Raze Arcwell was confident, cheerful, proud—and, when pushed, ruthless.
Though born powerless, he carried himself with the aura of someone who believed he could defy fate itself.
At Lionel Academy, students spent their first semester in general classes. Afterward, they were assigned to departments based on their abilities and intelligence.
Raze always topped the theory exams—every single one.
Scoring first at Lionel wasn't easy. The academy was filled with prodigies and heirs of elite families, yet the "powerless Arcwell" consistently stood above them in intellect.
Three weeks into the term, the Ability Assessment finally arrived.
Every student was eager to display their power—elemental bursts, psychic waves, and all sorts of dazzling abilities filled the air.
But among them stood one boy with no glow, no aura, no power.
Raze Arcwell.
Still, he wasn't unprepared.
From a young age, his father had subjected him to brutal physical training. Combat drills, endurance runs, martial arts—Raze's body was honed to perfection.
Standing beside him was his closest friend, Roger Castellan, a cheerful boy from a normal middle-class family who had approached Raze on the first day.
"Hey, that was a bold speech, man. You've got guts," Roger had said.
That simple line had sparked an unlikely friendship.
Now, as the instructors gathered the students for the Ability Test, Roger leaned over.
"Guess this is where the fun begins, huh?"
Raze smiled faintly.
"Fun? Maybe for them. For me—it's proof."
The instructors' voices echoed through the hall:
"First-year students, step forward for the Ability Test!"
The ground thrummed with anticipation. Power shimmered through the air.
And in the middle of it all stood one boy with nothing but willpower to his name.
The test was about to begin.