Two years had passed since their reincarnation. Their legs were steady now, and both walked upright. They'd also picked up the language of this world with decent fluency.
Rudeus had made up his mind to take this life seriously. What mattered most? Education, exercise, and practical skills.
As a baby, options were limited. He figured he'd start by learning to read. Language was essential. Back in Japan, nearly everyone could read and write, but most struggled with English, and that held them back. Just mastering a foreign language was already a valuable skill in itself.
Daiki reached the same conclusion, though for different reasons. In his past life, he'd been a polyglot. He knew language meant power. Information and control.
There were only five books in the house. For Rudeus, who'd owned thousands (well... all light novels), it was hard to wrap his head around.
Daiki simply catalogued the information.
‹Five books. Society with probable low literacy rates. Books as luxury items. Noted.›
From then on, it became common to see them together in the living room, each with a book. Rudeus leafed through pages with genuine interest. Daiki... absorbed information.
"Look, honey. They're reading together again," Zenith said fondly.
"Inseparable, those two," Paul replied with a smile. "Though Daiki's always so quiet. At least Rudy babbles now and then."
It was true. Rudeus had started practicing individual words. Daiki remained silent.
‹Not yet. Speaking too well would draw attention.›
But Rudeus had noticed something else. His brother wasn't just reading the books... he was memorizing them. Pages turned at a constant pace, no pausing, no rereading. As if every word was instantly engraved in his mind.
‹That's not normal. Not even for a reincarnated person.›
‹He definitely reincarnated. It's obvious. But... who was he? Why is he so different from me?›
Daiki felt Rudeus's gaze but didn't look up.
‹Not yet.›
---
The books in the house were:
"Traveling the World" — A guide with names and characteristics of various countries around the world.
"Ecology and Weaknesses of Fittoa Monsters" — A manual about creatures appearing in the Fittoa region and how to handle them.
"Magic Textbook" — A manual for mages, covering everything from beginner to advanced offensive spells.
"The Legend of Perugius" — A morality tale about a summoner named Perugius who, alongside his companions, fought a demon god to save the world.
"The Three Swordsmen and the Labyrinth" — An action novel about three genius swordsmen from different schools venturing into a deep labyrinth.
Setting aside the two action novels, the other three proved incredibly instructive for Rudeus. Especially the Magic Textbook—it was fascinating. For someone coming from a world without magic, descriptions of the subject were absolutely captivating.
Daiki had read the Magic Textbook three times. Not out of necessity—he'd memorized every word on the first read—but for something deeper.
‹Magic. Verifiable power. Quantifiable. Trainable.›
As they progressed through their reading, both learned several basic facts:
1. Only three major types of magic exist:
- Offensive magic — for attacking enemies
- Healing magic — for healing others
- Summoning magic — for calling or invoking something
Just those three. That's it.
Rudeus thought there should be more variety, but according to the book, magic developed historically in the context of war, so outside combat or hunting it hadn't seen much use.
Daiki processed this information with clinical interest.
‹Limited magic system. Development focused on military application. Untapped potential: high. Possible non-military applications: multiple... I'm... overanalyzing again.›
2. To use magic, you need mana.
There are two ways to use it:
- Use mana stored within your own body
- Extract it from objects containing it
‹Fascinating,› thought Rudeus. ‹It's like having MP in an RPG, but real.›
‹System similar to ki or chi concepts, but with verifiable physical basis.›
3. Two methods exist for activating magic:
- Verbal incantations (recitation)
- Magic circles
In ancient times, magic circles were most commonly used. The simplest spells took one to two minutes to recite, making them impractical in combat.
However, everything changed when a mage drastically reduced incantation times. They managed to bring the simplest spells down to just five seconds, and from then on, offensive magic became dominated by recitation.
Rudeus read this enthusiastically.
‹Five seconds! That's workable in combat. I'll need to practice a lot to cut that time down.›
Daiki, however, focused on something else.
‹Both are interfaces for channeling mana. The question is... are they necessary? Or are they simply tools for mental focus?›
It was a question the book didn't answer.
4. A person's mana capacity is essentially determined at birth.
This worried Rudeus. In a typical RPG, you'd gain more magic points by leveling up. But not here. It said capacity barely changed as you grew.
‹Though that "barely" leaves a small margin for variation... What'll happen in my case?›
The book mentioned mana capacity was hereditary. His mother could use healing magic, so maybe he could have some expectations. Still, he worried.
‹Even if my parents are competent, I feel like my genes won't help me much...›
---
Rudeus waited until his parents were busy. He snuck into an empty room with the magic textbook.
What he didn't know was that Daiki had followed him. He stopped by the half-open door, watching.
Rudeus, oblivious to his brother's presence, extended his right arm and began reciting:
"Let the great blessing of water heed my call, let the clear flow of a stream spring forth here and now... Water Ball!"
A sphere of water formed out of thin air. Fist-sized. Floating.
"Whoa...!"
*Splash.*
It fell when Rudeus lost concentration.
‹The book said it was a spell for launching a water ball, but this one just dropped. Do I lose concentration and the spell doesn't stay active?›
"Focus... focus..."
He tried again. This time, he visualized the image first, like practicing combos in video games.
He concentrated energy toward his right hand and released it...
"Haaaah!!"
A sphere formed again.
"Wh-whoa... huh...?"
*Splash.*
He got surprised and it fell again.
"...Oh."
‹Wait... I didn't say the incantation, did I? Why did it work then...?›
He'd replicated the exact same sensation as before. Without words.
‹Could it be that if you can reproduce the mana flow, you don't need to recite anything anymore?›
His mind worked quickly. Maybe the incantation functioned like automation. Like a manual car versus an automatic.
"Ohhh, that makes sense!" he murmured. "That means... I'm not 'ordinary.'"
He let himself get carried away by excitement, but then stopped.
‹No, no... Calm down. Keep a cool head. In my past life I got carried away by that feeling and we all know how that turned out.›
He was a beginner. A complete beginner with luck. Nothing more.
"Alright, let's try another one..."
He extended his hand, but suddenly felt a strange fatigue. Like something heavy pressing on his shoulders.
‹Did I run out of mana?›
It couldn't be. Just two water balls?
He tried launching one more.
Daiki watched as his brother extended his trembling arm. Watched as a third sphere began to form...
And then Rudeus collapsed.
Daiki reacted on instinct. He ran to his brother.
"Rudeus!"
He checked him over. Breathing. Just unconscious.
‹Idiot. You overdid it.›
For the first time, he'd spoken aloud.
He looked at the magic textbook. Curiosity was overwhelming.
‹Just one. To verify.›
He extended his hand and recited the incantation.
At first, nothing. But then he felt it. Not like blood concentrating, as it seemed to be for Rudeus. It was different. A current. Energy flowing naturally, constant and abundant.
A sphere appeared. Larger than Rudeus's. Noticeably more stable.
He let it drop out the window.
He waited to feel the fatigue.
Nothing.
He tried without the incantation. Another sphere. Another. Five. Ten water spheres, one after another.
Daiki stopped, not from exhaustion, but from confusion.
‹Rudeus passed out after three. I just did ten and feel nothing.›
---
That night Rudeus woke up in a wet bed. Mana exhaustion had made him pass out and... well. He was barely two years old—he figured he could forgive himself.
The following days he practiced in secret. Four spheres. Then eleven. Twenty-six. His capacity was constantly increasing.
‹Damn liars...! What's all this about total mana being determined at birth...?›
The book had lied. Or at least hadn't told the whole truth. There was only one thing to do: train as much as possible before his growth period ended.
Daiki had observed everything from the shadows. And he'd been practicing too.
But no matter how many times he used magic, he felt no change. His capacity seemed... constant. Immense, but static.
‹Why?›
---
It was one afternoon when he finally decided it was time to talk.
Rudeus was in his room, reading. Daiki entered quietly and closed the door.
Rudeus looked up, surprised.
Daiki spoke first. His voice was clear, without a trace of the childish babbling he normally faked.
"I tried it too."
Rudeus tensed. ‹He speaks perfectly!›
"After you passed out," Daiki continued in a neutral tone. "I used magic. Ten times. Didn't get tired."
Rudeus stared at him wide-eyed. ‹Ten times? And he didn't get tired?›
"You passed out at three," Daiki said, observing his brother's reaction. "Why?"
"I..." Rudeus swallowed. "My... my mana ran out. I could only do three before passing out."
"Now you can do more." Daiki stated. It wasn't a question.
"Yeah. It increases every day. Yesterday was twenty-six."
Daiki processed that information.
"Mine doesn't increase."
Rudeus blinked.
"What?"
"I've been practicing too. In secret." Daiki raised his hand and, without an incantation, without even visible concentration, a water sphere appeared floating above his palm. "No matter how many times I do it. It doesn't increase."
The sphere was perfect. Larger than Rudeus's. Completely stable.
Rudeus watched it with a mixture of awe and... something else. Envy? Fear?
"How many... how many can you do?"
Daiki let the sphere drop. "I don't know. I stopped at thirty. Didn't feel a thing."
The silence that followed was heavy.
"I hid the book," Daiki said suddenly, changing subjects. "When you passed out. Before Mom got there. I knew you wanted to keep it secret."
Rudeus looked at him in surprise. "Why...?"
"Because I have secrets too."
Finally, Rudeus closed the magic textbook and set it aside.
"You... reincarnated too, didn't you?" The words came out in perfect Japanese. It was a risky bet, a double-edged sword. If his brother was also reincarnated, he'd understand immediately and confirm his suspicions. But if he wasn't... well, he'd just think he was speaking some strange language and forget about it. That was better than risking saying it in this world's language, where anyone could understand and eventually reveal his secret to others.
Daiki didn't answer right away. He simply maintained that penetrating stare fixed on his brother.
"Yes. Me too. I lived in Tokyo." He responded in perfect Japanese.
A single word. But it was enough.
The entire wall of silence and secrets they'd built over two years crumbled with that simple admission.
"I died too. Woke up here. Like you."
Daiki nodded slightly.
"I know. I knew from the start. The way you move. How you observe everything. You're not a normal baby."
"Neither are you." Rudeus let out a nervous laugh. "Never saw a baby move so stealthily. Or read that fast. Or... or do whatever it is you do."
They stayed silent for a moment, processing the enormity of what they'd just admitted.
"What do we do now?" Rudeus finally asked.
"Keep practicing. Learning. Growing."
"Together?"
Daiki looked at his twin brother. Despite everything, despite their differences, they were family. They'd shared the same womb, the same birth, the same two years of life.
"Together," Daiki confirmed, with a slight smile.
For the first time since being reborn, something resembling a genuine smile briefly appeared on his face.
Rudeus smiled too, relieved. He wasn't alone in this anymore.
"But," Daiki added. "In front of our parents, we're still normal kids. Nobody else can know."
"Agreed."
---
The day after their conversation, both brothers began training more openly, though only when alone.
Rudeus had decided to push his mana to the limit every day. At the same time, he started increasing the number of spells he could use. As long as he could memorize the magical sensation, reproducing them without incantations was easy.
For now, both wanted to completely master all beginner-level spells from each system over the next few days.
Beginner-level spells were, as the name suggested, the lowest category within offensive magic.
The difficulty of magical spells was divided into seven levels:
Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Saint, King, Emperor, and Divine.
The beginner-level water attribute spells listed in the manual were:
- Water Bullet: Fires a water bullet
- Water Shield: Ejects water from the ground to form a wall
- Water Arrow: Fires a water arrow about 20cm long
- Ice Strike: Hurls a block of ice at the enemy
- Ice Blade: Creates a sword of ice
Rudeus tried each at least once.
Daiki observed these practices with interest, though his approach was completely different. While Rudeus meticulously followed the book, testing each spell one by one as if learning an entirely new system, Daiki approached magic from another perspective.
In his past life, he'd controlled the four elements. Not this way—not with spells or mana—but through a direct connection with elemental forces. Here, that ability didn't exist. At least, he couldn't access it yet.
But the experience remained. The fundamental understanding of how elements behaved, how they flowed, how they interacted with each other.
When Daiki created a water sphere, he didn't just follow the book's steps. He felt the water. Understood its nature. And that understanding allowed him to manipulate it in ways the manual never mentioned.
He extended his hand and, without an incantation, created a water sphere. Then, without releasing it, he modified its internal structure. The sphere began crystallizing from the center outward, forming a perfectly symmetrical ice pattern.
‹Different. The mechanism is completely different. But the result... the result can be the same.›
"How'd you do that?" asked Rudeus, who'd been watching.
"Changed the temperature," Daiki answered simply, without elaborating. "Water and ice are the same thing, just in different states."
‹Right... makes sense. But how did he know how to do it so easily?›
Daiki offered no further explanation. Some secrets were better kept, at least for now.
However, both Rudeus and Daiki noticed something: though the book said "launch," the water bullets and arrows didn't fly. They simply formed and fell.
The manual also mentioned the spell's size and velocity. Maybe, after generating the projectile, you had to manipulate it with magic to move it.
Rudeus decided to try.
"Oh?"
The Water Bullet grew larger.
"Ohhh!"
*Splash*
"Ohhh..."
But still, it fell.
Daiki experimented with the same problem, though his mental process was different. In his past life, he'd moved water with just a thought, directing it with his will. Here, mana seemed to be the intermediary. Will wasn't enough; he needed to channel that intention through mana.
‹It's like using a tool instead of my own hands. Indirect. Less intuitive.›