"You're useless."
The words were not loud.
They didn't need to be.
In the quiet hall of the Awakening Center, they landed harder than any shout.
Adrian Vale stood still.
Not because he didn't hear them.
But because, for a moment, he couldn't react.
Around him, dozens of newly awakened hunters were celebrating.
Excited voices filled the air.
Laughter.
Relief.
Pride.
Some had awakened as C-rank.
A few lucky ones had reached B.
Even the D-ranks held their heads high.
Because in this world—
Anything above F meant you were still human.
But Adrian…
Adrian stood alone in front of the crystal panel.
The result still glowing in cold blue letters:
Rank: F
For a few seconds, no one said anything.
Then the whispers began.
"F-rank…"
"Isn't that the lowest?"
"He's basically a slave now."
Adrian's fingers tightened slightly.
He didn't turn around.
Didn't argue.
Didn't deny it.
Because everyone here already knew the truth.
In this world, ranks weren't just power levels.
They were status.
Rights.
Value.
And those at the bottom—
Had none.
"You should be grateful."
This time, the voice came closer.
Softer.
But colder.
Adrian finally turned.
Standing behind him was a young woman dressed in clean white combat attire. Her long dark hair rested neatly over her shoulders, and her expression was calm.
Too calm.
As if nothing about this situation mattered.
Lena.
His fiancée.
Or at least—
She had been.
Her gaze moved briefly toward the glowing screen, then back to him.
There was no shock in her eyes.
No disappointment.
Just confirmation.
"I expected as much," she said.
Adrian stared at her.
Something in his chest felt… empty.
"Expected?"
She tilted her head slightly.
"You never showed any potential."
Her tone remained even.
Measured.
Like she was stating a simple fact.
Not destroying someone's future.
Around them, people had started paying attention.
Not openly.
But enough.
Enough to listen.
Enough to judge.
Adrian swallowed.
His throat felt dry.
"And now?" he asked quietly.
Lena smiled.
It wasn't warm.
It wasn't kind.
It was the kind of smile people gave when a problem had already been solved.
"Now?"
She stepped closer.
Close enough that only he could hear her next words.
"You're no longer useful to me."
Something inside him cracked.
Not loudly.
Not dramatically.
Just a small, quiet break.
The kind that didn't show on the outside.
The contract was signed within the hour.
Adrian didn't remember walking out of the Awakening Center.
Didn't remember the people.
The noise.
The stares.
Everything blurred together into something distant.
Like it wasn't real.
Like it wasn't happening to him.
By the time he realized where he was—
He stood inside a different building.
A quiet one.
Cold.
Efficient.
The Slave Registry Office.
The sign above the counter read:
F-Rank Processing Division
He almost laughed.
Almost.
"Name?"
The clerk didn't look up.
"Adrian Vale."
"Rank?"
"…F."
The man nodded, as if hearing something completely normal.
"Awakening confirmed."
Papers slid across the desk.
"Sign here."
Adrian didn't move.
For a second.
Two.
Then slowly—
He picked up the pen.
The moment the tip touched the paper, something inside him resisted.
Not strongly.
Not enough to stop him.
But enough to notice.
A final hesitation.
Then—
He signed.
The sound of the pen scratching across paper felt louder than it should have.
Permanent.
Irreversible.
The clerk stamped the document without a second glance.
"Congratulations," he said flatly.
"You are now registered as an F-rank asset."
Asset.
Not human.
Not citizen.
Asset.
Adrian lowered the pen.
His hand felt strangely heavy.
"What happens now?" he asked.
The clerk finally looked at him.
For the first time, there was something in his eyes.
Not cruelty.
Not kindness.
Just indifference.
"You'll be transferred to the market."
The transport vehicle was silent.
No conversation.
No explanation.
Just a group of people sitting across from him.
All of them—
F-rank.
Some stared at the floor.
Others at the walls.
One man quietly laughed to himself.
Over and over again.
Adrian sat still.
His hands rested on his knees.
He wasn't thinking.
Not really.
Because every time he tried—
The same words returned.
"You're useless."
The vehicle stopped.
The doors opened.
And the world changed again.
The market was not what he expected.
It wasn't chaotic.
It wasn't loud.
It was organized.
Clean.
Structured.
Rows of platforms.
Each one occupied.
Each one labeled.
Each one displaying a person.
Adrian stepped forward slowly.
People walked through the area like they were browsing a store.
Some paused.
Some glanced briefly.
Others inspected more carefully.
He watched as a man in front of him was approached.
A short conversation.
A nod.
A transfer.
And just like that—
He was gone.
Purchased.
Adrian's chest tightened slightly.
Not fear.
Not yet.
Just…
Awareness.
This was real.
He was standing in a place where people were bought.
Sold.
Owned.
"New arrival."
The handler's voice cut through his thoughts.
A firm hand pushed him forward.
"Stand here."
Adrian stepped onto the platform.
The surface was smooth.
Cold.
A small display lit up beside him:
Name: Adrian Vale
Rank: F
Condition: Stable
That was it.
No achievements.
No value.
Just existence.
The handler stepped back.
"Wait."
That was all he said.
Wait.
For what?
Adrian didn't ask.
He already knew.
Time passed.
He didn't know how long.
Minutes.
Hours.
It didn't matter.
People came.
Looked.
Left.
Some paused longer.
Most didn't.
To them, he was just another F-rank.
Replaceable.
Worthless.
Then—
Someone stopped.
The shift was immediate.
Not loud.
Not obvious.
But different.
The air itself felt… heavier.
Adrian noticed it before he saw her.
A presence.
Calm.
Controlled.
And dangerous.
He lifted his head slowly.
She stood a few steps away.
Tall.
Elegant.
Her long silver hair fell like silk over a dark outfit that carried no insignia—
But didn't need one.
Her eyes were sharp.
Cold.
And focused entirely on him.
Not casually.
Not briefly.
But deliberately.
As if she had already decided something.
The handler approached immediately.
His tone changed.
Respectful.
Careful.
"My lady."
She didn't look at him.
"How much?"
Her voice was soft.
But it carried absolute authority.
The handler hesitated for only a fraction of a second.
"F-rank unit. Minimal value."
He named a number.
Adrian didn't hear it.
Because her gaze never left him.
She stepped closer.
One step.
Then another.
Until she stood directly in front of the platform.
Close enough to see clearly.
Too close.
Her eyes moved slowly over him.
Not like a buyer checking merchandise.
But like someone evaluating something… specific.
"You understand your situation?" she asked.
Adrian met her gaze.
For the first time that day—
He answered without hesitation.
"Yes."
There was no fear in his voice.
No pleading.
Just acceptance.
Something shifted in her expression.
Not much.
Just enough to notice.
Then—
She reached out.
Her fingers lifted his chin.
The touch was light.
But firm.
She tilted his face slightly upward.
Forcing eye contact.
"You don't look broken," she said.
Adrian didn't reply.
Because he didn't know if that was true.
Or not.
Her gaze lingered for a moment longer.
Then—
She turned.
"I'll take him."
The handler froze briefly.
"Are you certain, my lady? He is only—"
"I said."
Her voice dropped slightly.
"I'll take him."
Silence followed.
Then—
"Of course."
The transaction was completed instantly.
No negotiation.
No delay.
Just a transfer of ownership.
Adrian stepped down from the platform.
His legs felt steady.
Strangely steady.
As if his body had already accepted everything.
She didn't look back at him.
"Follow."
That was all she said.
And he did.
They stepped out of the market.
Into the open night.
The city lights stretched endlessly in the distance.
For a moment—
Adrian stopped.
Just for a second.
He looked back.
At the place he had just left.
Then forward.
At the woman walking ahead of him.
Something inside him shifted.
Not hope.
Not fear.
Something else.
Something he couldn't name.
She paused.
Just slightly.
Without turning.
"If you fall behind," she said calmly,
"I won't wait."
Adrian stepped forward again.
"I won't."
She continued walking.
Satisfied.
And as Adrian followed her into the unknown—
Something deep within him stirred.
Faint.
Almost unnoticeable.
Like a whisper beneath the surface of his mind.
Something had changed.
Not in the world.
Not in his situation.
But within him.
And for the first time—
The story had truly begun.
Power Stone Challenge
50 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter
100 Power Stones = 2 Bonus Chapters
200 Power Stones = 5 Bonus Chapters
Help this story rise 🔥
Author Note
This chapter has been rewritten for better pacing and experience. The real journey begins from here.