Flames of Fate

In this world, humans are born with elemental abilities—fire, water, earth, and air. Those blessed with these powers, known as Awakeners, reign over society, shaping the world's structure and balance. However, monsters also roam the lands, spilling forth from dungeons—mysterious rifts that connect to unknown realms teeming with dangerous beasts.

To combat these threats, humanity developed a ranking system for both Awakeners and dungeons, ranging from F-rank—the weakest—to S-rank, the pinnacle of power. S-rank Awakeners were like gods among mortals, capable of wiping out entire cities with a mere flick of their hands. F-rank Awakeners, on the other hand, barely held any value, their strength just a step above normal humans.

But there were those even lower than F-rank.

Those who had no Awakening at all.

They were the powerless. The discarded. The forgotten.

Zero was one of them.

At 20 years old, he had never awakened any elemental affinity. Just another nameless orphan scraping by in a world that had no place for him.

But Zero refused to be weak.

For years, he had trained relentlessly, mastering martial arts and weapon combat. Even though he lacked the supernatural gifts of Awakeners, he honed his reflexes, speed, and strength to their absolute peak. Against ordinary humans, he was unstoppable. But against Awakeners? He was just another insect waiting to be crushed.

To survive, he worked as a delivery boy, earning a meager 2000 dollors per month. The money barely covered rent and food, but it was enough to keep him going.

Until that day.

The Attack

Zero was on his way to work, weaving through the narrow alleyways of the slums, when a bloodcurdling scream shattered the morning silence.

"AAAHHHH... HELP ME!"

Zero's body moved before his mind could process it. His instincts screamed at him to turn back, to ignore it, but he sprinted forward, his heart pounding.

Turning the corner, his eyes widened in horror.

A group of five men dressed in black suits stood in front of a small house, their hands glowing with elemental energy. Their faces were masked, their eyes cold and emotionless. A woman lay on the ground, her body charred, her lifeless eyes staring up at the sky. Next to her, a man clutched his stomach, blood pooling around him. His breathing was weak—dying.

A little girl, no older than eight, was being dragged away by one of the masked men. She screamed and kicked, tears streaming down her dirt-streaked face.

Zero's blood boiled.

"Let her go!" he roared, his fists clenched.

The masked men turned, their expressions unreadable. One of them—tall, lean, and radiating heat—tilted his head. "And who might you be? Another rat from the slums?"

Zero didn't answer. He didn't need to. His body was already in motion.

He charged forward, his legs a blur. With a swift leap, he closed the distance, twisting his body mid-air to deliver a powerful kick aimed at the kidnapper's head.

But the man barely moved.

A sudden wave of heat erupted from his body, and Zero was blasted backward before his foot could connect. He crashed against a pile of crates, coughing violently. His skin stung—like standing too close to a bonfire.

The leader stepped forward, shaking his head. "Tsk. Foolish."

Then, he raised his hand.

Flames roared to life in his palm, swirling with destructive intensity.

Zero's mind screamed at him to dodge, but the fire shot toward him too fast—like a bullet of pure heat.

He barely had time to cross his arms in defense before the fire engulfed him.

Pain and Defiance

Pain.

It was unlike anything he had ever felt before. His skin burned, his clothes turned to ash, and every nerve in his body screamed in agony. He tried to move, but the fire clung to him, refusing to let go.

Through blurred vision, he saw the masked man smirk.

"This is what happens when a powerless insect challenges an Awakener."

Zero gritted his teeth. No. He refused to die like this.

With sheer willpower, he forced himself to move through the pain. His fingers twitched. His vision darkened. He reached for something—anything.

His hand landed on a broken knife nearby.

Summoning the last of his strength, he gripped the weapon and lunged forward, stabbing the blade straight into the attacker's throat.

The man's eyes widened in shock. Blood gurgled from his mouth.

He staggered back, clutching his throat, before collapsing to the ground. Dead.

For a moment, silence filled the alley.

Then—rage.

"You bastard!" one of the masked men shouted, his hands glowing with electric energy.

Zero, still burning, barely had time to react before another blast of fire struck him, sending him crashing into the ground. The flames consumed his body completely this time, melting flesh, searing nerves. His screams filled the air, raw and agonizing.

Darkness crept into his vision.

So this is how I die?

The pain began to fade. His body felt light. Empty.

The last thing he saw was the little girl being dragged away, her terrified eyes locked onto his.

And then, Zero knew nothing but darkness.

The End?

Zero's life had been one of struggle. He had fought against fate, against destiny, against an unfair world that saw him as nothing more than an insect.

And in the end, it had crushed him.

But fate is not always so predictable.

And Zero's story was far from over.

End of Chapter 1