The afternoon sun was starting to set over the Iron Rose District. Usually, this part of the Belmontia Empire was quiet and peaceful. It was a place for middle-class families, hardworking shopkeepers, and office workers. But today, the district was completely different. It was loud, chaotic, and full of energy. The air was filled with the sound of thousands of people cheering and shouting.

  The reason for all this excitement was a special rally show. The Imperial Family rarely visited the outer districts, so this was a historic event. The streets were decorated with the flags of the Belmontia Empire. The flags were deep blue with a golden dragon crest in the middle. They waved in the wind, signaling that the most powerful people in the land were here.

  On a large, temporary stage built in the center of the main plaza, five members of the Royal Family stood tall. There were three Princes and two Princesses. To the ordinary citizens, these people looked like gods. Their clothes were made of the finest silk, shining under the sunlight. They wore capes that flowed behind them, and their armor was polished until it looked like mirrors.

  The people of Iron Rose did not care about politics today. They only cared about seeing the Royals. People stood on their toes, stretching their necks to get a better look. Fathers lifted their small children onto their shoulders so they could see the stage.

  "Look! That is the 7th Prince!" a woman shouted, pointing at a young man on the stage. "He looks even more handsome than on television!"

  "And look at the 5th Prince," a man replied. "His magic power must be incredible. You can almost feel the energy coming from him."

  The rally was coming to an end. The Royals waved to the crowd one last time. The cheers became deafening. It sounded like thunder rolling through the city. The Princes and Princesses smiled their practiced, perfect smiles, turned around, and began to walk toward their luxurious cars waiting behind the stage.

  Security guards in heavy black uniforms surrounded the stage. They held long magical staffs and looked very serious. Their job was to keep the crowd back. "Please stay back! Do not push!" the guards shouted, but their voices were almost drowned out by the screaming fans.

  While the entire district was focused on the stage, a young man named Ken Eliot was just trying to get home.

  While the entire district was focused on the stage, a young man named Ken Eliot was just trying to get home to his family.

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Ken was walking down a side street, far away from the excitement. He looked very different from the shiny, happy people in the crowd. Ken looked exhausted. He was wearing a cheap suit that was slightly too big for him. His tie was loose and crooked, hanging to the left side of his collar. His black hair was messy, sticking up in different directions as if he had just rolled out of bed.

  He carried a brown leather briefcase in one hand and a plastic bag from a convenience store in the other. The plastic bag contained his dinner: two instant noodle cups and a bottle of iced tea.

  Ken let out a long, heavy sigh. "Man, why does it have to be today?" he mumbled to himself. "I just want to go home, eat my noodles, and listen to my sister complain about something."

  He rubbed his eyes. Ken had recently finished college, and while his parents and his sister, Jasmin, were worried about his future, Ken was perfectly happy working a boring, low-level job. To him, boring was safe. Boring meant nobody noticed his "Anime" powers. He didn't want to be a hero; he just wanted to save up enough money to one day move to the countryside and run a quiet farm.

  He turned the corner, hoping to take a shortcut to the middle-class neighborhood where his parents lived. However, he stopped in his tracks. Ahead of him, the road was completely blocked.

  "Stop right there!" a police officer shouted. He was standing next to a yellow magical barrier that stretched across the street. "This road is closed for the Imperial convoy. Nobody passes through until the Royals have left the district."

  Ken slumped his shoulders. "Seriously?" he asked, though he knew the answer. "Officer, my house is just a few blocks away. Can't I just squeeze past?"

  The officer shook his head sternly. "No exceptions. The 7th Prince will be passing this route in five minutes. You have to wait with the others.""Stop right there!" a police officer shouted. He was standing next to a yellow magical barrier that stretched across the street. "This road is closed for the Imperial convoy. Nobody passes through until the Royals have left the district."

  Ken slumped his shoulders. "Seriously?" he asked, though he knew the answer. "Officer, I live just two blocks away. Can't I just squeeze past?"

  The officer shook his head sternly. "No exceptions. The 7th Prince will be passing this route in five minutes. You have to wait with the others."

  Ken looked around. He wasn't the only one stuck. A huge crowd had gathered behind the police barrier. These weren't just people trying to get home like Ken; most of them were fans who had run from the plaza to catch a second glimpse of the convoy.

  People were pushing and shoving. The atmosphere was hot and sticky. There were too many people in a small space.

  "Move over! I can't see!" a teenager yelled, pushing his way to the front.

  "Stop pushing! You're stepping on my foot!" an angry lady shouted back.

  Ken sighed again. This was his nightmare. He hated crowds. He hated noise. He hated anything that required energy. He tried to step back to find a quiet corner, but the crowd was growing larger by the second. People were piling in behind him, trapping him in the middle of the mass of bodies.

  "Great," Ken thought. "Now I'm stuck in a human sandwich."

  He hugged his grocery bag to his chest to protect his instant noodles. If his noodles got crushed, his day would truly be ruined. He stood there, looking bored and sleepy, while everyone around him buzzed with excitement.

  Beside Ken, there was a small family. A mother was holding a crying baby, and an old man was standing next to her. The old man looked frail. He was leaning heavily on a wooden cane. His hands were shaking slightly. He looked very tired, perhaps even more tired than Ken.

  "Are you okay, Grandpa?" the woman asked the old man.

  "I am fine, dear," the old man wheezed. "It is just... a bit crowded. I need some air."

  The crowd surged forward again as the sound of engines approached. The Royal convoy was coming. The excitement turned into a frenzy. People began to jump up and down.

  "They are coming! They are coming!"

  ----

  Author Note: The MC sometimes self-glorifies, like ['X doesn't know how strong he is,' etc.]. The reason is that the MC has a self-glorification attitude, even though he is one of the strongest beings in that universe. He is like a kid who has 8th-grade syndrome, but in his case, he is actually really strong.