Angel stood by the tall window of his room, watching the clouds drift slowly above the estate, the rain had stopped some time ago. The sight usually brought him a sense of calm, but today his thoughts refused to settle.
When he woke up this morning, he had no time to question his arrival in this world and the reason behind it.
Why him?
He was not an evil person, but neither a saint. No remarkable achievement to make the reincarnation feel like some type of reward. He had lived quietly, accomplished little, by his standards, and left behind nothing that could justify such a fortune, like the rich when they donate every penny to some charity or a church.
Yet here he was, born into an influential family, gifted with exceptional talent, living the dream he had in his previous life.
Was it really a coincidence? Or was someone, somewhere, moving pieces for reasons beyond his understanding?
He had no recollection of God offering him a second chance after his death, so everything was still a mystery.
Angel dismissed the thought with a slow breath. Pointless speculations would only make him more anxious. Whatever the truth was, it would reveal itself in time. Until then, the only correct path forward was to grow strong enough to face it, and to prove to himself that this time it would be different.
Turning away from the window, he changed into training clothes and sat on the edge of the bed, waiting. He didn't have to wait for long though.
A polite knock came, followed by the familiar voice of the maid.
"Master, the mistress is waiting for you."
"Thank you," Angel replied, standing. "Please guide me."
She nodded, a practiced smile fixed on her face and led him through the corridors of the estate. Angel recalled from his memories the subtle difference in how she addressed him when no one else was present. Master, not young master. It was a small thing, easily overlooked, but not insignificant.
The previous Angel might have paid little attention to such minor details, since solely focused on training and acquiring knowledge, but this Angel was a bit more perceptive to such changes.
They soon arrived at the family's private training grounds. The open space was surrounded by stone pillars etched with runes, designed to stabilize mana during intense practice. At the center sat his mother, cross-legged, eyes on the ground, her breathing slow and steady.
Angel dismissed the maid and took a seat opposite of her, mirroring her posture. He regulated his breathing, letting his awareness expand outward, sensing the mana around him and the flow within his own body. The cold, familiar presence of ice mana responded easily, providing him the feeling of an icy warmth.
"As you already know," she said calmly, "our ice affinity is one of the most versatile. It excels in both offence and defense. For the first week, we'll focus on defense and counterattack. I will attack, and you will defend and retaliate using only ice magic. No evasion."
So, no more mana sensing…
Angel nodded. "Understood."
Before they began, Angel recalled briefly the broader system of affinities in this world. The four basic elements, fire, water, wind, and earth formed the foundation, with derivatives such as lightning, ice, sound, metal, and magma branching from them depending on the lineage and circumstance.
Humans and elves could awaken any affinity, though patterns existed. Elves usually awakened wind, water, and earth, whereas humans showed no such linear pattern. If a parent had it, then the child had more chances of awakening the same element or a derivative of it.
Multiple affinities is a thing, but not that advantageous. Versatility came at a cost of having to master fighting and tactics with different elements at the same time, and time was the resource no one ever had enough of.
Angel himself possessed only ice, the same as his mother. Yet even that single affinity allowed limited control over water, enough to freeze it into form. The reverse was not true. A water mage could not shape ice without awakening it directly.
Those without affinities were not uncommon, particularly among commoners. They relied instead on mana reinforcement, enhancing their physical abilities or perfecting weapon techniques. Some of the strongest figures in history had followed that path, reaching what was known as a weapon domain, an area where their will over their chosen weapon became absolute.
Angel's own ice domain extended out at roughly five meters. It was far from useless, but against experienced opponents, it would not decide a battle.
"All clear?" his mother asked.
"Yes."
They both released their mana.
Cold surged outward as their ice domains expanded, overlapping in the center. Angel immediately felt the difference. His mother had lowered her physical stats to match his, just as she said she would, but her control over ice was on an entirely different level.
Without warning, an icicle formed in her hand and shot straight toward his face.
Angel reacted on instinct, ducking aside.
"No dodging," she said sharply. "Defense and counterattack only."
"Understood," he replied, forcing himself to steady his breathing.
The next icicle came faster. Angel raised an ice shield just in time, the impact sending a sharp vibration through his arm. He shattered the shield and launched the fragments back at her, but she casually intercepted them with another icicle, breaking them apart midair.
"Your control is lacking," she said. "Focus on structure and intent. Ice and every element respond to you."
She continued her assault, each projectile faster and more precise than the last. Angel abandoned shields and raised an ice wall instead, reinforcing it layer by layer. The wall cracked, then shattered under sustained pressure, forcing him forward.
Seizing the opening, Angel rushed toward her, pushing his domain outward, trying to envelop her and limit her movement.
He froze mid-step.
Cold far deeper than his own wrapped around him, locking his limbs in place.
"You said you would lower your stats," he said through clenched teeth. "How is your domain larger than mine?"
"I never said anything about my domain," she replied calmly.
"That's cheating," Angel said. "This is training."
She walked closer, her presence overwhelming within the domain. "Do not expect a fair fight from anyone," she said. "Especially not your enemies."
With a mom like you, who needs enemies.
With a flick of her hand, the ice restraining him vanished.
"This is training," she continued, "so you learn not to rely on fairness."
Angel exhaled slowly, irritation bubbling beneath the surface. Twenty minutes in, and he already felt strained, both physically and mentally. Still, he straightened his posture and met her gaze.
"Let's continue."
She smiled faintly and resumed her attack.
The next exchange was even more one-sided. Angel adjusted his defenses, refined his constructs, and sharpened his counterattacks, but every improvement was met with overwhelming experience. By the time she finally signaled the end of the session, his mana reserves were dangerously low, and his limbs felt heavy.
"Good," she said. "Let's see how long you are going to last tomorrow."
I don't think I'll be able to function properly tomorrow…