I Got a Godly Rank Skill

Jack spent the entire night staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep. His mind was flooded with thoughts, questions, and emotions he couldn't quite process. The power inside him was undeniable, but he couldn't comprehend how or why it had chosen him. He was just an ordinary boy, an F-rank in a world where the exceptional were the norm. And now, after years of being overlooked, he had been thrust into a realm of power he had never even imagined existed.

As dawn broke, Jack reluctantly left his bed and stood in front of his bedroom window. The golden light of the morning sun bathed the small town of Dunswell in a soft glow. The town seemed so peaceful, so unchanged, but for Jack, everything felt different. He wasn't sure if it was the glow in his eyes, the strange pulse of energy that still thrummed in his chest, or the unsettling feeling that there was something bigger going on than he could grasp.

The voice from last night echoed in his mind again. You are not what you seem, Jack. The words sent a shiver down his spine. What did it mean? Who—or what—was speaking to him?

He needed answers.

Jack slipped out of his house and wandered into the town center. Dunswell was a small, quiet place. There weren't many people on the streets in the early morning, but those who were around greeted him with smiles, oblivious to the turmoil inside him. He tried to act normal, as if nothing had changed, but deep down, he felt a growing tension.

His thoughts were interrupted when he bumped into Emma, his best friend, at the corner of the market square.

"Hey, Jack!" she greeted him with her usual cheerful smile. "What's up with you? You look... different. Is everything okay?"

Jack hesitated, trying to mask the turmoil inside. Emma had been his closest friend for years, but he couldn't just tell her what had happened. She was an A-rank, someone who could control wind and manipulate the air around her. She had always been one of the strong ones, the capable ones. He was sure she wouldn't understand. No one would.

"I'm fine, just... a bit tired," Jack muttered, running a hand through his hair. "Long night."

Emma raised an eyebrow but didn't press the issue. "Well, if you need to talk, you know I'm here. Don't go hiding in your room all day, okay? Come over to my place later. We can hang out."

"Yeah, sure," Jack replied, offering a weak smile.

As Emma walked off, Jack's eyes followed her, but his thoughts were elsewhere. His fingers subconsciously brushed over the mark that had appeared on his chest after his awakening. It was faint, almost imperceptible under his shirt, but it was there—a symbol unlike anything he'd ever seen. A mark that seemed to pulse with a life of its own, as if it were an active part of him.

He had to figure out what was going on. He needed to know what this power really was, what it meant for his future.

That afternoon, Jack returned to the one place that always gave him peace—the woods near his house. It was a quiet, secluded area that he'd always retreated to when he needed to think. The trees were tall and thick, their leaves swaying gently in the breeze. He had often come here as a child, running through the forest with Emma, pretending to be heroes or adventurers.

But today, the woods felt different.

Jack ventured deeper into the forest, his feet crunching the dried leaves beneath him. He walked for what seemed like hours, hoping to clear his head. He needed to get a grasp on his abilities, but he didn't know where to start. What was he supposed to do with all this power? How could he control it?

Without thinking, he lifted his hand in front of him and focused on the power that still hummed within him. The sensation that had overtaken him the previous night surged again. The air around him seemed to thicken as his body responded to his will.

Suddenly, the ground beneath him cracked, as if the earth itself were reacting to his presence. The air swirled around him, as though it were alive, bending and shaping itself to his command. Jack's heart raced, both exhilarated and frightened by the raw power coursing through his veins.

It was like a living thing. His power. And it was hungry.

A small, curious part of Jack wanted to experiment, to push further, but he wasn't sure how much he could handle. The last thing he wanted was to lose control. With great effort, he forced the power to calm, focusing on breathing deeply and steadying his racing thoughts. Slowly, the crackling energy died down, and the air around him returned to its normal stillness.

He exhaled, his body trembling from the sheer intensity of what he'd just felt. Whatever he had just tapped into, it was only the beginning. Jack was no longer the weak boy with a useless ability. He was something else now. Something powerful. But that power had to be controlled—or else it could destroy everything around him.

"I can't keep doing this alone," Jack whispered to himself. "I need help."

He decided it was time to talk to someone who could give him answers—someone who had seen more than most. Someone like Mr. Grayson.

Mr. Grayson, his elderly neighbor, was known for his healing ability. But Jack had always suspected there was more to him than met the eye. Mr. Grayson had lived in Dunswell for as long as anyone could remember, and his healing ability had made him a pillar of the community. But there were whispers that Mr. Grayson had once been more than just a healer. Some even said he was part of a long-forgotten order of powerful individuals who had once protected the land from unimaginable threats.

Jack made his way to Mr. Grayson's small cottage, hidden just beyond the edge of town. The old man's place was modest but cozy, with a well-kept garden and smoke rising from the chimney. Jack knocked on the door, his heart pounding. He had no idea what to expect, but he knew Mr. Grayson was one of the few people who might understand what was happening to him.

The door creaked open, and Mr. Grayson's warm face appeared in the doorway. His eyes twinkled with the wisdom of age, and though his body was frail, there was a quiet strength about him.

"Ah, Jack. Come in, come in. I've been expecting you," the old man said, his voice soft but steady.

Jack stepped inside, his eyes scanning the cluttered but homely interior. "Mr. Grayson, I... I need help. Something happened to me."

The old man's expression grew serious. "I've sensed it, Jack. The change within you. Come, sit. Let me tell you what you need to know."

Jack sat down, eager to hear whatever the old man had to say. It was time to learn the truth.