The Forgotten Hero's Rise

The Realm of Fate was neither light nor dark. It existed between worlds, a void untouched by time and space. There were no stars, no horizon only an endless expanse of nothingness.

In this realm, an ancient being known only as The Voice resided. It was neither male nor female, neither kind nor cruel. It simply was, observing the threads of fate as they weaved together the lives of countless souls.

And now, it was time for a new thread to be spun.

A sudden ripple echoed across the fabric of reality, and within the void, a young man appeared, Ren Karus. He gasped for breath as if he had been drowning and pulled himself upright. His surroundings were blurry and disorienting, as though he were floating through a storm of stars.

Where am I?

Ren blinked several times, trying to comprehend what was happening. The world around him was alien, unlike anything he had ever known. His heart raced. His last memory was of a game session a brief moment where he had died while playing a virtual reality game. The world had crumbled around him, and in an instant, it was all gone. But now…

A voice spoke, deep and echoing, reverberating through his very soul.

"Ren Karus."

He froze. How does it know my name?

"You have been chosen."

The voice rang louder this time, as if shaking the foundations of his mind. Ren felt his body being pulled forward, against his will, into the very center of the void.

"You are the Fifth Hero, the Forgotten One. It is time to fulfill your destiny."

"Destiny?" Ren whispered, confusion flooding his mind. "What do you mean? I don't… understand."

But before he could question further, the voice spoke again, this time with a finality that left no room for debate.

"You are summoned to the Kingdom of Eldoria, where four other heroes have already been chosen to fight the Demon King. You are not their equal, nor will you ever be. You are the Fifth Hero, the one who has been erased from history. Rise, and face your fate."

The last word echoed with thunderous intensity as the void around him cracked open, revealing a bright, blinding light. Ren's vision blurred, his body torn apart by the power. His screams were silenced by the force pulling him downward into the unknown.

And then…

The summoning ceremony - Eldoria

The King of Eldoria, a man draped in royal purple and gold, stood at the center of a grand hall. His face was stoic, his eyes cold, as he gazed at the five figures before him the Four Heroes, who had just been summoned from across the multiverse. The people of Eldoria cheered, their voices swelling with hope as they celebrated the arrival of their saviors.

Among the cheering masses, the nobles whispered among themselves, glancing at each other with both envy and admiration. But their focus was on the four chosen heroes the saviors of Eldoria.

Ren Karus was not one of them.

He was standing in the shadows, unnoticed, his clothes tattered, his body trembling. He had no glowing aura, no legendary weapon. Just a boy with nothing to his name.

The Appraiser stood before him, examining his status through a magic crystal. The faces of the court turned from excitement to confusion as the crystal flickered, showing nothing.

"Ren Karus F-Rank?"

A murmur of disbelief passed through the room. The other four heroes, each glowing with powerful light and bearing mighty weapons, turned their eyes on him.

Lucian Valcrest, the radiant swordsman, smirked. "Is this a joke?"

Seraphina Dawnstar, the elegant mage, scowled in distaste. "This man… He doesn't even deserve to be here."

Kael Drayven, the towering berserker, laughed. "Not even an ounce of power. He's no hero."

Ren could only stand there, humiliated. His body burned with shame. He had been summoned like the others, but unlike them he was nothing.

The King, who had been silent until now, sighed. "This is a mistake. There should have been only four heroes. The prophecy speaks of four nothing more."

Ren's heart sank. Was this really his fate?

"What should we do with him?" the high priest asked, his voice cold.

Lucian stepped forward. "Exile him. He will only be a burden to us."

Without another word, two knights grabbed Ren by the arms and began dragging him toward the great doors. The crowd's cheers were replaced by laughter as they pointed at him, ridiculing his weak appearance.

Ren's thoughts raced. He didn't understand why had he been summoned only to be cast aside like this? What was the point?

As the doors of the grand hall slammed shut behind him, Ren stumbled into the streets of Eldoria, the harsh cold of the night biting at his skin.

He was nothing. He was a forgotten hero.