Chapter 1 – The Boy the World Laughed At
Rayan learned very early that the world was never fair.
Some children were born with flames dancing on their fingertips.
Some could bend steel with a thought, heal wounds with a touch, or command beasts as if they were pets.
And then… there was him.
Rayan stood at the edge of the training ground, his hands clenched tightly, nails digging into his palms. The laughter around him felt louder than usual today, sharper—like blades scraping against his skin.
"Inverter, huh?"
"Useless class."
"A curse, not a power."
He didn't need to turn around to know who was speaking. He had heard the same words for years.
The Inverter Class.
A class with no mana.
A class that relied on inventions instead of raw power.
A class that demanded intelligence, money, time—and above all, patience.
Things the world never gave freely.
At twelve years old, Rayan already understood one painful truth:
People didn't hate him because he was weak.
They hated him because he reminded them that not everyone was blessed.
His teacher's voice echoed in his memory from earlier that day.
> "Power defines your place in this world.
Train hard, and your class will determine your future."
A future.
Rayan let out a quiet, bitter laugh.
What future was there for someone like him?
In this world, status was visible. A single touch to an Origin Stone could reveal a person's class and potential. For most, it was a moment of pride. For some, it was destiny unfolding.
For Rayan, it had been humiliation.
When the stone had glowed and displayed the word [Inverter], the room had fallen silent—only to explode into whispers moments later.
No cheers.
No applause.
Only disappointment.
Even now, as other students trained, showing off their abilities, Rayan stood alone. No sparks. No aura. No visible proof that he belonged in this world of power.
He looked down at his hands.
"These hands…" he murmured, voice barely audible, "They can't even protect me."
A question he never dared to ask out loud echoed in his mind.
If life is supposed to be fair… then why does it always give more to those who already have everything?
People loved to say that life balanced itself. That everyone received something equal in the end. But Rayan knew better.
Life didn't balance anything.
Life gambled.
And he had been dealt the worst hand.
The sky above slowly darkened as clouds gathered, heavy and gray. A cold wind brushed past him, carrying the distant sounds of the city beyond the academy walls.
Rayan turned away from the training ground.
He didn't want to watch anymore.
As he walked toward the street, his thoughts spiraled deeper, heavier.
Maybe… maybe I really am a mistake.
The world moved on around him—cars passing, people talking, rain beginning to fall in soft droplets. No one noticed the boy whose heart felt heavier than the sky above.
Then—
A loud horn shattered the moment.
POOOOOON—!
Rayan's eyes widened.
Headlights.
Too close.
Too fast.
Pain exploded through his body as the world spun violently. The ground rushed up to meet him, and everything blurred into noise, rain, and red.
As he lay there, rain washing over his broken body, Rayan laughed.
A quiet, broken laugh.
"So this is it…" he whispered, blood mixing with rain on the cold road.
"Finally… I can rest."
People gathered at a distance, fear keeping them from coming closer. Soon, even they disappeared, driven away by the rain and discomfort.
Rayan's vision faded.
And then—
A sudden light pierced the darkness.
A cold, emotionless window appeared before his eyes.
---
[System Notification]
Player awakened.
The game has begun.
---
And somewhere beyond death, something stirred.
The world had not finished with Rayan yet.....
To be continued.....