Rebirth... Such a curious word. For a long time, I believed I'd only ever encounter it in works of fiction. I always believed in life after death, but I never imagined that reincarnation could be real.
We say we believe, but only when it happens to us do we truly start to believe.Why am I thinking about this?
As hard as it is to believe, I think I might be one of those cases. Some people might think I'm a chuunibyou because of my age: 14. That's when it usually happens.
I've read many different stories, including isekai and other genres.
I'm not lying — I really was reincarnated. How else could you explain the memories in my mind?
Every birthday night, when I went to sleep, I would wake up the next day with strange, unfamiliar memories. Unfamiliar, but somehow incredibly familiar — sometimes even a little confusing.
My parents took me to the doctor, but they couldn't find an answer. The diagnosis? "Overactive imagination."
The memories stopped coming when I turned 12. The last one I received was about the death of my supposed "past self" at the age of 16. That's why I'm certain I've been reincarnated.
And there's another undeniable sign...
"This is a different world — a world with superpowers." I nodded resolutely at the framed picture of my late grandfather in front of me.
In my memories, people didn't have super strength or special abilities. But here, especially in sports competitions, people can be seen using super strength, super speed, and even special techniques.
Like, for example, a baseball catching fire from the friction, or a boxer throwing dozens of punches in mere seconds.
"That should be impossible, right, Grandpa?" I asked the picture seriously. Maybe, in a world like this, with special powers, my grandfather's spirit could hear me.
After receiving all those memories when I turned 12, I couldn't hide my excitement. I wanted to awaken a special ability too.
But well, two entire years passed... and still no progress.
So when I turned 14 and started high school, I decided to take up a sport where these powers are known to appear.
Based on the memories from my past life, I chose the most popular sport: soccer. But there's a small problem...
"Grandpa, why did I have to enroll in your school?" I muttered in growing frustration. And for good reason: the soccer club at my grandfather's school was completely abandoned. I had to rebuild it from scratch.
But that's not the real reason I was frustrated.
"I came to this school because Mom gave me your special training notebook, Grandpa. Since you were the former coach, I figured there'd be something about special abilities."
I opened a worn-out book in my hands — the real reason I came to this school, and my mother's promise that there was a way to learn special powers.
I wasn't upset about having to rebuild the club — in fact, I was excited. After all, isn't that how every story begins?
"Mamoru, go take a bath!"
A world with special abilities, a once-great soccer club now in ruins, and a book written by a mysterious grandfather... It's the perfect start to a story for a protagonist like me. How could I not be excited?
"Mamoru!"But there's one small problem...
"How can someone write a book with such horrible handwriting?" I grumbled at my grandfather's portrait, annoyed, not noticing someone was calling me.
"With handwriting like this, you should've been a doctor, not a soccer coach!" My resentment toward my grandfather had grown a lot over the past few months.
A book filled with messy words, poorly drawn sketches, and random scribbles...
Sigh. You really left me with a mess, Grandpa...
"That's enough! Go take a bath!"
Still lost in thought, my bedroom door swung open forcefully, and I jumped up in surprise."M-Mom!" I looked in fear at the furious woman standing in the doorway.
"You got lost in your thoughts again." A frustrated sigh escaped from her — my mother in this life.
"Go take a bath before dinner, Mamoru!" she shouted with her hands on her hips."I'm going, I'm going!" Sweating under her glare and not daring to argue, I ran straight to the bathroom.
Unlike many reincarnation stories, the memories of my past life didn't affect my relationship with my current family. Mostly because the memories came gradually, so they didn't impact me too much.
"Hahh... It seems Mamoru's chuunibyou phase is getting worse lately, Dad..." she sighed, glancing toward the picture of her own father.
My name in this life is Mamoru Endou. I'm the son of Atsuko Endou and Hiroshi Endou.I'm of average height, but I'm still growing — I'm sure I'll be taller in the future.
I have spiky dark brown hair with a distinctive style. I even have the famous "antenna" many anime characters have. But there's this annoying part of my hair — if I don't fix it, it naturally forms into these awkward cat ear shapes. It really reminds me of Chihiro Furuya from the anime Sankarea.
Because of all my training to awaken some kind of power, I've developed a pretty strong physique for someone only 14. Unfortunately, I still don't have super strength or super speed.But after all that training, I can say this: my stamina and endurance are top-notch. In my past life, I never would've been able to do even half the things described in Grandpa's secret notebook.
"This isn't the time to be spacing out. Tomorrow at school, I need to find everyone required to join the club — I need at least eleven players." Right now, the club only has six. Seven, if you count me — the result of all my effort since the beginning of the semester.
"If only that player went to my school..." I sighed, remembering the encounter I had today with a white-haired boy.
Flashback
My official position on the field is goalkeeper. Don't ask me why — the only thing I could understand from the notebook was about goalkeeper training, so I didn't really have another option.
Not that being a goalkeeper is bad, but who doesn't want to be a striker?
Anyway, since we're not an official club at school, we don't have access to the field. So most days after class, I train at a soccer field under the bridge.
Sometimes I help the neighborhood kids with practice.
But today, something unexpected happened.
While we were playing, one of the kids kicked the ball way too hard and accidentally hit two teenagers, knocking them over.
I was raised to be polite, so I went over to apologize.
Unfortunately, they were delinquents. While I was apologizing, the shorter one tried to kick me.
But unlike in my past life, I've been training to develop special powers. There's no way a couple of ordinary punks could hurt me.
I easily blocked his kick.
But when I looked them in the eye and asked why they did that, they started sweating and stuttering.
That always happens when a fight breaks out.
I mean, my first idea for awakening a power was through combat — but since there were no martial arts dojos in the area, I had to teach myself at home.
I fought some delinquents a few times, and lately they've been staying very quiet.I thought today might be a warm-up. Maybe I'd even awaken something.
So I was a little disappointed by how quickly these two cowards backed down.
Just as I released the smaller delinquent's leg and was preparing to "send them to the underworld" (just a scare, really), the taller one kicked the ball.
At first, I didn't care. I was ready to catch it.
But the shot curved in an impossible direction — straight toward one of the kids.Before I could react, a white-haired boy appeared out of nowhere and kicked the moving ball, sending it flying back into the taller delinquent's face.
My eyes sparkled at the sight.
Strength, control, and speed good enough to intercept a moving ball...
I didn't care about the punks anymore — they were already running for their lives (or at least running so they wouldn't get beat up). I went straight to the white-haired boy.
Unfortunately, the conversation didn't go so well. I think I was too impatient, since my first question was:
"Do you know any special abilities?"
I think my eyes were glowing as I grabbed his shoulder.
The conversation didn't last long — he left soon after.
End of Flashback
"Unfortunately, today wasn't the day I learned more about special abilities." I sighed in disappointment.
"I hope I meet that boy again. I have a strong feeling he has some sort of power. Maybe a kick at the speed of sound... What should I call it? Sonic Shot? Or maybe a kick with enough friction to catch fire: Fireball Kick..."
I muttered aloud as I sank into the bathtub.
"When will I finally be able to use a special ability?"
Maybe it's still too early to hope...
But it doesn't hurt to dream, does it?