Chapter 2: A Cry Beneath the Church
Darkness did not fade gently.
It shattered.
Cold air burned my lungs, instinct forcing a scream from a throat far too small to understand fear.
I cried—not because I wanted to, but because this fragile body demanded it.
> "Answer. Reincarnation successful. Soul integration stable."
Raphael's voice surfaced within my mind, calm and precise, anchoring me before panic could take hold.
> "Notice. You are currently experiencing biological infancy. Cognitive output has been restricted to prevent mental overload."
Good.
Because everything hurt.
My vision was blurred shapes and light. My limbs felt distant, heavy, unresponsive. Even breathing felt like work.
And yet—
I could feel it.
Mana.
Thin. Weak. Scarce.
But clean.
> "Analysis. Ambient mana density: low. Purity: high. Conclusion—this is a rural, impoverished region."
So I hadn't been reborn into a capital.
That was fine.
In fact—
It was ideal.
---
Rough fabric brushed against my skin as someone lifted me.
A man's voice followed, worn down by years yet gentle at its core.
"A child… left here again?"
The scent of old wood, candle wax, and stone surrounded me.
> "Location confirmed: Hage Village Church."
Of course.
The poorest village in the Clover Kingdom.
The place where miracles were supposed to be impossible.
---
I was wrapped carefully and carried inside.
As I was set down, Raphael spoke again.
> "Additional observation. Two other infants reside within this facility."
I already felt them.
One presence burned bright—mana gathering unnaturally around a small body, overflowing despite the region's scarcity.
> "Subject designation: Yuno. Mana affinity—abnormally high. Latent potential exceeds regional limits."
The other—
Nothing.
No mana flow.
No response.
A void so complete it felt deliberate.
> "Subject designation: Asta. Mana quantity—zero. Probability of natural occurrence: negligible."
Two extremes.
And me—
Balanced carefully between them.
---
Days blurred together.
Infancy was a strange prison—time stretched endlessly, yet passed without meaning. Raphael filtered memories, slowed thoughts, and sealed knowledge away so my mind wouldn't collapse under the mismatch of soul and body.
> "Function active. Memory partitioning successful."
I observed.
I listened.
I learned.
The priest was kind, if tired. The church was old, barely standing, yet filled with warmth that had nothing to do with mana.
Existence Concealment remained active.
To the world, I was ordinary.
Another abandoned child.
Nothing worth noticing.
---
At night, when the village slept, I felt it.
A subtle pressure.
Threads tightening.
> "Warning. Fate convergence detected."
Of course.
Being born here meant my path would never be simple.
A boy with no mana who would swing his sword against destiny itself.
A prodigy beloved by mana, bound for greatness.
And me—
Watching.
Calculating.
Waiting.
> "Conclusion. This location maximizes long-term survival probability. Recommendation: maintain concealment and delay active growth."
I complied.
There would be a time to act.
But for now—
I would grow.
Quietly.
---
End of Chapter 2