The first impression was as if all five of my senses had suddenly developed to an extraordinary level. However, my brain quickly corrected that assumption. After the [minor physical reconstruction], I could now clearly sense and control each of my five senses. This allowed me to realize that it wasn't the senses themselves that had improved but rather my nervous system. In essence, it was the same thing, but this wording felt more accurate.
The next thing I noticed was a sensation of "swelling" in my head. It was a sharp, overwhelming feeling, which became clear when I accessed my memory. It was caused by an enormous amount of information permanently etched into my brain. It felt like trying to cram a locomotive into a tiny cabin without breaking it — filling it completely instead. To put it simply, imagine spending a single night reading over a dozen thick scientific books, each page filled with academic works, diagrams, and charts, and you remembered everything! It was a bizarre feeling, especially considering that, under normal circumstances, I could maybe manage a hundred or a hundred and fifty chapters of manga in one night.
Let's go back to the moment I accessed my memory. Based on the information I had, my body didn't get physically stronger but was instead reconstructed to give me the ability to use two core skills of the Alchemists from the Atlas Institute: Thought Acceleration and Memory Partition.
But before rushing in, eager to test out my "superpowers," I decided to first familiarize myself with all the changes in my body. To my surprise, I quickly grasped everything that had happened to me.
First and foremost, the changes affected my nervous system. There was an improvement in the conductivity of nerve impulses, an increase in the density of nerve endings, and heightened sensitivity of sensory receptors. The increased density of nerve endings meant that every millimeter of skin, every part of my retinas, and even every tiny hair in my nose became more sensitive to stimuli. The improvement in neuron conductivity accelerated the transmission of signals, allowing my brain to process information almost instantaneously.
This enabled my senses to send more precise and detailed signals to my brain. For example, the visual receptors in my eyes had become more sensitive to light, improving my night vision. Similar enhancements occurred with the rest of my senses: hearing, smell, taste, and touch. The increased sensitivity of my nerve endings meant I could pick up even the faintest sounds, the slightest traces of scent, the subtlest flavors, and the tiniest textures of surfaces.
Honestly, I was grateful to my past self for unknowingly sparing me from the "joy" of passing out from information overload — commonly known as sensory shock. Even now, just past 4 AM, in the midst of complete darkness, my vision was entirely unaffected. The ordinary moonlight filtering into the room through the window was enough for me to see as clearly as if it were daylight — before the [minor body reconstruction], that is.
I'll either need to dull my senses or get used to this as fast as possible… Wait, what's that smell? My contemplative expression quickly twisted in disgust.
It didn't take long to figure it out — it was the stench of sweat mixed with something I couldn't quite identify. And to be honest, the smell was unbearable. Then again, it probably wouldn't have hit me this hard if I'd smelled it a couple of hours earlier.
I need a shower. Plus, feeling the water at different temperatures might help me get used to these newly enhanced senses.
As I got up from the bed, I squinted in surprise at the sensation of the air wrapping around my skin. I felt it even more vividly when I started walking. It was like sticking my body out of a car window, moving at a relatively low speed.
Opening the door gave me the unforgettable experience of hearing the hinges creak — a sound I'd never noticed before. Each step brought a soft creak from the floor and the rustle of the carpet underfoot. For a brief moment, I wondered if maybe Mom had similar senses, and that's how she always seemed to know where I was. But what surprised me even more was the complete absence of any sound from my mother's and sister's rooms. Logically, there should have been something — maybe not their heartbeats, but at least the soft sound of their breathing or the ticking of a clock.
"Definitely magic..." I quickly made the bold assumption. But I didn't dwell on it and continued my walk down the hallway.
Finally, stepping into the bathroom, I decided against turning on the light, afraid I might "blind" myself. I simply undressed and stepped into the shower. Waiting for the water to warm up, I first held my hand under the stream, which immediately registered in my mind as a bright flash of red… Hot.
It was interesting to note how my brain interpreted the sensation of heat with the color red.
I slowly let the rest of my body follow under the stream. And the moment the water enveloped me, constantly moving over my skin, I froze in place, letting my body relax and my mind adjust to the new sensations. And let me tell you, there were a lot of them. The temperature of the water, the force of the droplets hitting my skin, the friction of the water sliding down my body, the cold air against my back, the weight of my wet hair... All of it was now crystal clear, and my brain processed it at an incredible speed, sending me into an almost trance-like state.
I had no idea how long I stood there, but when I snapped out of it, I turned my back to the water. This time, the sensations were different. Not weaker — just more manageable. My brain had adapted to processing so much information, and the initial "overload" was gone.
Finally regaining control over myself, I focused on studying my new state with more awareness.
Based on this little "experiment," I came to the conclusion that, in order to avoid overwhelming myself with excessive sensory input from my heightened vision and hearing in the morning, I'd need to gradually adapt my brain and nervous system. To avoid sensory overload, I plan to carry out what I'd call a training session. The idea is simple — I'll shine a desk lamp around and listen to music through headphones. Sounds like a solid plan, right? But seriously, this should help. My nervous system and brain just need time to adjust to the increased volume of information they can now process. Plus, it shouldn't take too long. Based on how quickly my skin adjusted to the sensations in the shower, I probably wasn't standing there for even ten minutes, meaning my brain adapted pretty fast to the new tactile inputs.
Now, about my brain… The speed at which it processed and structured information was astounding. My data processing ability had increased by about fivefold. Thanks to the [minor body reconstruction], my neural networks had become more efficient due to enhanced signal transmission and a greater number of synapses. This allowed me to analyze and react to incoming information faster — an invaluable advantage in any extreme situation.
Modern computer processors operate at frequencies measured in gigahertz, enabling them to perform billions of operations per second. In the human brain, neurons serve a similar role, processing and transmitting information through electrical impulses. With the increase in the speed of these impulses and the improvement of connections between neurons, my brain was now functioning at a fundamentally higher level. It was like upgrading from an old desktop computer — like the one still sitting in my room — to the next generation of hardware. Of course, it wasn't yet on par with the computers being developed at the end of my first life, let alone supercomputers, but it would be weird if I became a human-shaped machine overnight.
I understood all this thanks to a strange sensation that gave me precise information about my body. Digging into the knowledge that had been shoved into my head, I quickly realized that this was an early manifestation of a skill every Alchemist of Atlas possesses — Body Control. Right now, it only allows me to diagnose the state of my body, but in the future, it could be developed to incredible levels. Experienced alchemists can control the water content in their bodies, regulate their heart rate, manage digestion times, and even accelerate the healing of wounds. That's already bordering on magic!
Speaking of which, it's finally time to get to the most exciting part!
Though, it's hard to call it magic in the traditional sense. When it comes to Thought Acceleration and Memory Partition, things get a bit strange, to say the least. These two abilities, combined with magical energy, tap into what's called "mental strength," essentially the brain's biological potential. Magic from the Atlas Institute isn't pure sorcery — it's a fusion of science and specialized mental techniques that use the human body as a "magic circle" to recreate spells. In simpler terms, Atlas Alchemy magic operates on the natural energy of the human body, further enhanced by magical energy.
To my delight, after my "oblivion," I had awakened this energy. So, I won't have to wait for more lessons from Tomoe just to use my reward!
But let's take things step by step. The first ability — Thought Acceleration. This ability significantly speeds up cognitive processes, allowing for rapid and continuous calculations of diagrams and formulas. A skilled alchemist with this power can predict potential outcomes of events, giving them the ability to "glimpse the future," though in a limited way. I couldn't quite see the future yet, but I could already accelerate my thinking to the point where the water droplets falling on me seemed almost frozen in midair. Without using Thought Acceleration, even with full concentration, the water would have appeared to fall in slow motion, about four times slower than normal.
The foundation of Thought Acceleration lies in enhanced neuronal activity, where each neuron transmits information faster than usual thanks to improved synaptic connections. With the support of magical energy that strengthens the neural structure of the brain, this acceleration can be pushed to incredible levels. This allows thoughts to flow at lightning speed, and every tiny detail can be instantly analyzed and processed. I repeat, instantly.
The second ability, Memory Partition, was simply incredible! While Thought Acceleration was something intuitively understandable, fitting within the scope of human magic, Memory Partition felt more akin to demonic magic.
In the official documents of the Atlas Institute, which I had access to after my "oblivion," Memory Partition is described as a key ability for any certified alchemist. It allows the mind to be divided into several processors, each of which performs parallel calculations, processes data, and develops ideas simultaneously. This ability doesn't create a new consciousness or additional personality; it simply divides the unified "room" of the mind into multiple parts, enabling complete focus on multiple streams of information at once. This doesn't mean an alchemist can concentrate on two entirely different tasks, as all the partitions share a single goal, working in harmony toward that purpose.
A recognized alchemist from the Atlas Institute can divide their mind into at least three parts, and beyond that, it depends on their talent. The limit for a regular alchemist would be managing one thought across multiple rooms, but truly talented alchemists can perform first-order tetration of their thoughts within these partitions. In practical terms, with three rooms in their mind, a talented alchemist can run twenty-seven simultaneous thought processes.
Basically, just three raised to the power of three. I thought in passing, though the idea of the potential limits of such mental partitioning sent a shiver down my spine.
Those who can maintain four separate partitions can manage up to two hundred fifty-six simultaneous thought processes. What about five, six, or even seven partitions?! In my case, it was still too early to think about that, as I could only sustain two "rooms" with first-order tetration, allowing me to handle four parallel thought processes.
And all this from a single achievement? Honestly, it felt like a honey trap.
At that moment, as if in response to my thoughts, two screens appeared in front of me, and my attention was drawn to the previously empty left screen, which now displayed new information.
Name: Houtarou Oreki
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Parameters:
Strength: -
Endurance: -
Agility: -
Magical Power: F
Luck: A
Skills:
Body Control (F): Allows for diagnosis of the body's condition.
Magic:
Thought Acceleration (E): Thought processing is significantly sped up.
Memory Partition (F): Two rooms with first-order tetration, enabling four parallel thought processes.
Non-system Abilities:
- None
"Luck ranked A?! No, I must have been kissed in the ass — if not by some god, then by this damn world itself! That's a good thing, right?"
No matter how much I tried to hype myself up, I just couldn't shake the feeling that this kind of luck was going to bite me in the ass sooner or later… and probably more than once!