The world was once a dry desolated place with close to no vegetation, but from seemingly nowhere, a tree emerged. A tree so large it covered the scorching sun. Grass grew, forests stretched across the lands, and rivers flowed once again... no even better than before.

    But with this terraformation, the lands became unknown and treacherous. Countless magical beasts inhabited the world and made it almost impossible for humanity to thrive.

    Then a miracle happened. Various children around the world began to awaken with mysterious abilities and screens that displayed their strength. These children were leaps and bounds stronger than normal people and grew up to be world leaders and protectors.

    Centuries have passed since then and countless more people have awakened throughout the time. These awakened people are known as wanderers. People who venture into the unknown, and among these great beings, I was the best.

The sky was a light grey. countless people of all races clung together in hopes that a single ray of sunlight may pierce through. Their weathered tents provided a pathetic taste of shelter as children roamed the tarnished streets looking for scraps of food.

From the depths of dense fog laid out across the lands a distance screech of a sinister beast could be heard. A signal of the approach of something truly unforgiving. The people are alerted. They begin to panic in shared union only to realize there was nowhere to run. A mountain wall stood in their path.

Another screech resounded the air, hitting their skin like sharp needles. This time it was close.

"He's here." An elf woman said as she stared into the endless grey. Eyes widening until a single tear rolled a stream down her face at the sight of despair incarnate.

Darkness itself grew closer to her and the people until what came out of the mist was clear. A charcoal covered snake like beast with wings and powerful hind legs. It's mouth dropped open and hissed out what seemed to be embers of green fire. This was only a display though, no one was attacked yet on the command of the man riding the deathly calm creature.

His reddish skin was like that of a dragon, and his tangerine hair flowed down his wicked black armor. "The is the end." He said with a tone of certainty and fact as he raised his hand. "Burn them Dulgaris."

Dulgaris cocked his neck back and breathed in. Faint light of charged green began to materialize at his mouth until it became a raging ball of green fire.

The people held each other and cried, waiting for their inevitable death with their heads low. A couple seconds passed, and then some more. Then the ground shook as if something heavy had fallen just meters away.

Managing to open her eyes, the elf saw a man she knew very well standing between her and the wyvern. A hero of their time, and the last wanderer. Her body slumped to the ground in relaxation as she cried out.

"Allan!" The demonic man yelled from atop the dead body of Dulgaris which no longer had a head.

Yes, It was I Allan Rose the Great standing before the demon lord. My armor, even though stained with blood and soot, still resembled that of holiness and gleam. My sword, dripping with the liquids that came from that beast still showing off it's glass like glisten. "God of the abyss you have terrorized this land for far too long, today you'll die!" I yelled with great vigor.

"I welcome death!" The god yelled back as he slingshotted his body at me without a moment's notice.

I caught his blade, and in a battle of intense furry and clashes, we crossed the ruined lands. Striking one another as if any strike could be our last. Homes exploded, and nearby mountains lost their tops as we raged on. Then things suddenly came to an abrupt stop as we found ourselves at the peak of the ruined kingdom's castle roof.

"Huff huff Huff..." I breathed heavily as I leaned forward, holding my enemy by the hair of his head.

The god of abyss's lifeless eyes stared into nothingness as his body limply followed my every command. He was then dropped, and whatever goal he had vanished at that moment.

Looking into the distance all I could see was the results of a long war. Remnants of mass destruction in every corner. I puffed up my chest and took the deepest breath I could. "I am Allan Rose, S rank wanderer, master of steel and fire, struggler of the abyss, slayer of dragons, savior of the poor, and I have stopped this war!" I yelled with everything in me, letting my voice roar through the heavens.

Then as if it was all a lie, that gallant persona cracked into a dozen broken pieces. Darkness filled the world like an endless void, and then as quick as it came, it disappeared as a blinding light pierced through the sky's ceiling.

"I was having a dream..." I thought as I slowly opened my eyes, taking in the familiar scene in front of me. My heart still racing from the epic I just experienced.

My back was to the wall, I could feel its cold hard touch. Walls that extended on all sides of me, crates and barrels, and the sound of distant commotion from the busy streets nearby. So loud I could hear it through even the intense ringing in my ears. A tall man was saying something, but I couldn't really make it out.

"Hey thief, don't tell me you got knocked out from that one punch?" He said as he stood towering in front of me. His fancy attire mocked my very being.

The air in my chest suddenly felt dense, and I began to gasp uncontrollably. As I gained consciousness I realized the harsh state I was in. A collapsed lung, and raging headache. The comforting warmth on my face was my own blood running down my forehead.

A sharp pain suddenly shot up through my arm, and I realized my hand was clutching tightly onto a single silver. My senses were dull, but everything in me was telling me to hold onto it.

My assailant snorted upon seeing my hand tighten. "If you don't want to die today you'll give me back my silver."

"No." I said with firmness and yelled internally within. "You couldn't possibly understand how important this money is for us, for them..!"

My body rolled across the ground from being thrown by the man in his fit of rage. Nearly fainting as I struggled to stand up.

As I got to my feet I realized the true difference between us only now that I was right before him, face to face. Like a lion cub in front of an elder wolf, we glared at each other. The look in my eyes showing that I wouldn't back down even though my body had long since passed it's limit.

"Why are you standing against me after all this? You think I don't know who you are, weakest wanderer?" The man asked rhetorically.

At the call of that name, my eyes widen and my heart sank. I was barely able to clutch my numb hands into a fist of anger as I bit down on my bottom lip.

"That's right, Allan rose the weakest wanderer. Awakened with S rank potential, but with no talent to level up. You must've thought you would've become one of the greats, but look at you, a loser thief who clings to silver as if his life depends on it." The man condescendingly glared down at me as a smirk appeared on his face. "Well, clearly it does."

Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!

As if something had suddenly filled my throat, it became full, and my eyes heavy. I could barely breathe, then before I realize it, tears were flowing from my eyes. "What he's saying is true... I'm a loser. No matter what I do I can't escape it." 

The world did become blessed with a huge tree and wanderers, that much is true. People can fly, bend the elements, and even become sword masters, but unlike my gallant dream self, the reality I'm faced with every day is the exact opposite. I'm simply a level one, barely stronger than a normal person.

Like everyone else, I took the awakeners test at the age of twelve. Not falling behind anyone during the evaluations. Everyone had high hopes for me, and when my potential was finally evaluated I was overjoyed.

"Call all the major guilds..!" The evaluator hurriedly said as sweat began to drip from his forehead. "Allan rose... Allan Rose has an s rankers potential with a maximum level of - of.. infinite potential!"

The unbound, wanderers with no level cap. I was to be one of those great beings! All the guild leaders of the world personally came to scout me, but soon discovered the lie. No matter how many monsters I killed, or experience potions I consumed, my level never raised.

I was quickly discarded and forgotten by the world, no not forgotten. A new saying began to spread throughout the world. "The weakest wanderer is an S ranker."

Everywhere I went that's what I was called. So in order to preserve my existence I hid and stole. So what? I had to live too, but more importantly I had to take care of those who relied on me.

My family, the children at the orphanage. The place where I grew up and eventually took over after it was raided and destroyed by high rankers. They're all relying on me to make enough money to take care of them.

At night they shiver because their blankets are too thin, and in the morning they play in the dirt and make fake mud food because that's all they can think about. Some children complain because they have to wear hand me downs, but the orphans don't even have a single pair of shoes to walk in. I'm not doing this because I want to, but because I have to.

I glared up at the man, my eyes focused and speaking of unmatched resolve. Only for a moment though, before I could react his fist had made contact with my face and sent me back to the dirty brick floor. Now I couldn't see out of my swollen left eye.

"Who are you to look at me with those eyes?" He asked as the pressure of his presence grew nearer.

His large hand grabbed me by my hair and lifted my head. I could feel his breath seeping into my ear, that's how close he was. "Do you want to know something?"

My eyes dilated, everything was blurry and my breathing was getting worst, but somehow I could still hear him. "That money means nothing to me, I planned to make old men dance for it, but now I have another plan." His eyes curved. "How about after we're done here I go find your little orphanage and make those little kids you care about so much play endure?"

Endure, an illegal game often hosted by the rich who hide behind cowardly masks put people through impossible challenges for rewards such as food and money. Sometimes a child is forced to kill their parents or get their nails torn slowly from their fingers.

I screamed and pulled away as hard as I could, not worrying about the hair that was being ripped out. "Somebody, help me..." I internally cried out, and for the next couple of hours, I was beaten to a pulp.

Thud... thud... thud... I laid against the wall taking punch after punch. Every ounce of my body numb. I could no longer feel anything, but my fist stayed tightly shut around the coin.

For every bead of sweat dripping down his square jaw, there was a reflection of the setting sun. All the while his fist beginning to bruise from punching my face. "What is this guy crazy..? Why won't he just let go." He thought as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Hey you, that's enough!" Yelled a young woman from afar. She was panting hard as if she had been running for a while already. Her blonde hair wildly blew in the wind as she ran over to me.

Running right behind her was a feminine-looking man. His gold eyes of worry and disbelief matched the sunlight. "Allan are you insane, why did you do this alone?" He cried out.

The assailant backed away. "Hmph, the rats have come to pick up their trash."

"Shut up!" The attractive man barked. His face was full of rage and hate, quite the opposite of his appearance.

The girl moved my disheveled hair out of my face and gasped. My face was swollen in multiple areas and completely unrecognizable. "We told you this would happen.. why don't you ever listen..!"

"Heather just heal him!"

Tears fell from her eyes as she placed her hands on my face. A green light appeared, and slowly my raspy breathing became quieter until it was normal again. The swelling on my face subsided, and my wounds stopped bleeding.

I could now see them clearly. To my right was this beautiful woman with golden skin and hair. Her face was able to make men question their sanity even with the tears and flushed red face. Then to my left was a young man of equivalent attractiveness. His long hands held my own very tightly, and his white hair nearly covered his eyes.

"Heather, Aremi..." I mumbled. "You're finally back from the expedition."

Aremi forced out a comforting laugh. "Yeah, we are."

"Stupid stupid stupid!" Heather cried as she wailed on my shoulder. "You promised no more stealing!"

"I'm sorry," I said as I placed my hand on her head to comfort her.

That moment of comfort quickly ended as we sucked in our breaths and chills went down our spines. "Aren't you guys forgetting something?" The large man asked as he attempted to grab me.

Quickly turning to face him, my saviors blocked his path like a mother protecting her child. This was Aremi and Heather, my best friends and companions who grew up together with me at the orphanage.

Together we have been taking care of the children and making sure those without a home always have a place to go. Unlike me, they were able to level up and even reach their maximum potential. They both awakened a year after me, Aremi with a max level of 26 barely fell into the Rank D, and Heather with a max level of 57 was a Rank C.

With their levels, they were both able to qualify for expeditions. Missions that the awakeners go on to make a living. The lowest-ranked ones required wanderers to be at least level five, which is why I could sadly never go. The result was me making a living through stealing from the filthy rich like this demon glaring at us.

And he stared at us for a while before sucking in his teeth and turning away. "This isn't any fun anymore. If you steal from me again you're seriously dead." He said as he began to walk away.

"Well that went better than expected, I mean not considering your injuries and all, did you at least get what you were after?" Aremi asked me.

Like a rusty metal tool that hadn't been used in a while, I finally opened my hand and held up what was inside. I couldn't help to smile as I showed them what I had stolen. A small piece of silver. "The kids will get to eat tonight." I thought.

Later that day I found myself sitting at the end of an old dinner table. To my left and right were Aremi and Heather, and four children at each of their sides. Everyone was eating a loaf of bread alongside a simple potato soup as they joked around and smiled brightly. It was the first time in three days that they had a decent meal if you could even call it that.

As I was about to reach for my bread I heard one of the older children's stomach growl and noticed they had eaten all their food. "Of course, she's still hungry..." I thought as I watched her try to mask the pains of her hunger by smiling alongside the other kids.

"Hey, could you eat this for me?" I asked as I placed it on her plate. "I don't know why but I'm having weird stomach pains and I'm certain bread will only make it worse."

Her face brightened and flushed with red as she graciously accepted. "Thanks, brother!"

I smiled and then proceeded to excuse myself and sit outside the front door. Leaning against the wall as I gazed off past the tree tops and into the starry night sky. From the far distance I could hear the melodies of the sky whales, and soon after watched as a herd of them broke through the thick clouds covering the moon. Racing past one another as if competing to see who could take the lead as the most majestic.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Aremi said as he caught my attention and handed me half of his bread loaf.

"Thanks," I said graciously and began to nibble.

Aremi's long white eyelashes nearly covered his gold eyes as he longingly looked to the sky. A fresh night's breeze flew past me and fluttered his hair. "To think we live on a planet where creatures large enough to block out the moon fly through the air as if they weigh nothing, and yet our lives are determined by predestined limits that force us to live these pathetic lives."

"Reality is cruel. In the end, it's just something we have to accept." I replied as if I had already accepted my fate. "There's no use in really thinking about it."

Turning to me, Aremi's voice became passionate. "I think you're wrong."

"What?"

"I said I think you're wrong. Don't you remember what our dreams are? We once said we wanted to be the greatest guild in the world, to change the way this world works, isn't that still your dream?"

I looked away. "Look it's just not possible, that was us... me being naive."

"It's not possible because you've already given up," Aremi replied sharply.

"What do you mean I've given up? I almost died today trying to get money for us to eat, how is that giving up?!"

A ferocity I've never seen in Aremi's eyes was suddenly directed at me. "When's the last time you attempted to level up?"

My fist curled up and my brows came together. "You, you don't know anything!" I yelled.

Without responding to me, he cut me off. "Come with us on our next expedition."