The sky above the Ashborne estate was painted in hues of gold and pink as dusk settled in. Raizen stood at the edge of the training field, panting, his body drenched in sweat. The training dummy in front of him had barely moved. His telekinesis—his bloodline ability—had flickered for a moment, lifted a pebble… then sputtered out.
Still F-rank.Still barely above nothing.
He gritted his teeth, lowering his hand. He wanted to scream. In his past life, he had clawed his way to power through pain and betrayal. Now, back at square one, even with the love and support of his family, it stung.
"You're going to blow a vein if you keep frowning like that," came a familiar voice.
Selene, his older sister, was leaning against a tree with her arms crossed. Her silver hair was tied back in a loose braid, and a casual smile danced on her lips. She radiated strength—A-rank, a warrior who wielded wind blades like they were extensions of her body.
Raizen looked away. "You're not helping."
"I'm trying to," she said, walking over and tossing him a bottle of chilled water. "You've only been training for, what, two weeks since awakening? Most people don't even feel mana at F-rank."
"I'm not 'most people,'" he muttered.
Selene's smile faded slightly. "No, you're not. You're an Ashborne. But even we start somewhere."
Dinner at the Ashborne estate was more than a meal—it was a meeting of powerhouses. The family gathered in the grand dining hall, a vaulted space glowing with everburning crystal lamps. Plates floated from table to hand, guided by trained telekinesis.
"How's our little prodigy doing?" Caelan, Raizen's father, said with a grin as he sliced into a mana-beast steak. His control over telekinesis was refined enough to disassemble an entire weapon mid-air and rebuild it blindfolded.
Raizen poked at his food. "Still F-rank."
"Which means you're right where you need to be," his mother Liora added gently. "Remember, every Ashborne started somewhere. Your grandfather once struggled to lift a spoon with his mind."
"A spoon that exploded," Lucien, Raizen's older brother, said with a grin. "Legend says Grandpa tried to lift it and accidentally bent the dining table."
At the head of the table, Zerus Ashborne chuckled. "It was a sturdy table."
Everyone laughed, except Raizen, who was too busy trying to hide his frustration.
Zerus's eyes found him. "Raizen."
"Yes, Grandfather?"
"Do you remember who we are?"
Raizen blinked. "The Ashbornes. One of the Eight Great Houses."
"The strongest of them," Zerus corrected, tone calm but heavy with authority. "We are the blade in the storm. Our bloodline—telekinesis—is feared because it can control a battlefield without setting foot on it. But strength comes slowly. You will earn it."
After dinner, Raizen sat in the study with his grandmother Isolde, a regal woman with sharp eyes and softer wisdom.
"You've read about the Great Houses, haven't you?" she asked.
He nodded. "Some of them."
Isolde reached for a glowing crystal orb. With a flick of her hand, a map of the Empire continent hovered above the table. At its center sat the Royal Capital, and around it, like cardinal points of influence, the Eight Great Houses:
Ashborne – TelekinesisThe family of unmatched precision and battlefield dominance. Known for their terrifying control and near-limitless wealth.
Virelin – Illusory DomainMasters of mental manipulation and subtle warfare. Known for elegance and influence in politics. Raizen's maternal lineage.
Draycor – Beast IntegrationWarriors who bond with magical beasts, enhancing their physical abilities massively. Ruthless and feared in the frontlines.
Solmere – Solar ForgingAble to conjure weapons and armor from pure sunlight. A proud, militant family that values honor and battle prowess.
Nocturne – Shadow StepAssassins and spies. Their ability allows them to merge with shadows and strike unseen. Secretive and feared.
Emberlain – Crimson FlameManipulators of an ancient, sentient fire that devours mana. Their bloodline is chaotic but devastating.
Glaciem – Frost SovereigntyControllers of absolute cold and ice constructs. Known for calm ruthlessness and strategic thinking.
Stormwaltz – Tempest SongTheir bloodline can manipulate weather and sound, making them powerful support or destructive front-liners.
"These eight families," Isolde continued, "rule alongside the Royal Family. Each controls a domain and sits on the Imperial Council. But only we, the Ashbornes, stand as the blade none dare provoke."
Raizen's eyes lingered on the names. His grandfather was stronger than every head of the other Great Houses. That wasn't just family pride—it was fact.
"And ranks?" he asked.
"F to SSS, like stair steps of strength," Isolde said. "Each step has a minus, normal, and plus version. A B- can't compete with a B+. But more important than rank is how you use your power. A clever D+ can defeat a reckless B-."
Raizen sat back. Everything felt so much larger than him now.
That night, in his room, Raizen stared out at the training fields below.
The world beyond this estate—the dungeons, the gates, the academy—it all waited for him. Right now, he was still F-rank, barely lifting stones. But the name Ashborne wasn't just a birthright.
It was a legacy to live up to.
He extended a hand, palm up.
A pebble lifted from his desk, floated for a moment… then dropped.
He smiled anyway.
One day, the world will fear the pebble that never falls.