Year 8679, Kingdom of Eurazania, Baldour City

In the quaint town of Noburn, located on the outskirts northeast of Baldour City, the midday sun painted the landscape with a warm, inviting glow. Trees danced in the gentle breeze, their leaves rustling a soothing melody, while birds filled the air with their cheerful songs.

Amidst this idyllic setting, the town itself was alive with the vibrant chatter of both townsfolk and nature. The bustling streets were a hive of activity as locals and visitors alike wandered among the charming storefronts. It was harvest season, a time of abundance and celebration, and the farmers of Noburn proudly displayed their produce.

From the vibrant hues of freshly picked apples to the earthy fragrance of just-dug potatoes, the market stalls overflowed with the treasures of the land. the bounty of the season was on full display, tempting passersby with its freshness. the air buzzed with excitement as deals were struck and goods changed hands.

In the heart of it all stood the town square, a focal point where neighbors gathered to exchange news and gossip, their laughter mingling with the sounds of commerce. Here, beneath the shade of ancient trees, friendships were forged and traditions upheld, weaving a rich tapestry of community life.

As the sun arched overhead, casting dappled shadows upon the cobblestone streets, one couldn't help but feel the timeless allure of Noburn inviting all who passed through to pause and savor the simple joys of life in this idyllic corner of the world.

"Lloyd!"

Amidst all this a young boy with brown hair called out to his friend.

"Hey Bell!, look I found this shiny stone"

Replying back was a young boy with silver hair, blue eyes, and an average build one could tell from just looking at him that he was beautiful like a noble although he was of commoner descent.

"What is that?"

Bell asked as he leaned towards the stone Lloyd was holding, it seemed almost transparent, its radiance cutting through the darkness like a beacon of light.

"Let's ask that appraiser uncle, bell"

Lloyd said as he stood up from the cobblestone street whipping the dirt off his knees.

"I think it's a diamond"

"Yeah, I think so too..."

Lloyd suddenly halted for a moment and then suddenly turned to Bell.

"A Diamond!?, aren't those supposed to belong to aristocrats or wealthy merchants Bell?"

"I don't know, maybe someone dropped it.."
Bell Replied

"I guess so.."
Lloyd then faced towards the market grasping the diamond in his hand tightly.

"Let's go Bell, we should sell this"
"Hey! Wait"
Bell yelled as he leaned towards Lloyd's hand grabbing it as he was about to go towards the bustling market.

"We shouldn't do that! this belongs to someone else"

Lloyd looked back towards Bell and said with a heavy but warm and gentle voice.

"Bell, those nobles don't care if we live or die, why should we care about what belongs to them?"

Bell Looked towards Lloyd with his eyes wide open, the Lloyd that joyfully played with him was no longer there but instead, a kid filled with hate, anger, and resentment.

'Lloyd..."

"Bell...don't you think we at least deserved this much?"

Lloyd said with a voice not filled with anger but sorrow as he grasped his fists tighter.

"But still Lloyd.. it's not safe for kids to sell this.."

Bell came closer to Lloyd, sensing that they were too close Lloyd took a few steps back.

"What if some bad guys see us and try to take our lives for the money?"

Knowing the reasonability behind Bell's actions Lloyd stuttered.

"I..uh...I'm sorry I didn't think that through"

Seeing Lloyd backing down Bell took a deep sigh.

"It's fine I guess.. just think through things for once"

Eh!

Before Bell could finish speaking he noticed Lloyd put his arm around his shoulder, Lloyd then spoke up.

"It's alright, I have you don't I?"

Lloyd then moved towards Bell's sight and flexed his forearm muscle

"I'm the brawn and you're the brains, it's a perfect combination don't you think?"

Lloyd laughed showing off his muscles, while Bell looked towards his arm.

"Yeah..."

'Must be nice for Lloyd to have muscles although they are pretty small'

"Hey, Lloyd what are you gonna ask for in the coming of age ceremony!"

As Bell called out to Lloyd he stopped flexing his muscles and looked towards Bell with a grin.

"Obviously you know!.."

In the heart of the town square, Lloyd's outstretched arm directed attention towards a majestic statue carved from stone. Despite its humble material, the statue exuded an aura of grandeur and strength, as if it possessed a spirit of its own. Although across the continent other statues of the same figure also exist some fashioned from shimmering gold, and a select few even crafted from the rarest of gems and diamonds, this humble stone monument still captivated attention.

As the townsfolk gathered around, their eyes were drawn to the stone monument, its presence commanding respect and admiration.

 Bell looked at Lloyd and smiled as he already knew the answer to that.

"I'm going to ask for a super cool sword to slay monsters!, and when I grow up I want to be like The Great Hero Haruto!"

Bell smiled at Ryu briefly and let out a sigh.

'Monsters..'

Bell looked up at the sky

'It is said that monsters first appeared a long time ago, no one knows when...well at least the commoners, Monsters are strange creatures quite different from humans and there are many kinds of them like Goblins, Orcs, Kobolds, Vampires, Demons, Dragons and many others, they appear after a Dungeon is formed which is a black portal while some are just born here because of their parents inhabiting some parts of forests, mountains or lands, no one knows where they used to live before or where they came from all they know is that when civilization came to be they were there, leading to theories like they were always here from the beginning we just hadn't discovered them, well at least that's what the people now think'

Bell Looked towards the Statue of the Great Hero.

'Millennials ago there were four great heroes, Legend has it that they first appeared at the beginning of civilization so they are also known as those who started this civilization, The Great Heroes of the Sword, Bow, Spear, and Shield. They were also the people who helped win The Great World War III against the Monsters that invaded, which seems pretty weird to me considering there wasn't a World War I or World War II, well it is said that the heroes did say some really weird things like the monsters weren't always there or that the world we know today is completely worlds apart from the way it used to be, although no one is sure if it's true or just a legend

Bell Clenched his fists.

'But one thing is true that whoever speaks about it is arrested or penalized by the nobility as if it is a crime although the penalty is not death it has still made those two things the heroes said like a forbidden part of history'

Bell Turned around and looked at Lloyd.

"I want to know the truth for what it really is! I want to know everything"

Lloyd for a brief moment looked at Bell with a smile.

"Yeah!"

Both of them looked at each other for a brief moment, there was a still silence the one who broke it was Lloyd.

"Hey Bell!, schools over and I haven't eaten my lunch yet, Mom's gonna scold me so please help me finish it"

Bell looked at Lloyd for a moment and then laughed.

"Haha..sure"

"Alright let's go to lakeside"

"Okay"

Bell followed Lloyd as they went to the Lakeside.

After passing through a few streets both of them arrived at the lakeside, the trees were hustling and the birds chirping it was a quiet area as compared to the busy town square.

Both of them sat down and started to eat, there was a brief silence

"Hey Lloyd it's really good!"
"I know right Mom cooks the best! Your Mom too!"

"Yeah and you still don't eat your Mom's cooking"

"Haha.."

Lloyd gave a brief laugh as he rubbed behind his head

"Hey Bell, are you serious about the goal of knowing everything thing"

"Yeah of course"

Bell instantly replied without hesitation

"Yeah but won't be very hard? I mean learning about everything is a privilege for nobles, not us commoners"

Bell looked at Lloyd and fell silent

'He's right although we get to go to schools it's only till middle school so not much knowledge is disclosed to us, the same is true of the Magic Academy for commoners you need to be talented or you can't enter because of the fees, even if you enter you won't be treated equally, but that's more the reason to know'

Bell talked while looking toward the river

"Lloyd don't you think..."
Lloyd looked towards Bell.

"Hmm..."

"Don't you think it's weird, weird that the Great Heroes who are known to be kind and the people who started civilization would create a society with such inequality?"

Lloyd looked at Bell with vigor

"Of course not!"

Lloyd retorted with vigor

'Mentioning the Great Hero Haruto sure gets you going'

Bell Smiled.

"I'll help you Bell"

"Thanks.."
Bell and Lloyd gave each other a thumbs up.

Lloyd then fell silent and said with a heavy voice

"Let's get out of this birdcage!"
"Birdcage?"

Bell questioned he didn't know what Lloyd meant.

"I want to be free bell! I don't want to be in this walled town being protected all the time"

"I want to go on an adventure, to be free, I want to see the vast sea, the mountains in the east, and explore the world Bell"

Bell looked at Lloyd as he stared at the lake smiling.

"You sure talk big for a 10-year-old"
Lloyd looked back at Bell

"Says the 10-year-old who wants to know everything..."

Both of them looked at each other and soon burst into laughter

"Pfft..haha!"
"Pfftt..hahha!"

For a while, both of them kept laughing until it seemed the sun would go down soon

"When did these clouds get here"

Bell said while looking at a huge cloud above their town.

"Hey bell, there's something in the clouds"

Lloyd said as he stared at the huge cloud

"What is it?"

Bell looked toward the cloud as he tried to see what Lloyd was talking about but he was rendered unable to when he heard a loud growl.

Grraaaaaan!

A loud heinous voice was heard striking fear into the hearts of all

Soon accompanied by thunder strikes

Crrrick-KA-DUUM

Loud Bangs were heard everywhere as countless claps of thunder fell.

Unfortunately one fell right beside Bell

Crrrick-KA-DUUM

Bell in horror looked to his side with a horrified face.

"L..Lloyd!!"
Bell shouted as he looked at his friend lying on the ground fortunately the thunder had only touched him and it was really weak but it had still pierced Lloyd's stomach causing severe bleeding.

"R..run Bell it's not s..safe outside.."
Ughh!

As Lloyd started to speak more he started vomiting blood

"Hang in there!, I'll go get help!"
As Bell got up to try and get help Lloyd grabbed his hand

"No need...I'm not going to last long"
Bell looked back at him terrified

"It will be okay!!"

"I'm sorry Bell, I couldn't help you with your goal"
Urrgh! Blood Splurts

"It seems I'll be going first..."

Lloyd started closing his eyes
"No wait...Lloyd!"

Bell leaned closer to check on Lloyd's pulse, it was not active.

"N..no"
Bell fell to his knees and started to cry out loud

"Wake up! Please!"

Bell started to cry loudly, he leaned closer to hold Bell and get him to his mother after he took him in his arms his clothes started to get drowned in blood, and he started running down the street to his home and Lloyd's since they were right next to each other, he soon started hearing loud voices.

"H..Help!"

"Mom!!"
"Help my son please!!"
"O..Lord have mercy!"
"I don't want to die!!"
Some faint noises and some really loud ones, but all of them were centered around one spot, The Healers clinic"
"Try to understand! The Healer has left! or he would have healed you!"
A young guard shouted to the crowd 

"Lies!! I was here a minute ago and he left right in front of my eyes, right i..in front of my dying son!!"

A crying man said covering the face of a young boy.

"Damn Nobles They don't care if we die"

"Damn Them..."
The Voices got fainter as Bell ran toward his home.

'Those Nobles..'

And soon after he came near the street he halted to lay Lloyd's body down and fell to his knees because of the scene that unfolded before him.

The entire area seems to have been razed to the ground from which seemed a single huge thunder strike.

Soon a lot of thoughts came to his mind.

'Mom...'

'Just why...'

'Everything was fine just now...'

'So...'

'Just...'

****

"Why!!!"
A Boy who seemed to be 17 jumped up from his bed shouting with a panicked expression.

He soon gasped for breath.

"I was dreaming again...huh"

The Boy soon walked towards the window he had a slightly toned physique, he had brown hair, and dark brown eyes he stood at a height of 176cm.

The Boy opened the window of his room and the scene in front of him was a bustling street.

'You need to get it together Bell...'

The Boy turned away from the window, his gaze drifting to the closet nestled beside his bed. With a purposeful pull, he swung open its creaking door and retrieved his clothes. He slipped into a weathered white shirt, reminiscent of those worn by farmers toiling under the sun, its fabric bearing the marks of countless days spent in the fields. Next came a pair of brown trousers, faded from years of use yet sturdy as ever.

As he fastened the buttons and adjusted the fabric, there was a simplicity to his attire. His belongings, while far from opulent, held a quiet dignity, reflecting the modest means of a life lived on the fringes of society.

But then, he withdrew a leather belt, its surface worn smooth by years of use. Nestled within its weathered embrace was a sword, Despite its worn appearance, there was a certain allure to the weapon and an air of strength

'I better go Hunting soon... I need to get this Months rent'

Bell straightened his attire and made his way to the weathered wooden door of his modest apartment. Inside, the room was compact, devoid of any lavish adornments or embellishments. A simple bed, well-loved and worn, occupied one corner, its frame bearing the marks of time. Across from it stood a sturdy closet, its doors weathered with age, yet providing a reliable sanctuary for his belongings. In the center of the room, a plain table served as a humble workspace, its surface worn smooth by years of use. Despite the absence of decorations or paintings, Though lacking in extravagance, there was a quiet comfort to the room.

Before opening the door Bell paused for a moment and let out a sigh.

'Let's get going'

Year 8686, Kingdom of Eurazania, Baldour City

As Bell swung open the door, he was greeted by the lively sight of a bustling cobblestone street. The sun illuminated the scene, casting dappled shadows as the trees bustled. The air was alive with the sounds of the marketplace, vendors displaying their wares with eager voices that mingled with the chatter of passing pedestrians. Amidst the hustle and bustle, one vendor caught Bell's attention, calling out to him with a friendly wave.

"Hey Bell!, how are you?"

An old man called out to Bell who seemed to be in his 40s his back was bent and he had a white beard, he was standing right beside his stall filled with fresh apples, oranges, and freshly dug-out potatoes.

"Hello Uncle Stan"

Bell Replied while going near the stall old man Stan was at.

"Going on another herb collection request?"

"Yes, it's the only request I can take as an F-rank Hunter"
"I see.."

Stan said as he smoothened his long beard

"Well then I won't take much of your time, be careful boy! huhu"

Stan gave a soft laugh while Patting Bell's back.

"Alright, I'll be off then!"
Bell said as he went of running towards the city gate while waving to the old man.

As he went running by the street he heard people gossiping, and he stopped in his tracks as it caught his attention.

"Hey, Albert did you hear about the speech from the Marquis?"
"Yeah they say he admitted to his fault in the downfall of Noburn and Astaria"
"I know right, and he didn't even repent!"
"Those Brutal Nobles, they don't care if we live or die"

"Yeah..but what can we do, we're too weak"

Bell soon shook his head in regret.

'He's right, I'm also just an F-Rank'

Thinking that Bell went back his way to the city gate but his face showed immense regret, hatred, and sorrow.

'In this world, people who hunt monsters and complete quests are called Adventurers They are mainly made up of commoners as they complete subjugation quests or even requests from nobles, This world's ranking system goes as F, E, D, C, B, A, S, SS, and SSS, F are considered average people, D and C are talented, A and S are considered Genuises and there are only a few of them, SS and SSS are God gifted they can be counted on one Hand'

'Like Adventurers, Nobles have a profession known as Knights Their main purpose is to serve higher level nobility or make a name for themselves or their family, for the nobles the son with the highest Knight rank in the family inherits it or in rare cases, they create their own families and territories'

'There are many more professions but I don't have enough knowledge of them'

Bell soon arrived at the city gate and approached the guards.

The guards wore gleaming silver armor emblazoned with a noble crest—a sword crossed behind a shield, Their helmets bore plumes of feathers, With a sword and shield in hand

"I'm going for a herbal request from the Guild"
Bell said as he showed his Adventurer's License.

"All right, go ahead"
The Guard said after checking Bell's Adventurer License.

"Hm.."

Bell nodded in acknowledgment as he reclaimed his License, then walked out through the towering city gate. Beyond, the landscape unfolded into a vast expanse of forests, with a winding road cutting through their midst. Carriages rumbled along the path, but Bell wasted no time. With purpose in his step, he ventured off into the dense woods.

'Let's stay on the usual outer part of the forest'

Bell thought to himself as he started going into the forest.

Bell would often venture to the outskirts of the forest to gather herbs. As an F-rank Adventurer, he knew better than to tangle with the monsters lurking deeper within.

As Bell stood in front of the forest and was about to walk in he saw someone lying on the ground.

'Why is someone Lying down here!?'

Bell was dumbfounded he couldn't think of anyone who would so carelessly lay down in such a dangerous forest where you could be killed by bandits or monsters.

"Hey you there"

As Bell neared the mysterious figure, he discerned a boy of similar age. Clad in strange immaculately clean and evidently expensive attire. With dark brown hair and a stature mirroring Bell's own, he appeared quite average in terms of appearance

'These weird clothes....is he nobility?'

Bell had never seen the clothes the boy was wearing but they were quite clean and looked really expensive he had no reason not to think he was a noble.

Tap!

concluding that he was a noble Bell started to step away from the storage boy, but he soon stopped as the boy started to wake up

"Ugh..."

'!..'

Seeing the boy wake up Bell got alert.

'Nobles...are never good news'

Soon the boy stood up in a drowsy manner and started looking at his own body.

'What is he doing...'

After looking at his body for a while the boy realized Bell standing there and opened his mouth.

"Uh...um...Where am I?"

'Eh!?'

Bell was shocked at the response.

'Eh...does he not know where he is himself!?..'

"You're in Baldour City"

"Oh..uh"
'Is he not a noble?'

Bell questioned himself because of the behavior the boy was showing.

"Um...what year is it"

"What you don't know what year it is!?"

Bell was so confused that he spoke his mind accidentally.

'...'

"Oh sorry...I uh....lost my memory, The next thing I remember is...I woke up here"

Bell paused for a moment and then.

'I guess that explains it.....but it's still suspicious'

"it's the year 8686"

"..."

The strange boy didn't say anything, but Bell could tell from his expression that he was shocked.

Sigh! 

Bell let out a long sigh as he loosened the grip on his sword.

'Maybe I'm just overthinking again'

Bell soon called out to the strange boy.

"What's your name"

"Eh!....my...name?"

The strange boy stuttered as he replied pointing at himself

"Yeah.."

"Um...it's Ryusui"
Bell Looked at the Strange boy for a moment.

'Ryusui...what a strange name..'

----------

AUTHOR'S NOTE-

Sorry for the Hiatus I will be publishing one chapter every week, since there was a long Hiatus this chapter was extremely long.

Surprised by how the story is turning out, I will just say this 'this story is nowhere near cliche' and not overpowered don't let the system tag fool you the MC will do real hard work, and side characters will also be given detail here, there is no overpowered element here