The forest, usually peaceful and serene, felt different today. The air had an eerie stillness to it, and even the birds seemed to avoid making a sound. I stood in my usual clearing, preparing to practice my magic circles again. Over the past few weeks, I had honed my skills to the point where summoning and merging dozens of circles at once had become second nature.
But today, something felt off. I could sense it.
I summoned a few circles to warm up, letting them hover around me before I released the energy into the sky. The resulting shockwave caused the leaves to rustle, but the satisfaction I normally felt wasn't there. Instead, an unsettling tension hung in the air, like the forest itself was holding its breath.
That's when I heard it—the sound of heavy footsteps, accompanied by a low growl. My body stiffened, instincts kicking in as I quickly summoned another set of circles.
From behind the trees, a large, hulking creature emerged. Its body was covered in thick, black fur, and its eyes gleamed with a malevolent red glow. It looked like some kind of wolf, but far more monstrous and dangerous. Its claws dug into the earth as it snarled, baring sharp, yellowed teeth.
"A monster… here?" I whispered to myself, my heart beginning to race.
The creature locked its gaze onto me, crouching low as if preparing to attack. My mind raced, quickly analyzing the situation. This was the first time I had encountered a real monster since my reincarnation, and I had no idea how strong it was—or if I was even ready to face it.
But there was no turning back now. I had to act.
I summoned five magic circles around me, each glowing with a different energy. I focused on directing them toward the creature, combining the power of wind and fire. As the circles merged into one, I unleashed the spell, sending a blast of fiery wind hurtling toward the monster.
The attack hit the creature directly, but instead of being defeated, it shrugged off the blast, only slightly singed. It growled louder, clearly enraged, and lunged toward me with terrifying speed.
"Damn," I muttered, barely managing to leap out of the way as its massive claws swiped at the spot where I had been standing.
The monster wasn't going to go down easily. I needed more firepower.
I quickly summoned ten more circles, my mind sharp and focused despite the adrenaline surging through me. This time, I merged them into a massive energy ball, infusing it with every element I could muster—fire, wind, earth, and lightning. The ball crackled with raw power, and with a shout, I sent it crashing into the monster.
The explosion that followed was deafening. The ground shook beneath me as dust and debris filled the air. I shielded my eyes, waiting for the smoke to clear.
When I opened them, the creature lay on the ground, motionless. Its body was charred, and the red glow had disappeared from its eyes. I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding, relief washing over me.
[You have defeated a Level 15 Forest Beast.]
A message appeared in front of me, one I hadn't seen in years. My heart skipped a beat as the familiar system notification appeared in my vision.
[EXP gained. You have leveled up.]
[Level: 9 → 10.]
I blinked, staring at the glowing text floating before me. "I leveled up?" I muttered, a grin slowly spreading across my face. "Finally."
It had been so long since I had seen any real system notifications, I had almost forgotten about it. But now, after all this time, I had gained enough experience to level up. It felt like a small victory, but an important one.
I took a moment to check my stats. My strength and mana had increased significantly, and I could feel the newfound power coursing through me. My body didn't feel tired at all, despite the intense battle. If anything, I felt stronger than ever.
---
Over the next few days, I continued my usual training, though the thought of the system lingered in the back of my mind. I couldn't help but wonder why it had suddenly reappeared. The system had always been there in the past, but I hadn't been able to interact with it much since my reincarnation. Now, after that encounter with the monster, it seemed like it was slowly starting to come back.
One evening, while I was sitting on a fallen log, staring up at the sky, I absentmindedly thought about the system.
"If only I could access more of the system's functions," I mused, thinking about how useful it had been in my previous life.
To my surprise, the moment the thought crossed my mind, the system responded.
[Would you like to access system settings?]
I nearly jumped out of my skin. "What? The system can… respond?"
[Yes.]
I blinked, staring at the glowing words in disbelief. The system could actually talk to me now? This was new. In the past, it had been more of a passive tool, giving notifications and tracking stats, but never actually communicating like this.
"Uh… okay," I said hesitantly. "What are my options?"
The system responded almost immediately, displaying a list in front of me.
[Available options:]
1. Access Inventory
2. View Skill Tree
3. Check Heroine System (Currently inactive)
4. Analyze Status
"Heroine System is inactive?" I muttered, scratching my head. Well, that made sense, considering I had been reincarnated. The system probably reset in some ways. But this interaction was intriguing—especially if it meant I could have more control over my abilities now.
I selected Analyze Status first, curious to see what the system had to say about me after all these years.
[Analyzing…]
A detailed status screen popped up, listing everything from my level to my stats and skills. I skimmed through the information, noting that I had improved significantly in the past few years. My mana reserves were higher, my physical abilities had increased, and my magic proficiency had skyrocketed.
But what caught my eye were a few new additions to the list—things I hadn't noticed before.
[New Skill Acquired: Multicasting – Allows the user to cast multiple spells simultaneously.] [New Spell Unlocked: Mana Burst – Releases an explosive surge of mana to deal massive damage in a large area.]
I stared at the new skills, excitement building within me. "Multicasting… that's exactly what I need."
The ability to cast multiple spells at once would give me a huge advantage, especially against stronger monsters. And Mana Burst? That sounded like an incredibly powerful spell.
A grin spread across my face as I realized just how much potential I had unlocked. I wasn't just a child in this world—I was something far more dangerous.
"Looks like it's time to really test my limits," I said, standing up and summoning a few magic circles. The system had given me everything I needed.
Now, I just had to put it to use.
---
I continued to practice my spells, testing the limits of my new skills. The forest had become my private training ground, and with the system responding to me now, I felt more confident than ever. Every day, I pushed myself harder, casting dozens of magic circles simultaneously, feeling the power flowing through me with every spell.
But something still felt off.
For years, the system had been silent, nothing more than a passive presence. Now, it was responding, interacting as though it had a mind of its own. I couldn't help but wonder… was the system just a tool, or was there more to it? It felt strange talking to something without a name, as though it were a faceless presence.
As I conjured another set of magic circles, the thought struck me.
"Hey, system," I said, pausing mid-cast. "Can you hear me?"
[Yes.]
I smiled. It was a strange thing, having this connection, but it was undeniably useful. "I've been thinking," I continued, lowering my hand as the magic dissipated. "You've been with me through a lot, and now that we can talk, I think it's only fair I give you a name."
The system didn't respond immediately, but I could feel the faint hum of its presence, as if it were waiting for me to continue.
"Hmm…" I pondered for a moment. A name for something as helpful and constant as the system… something that felt fitting, personal. Then, the perfect idea came to me.
"How about… Sera?"
There was a brief pause before the system responded.
[Sera? Name accepted.]
I chuckled softly, a feeling of satisfaction settling over me. "Yeah, that fits. Thanks for all the help, Sera. I think we're going to make a great team."
[You're welcome.]
I grinned as I resumed my practice, magic circles forming effortlessly around me. Now, I wasn't just training alone—I had Sera with me, a silent but constant companion in this world.
And somehow, that made all the difference.