I never expected death to feel like this. One moment, I was sprawled on a sterile hospital floor, my body failing despite every formula, calculation, and precaution I had devised over the course of my twenty-some years. The next, everything went white, stretching into a void where time had no meaning. And then… I was breathing.
But it wasn't the same breath I had taken in the 21st century. This air was crisper, heavier with a faint tang of something… different. Magic. I knew it before I even opened my eyes.
And then I saw myself.
Not the frail, sickly version of Isaac Rose who had just died, but a ten-year-old boy staring back from a mirror. My reflection was slightly smaller, my limbs thinner, but the mind behind these eyes—the real me—was intact. Every memory, every achievement, every theorem and thesis from my previous life was still here, humming behind my skull like a second heartbeat. I had… been given a second chance.
And with it came a notice.
A small, translucent window flickered in front of my vision, seemingly suspended in the air. It read:
[Legend System – Activated]Current World: Wizarding WorldLevel: 1 (New Legend)Legend Points: 0
A thrill ran through me. This wasn't just reincarnation. This was a system, something beyond the natural rules of the universe. I had read about these things before, back in my world, in fantasy novels and theory papers about hypothetical mechanics of magic and story reality. But I had never expected to experience one myself.
I examined the menu carefully, my fingers twitching with excitement.
Spread a Legend: Increase your influence in the magical world by propagating myths, stories, or fictional worlds.
Purchase Powers / Items / Creatures: Use Legend Points to acquire abilities, equipment, or summon monsters from the linked fictional universe.
Monthly Summon: Once every 30 days, summon a random creature or monster from the world you are linked to.
I grinned. Of course. Of course I would get something like this. The universe obviously couldn't resist throwing a challenge my way, and it was tailor-made for someone like me. Knowledge alone had given me power in my last life; now, systems and magic would multiply that power exponentially.
I leaned back, letting the details sink in. And then I thought about Hogwarts. My letter would arrive any month now. Unlike other children, I didn't just want to attend Hogwarts. I wanted to dominate it. Strategy, preparation, knowledge, and now the Legend System—everything would work in my favor.
I began running mental calculations, as I always did. Hogwarts had four houses, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Professors had distinct teaching methods. Spells followed certain rules—laws I could already understand better than most adults. And if I started experimenting with small legends now, I could accumulate points before even stepping on platform nine and three-quarters.
"Hmm…" I murmured, tapping my chin. I had lived as Isaac Rose once; I had died knowing every formula, every proof, every concept I could master. This time, however, the rules were different. There were creatures I could summon, powers I could buy, and legends I could spread. I could link myself to worlds with magic even stronger than this one. I could become… untouchable.
A knock on the door broke my train of thought.
"Isaac? Dinner's ready," said a gentle voice. My adoptive mother—or rather, the woman who had taken care of me in this life—peeked in. She didn't know my secrets. She didn't know I had already calculated every magical variable I could encounter at Hogwarts before turning eleven.
"Coming!" I called back, forcing my voice to sound like a normal ten-year-old's. I turned away from the mirror, letting the reflection of my younger body fade from my attention.
As I walked to the kitchen, my mind raced. I could start small—tame a minor creature with the Legend System, test its compatibility. Perhaps a magical animal from one of the many worlds I had read about. Or maybe begin spreading myths about things that didn't yet exist in this world—subtle, harmless stories that would net me points before anyone even noticed.
The possibilities were endless.
And then it hit me: I wasn't just Isaac Rose anymore. I was a strategist, a genius reborn into the perfect world for growth, armed with tools that even the most powerful wizards in this timeline would never comprehend. A child among magical children—but with the mind of a master, and a system that would bend the rules of reality itself.
I smiled.
Hogwarts wouldn't know what hit it.
Not yet, at least. First, I had months to prepare. Months to study every magical law, every spell, every historical event. Months to experiment with the Legend System, to stockpile powers and creatures, to create the foundation for a legend the wizarding world would never forget.
I was Isaac Rose. I was ten years old. And I was unstoppable.
Somewhere in the back of my mind, the system chimed again:
[New Achievement Unlocked: Rebirth]Legend Points Awarded: 10
I grinned wider. Ten points for simply waking up in this world. That was nothing. By the time I received my Hogwarts letter, I would have a dozen small victories under my belt. By the time I walked through the castle doors, I would be ready for anything.
And maybe, just maybe, I would rewrite the rules of magic itself.