The words remained floating inside the Divine Appraisal Crystal.
**Ability: Nothingness**
No other explanation.
No description.
No hidden skill.
Only one word.
Nothingness.
The Grand Summoning Hall was completely silent.
The nobles stared at the crystal as if waiting for another message to appear.
But nothing changed.
The Divine Appraisal Crystal had already given its answer.
King Aldren slowly stood from his throne.
His expression was impossible to read.
For a moment, he said nothing.
Then…
“Nothingness?”
His voice echoed through the hall.
The hope that had filled his eyes disappeared.
The king looked at the five other heroes.
A Sword Hero.
A Mage Hero.
A Tank Hero.
An Archer Hero.
A Healer Hero.
Powerful abilities that could be understood.
Abilities that could fight the Demon Lord’s army.
Then he looked back at Aiden.
“Is this a mistake?”
The Grand Archmage remained silent.
He approached the crystal and carefully examined it.
“No…”
“It is not a mistake.”
The old mage’s voice became serious.
“The Divine Appraisal Crystal has never shown a false result.”
A noble stepped forward.
“But what does Nothingness mean?”
“Can it defeat monsters?”
“Can it protect soldiers?”
“Can it destroy the Demon Lord’s army?”
No one answered.
Because no one knew.
Aiden looked at his own hands.
Nothingness.
That was supposed to be his power.
But what could he do with it?
He had hoped for something simple.
A sword.
Magic.
Anything.
Instead, he received a word that even this world did not understand.
King Aldren slowly walked down from the throne.
The entire hall watched him.
“Aiden Valen.”
Aiden looked up.
“Yes?”
The king stared at him.
“When we performed the Hero Summoning Ritual…”
“Our kingdom sacrificed countless resources.”
“Thousands of mages gave everything they had.”
His voice became colder.
“We did not summon heroes because we wanted miracles.”
“We summoned heroes because our people are dying.”
Aiden remained silent.
The king continued.
“We need power.”
“We need warriors who can stand against the Demon Lord.”
His eyes moved toward the crystal.
“But you…”
He paused.
“You have nothing.”
The words were painful.
Not because they were insulting.
But because Aiden realized something.
This king had never seen him as a person.
Only as a weapon.
Aiden clenched his fist.
“I didn’t ask to be summoned here.”
The hall became quiet.
The king’s expression changed slightly.
But only for a moment.
“No.”
“You did not.”
“However, this kingdom cannot carry unnecessary burdens.”
The five other heroes looked shocked.
Daniel immediately stepped forward.
“Wait.”
“You can’t just abandon him.”
Maya also looked at the king.
“We don’t even know what his ability can do yet.”
Haruto’s eyes narrowed.
“Judging someone without understanding their power is wrong.”
Li Wei adjusted his glasses.
“The crystal reacted differently to him.”
“That alone proves there is something unusual.”
Seo Ji-ah looked worried.
“Please…”
“Give him time.”
But the king did not change his expression.
“Time is something this kingdom no longer has.”
The nobles remained silent.
Some looked uncomfortable.
Others agreed.
The Grand Archmage lowered his head.
“Your Majesty…”
“We should investigate this ability.”
For the first time, the king looked at him.
Then he turned away.
“No.”
The answer surprised everyone.
“The Demon Lord will not wait for our research.”
“We cannot waste resources on someone who cannot contribute.”
Aiden stared at him.
He finally understood.
The decision had already been made.
The king did not want answers.
He wanted results.
And because Aiden could not provide them immediately…
He was discarded.
King Aldren raised his hand.
“Royal Mages.”
The mages standing around the hall froze.
Then slowly…
They stepped forward.
Aiden looked at the glowing crystals they carried.
A teleportation formation.
His expression changed.
“Where are you sending me?”
No one answered.
The royal mages began placing the crystals on the floor.
A large magic circle appeared beneath Aiden’s feet.
The Grand Archmage looked troubled.
“Your Majesty…”
The king interrupted.
“Enough.”
His voice was final.
“The kingdom must focus on the true heroes.”
The words were clear.
Aiden was no longer considered one of them.
The magic circle grew brighter.
The other heroes watched helplessly.
Daniel tried to move forward.
A knight blocked his path.
“This is the king’s command.”
Aiden looked at the people around him.
At the heroes who had just met him.
At the mages.
At the king.
No one stopped it.
No one saved him.
The golden light surrounded his body.
The royal mages completed the spell.
“Teleportation coordinates confirmed.”
“Destination locked.”
“Forbidden Forest.”
The moment those words were spoken…
Even some nobles looked surprised.
The Forbidden Forest.
A place where monsters stronger than normal adventurers lived.
A place where countless explorers disappeared.
A place where even knights feared to enter.
Aiden looked at the king one last time.
“You summoned me…”
“…and now you throw me away.”
The king said nothing.
The light became brighter.
Then—
Everything disappeared.
Aiden vanished from the Grand Summoning Hall.
Far away from the kingdom…
Deep inside the ancient forest…
A golden magic circle appeared between enormous trees.
A young man fell from the sky and crashed onto the cold ground.
For several moments, he did not move.
The forest was silent.
Then strange sounds echoed in the darkness.
Something was watching him.
Something was approaching.
Aiden slowly opened his eyes.
The first thing he saw was a sky hidden by endless trees.
The second thing he felt was loneliness.
No kingdom.
No allies.
No way home.
Only an unknown forest filled with danger.
He slowly stood up.
The kingdom had decided he was useless.
The world had abandoned him.
But deep inside his body…
Something began to awaken.
A power that even this world had forgotten.
A power called…
Nothingness.