(POV change)
Snow fell from the sky, landing on a middle-school kid with black and orange hair who was sitting on the sidewalk. No one was around except for the kid. He began to shiver as he held his legs close to his face. "Fifth time this week. I wonder why they need so much alone time" the boy muttered.
The next day, he found himself gazing apon kids who were holding hands with their parents. His eyes dulled as he watched then walk off, the heartwarming scene plastered in his mind. As he walked to school, he saw several kids around his age walking together, laughing and talking with one another.
'Why... why does it hurt so much?' The boy thought as he gripped his shirt, clenching his heart. A sudden numbness seemed to flow throught his body as his eyes dulled even more, as if something inside him broke. He continued on his walk, paying no mind to anyone else around him.
A red rope with frayed edges could be seen in an all-black room. Bits of the rope began to tear away as they fell to the floor. The boy looked up from the floor, a small smile tugging at his lips. "The pain's all gone. Just like it always does. Why, why can't I hang on to it for a little longer?" He said.
//
Test subject 015- loss of jealously and envy complete. Subject seems to yern for pain. Noted and filed. End of observation.
//
(POV change)
A vision of a middle-school boy in a classroom at sunset filled a cat's mind. The boy was crouching on the floor, gripping his head as if in pain. He seemed to he screaming, though the cat couldn't hear any sound coming from the boy. This continued for a while.
Eventually, the cat decided to intervene. The small white cat with pure white eyes began to walk toward the boy. As the cat did so, an immense pain seemed to flow throughout the cat's body every time it tried to get close to the boy. Even so, the cat pushed on.
Ignoring the pain, the cat reached the boy. The boy didn't seem to even notice the cat, so the cat decided to lay in his lap. The pain that flowed throughout the cat's body seemed to triple once it touched the boy's body. The pain seemed to flow into the cat's right eye.
A black mist appeared all around the boy. Slowly, it made it's way into the cat's eye. Once it did, the boy looked up from the ground. He no longer seemed to be hurt as he began to pet the cat. The cat soon trotted off, the boy following closely behind. The cat began to purr.
(POV change)
The day had finally come... the day of the joint training exercise. We'd already decided our placement order in each of the four categories. Meliana would represent the mage category. Being a mage seemed to suit her royal elegance, as if close combat was somehow beneath her.
Aoi represented the swordsmanship category, which suited her especially. She seemed to shine with a sword, since swordsplay often required split-second decisions. Her ability to control those around her also seems to translate perfectly into her blade work.
Hiroto represented the archery category. Though he may come off as somewhat of an air-head, his concentration is one of the things that makes him best suited for this role. His aim is impeccable, along with his patience and stubbornness. He was truly fit for this role.
Then there was me. I could do pretty much any role averagely, better if I enjoyed the task that I was given. The only thing is, I never once put my entire heart into one singular thing, which was most of the reason I could fit any role. As long as it was entertaining, I'd try it out.
But nothing ever seemed to stick as much as it had for those around me. This was especially true in this world where there isn't anything like social media to push people towards shorter attention spans. In fact, it was quite the opposite. In this world, if you don't have a talent, you'll die.
I ended up with the wizard role, which was perfectly fine with me. I wasn't going to change myself for the world around me. Never again would I try too hard just to find out it would all go to waste. There's only two people I can trust- myself and the cat.
This is the rule I had lived by ever since my reincarnation. Even so, I wouldn't let it show. My smile would remain as pure and kindhearted as the former Rein's was, even if that contradicted myself a bit. Sure, I wouldn't shy myself away when I was forced too, but when I wasn't...
I am the person who chooses my own moral line. If what I say is something I veiw as correct and is something I know I won't regret later, then why not do it? For right now, by best course of action would be to fake my own smile, just as I had done in my previous life.
Plus, this was going to be hilarious! Just imagining me acting like a goody two shoes was enough to make me laugh. At least, for now. In any case, now was the time to act. Now was the time to build up an incredible reputation. I've already set in line the future I want to come to pass.
Wizards and mages aren't all that different, except for a few fundamental aspects. Wizards draw their mana from the world around them, meaning anyone can become a wizard without having any sort of aptitude for the role. Mages draw their mana from inside themselves.
Mages cast spells through magic circles which they use as a conductor for their mana. Wizards use the mana itself to create spells using magical objects such as staffs, or, really anything can become a magical object if you blast enough mana into said object.
People who create these magical objects are called enchanters. Though there is a role for that in the training sessions, being an enchanter is incredibly hard work that no one's really willing to take on. Though technically no one needs an affinity for it, no one has the patience for that role.
Enchanters use the same magic as wizards on a fundamental basis, but instead of casting a spell, they carve it into the object they're enchanting. By placing a thin layer of mana over an enchanted object, you can enchant an object more then once, though this is an incredible feet to accomplish.
Even so, it's said there exists a cape, hat, and staff that have been enchanted 10 times over. Though that's just a legend I read in a book. Most of the time the spells enchanters carve into magical objects are spells used to conduct mana. In other words, non-elemental spells.
"I didn't know you're a wizard!" Said Hiroto, interrupting me from my thoughts. "Nope. Just became one as of today" I said. 'Whoops. That isn't how a noble would put it... right? All this stuffy talk is hard to keep up. How'd the old Rein do it?' I thought as I saw Hiroto's surprised expression.
"For a new wizard, you did really well on the practice exams" said Hiroto. "Guess I'm a quick study" I said. "I guess so..." he said before walking off. "What was that all about?" I muttered to a small white cat who was walking beside me. "Dunno. Let's keep an eye on it" said the cat.
(POV change)
The role of Wizard is one that requires extensive physical training. After all, being a conductor for this world's mana can literally break you. Wizards often die of causes that stem back to forcibly taking in mana from your surroundings. Also, there's no way to quit.
Once your body gets used to the mana, it needs that mana to survive. It's to the point that, in some cases, a wizards body will stop producing mana entirely. So how was Rein able to get a handle on that so quickly? Even the role of enchanter would be better for a beginner.
Unless, of course, his body was already used to extreme physical pain. But that could mean he'd have to be on the edge of death countless times. So much so that he's body's become numb to the sensation... is that how bad the double digit experiments were?
In my previous life, I was apart of an experiment called Project: Revival. They say there was 9 single digits who all died within the first few days of the project. The double digits who, the closer they were to the single digits, the harsher their experimentation. Then the triple digits.
Compared to the rest, we got off easy. When Project: Revival was scrapped, most of the triple digits went back to being ordinary humans. Even some double digits went back to ordinary life, so I don't really have a clue on how harsh the double digits experimentation was.
After all, like Rein, most of then ended up dying. The only reason the project wasn't scrapped after the single digits was because there was no proof the project had actually driven anyone to suicide. It wasn't until the double digits that enough people were killed for the government to take notice.
I assume highly influential people ran this project, though I never knew the specifics. In fact, I only ever learned I was apart of it after the project was already scrapped. 'So, was Rein one of the lucky few double digits who survived the project or does he still not know the truth?' I thought.
It was, of course, entirely possible Rein didn't have a single clue about his true past. The only reason I knew he was in the project is because he was one of the people who kicked off the experiment. I don't know the details, but apparently something happened with subject: Rein.
This 'something' was enough for the founders to continue the experiment even after over 80 failed projects. So, just what was this Rein person been through? My guess is he was one of the 010 digits, but exactly what number is he? These are the questions that have no answers.
(POV change)
A grin spread across my face. A horrible scene unfolded before my very eyes, blood and gore everywhere. 'So, this is what you've been up too, Izuka' I thought as I saw her lone figure standing in the middle of this horrid scene. The walls of the cave were covered with blood.
On Izuka was drenched with blood, her skin, clothes, and sword covered with it. "I-I promise... I-I..." before she could say anymore, she fainted atop the pile of bodies she'd apparently killed. "So, just what happened here?" I asked myself as I walked up to her.
I carefully lifted her body, immediately noticing a few fractures, scratches, and... burns... covering her entire body. "Looks like this was quite the fight" I muttered under my breath, though it seemed even my breath blowing across her body caused her emence pain.
I brought her back to the school dormitories where she was quickly treated. 'I wonder what happened back there' I thought. The bodies piled around her were too dismembered for me to make anything out. For all I knew, they could very well be Fanriucks.
I know I shouldn't jump to conclusions, but I definitely doubt that possibility. My guess is that someone- or something- came from one of the higher floors. Either that or somone other then me has access to the begginer labyrinth. My suspicion is the former.
After all, out of all the times I've been down there, never once have I seen any evidence of another human coming down there. This makes me thing the higher floors are to blame. My only question is... why? Weren't they in peace time? I'd have to ask Izuka once she wakes up.
[A/N: Sorry for 1 chap every two days when I said I'd try for more, personal stuff. May not be able too for another few days]