I am the youngest son of a 2nd Duke family in country, just 10 years old, but already I carry the heavy weight of failure on my shoulders. My older sister and brother are both prodigies, their talents revered across the nd, while I despite all my efforts am nothing like them. I can't wield a sword, and worse still, my mana refuses to obey me. No matter how hard I concentrate, the magic is always out of reach. To them, I am a disgrace, a blemish on the family name.

  My older brother, in particur, despises me. He is everything our father could hope for a skilled warrior, a master of magic, the perfect heir to our noble lineage. I, on the other hand, am merely a reminder of what the family has failed to achieve. He never misses an opportunity to remind me of my inadequacy, often telling me that I’m not worthy to live under this roof, that my very existence brings shame to our family.

  One evening, as I sat quietly in the drawing room, my brother approached our father, his words sharp and biting. "Father, he is a blight upon our name. He has no pce here. You should cast him out, for he will never live up to our legacy."

  I froze, my breath caught in my chest. I could hear the edge of finality in my brother’s voice, and I knew this was not an idle compint. His words held weight, and my father, ever so calcuting, would listen.

  I gnced toward my father, hoping to see some trace of the warmth he had once shown me. But all I found was cold indifference.

  “Father…” I whispered, my voice trembling with fear. "Please, don’t....."

  But it was too te. My father stood, his expression unyielding as he looked at me with an emotionless gaze. "You are no longer allowed to live in this mansion," he decred, his words final. "You will not carry our name, nor will you have any authority in this family."

  The ground beneath me seemed to shift, my world tilting as my father’s voice echoed in my ears. My heart sank into my stomach, and I could barely breathe. I had been discarded like an old, unwanted piece of clothing.

  Just as despair threatened to overwhelm me, a soft voice broke through the silence. "Sire," my sister spoke, her voice trembling but firm. "Please, allow the youngest to have a chance. Let him prove his worth. I beg of you, please listen to me."

  I turned to look at her. She stood with her head slightly bowed, her eyes full of an emotion I could not pce. For a moment, my father simply stared at her, his brow furrowed in thought.

  "A chance?" he asked, his voice cold. "Why? He has none."

  But my sister didn't back down. Her eyes filled with determination, and she stepped forward, speaking with a passion that I had never heard from her before. "Father, please. If you allow me to help him, he may yet surprise you. Please give him this one chance."

  My father hesitated. The room was thick with tension. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he sighed, his expression softening. "As your sister wishes," he said, his voice grudging. "I will give him one chance. But remember—if he fails, he will be cast out. Tomorrow, he leaves this house."

  That night, I y awake in my bed, staring at the ceiling in the darkness. The weight of the situation pressed down on me, crushing me with its enormity. How could I prove myself? How could I make my father see me as anything more than a burden? The very thought seemed impossible. I was a failure, pin and simple. No talent, no skills, no magic.

  Then, just as the clock struck midnight, a soft knock echoed from my door.

  I rose quickly, not wanting to wake the others. When I opened it, there stood my sister. Her face was pale, her eyes shadowed by worry.

  "Sister," I whispered, surprised to see her at this hour. "What are you doing here? If anyone sees us…"

  She stepped inside, her eyes flicking nervously toward the hallway. "Let me in, little one," she urged, her voice low and urgent.

  I stepped aside, and she entered quietly, closing the door behind her. "What is it?" I asked, my voice barely more than a whisper.

  She smiled softly, though her eyes were tinged with sadness. "I want to help you," she said, her voice trembling with emotion. "I want to teach you magic. I know it's been difficult for you, but I believe you can learn. Let me try."

  My heart twisted at her words. From the moment I could remember, the greatest mages in the nd had tried to teach me, but no matter how hard I tried, I had never succeeded. I had failed them all, and worse, I had failed her. I had let her down.

  "Thank you," I whispered, my voice choking with regret. "But don’t waste your time on someone like me. I’m useless. Father and Brother are right. I’m just a failure."

  She reached out and hugged me tightly, her warmth a stark contrast to the cold emptiness in my heart. "In this world, nothing is more precious to me than you, my little brother," she whispered, her voice breaking. "Please, promise me that you will survive. That you will come back stronger. Five years. I want you to promise me you'll return stronger than ever."

  I clung to her, my throat tight with emotion. "I promise," I said, my voice raw. "I will come back. I won't let you down."

  In that moment, I believed it with all my heart. I would return. I would prove my worth.

  The next morning, my father gave me nothing but the coldest of farewells. He handed me 500 gold coins and a simple dagger, casting me out like a common thief. "Five years," he said curtly. "If you haven't learned magic or swordsmanship by then, don’t bother returning."

  I stood there, my mind numb. Five years. That’s all I had. Five years to learn magic or swordsmanship, to somehow prove myself. How could I do that? I couldn’t even summon a spark of mana on my own.

  I left the mansion without another word, the gates closing behind me as I walked into the unknown. The weight of the world felt heavier with each step.

  I walked for hours, lost in my thoughts, wondering how I could possibly survive in a world that had already decided I was worthless.

  Suddenly, the ground beneath me trembled. At first, I thought it was just my mind pying tricks on me, but then the shaking grew stronger. The earth cracked wide open, and before I could react, I felt myself falling, tumbling down into the abyss below.

  I gasped for air as the world spun wildly. My heart pounded in my chest, and my stomach twisted in panic. In a desperate attempt to survive, I grabbed for the dagger at my side and plunged it into the cliffside. The bde bit deep into the rock, slowing my descent just enough to keep me alive. But as I fell further, the dagger snapped, and I crashed to the ground with a sickening thud. Pain exploded through my body, sharp and unforgiving. My arm was broken, my ribs cracked.

  As I y there, gasping for breath, I heard a sound that froze me in pce. A deep, guttural growl echoed through the cave, sending a shiver of pure terror down my spine.

  The bck dragon.

  I had heard the stories the terrifying tales of the dark beast that roamed these woods, the king of dark magic, the one creature no one had ever defeated. It was said that anyone who encountered him never lived to tell the tale.

  I scrambled to my feet, pain shooting through my body, but I knew that I had no chance. The dragon was here, and it was too te to run.

  I stumbled toward a nearby cave, hoping to hide. But as I entered, I was met with the most terrifying sight of all.

  There, standing before me, was the dragon. Its massive form loomed over me, its scales as bck as the night sky, its eyes glowing a deep, fiery red. Time seemed to stop. I couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. The dragon’s gaze locked onto mine, and in that moment, I knew this was my end.

  "Sorry, sister," I whispered, my voice barely a breath. "I couldn’t keep my promise. I’m sorry."

  To be continued....

  GOKUBURAKKU

  Hey guys this my first novel and my dream to write this story, I just hope you will show me support.