The Beginning
This is the story of a kid who was born weak, and who endured many hardships. Despite everything, after all the pain and struggle, the world eventually came to recognize his existence. But this isn't just the story of a kid who became powerful enough to face the world—it's the story of a soul who always questioned his place in it.
He questioned life, death, and meaning itself. And in his search, he discovered something that others couldn't. He was someone who challenged even his own thoughts. A forgotten life, a questioning soul—that's what brought this world salvation. But before we dive into his journey, we must go back to where it all began.
Let us start the story about existence.
A thousand years ago, the world was engulfed in chaos.
All of humanity was at war—fighting against demons to survive. It was a desperate struggle, and saving the world was not easy. In the blink of an eye, half the population was wiped out. The enemy was so powerful that people had no choice but to abandon their homes. Still, humanity did not give up. Even in despair, they fought on.
In that dark time, when all seemed lost, heroes emerged. They appeared as if from nowhere and battled the enemy. These heroes pushed back the darkness, gave humanity hope, and turned the tide of war.
At last, humanity became victorious.
The war between humanity and demons lasted for eleven long months. Even though the war did not last years, the calamity and chaos it unleashed left deep scars on the world.
The war was something that no one could ever forget. It took humanity five hundred years to rebuild, to regain its population, and to recover even fragments of the lost technology. But now, after all those centuries, the world once again stands on the edge of chaos.
And amidst this looming darkness, the one who searched for his existence was about to awaken.
The world now revolves around a massive landmass known as the Great Unit Continent, home to many kingdoms and empires. Among them, two empires rose as the most powerful—the Great Empire and the Holy Empire.
The Great Empire ruled through strength and might. The Holy Empire, by contrast, built its power on faith and devotion, worshiping goddesses and divine beings. These two mighty empires were always wary of one another, locked in an uneasy peace. Because of this tension, they avoided open war, allowing many small countries to thrive between their borders.
For centuries, this balance endured. But that changed when the Emperor of the Great Empire died suddenly. His death plunged the empire into chaos. Without a strong ruler, the Great Empire collapsed, not only because of internal corruption, but due to political unrest, betrayal, and rebellion.
In the aftermath, countless factions rose from the ruins, fighting for dominance. Though once mighty, the Great Empire was no more.
The Holy Empire still stood, because eventhough Empire struggled to maintain order, many of the Great Empire's former generals and warlords remained scattered across the land, building power in secret.
Chapter 2: A Kingdom on the Edge
In a far-off corner of the continent, near its outskirts, stood a small and overlooked kingdom called Asther. It was in this forgotten land that our story takes a new turn—because it is here, in the shadows of a crumbling world, that the person who will change everything is about to rise.
The Asther Kingdom a small and quiet land far from the power struggles of the Great Continent. But it had a dark past.
Before the current king took the throne, the land suffered under a corrupt ruler. That king's greed and cruelty drained the kingdom, and the people were left to suffer. It was during this time of despair that hope sparked from an unlikely place.
The second prince, a man trusted by the people, could no longer bear watching his kingdom fall into ruin. With the help of his most loyal allies, he led a rebellion. The king was overthrown, and soon after, executed.
To prevent corruption from taking root again, the new king made a decree: anyone who committed a crime would be judged harshly, regardless of their rank and none dared oppose him because his rule was backed by the powerful "Awakened Ones"—a rare class of individuals who had gained mysterious power.
The king was especially supported by two noble Awakened Ones who rose to great influence. One became the commander of the Royal Knights. The other, Van Vleck, refused such a position and instead accepted the title of Duke. He was granted a territory on the kingdom's outskirts.
Van Vleck was not born into greatness. Though he had become an Awakened One, his path was not noble. He had married a woman from a humble background—far from the reach of the elite. Because of this, they were scorned. His First wife Allen, in particular, was treated as an outcast by the nobility.
Yet time changed everything.
Five years passed.
Van Vleck's second child, born from that scorned union, would become something no one expected—someone who would change the fate of the world.
The dukedom of Vleck was a land plagued by unrest. Monster attacks were frequent, and the nobles were ruthless in pursuit of power. Duke Van Ulrich was often away from home, attending to national matters. In his absence, the territory fell under the control of his second wife, Lady Verona.
Verona used the opportunity to strengthen her own family's influence. Duke Vleck's first wife, Allen, was reduced to a mere servant. Their only child, a boy named Rick, was mistreated and shunned by nearly everyone.
The abuse ran deep.
Even the household staff would mock the boy. Despite being the duke's son, Rick was forced to eat scraps and sleep in the cold. He remained quiet—not because he didn't care, but because he blamed himself. He believed everything that went wrong was his fault. He thought he brought shame to his family. His mana was weak—barely detectable—and in a world where power defined worth, that was enough to become a target.
Rick's life was a series of humiliations. He was bullied for being powerless and scorned because he couldn't awaken like the others.
On his sixth birthday, his mother died from a wasting disease. No one wept. No one mourned. Not a single soul acknowledged her passing—no tomb, no ceremony, no final words.
That night, as the wind howled and the stars watched in silence, Rick stood alone under the sky. He knelt beside the bare patch of earth where he had buried her and made a vow.
"I, Rick, the son of Allen, promise this to the stars, to the world, and to my mother's soul: I will become the strongest existence in this world. I will rise high enough that no one can look down on me. I will destroy anyone who made my mother cry. Even if I must defy fate itself."
His name, once whispered in pity, would be feared in every kingdom.
Rick Van Vleck will go against fait f needed.
After that night, something changed in Rick's eyes. The timid boy who once wept in silence now carried a quiet fire in his heart. He trained endlessly, day after day, despite the odds stacked against him. His mana channels were small, barely able to hold any energy—but he didn't give up. While others trained by channeling mana, Rick focused on strengthening his physical body.
Though the bullying continued, he no longer bowed. He was beaten, mocked, and ridiculed—but each time, he stood back up. Eventually, he began fighting back. At first, he was still overpowered. But gradually, his strength became undeniable. With only raw force and unwavering will, Rick began to earn fear from those who once belittled him.
By the time Rick turned eleven,he started thinking that he should enter the national academy—a place where the children of nobility and talent from across the nation trained to become warriors, scholars, or mages.As he was thinking of joining the academy Duke Vleck called the Rick and tald him that he would join the national academy at the age of fifteen.
After hearing this from Duke many nobles opposed Rick's admission. He was the second son, born of a disgraced wife, and lacked the prestigious bloodline others flaunted. But when Duke Van Vleck himself ordered Rick to attend the academy, none dared speak against it.
However, the duke gave him an unusual order.
"you should be wondering why i am telling you this now when you will join the academy at the age of 15."after pausing for a bit Duke said"that's because you should explore the nation only after then at the age of fifteen you will join the academy."
This stunned everyone. It was tradition for the child born to Vleck family to explore the nation before entering formal training. And now, the outcast son was being granted that same right?
Even Rick hesitated, confused by the decision—but his father's eyes held something deeper. Without further explanation, he handed Rick his mother's old necklace.
"You'll take this," the duke said. "Rick Van Vleck, you will explore the nation. You will see every side of it—its beauty, its darkness. You will travel alone, and you may bring only two weapons of your choosing. When your journey is complete, you will join the academy."
As Rick prepared to depart on his journey, a question weighed heavily on his heart—one that had haunted him for years.
Just as he was about to leave, he turned to Duke Vleck.
"Why did you marry my mother?" Rick asked, his voice sharp and direct.
The duke looked taken aback. He opened his mouth to answer, then hesitated.
"Why do you want to know?" he asked cautiously.
Rick stepped forward, his gaze unwavering. "What did she see in you that made her choose you?"
After a long pause, the duke said quietly, "Maybe... maybe she saw a powerful person in me."
Rick laughed bitterly.
"Powerful? And you? What a joke. If you really was powerful, you wouldn't have let her be treated like a servant. You wouldn't have watched her suffer without doing a thing."
A nearby guard stirred, stepping forward angrily, but the duke raised a hand to stop him.
"This is interesting," he muttered. "It's the first time you've ever stood up to me like that. If you really are strong, then prove it."
His tone shifted—calm but commanding. "I hereby make a public challenge: If you can survive two years in the academy without using the name of the Vleck family... if you can endure and thrive without our protection... then, and only then, I will give you the answer you seek."
Rick didn't flinch.
He simply smiled and said, "I hope you're ready to keep your word."
The duke nodded. "We'll see, after a year."
Then he added, "You'll be accompanied by a single guard."
Rick turned and walked away without another word.
The next morning, Rick packed his belongings. He took only the essentials—and his mother's necklace. That was enough.
And with that, Rick Vlan left the dukedom of Vick to begin his journey into a world that would either break him... or forge him into something far greater.