NEW LIFE - 1
Power.
What is power, really?
Is it the strength to crush mountains with a single blow.
Is it the authority to command millions of soldiers with a word.
Is it ruling over an entire continent, deciding who lives and who falls.
Or is it reaching the throne of the so called god itself.
People argue endlessly about it. Warriors, kings, scholars, even monsters.
Yet none of them ever ask the most important question.
Where does power come from?
Everything has a source. Fire, water, life, death. Even the endless has a beginning.
And if even infinity has a source, then power must have one too.
The world trembled the moment that truth took form.
Not with thunder.
Not with divine light.
Not with prophecy carved into the sky.
But with the cry of a single newborn child.
At that instant, something shifted.
The seas stirred, as if disturbed by a overwhelming presence.
The ground resonated with a pulse older than history.
The sky itself felt heavier, like it was watching.
No one noticed.
No god descended.
No kingdom celebrated.
No alarm was sounded.
Yet every living being, every creature, every unseen entity felt it deep within their existence.
A presence had been born.
A child who would one day search for the source of all power.
A being who would not be bound by land, sea, or sky.
A soul that defined what it truly meant to be great, to be strong, to be absolute.
The one who would become known as.
The Infinite Source Mage.
..
"Light…"
"Bell! Hey, Bell!"
"Bell... who's... that..."
A ringing voice echoed in his ears.
"Hey, Bell! Wake up!"
Bell suddenly jolted awake and shot upright from the matted floor. His head spun, and his vision blurred from the sudden movement.
"Argh... I shouldn't have stood up that fast."
Still dazed, Bell barely had time to collect his thoughts before the orphanage lady approached him and began nagging him about waking up so late. She told him to get to work and start chopping wood at the back of the orphanage.
Bell remained confused, but he silently nodded and followed her instructions.
As he made his way toward the back, his eyes wandered around the unfamiliar surroundings. Then he noticed a wooden sign hanging outside the building.
"Nina's Orphanage."
Bell stared at it for a moment before looking down at his own hands.
He froze.
They were small.
Fragile.
Undeniably the hands of a child.
"Am I in someone else's body...?"
He stepped outside and made his way behind the orphanage, his thoughts becoming increasingly difficult to organize.
"What happened...? Why am I in a child's body? My powers and magic seem to be gone..."
His expression tightened.
"It's like I either got reincarnated... or cursed…but how I didn't die.."
Bell retrieved an axe and several pieces of wood, preparing to do as he had been told. But the moment he gripped the handle, he immediately noticed something wrong.
The axe was heavy.
Far heavier than it should have been.
His small arms strained just trying to lift it properly.
"Ugh... how is this body so frail and weak? If only I could just..."
Bell closed his eyes and attempted to tap into the methods he had once used to harness mana.
Nothing.
His expression changed.
He tried again.
Still nothing.
Bell opened his eyes in disbelief.
"I don't have any mana?"
He stared at his hands.
"No... that can't be possible. I, the one who uncovered the truth of all kinds of powers, can't even gather mana?"
Bell let out a deep sigh.
If his body could no longer produce or contain mana the way it once had, then he would have to rely on something much more primitive.
An old method.
A traditional method of gathering mana directly from the surrounding environment.
Bell sat down on the ground and closed his eyes. He took several slow breaths, calming his mind before focusing on the faint mana scattered throughout the air.
He reached outward with his senses, attempting to draw even the smallest traces of mana into himself.
Unfortunately, the village had an incredibly low mana presence.
There was barely anything to gather.
Still, Bell persisted.
Little by little, he managed to pull a small amount of mana into his body.
He inhaled.
Then, as he exhaled, the mana he had gathered rushed through his arms.
Bell immediately grabbed the axe again.
This time, he could hold it properly.
He raised it and brought it down onto the wood.
Thunk!
Again.
Thunk!
The process continued as Bell chopped through the logs, using the small amount of mana he had gathered to compensate for his body's weakness.
But there wasn't much mana to work with.
By the time he reached the third log, the last of it had been completely drained.
Bell's arms began to tremble.
The axe suddenly felt unbearably heavy.
His grip weakened, and his trembling hands finally gave out.
"Tsk."
The axe slipped from his hands and landed on the ground.
Bell looked around the back of the orphanage.
A fence surrounded the area, though it wasn't particularly tall. The wooden planks were old and weak, and several of them had already begun to break apart.
Then Bell noticed something.
There was a small gap in the fence.
It was just wide enough for a child to crawl through, but far too small for an adult.
Bell looked at his own body.
Since he was now in the body of a child, the gap was more than enough.
Without hesitation, he crouched down and crawled through the broken section of the fence.
He had no intention of spending the rest of his time here struggling to lift an axe with a body this weak.
Once outside, Bell began walking through the village.
Everything was unfamiliar.
The layout.
The buildings.
Even the faint presence of mana in the air.
That last part bothered him most.
Bell had traveled across countless lands in his previous life. He remembered every place he had ever visited, yet this village was nowhere in his memories.
"Strange..."
He continued walking for a while before suddenly breaking into a sprint.
Bell ran straight out of the village and toward a wide grassy field.
Once he reached it, he slowed down and looked around.
Nothing.
There was nothing familiar about the surroundings.
Bell stared across the field for several moments before letting out a heavy sigh.
"Let's just do what I came here for."
He sat down on the grass and closed his eyes.
Unlike the village, the mana outside was abundant.
The moment Bell began drawing it in, he could feel the difference.
Mana flowed toward him with ease, filling his body far more quickly than before.
After several moments, Bell had gathered enough mana throughout his entire body.
Now came the part that required precision, carefully he began controlling the mana within himself. He circulated it through his nervous system, guiding it upward until it reached his brain.
Then he began directing the mana toward his Visual Association Cortex.
He proceeded slowly and cautiously.
One wrong step could damage the delicate area of his brain.
His eyesight could be affected.
He could even lose his ability to properly process what he saw.
Bell knew exactly how dangerous this process was, which was why he refused to rush it.
Every movement of mana had to be precise.
Every adjustment had to be controlled.
And for the first time since awakening in this unfamiliar body, Bell began working toward regaining something that once belonged to him.
As Bell continued the process, something slowly began to change within his vision.
He could see the mana.
It flowed through the specific part of his brain he had carefully targeted, moving exactly where he directed it. Bell maintained his concentration as he began shaping the mana into something more complex.
A translucent, holographic-like screen.
But he wasn't creating it from mana alone.
Bell relied on the fragments of his past memories, recalling a power system he had once encountered on another continent known simply as the "System." He remembered its interference, its structure, and most importantly, the way its interface appeared.
Using those memories as a foundation, he carefully combined them with the mana he had gathered.
Then suddenly—
ZZIP!
Bell's eyes snapped open.
Floating directly in front of him was a glowing, translucent screen.
It contained his personal information.
He stared at it for several moments.
CURRENT STATS:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Name - Bell
Age - 9
Gender - Male
Race - Human
Attribute - None
Old Title - The Greatest Mage
(locked)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Strength: 5
Speed: 5
Vitality: 5
Intelligence: 87
(Locked)
(Locked)
(Locked)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hm... alright."
He examined the screen carefully before finally accepting what it meant.
"Now it's clear to me that I've definitely been reincarnated into this frail boy's body... but why?"
His expression tightened as he tried to recall what had happened before awakening.
"Ugh... why do I have such fuzzy memories...?"
Bell sighed.
For the moment, there was nothing he could do about it.
He looked around the open field instead.
The wind gently brushed against his face, while the warmth of the sunlight settled over his skin. After everything that had happened since waking up, the peaceful sensation left him feeling a little more refreshed.
He remained there for a moment before eventually standing up.
He then made his way back toward the village and the orphanage.
When he reached the back of the orphanage, he picked up the axe again and channeled mana throughout his entire body.
This time, he didn't focus solely on his arms.
He circulated mana through his legs as well, using it to maintain his strength and balance while chopping the wood.
With his body reinforced by mana, Bell continued working.
Hour after hour passed.
The pile of wood gradually grew smaller as the neatly cut logs accumulated beside him. Bell continued until the sun began to descend, its light slowly fading toward the horizon.
Then, from a distance, he heard someone calling his name.
"Hey! Come on! The orphanage lady said it's time for dinner!"
Bell paused.
He sighed, dropped the axe, and relaxed the flow of mana throughout his body.
The boy who had been watching him approached, his attention immediately drawn to what Bell had been doing.
"Did you use mana?"
Bell turned toward him.
"Yeah."
The boy pointed toward the large pile of neatly cut wooden logs.
"Did you do all that?"
Bell blinked.
"Yeah?"
The boy's eyes sparkled with amazement.
"Whoa! You did all of that with the help of mana? That's so cool! You flowed the mana throughout your arms and legs, right?!"
Bell stared at him for a moment.
That was strange.
No ordinary child should have been able to notice the flow of mana so clearly.
Yet this boy had seen it.
Bell's curiosity got the better of him.
"What's your name?"
The boy immediately smiled.
"Oh, my name's Marc! Nice to meet you, Bell!"
Bell tilted his head slightly.
"Wait, how do you know my name?"
Marc chuckled awkwardly and rubbed the back of his head.
"Uh... who wouldn't? The orphanage lady was yelling your name out loud earlier."
Bell paused.
Then he gave a small, embarrassed laugh.
"Right..."
He glanced back toward the orphanage.
"Anyway, let's go. She's calling us, remember?"
"Yeah!"
The two boys walked back inside together.
Near the doorway, they found the orphanage lady waiting for them. Beside her stood a small child who was tightly clutching the edge of her skirt, partially hiding behind her.
The orphanage lady smiled warmly.
"Marc, Bell, this is Nelly. She will be part of our family now in this household, so treat her well."
She then crouched down so she was at Nelly's eye level.
"These two will be your brothers from now on, okay? If you need any help, just call them anytime."
She gently patted Nelly on the head before standing back up and returning to the preparations for dinner, beginning to arrange the wooden plates.
Marc walked over to Nelly with a bright smile, clearly trying to make her feel more comfortable.
"Hey, little sis! I'm your big brother Marc, okay? So just call me if you need any help."
Nelly looked up at him.
She nodded shyly, her small hands fidgeting with the fabric of her dress.
Marc tilted his head curiously.
"How old is little Nelly?"
Nelly looked down at her hands before raising six fingers.
"Aww, Nelly is six years old?" Marc smiled. "I'm nine years old, same as your brother Bell over there. Although he's just a few months older than me."
Bell, who had been quietly listening, suddenly looked confused.
"Wait... what do you mean by a few months older? When exactly is my birthday?"
Marc and Nelly glanced at each other before turning back toward him.
Marc blinked.
"You don't know your own birthday?"
Bell froze.
For a moment, an awkward silence settled over him.
Before either of them could say anything, the orphanage lady called from the other room.
"Dinner's ready!"
Marc immediately smiled and took Nelly's hand.
"Come on, little sis!"
He led her toward the table while Bell quietly followed behind them.
..
…
After dinner, Bell and Marc remained seated while the orphanage lady took Nelly by the hand and guided her toward her bed, helping her get ready for the night.
Once they were alone, Bell turned toward Marc.
"Hey, so when exactly is my birthday again?"
Marc blinked in surprise.
"Ehh? You really don't remember?"
Bell shook his head.
Marc looked at him for a moment before suddenly grinning.
"Well, your birthday is on one of the luckiest months and days ever!"
Bell tilted his head.
"Luckiest month and day?"
Marc nodded proudly.
"Yeah! Your birthday is on the same day The Greatest Mage was born!"
He raised his hand as if proudly announcing an important fact.
"Year 5845, Vernome, Day 45."
The Sacred Month — a month that symbolizes the birth of The Greatest Mage and is celebrated for forty-five days.
Bell's eyes widened.
"Wait."
He stared at Marc.
"What year is it today?"
Marc laughed softly.
"You really sound like you've got memory loss or something."
He thought for a moment before answering.
"Anyway, today's year is 8745, Ranyuja, Day 19."
The Month of Beginnings — a month that marks the renewal of the lands.
Bell went silent.
"Since those are the names of the months, then this continent is definitely the Demanas Continent..."
His thoughts raced.
"Wait..."
"Year 8745?"
Bell's expression slowly changed.
"The last time I remember, the year was 8724..."
His mind went blank for a moment.
"Could it be that..."
"Twenty-one years have passed?"
Bell lowered his gaze.
"Then what happened to my body...?"
"My original body..."
He became so lost in thought that the world around him seemed to fade.
Marc waved a hand in front of his face.
"Hey, Bell?"
Bell blinked rapidly and finally returned to the present.
"Ah... sorry."
He looked at Marc for a moment.
"You seem pretty knowledgeable about this stuff."
Marc immediately puffed out his chest with pride.
"Of course I am! I'd read every book I could find about magic and its history, especially if it involves my idol."
Bell smiled faintly.
"Your idol...?"
"Don't tell me it's..."
Marc grinned.
"Yup! The one and only. The greatest mage in the world!"
Bell let out an awkward, slightly embarrassed laugh.
"So... what happened to that great mage?"
Marc's expression became thoughtful.
"Well, I don't really know. We usually don't get much news here."
He shrugged.
"But he could just be out there exploring the world!"
Marc's expression brightened again.
"I wanna be like him one day, helping people with magic!"
Bell looked at him.
The determination in Marc's eyes was strangely familiar.
For a brief moment, Bell remembered himself when he was younger, back when he had carried that same fire and conviction toward magic. The memory brought a quiet smile to his face.
"Ahh, I see."
Bell leaned back slightly.
"Well, I'm sure he's out there somewhere."
His smile softened.
"I can guarantee you that."
Marc smiled warmly.
Then he let out a long yawn.
Bell chuckled.
"You should go get some sleep."
Marc nodded and stood from his seat.
"Alright. Goodnight, Bell."
He gave Bell a small wave before heading toward his room.
"Goodnight."
As soon as Marc left, Bell's expression turned serious.
He remained seated quietly, lost in thought. The faint flicker of the candle beside him reflected in his eyes as he stared into the distance.
"Sigh... so this is it."
Bell leaned back slightly.
"This is where my new beginning starts?"
A faint, almost disbelieving laugh escaped him.
"Hah... all of my achievements, powers, titles, and tools... all stripped away from me."
He looked down at his small hands.
"And now I'm starting again from the very beginning as this orphanage boy..."
Bell let out another quiet laugh.
"Haha..."
His serious expression gradually faded, replaced by a sluggish, drained look.
"Aughhhh... damnit..."
He slumped slightly in his seat.
"Well... at least I still have my knowledge of how things work."
His expression became a little more determined.
"I can just rebuild everything from scratch."
Bell called upon the system through his mind.
Almost immediately, a faint ZZIP echoed through his mind.
A translucent holographic screen appeared in front of him.
CURRENT STATS:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Name - Bell
Age - 9
Gender - Male
Race - Human
Attribute - None
Old Title - The Greatest Mage
(locked)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Strength: 5
Speed: 5
Vitality: 5
Intelligence: 87
(Locked)
(Locked)
(Locked)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~