The SSS-Rank System: From Outcast To Overlord

"I'm... I'm sorry." Lucian spoke first.

He and Michael had been walking along the empty streets all the way from the Arena, and even as they reached the bus stop, seated apart from each other, no one had said a word.

"Don't apologize." Michael replied, looking out at the busy road. It was late at night, but yet the place flooded with vehicles hurriedly speeding to reach their destinations.

"But... I tried to take your feat. Aren't you mad?"

"Yeah, I am mad about that." He admitted. "But I'm more mad about the fact that you had all the chances to win back there."

"...yeah."

"What's your deal, why won't you use your talents?" Michael threw a feisty frown at him.

"It's..." Lucian sighed. "It's complicated."

"I'm sorry, but I don't do" complicated". I only know that if there's a fight, I go for it with everything I've got."

"But..."

"You're an A-Rank Lucian, A-rank! With that amount of power, I won't need to raise three fingers against Steven." Michael sighed. "I know this world is cruel and all that, and that most times, there are heroes for the helpless, but what good is a hero for someone who can protect himself?"

Lucian didn't say a word. There was no way he could explain it anyway. Only he understood the pain of his past.

"I understand there might be a lot of shit going on in your life, but you have to start getting yourself together now, you can't keep using fear as an excuse for being weak."

As soon as Michael said, the bus drove in, stopping right in front of them. Michael stood up, tucked his hands into his pockets. His breathing was in fog form, evidence of the cold.

When he dug out his hand, there was a vial in it with the content of a golden liquid.

"Here." He shoved the vial to Lucian, which he received after hesitating.

"It's a healing Potion. Drink up if you're tired of looking so pathetic." Michael explained. "And if you're gonna insist on protecting me, then do it with all your resolve. It's embarrassing when you're the one who needs protection."

And with that, he boarded the long vehicle, leaving Lucian to the wrath of the night's cold.

He thought about Michael's words, trying to find reason, but a gloom of sadness replaced his countenance instead. If only... If only they'd understand, if only there was anyone who could relate to his pathetic past.

Then they too would warn him never to use his powers again.

* * *

6 YEARS AGO_ MIDDLE SCHOOL__

"Outcast."

Lucian was 12, and yet a late-bloomer.

Usually, an average human being is expected to awaken their talents at the ages of 6-7. Talents were hereditary, and it didn't require any special conditions to unlock.

They were part of a human's growth cycle, like how a baby grows to learn to talk, walk and eat naturally. Talents were also quite similar in that aspect.

However, Lucian had been twelve. His parents were recognized as powerful elites in the society with important positions in power.

But he still hadn't awakened his talents.

His situation would hurt his intuition during the most unexpected times, and even asides being in mental disagreement with himself, he was also being pushed over by the other kids who had talents.

They called him an outcast, someone whose existence should be a serial offense. They revered him as a disgrace, to his parents and to himself.

But Lucian wouldn't argue. He had grown up to be fond of the names he was commonly referred to as. He found hate in the remarks, and the fact that he could feel the hatred all around him gave him self satisfaction.

And because of this cruel life, he was only chanced to live a conceited life. A life that was confined from even his family.

But during this period of enjoyable torment, someone had suddenly showed up in his life. Someone who almost convinced him that a man can't deal with his problems all by himself.

Someone who made him assume not everybody in the world was cold...

"Cassian..." Lucian whispered beneath his breath. "What did you call me just now?"

At least that was what Lucian thought before his supposed "friend" called him an outcast and turned against him with the rest of his bullies.

"Didn't you hear me, or has your powerlessness also turned you deaf?" Cassian smirked at him, looking at the rest of the gang for an encouraging nod.

"I thought... I thought we were friends." Lucian's voice quivered.

"Friends?" Cassian scoffed. "Like I would be friends with someone who can't survive the society."

"But..." Lucian's tears ran freely down his cheek. His head was faced down the bare floor where he had sprawled, and he could almost see the misery in his shadow. "Why...?"

"It's not just something any normal human being would do." Cassian replied.

"No...Why did you make me think I finally had someone who understands how I feel?" Lucian asked, the tears still flowing freely down his face. "Why did you make me try so hard to keep you when you secretly hated me? Why?!"

He jumped to his feet and grabbed Cassian's collar, tugging vigorously against it.

"Why why why why why?!" He yelled, his golden colored eyes stained with a tinge of anger.

"Alright, that's enough." A bully gave appeared in their midst and gave him a hard slap that he went cascading weakly to the ground.

"I'll never forgive you..." Lucian swore. "I'll never forgive you Cassian."

He rose up quickly again, anger overwhelming him as he attempted to attack Cassian again. But a kick on his jaw sent him crashing back against the grime.

"I'll never forgive... " He whispered, his hands instinctively reaching out in the air. "I'll never forgive...!"

"I think he's losing his mind." Another bully suggested.

Immediately, Cassian felt his body weight loosen up, and slowly he began to rise up in the air until he could view everyone from an elevated distance. The breeze blew dangerously against his eyes, and he panicked from the sudden height he had been lifted to.

"What's happening?!" Sheer panic shot out of Cassian's words like a gloomy sprout. He kept his head up, trying not to look down at the height beneath him.

"Go to hell!" Lucian threw his hand forward, and Cassian tossed backwards in the air so quickly, that he didn't see that he was about to collide with the huge trunk a tree.

CRASH! With every possible force, Cassian slammed into the tree. Sliding down, only an unconscious Cassian landed hard on the ground.

"Cassian!" The bullies ran towards him, checking his pulse and helping his respiratory system, they even called his name multiple times, assuming he was sleeping...

But the results superceded as fast as the assumption.

"His heart stopped working." One of the bullies said, placing a ear against Cassian's chest. "He's dead."