't show up tomorrow, um, bye."

He hung up, my hand losing any grip on the phone, the one thousand dollar iPhone shattering on my cheap tile floor.

Was this all a dream?

Blow after blow it felt like I was slipping, like the reality I once remembered was gone, like I didn't belong anywhere.

Why did the world turn against me?

I trotted to my door, grabbed my keys off the shelf and slowly opened the metal frame. I peeked around the corner to see no one in sight.

At least I avoided that crisis.

Without a second thought, I made my way up to the roof of the duplex, maybe the sight of the stars could ease me, they always did. I loved the stars, though I never cared to learn much about them.

It was the mystery that made them so beautiful and awesome. At my lowest point, I would like to stare at them one last time.

I swung open the door leading to the concrete roof, my eyes narrowing to see the dark sky. Grey clouds covered my sight, not a single twinkle showing its face.

Who was I kidding, I knew the world would cuck me again. I headed over to the edge of the building, looking over at the huge skyscrapers of the city. Even in the darkest hour, the light of a bustling downtown was still erasing the fear of it.

I sighed and reached my hand toward the sky, "Why me?"

I asked whoever was watching, who ever was listening.

"Why does someone with no potential like me have to live?"

I clutched my chest as all the pain of my life came crashing down.

"Do I have to live in this shitty world?"

I stood on the ledge and glared up toward the clouds, "If any one can hear me! Please! Answer me! Make the pain go away!"

I yelled at the top of my lungs.

What was I doing? How embarrassing, I'm such and idiot.

I started to step down when for some reason, my footing came loose. I hit the ledge with my back and fell forward.

I watched as the asphalt came rushing toward me.

Finally.

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I only felt my heartbeat as everything around me was pitch black. The strands of life lifted from my soul and the emptiness of purpose making me shrivel.

It felt like I was floating, to a place were those without meaning went to. A river of coldness whisking me away.

Is this the afterlife?

Then I realized something, the feeling of water around me was no figure of speech. The lids on my eyes were pried open and as my lungs were filled with air.

What the f-

"Hello Rizu, it's nice to meet you."

A river flowed with sparkling crystal water, a grove of perfect green tress dotted around rolling hills covered with an array of colorful flowers. I glanced to my left, a few lily pads moving as I did. I noticed I wore the same clothes I had before, and even if I was halfway submerged in water, the cloth did not stick to my skin. I was still completely dry.

"Are you going to ignore a goddess?"

I finally registered the female voice that spoke from behind me. Like smooth vibrations, the voice came again, "Looks like you finally realized!"

A woman floated above the water, her body shroud in white robes and golden light. Her face was beautiful and her golden hair fell diligently around her shoulders. Her eyes were closed and her figure so seductive.

I might of had a nose bleed but I wast still regaining the feeling in my body.

"Where am I?" I managed to say through sour lips.

"In my domain, I am The Goddess who watches over a world in sync with the one you have come to live in. I am Fena."

Fena....

I couldn't help but stare at her, even if the world around us was so lush and wonderful, her presence exceeded them without effort.

"So I did die..."

She nodded, "But I may have played a part in it."

"What do you mean?"

Fena smiled, even if her eyes stayed closed, my heart began to ach, "I have summoned you here so that you can save my world."

I swallowed hard, just from those few words I knew where this was going. I would be sent to this world to a complete a task for this Goddess and in turn she would send me back to my world. Problem was I could care less to go back to a place that hated my existence.

"What do you need me to do Fena?"

I needed to hurry this along so I could get to the good part, I'm sure expositions would come and go but right now I was too stoked. Yes!

Things were looking up!

Fena cocked her head, "Really that fast, usually the people I summon go on a rampage or start shedding tears, why is it that you are different?"

I laughed and stood up to face her, "I guess Im just that special eh."

She covered her mouth and laughed, something so graceful it was actually quite, what's the word. Oh yeah, cute...

"Well then Rizu, let me tell you why you have been summoned."

I tensed up and readied myself for the regular Isekai dump coming my way.

"My world is called Iris, a place were Mana flows through all living things, not for a certain race or blood. Life was peaceful and the races and kingdoms got along quite nicely, then something I overlooked occurred."

I raised an eyebrow, here comes the tragic part.

"More and more people began to be born and the population sky rocketed, something the land and Mana could not handle. There is only so much Mana being recycled, so as more mortals lived, there was less Mana that could be distributed. So when someone was born, the flow of Mana would decide how much that person would receive, meaning no matter how hard one trained, their Mana pool would stay the same. Some got blessed by Mana and had no worries to how much they could use and how much they could grow. But some, some never had enough to cast a single spell."

She let her smile fade away,

"So a hierarchy that I never planned on began to form. Those blessed with potential would rise to the top, ruling over people with power and fear, killing, raping, enslaving any of those weaker than them."

I clenched my fist, "I'm sorry to hear that but, isn't that good. The fact that people were dying because of this?"

Fena shook her head, "I thought so, but as time went on, the condition of this "potential" was getting too great and the population still managed to grow."

"So is this why you summoned me?" I asked while watching the stress on her face seep away.

"Yes, I have called you here because of two conditions you have met."

I smiled, were those that my potential is amazing and me begging to die?

"The first being that you were not needed in your previous world."

I nodded, sounds about right.

"And that even in this world, you have zero potential."

What?

"Wait, what do you mean I have zero potential?!" I felt her words linger in my head.

"I'm sorry Rizu, even in this world, your luck runs short."

I fell to my knees, water splashing in my face, "No!No!No!"

I pointed at her, "This is the part where you give me an OP skill and I have no troubles in my travels. This is the part where you tell me I can gather a harem and must become powerful! So why!"

Fena looked away as I wallowed in anguish, the thought of my worthlessness carrying over was too much. I might as well die for good.

"There is all reason for this Rizu..."

I glared up at the Goddess, my mind fighting tooth and nail to ignore her beauty.

"Please, give me that reason Fena." I mustered to say through my rasp voice.

"Mana has always favored Men, and so as this hierarchy began, groves of young boys were killed without hesitation. And after five hundred years, only ten men ever live at once. This is due to a curse set by the eighth man, Dagna. That means that for all the women, no matter what they do, they are enslaved and must work for any man that catches them."

I clenched my fist, "And what good does that serve me?"

"These ten men have the ability to sense those who have enough Potential which can rival them. The second a boy is born that can exceed their own strength, he is ultimately killed."

I finally let my rage die out and I held back my tears, "So because I have no Potential, you chose me..."

Fena nodded and slowly floated toward me. She bent over and touched my face with a single finger. The water rippled as a strong warm wave washed over me.

"I'm sorry that which you desired is impossible. but..."

She opened her eyes, her golden pupils casting a ray of sunshine upon me, "You are my only hope Rizu, I will grant you the power to help you bring the change I desire."

I sucked down my pain and stared in awe, "Change you desire?"

"Yes, change the world of Iris into a place were Mana does not decide someone's fate, a place were one is accepted no matter their potential."

I slammed my hand against the surface of the water, forcing myself to realize what she said. I may be worthless, I may not be some outstanding MC with an OP power to boot but I know damn well I understand living in a world with no potential.

I will save others will all of my might, I will grant Fena's wish.

I finally have purpose.

"What power have you granted me?"

Her eyes closed and the glorious rays of gold faded, "I have granted you the power to see the world in any way you desire."

I blinked a few times as a butterfly landed on my nose. As I gawked at the beautiful bug, a single word popped above its head.

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Butterlfy

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My mouth dropped, the game like tag floating above its head as it took flight once again. This was what I had expected, a generic isekai trope. But things were different this time, this was real.

Fena floated closer, "And I have granted you two more skills that you must discover when you are reborn."

I wiped away the dried tears, "Reborn?"

The Goddess nodded, the simple gesture cuter than I first imagined, "You will be born into a simple family were you shall figure out your plan."

My plan? Did she mean that she did not even have a clue of how to create a world of peace? I scoffed and faced palm. A nobody like me was suppose to save an entire world with no potential. Just my wits...

I narrowed my eyes and the familiar shape of a fist took my hands.

All my life... All my life I was pushed around, never good enough, and left to die. Like Fena said, I was unneeded on Earth, a pointless existence that would eventually dissipate.

I was nothing, but now, now I could actually be something. I could save people and be a hero.

I stood up, facing Fena with eyes of determination, "When do I start?"

The Goddess reached her hands out and touched my cheeks. A warmth so cozy gripping my mind. I could not look away, her existence growing in power.

She was gorgeous, I had said it hundreds of times at this point but, there was nothing else to say.

"Now." She said as she pulled me in, her lips touching mine. The world began to spin as my entire body shuddered with goosebumps.

Who knew my first kiss would be with a Goddess, and who knew it would be on my twenty first birthday.

I pathetically smiled as she let go of me. Who knew that I would be in another world with no potential.

I fell back into the water, no longer able to even stand. As I hit the water, everything went dark.

This time, my soul was put back together, strings of gold and white pulling me toward a river of bright stars.

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The castle was dark, a faint glow of scattered moonlight reaching its cold walls. Within, lone carpets of red and faded gold snaked their way to a throne room.

" Master Bellamy, we have recieved confirmation from Isle."

The female voiced crawled out from the shadows, the tone mellow and sharp. The words she spoke settled on the grizzly set of ears that belonged to a figure situated on the golden chair.

Bellamy, the Crusader of Darkness, a man who reigned with not fear, power, or peace, but silence. Those who rose a hand against him, would speak no more.

"Good, how did the curse touch him?" He spoke without a hitch, his mind lazer focused as he watched red irises flicker in the shadow.

"The child is ill, his body brittle enough to be called powder." The voiced had a mocking tone.

Bellamy scoffed in amusment, "Excellent, another loose end finished. Toss the broken boy into Azura's Grave, the Shades will devour it quite niceley."

"Yes Master."

There was a faint glow of green as the once mysterious presence dissapeared. Bellamy grinned, another male fallen to the curse his brother had created. It was his duty to make sure no Reckoners heard of another male being born.

All the information would do was spark rebellion, something none of the Ten Kings were very fond of. Especially Dagna, the enwitched man having several screws loose.

As Bellamy relaxed in the disgusting truth, a small glint of green signified another report was soon to chime into his inner thought.

"Speak." Bellamy boomed as he heard the footsteps of his First Commander.

"Master Bellamy, we have grave news."

The King shifted in his throne, the tone from such a strong willed women distraught and thin.

"What could possibly make you falter Selene?" Bellamy begged as he watched the vixen step into the weak moonlight.

She had long slender legs and curves as sharp as blades. Black hair fell down her back and threatened even the shadows of midnight. In the pale light, red eyes shone brightly through a face of pure beauty.

"The Eleventh Man has been born. His body has no markings to signify the curse has touched him." Selene dropped her head as she saw Bellamy's calm expression.

Calm meant he was collecting his anger.

"Check again Selene, a man untouched by the curse has not been born in over five hundred years."

Selene hesitated as she heard his words, "Master, we have already checked again."

Bellamy rose from his throne, "THEN LOOK AGAIN!"

Selene nodded, "We have."

The room went silent, the statues that potruded from the snow white colums seemed to dilute and turn.

Bellamy touched Selene's shoulder, in the isntant he did, the woman began to shift and change. The black tattos on her foream expanding to cover her entire body.

"Where is this child?" Bellamy said with force.

Selene shook her head, "We cannot sense any Mana, we only know this from Sara of the Eighth King. The maiden who can witness the future."

Bellamy stopped in his tracks, "What kind of future did she see?"

Selene slowly began to disolve into a puddle of darkness. Before her face shifted to black, she spoke a single sentence.

"She saw a future with your blood spilt atop black roses."