Chapter 3 - Grasping Mana

Mana is the source of energy that is found in every living creature in this world. It is like an atom which one could influence to create magic spells. Normally one would need an incantation to cast magic but in the show Rudeus only needed to understand the fundamentals of the magic spell going to be cast then construct it using Mana. The only medium is his body and mind to create spells. 

If my theory is correct then I'm well capable of producing powerful techniques from the level of knowledge that I have. The first step is sensing Mana in the surrounding before anything else. 

'Let's see…'

Taking the techniques I've learned and developed as an assassin by taking breathing exercises to control the flow of my blood that increase my strength and stamina like how Total Concentration Breathing from Kimetsu no yaiba.  

I started to feel myself entering a meditative state relaxing my muscles and slowly grasping the energy around me. It was strange as it gathered into my body and stream throughout. In that moment, I felt something click and finally opened my world that I decided to call "Empyrea."

Now that I've gathered enough Mana and let my body adapt to expand to help me gain a large reservoir of energy. Few minutes later I held out my hands as I tried to imagine the atomic structure of certain things. 

The first thing that came to mind was water which was simple enough and started to hold out my hands as I imagined the water spell churning into a spherical shape. 

'Woah, this is interesting. I wonder if I can manipulate physics with this?'

The thought of manipulating the atomic structure of people using Mana is extremely dangerous when it falls into the wrong hands but fortunately I am not such a person. I may be a heartless killer does not mean I'm a maniac who relishes in killing. Though it is still far until I acquire more Mana capacity. For now, the best I can do is train and aim to reach god status. 

There are power rankings that start from Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Saint, King, Emperor and God. A god level would be at a continental scale of power where those who reach this status can become a great power across the world.  

I aim to explore the continent and learn all the sword styles from the Water, North and Sword God style. This sounds cynical since reaching the Saint level is already a difficult level to achieve where only a handful could be found in the Continent base from what I read in the novel. 

However, even if I can't reach god level, each of the styles could always make my own. Fundamentally, I have many techniques from real life to fiction that I could base it from. 

I recalled that the sword style has each their own way of the blade from the the basic philosophy of the Sword God Style is attack first, attack fast, kill your opponent before they can even draw their sword.

On the other hand, Water God Style is swordsmanship that specializes in defensive techniques emphasizing parrying and counter-attacking. Since there are only a few ways to attack, there is also the art of provocation to make the opponent take the initiative.

While the Sword God style focuses on a strong attack, and the Water God style focuses on a strong defense, the North God style focuses on adaptability. It is the style of creativity, improvisation, and trickery. 

This creates a "rock-paper-scissor" scenario where the Sword God style has a disadvantage against the Water God style, but an advantage against the North God style. The North God style, in turn, has an advantage against the Water God style. However, this dynamic is just a reference based on the techniques themselves. The actual outcome of a fight is decided by the fighters themselves and whatever other skills they have beyond the ones they learned from their style.

If I were to mix all, taking out the flaws would result in my skills to be higher than the 3 sword style. However, it also means that I'm the only one capable of learning them because of my boundless talent that I've wished for. 

Casting aside all my thoughts and focusing on the water ball that soon fell into the floor and smiled happily with the result. I checked my body and found that it hadn't felt the slightest fatigue showing that my body is quite capable of drawing out more Mana than a normal 2 years old child. 

"What are you doing, Nii-San?"

I turned behind me to find my brother looking at me curiously then to the wet floor then back at me. He seem to understand what I was doing base on what he was seeing.

"Rudy? Is there anything you need?" 

"Nii-San, were you practicing magic?"

"Yes but don't tell mom! I want to surprise her." 

It would be fun to see her be ecstatic when I showed her that I'm able to cast magic of my own. Rudeus started to ponder if I was a reincarnator as well but didn't outright ask me knowing that it would expose him and he doesn't want to ruin his current life. 

I was looking at him and wanted to help as much as I could. Sure he was a bastard and asshole in his previous life but at least he's trying to better and change himself. People in my situation would abandon him since they are selfish and didn't want to trouble themselves by helping others. 

I'm not a kind man but if I could help then I find myself in situations where I would act. I was damn lucky that the organization didn't eliminate me since my use far outweighed my action. 

"Hey, why don't we practice magic together?"

"Okay!"

He seemed oddly excited which made me happy and began to read the content of the book together with Rudeus at my side. Our mental age can be a brother since I was 50 when I died while Rudeus was 34. Rudy leaned on my shoulder as both of us were absorbed into the content of the book. I kept maintaining my breathing exercise to let the mana flow naturally into my body and started to notice subtle changes in the flow. 

Thanks to it, I was barely able to know the presence of the people watching and found my parents and Lilia at the door looking through the gaps of the door. They were gleefully smiling at the sight of us brothers until they left us. 

They thought we're just looking at the writings and drawings since none of our parents had yet to teach us to read but for me it was far too easy. 

That aside, I only read the Attack Magic Spell section of magic and read the other section which explains the Healing Magic Spell which didn't only include healing but also protection like barriers and Summoning Magic Spell which explain summoning familiars. 

This type of magic piques my interest since if I somehow am able to understand its fundamentals and continuously do some trial then I can reverse the summoning and bring me into another world that I desire or even create teleportation spells that I can use as a way to distort space.

Using this kind of magic requires a magic circle but if I figure it out then I won't be needing it and can teleport to anywhere I want so long I have clear images of where I'm headed. 

'Not to mention, I have a technique I'm interested in trying which would make me incredibly powerful. The Magia Erebea.'

Magia Erebea is a forbidden technique created by Evangeline A.K. McDowell over a period of 10 years, in which the user absorbs offensive magic designed to harm the enemy into their own body, to the point where it fuses with their very soul. The technique feeds on the user's body and soul, but in return the user gains power many times that of any ordinary person.

It works by absorbing the spells into the caster and gaining properties of that same spell. The spell Magia Erebea harnesses the spell's energy and once absorbed by the caster, it is fused directly to the caster's soul. With the insanity of absorbing one's own offensive magic and allowing it to devour the soul and body, the mage gains incredible power many times beyond normal.

I am confident that I'll eventually replicate it since the magic system of mushoku tensei and Negima is similar in more ways than one. Even if I couldn't, it doesn't hurt to try and the chance I succeed then it would result in amazing benefits. 

"Rudy, Rein, it's time for dinner."

Our mother came in and took us in her arms, closing the book while smiling since her two sons were interested in magic.

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The land I lived in was called the Central Continent, where her inhabitants spoke the Human Language. Other continents included the Milis continent, the Heaven continent, the Begaritto continent and the Demon continent, all of which had their own languages as well it seemed.

The village I lived in was called Buena Village, a place that could be considered a rural countryside, that belonged to the Fittoa Region which in turn belonged to the Asura Kingdom.

I was currently at the room where me and Rudeus kept on training our magic with my brother curious as to what I was doing since I'm sitting in a lotus position. It sounded like some Chinese cultivation but I'm just trying to let my body grow accustomed with Mana increasing my reserved as well control on how Mana is going to flow. 

"Brother, why are you always doing the same thing?"

"Don't tell our parents but I had a dream and thought this would help me grow stronger."

"A dream?"

'Does that mean Nii-san isn't a reincarnator like me?'

"Yes, I don't know but I felt that it would help me get stronger. How about I teach you a bit? It might help you gather Mana like I'm doing now."

"If you say so." 

It was some sort of secret technique and didn't find any problem giving him some pointers since if our future sister were in trouble then their big brother would surely come and protect them. 

"How do you explain this? Try doing how you normally gather Mana then treat it like breathing and maintain precise control of your breathing. I heard fathers mention that by controlling their breath from the intake and outake helps them fight longer. When you've gotten used to the feeling of proper intake and outtake then it would become easier to cast and control magic."

"What a great idea Art-nichan!! But It seems a lot of training I need *sigh*..."

"Come on dont be like that. I will teach you thoroughly about it, okay? And when you do then I think you will become the strongest magician in the world!!"

Saying it like an innocent child encouraging him like this. I can see tears rolling down in his eyes. I guess he's still remembering the past life when he's a fat ugly bastard good for nothing otaku. Acting like a big brother was a nice feeling since I was always alone and didn't associate myself much with others in fear of being used against me. 

Though the strongest magician is a bit much when I'm more of a cheat than he is but still he would become an incredible foe in this world. I recalled that he had reached the emperor level in water despite being more proficient in earth magic. 

I saw him begin to cry since no one ever encouraged him and seemed to recall his past life. He may have been a grown up still haunted by his past life and sympathize with him. I wanted to live my own life unbound and never again a tool for others to use. This made me hug him tightly letting him feel the warmth of what I felt living in this world. 

"No need to cry brother like the dream I had heard, Don't believe in the you that believes in me and don't believe in the me that believes in you. Believe in the you that believe in yourself." 

'*sniff* isn't that gurren lagann quote? Maybe my brother is a reincarnator like me but doesn't know and thinks it's just a dream.'

I was able to calm him down and could see in his face that he believed in my deception since I can't hide that I'm a reincarnator but at least I can deceive him a bit. Regardless, I was happy to help his doubts and self esteem. 

"You're right, Nii-san. Thank you."

"But you won't ever hope to beat me! I'm going to be the strongest among all great powers!"

"Then I will also do my best!"

Rudeus declared, which made me smile and after a while continued our training until we tried performing an advance level spell that unexpectedly destroyed the part of the house in front of us. Soon our parents and Lilia came in to check on us.

"Rein! Rudy! Are you two alright?"

Our mother hugged both of us while Paul was confused trying to find the cause until Zenith noticed the book and gave a mischievous smile. 

"Can you tell mama what happened?"

"Me and Rudy have been learning magic but Rudy lost control. We're sorry."

As I said that, her eyes seem to glimmer in excitement since she believes that her children were world class geniuses. She tightly hugged us and made Paul confused even more.

"Huh? But we haven't taugh-"

"Honey, we should try calling a tutor right now! They're already going to be 3 years and a few months from now and it's the perfect time for them to learn!"

"You're right, maybe I can finally start training them the way of the sword!"

Our parents were both eager to see our potentials which made him sigh in relief looking at Rudeus also excited to learn magic from a toture. I'm more eager to meet Roxy since she is someone I aim to become my woman and Ghislaine being the second one. 

Though it sounded strange since I'm just a child , I'll eventually grow and see how things go. I know they won't age much since they're not human with limited lifespans, which makes me wonder if I would age past my prime since I'm not exactly human. Regardless, I am excited to see what the future holds for me.