My name is Robert—or rather, it was. That name belongs to a life I've left behind, a life I don't talk about anymore. Now, I live in a completely different world.
Reincarnation. It still feels surreal, but over the years, I've come to accept it. Maybe it's because of all the novels I read, the manga I devoured, and the anime I watched in my past life. Those stories taught me to dream, to imagine worlds beyond my own—and now, I'm living in one.
This new world is incredible, filled with magic. But it's not exactly like the worlds I imagined. It's more structured, more... systematic. Let me explain.
Here, magic is tied to abilities, which awaken in every person at the age of 10. These abilities have ranks, starting with the 1st Ability, which is always ranked F. At this stage, it's weak, barely useful for most tasks. But as the person trains and masters this ability, they advance to the 2nd Order, and the real magic begins.
Upon reaching the 2nd Order, the first ability evolves, growing stronger and rising to E Rank. At the same time, the person gains a 2nd Ability, also ranked E. Most abilities support each other, creating synergy, but there's a twist: sometimes, evolution grants a random ability that doesn't fit the pattern. These random abilities can be a blessing or a curse, depending on how they align with a person's existing powers.
The pattern repeats with each new Order. When a person masters their two E-rank abilities, they ascend to the 3rd Order, where they gain a third ability, which is of the rank D. From there, abilities continue to evolve, growing stronger with each advancement. However, the path is challenging. Not everyone has the talent or dedication to advance beyond their current rank.
In our village, the strongest person is a 4th Order Being—Baron Karsten, the lord of the land. His abilities are ranked D, making him a force to be reckoned with. Most of us can't even imagine what it's like to wield that kind of power.
As for me, I'm still waiting for my 10th birthday, the day I'll awaken my first ability. What rank will I reach? What kind of abilities will I gain? And more importantly, what purpose does this reincarnation hold for me?
One thing is certain: this world is vast, filled with potential and danger. Whatever happens, I intend to carve out a place for myself in it.
Hello again. My name in this world is Eno, and I quite like it. I'm nine years old now, but I'll be turning ten in just a few months. Naturally, I'm excited—who wouldn't be? But there's something about this world I don't like. It's still stuck in what you'd call the "medieval" or "eastern" era, where most of the people in my village wear poor-quality clothes.
The village chief and a few others of the second order dress better, of course. As for my family? They're still stuck at the first order. At first, I didn't understand why—after all, they're much older than me. Shouldn't they have advanced by now?
Eventually, I found my answer. My parents were born without talent, and because of that, they've been stuck at the first order all their lives. This discovery led me to an even more shocking revelation: out of every 100 people, only one is born with talent. The remaining 99 are untalented, doomed to stay at the stage they're born into until the end of their lives.
I was terrified when I realized this. What if I was one of the untalented? That fear drove me to act differently. I stopped being lazy, and started training and working out from a young age. If nothing else, I was determined to become the strongest first-order individual in my village.
"Class is dismissed. Go straight home—don't stop along the way," the teacher instructed.
"Yes, ma'am!" the students chorused before scattering.
I was one of the first to leave the classroom. Outside, I noticed younger children also leaving their classes, their tiny feet shuffling along. I watched them for a moment, then turned and made my way home.
After a few minutes, I arrived at our small house, made of mud and stone. It's modest, to say the least—just one living room, one bedroom, and a kitchen. That's it. Yes, you read that right—there's no bathroom.
In our village, people bathe in the nearby river. As for, well, one and two, everyone just goes to the woods. That's life here.