Well, birth is one of the most uncomfortable things imaginable. I can't say I remember much of the experience, but the sensation of being squeezed through a ridiculously narrow tunnel was excruciating. I can't say I was fully aware; that'd be a lie.
Just because you have the mind and memories of a grown adult doesn't mean your physical body can keep up. See, I tried to do the whole child prodigy routine–walking at one month old–but my squishy little body simply wasn't ready. My waking hours grew longer, giving me more time to observe.
I was an orphan, though not in the tragic, heroic sense of Harry Potter. His parents died protecting him. Mine? Let's just say teenage pregnancy was involved, and it was apparently something my mother felt a deep shame about. I was dropped off at an orphanage practically the moment I was born, and my father? He was never in the picture.
So here I am, five years, eleven months, and thirty days later, still a ward of the orphanage. This place wasn't bad, though; proper funding did wonders for everyone's morale here. It was privately owned, entirely self-sufficient, never needing outside donations. The owner, Mr. Thompson, while some might dismiss him as a trust fund baby, was far more. He'd parlayed his already considerable wealth into something truly incredible. Now retired, he'd decided his life's mission was to care for orphans.
My system had been silent since I was reborn in this world, but there was a reason. The screen displayed a timer till my sixth birthday. I wasn't sure why, but I figured my child's body probably couldn't handle whatever rewards it planned to dish out at such a tender age.
That's right, tomorrow would be my sixth birthday. I was currently in my bedroom, eagerly awaiting the dawn of my new adventure.
I'd been worried about not showing any signs of magic that were usually displayed in children, but logically, I figured it was being suppressed by the system itself.
"Klaus! Have you brushed your teeth?" Mr. Thompson's head poked through my bedroom door, a slight smile on his face.
"Yes sir, all done. I was just getting ready to sleep." I replied. Mr. Thompson was more like a big brother to all of us–though he had a wicked temper when some of the kids got too rowdy and hurt themselves.
Smiling, he nodded and opened the door. "Good lad. Tomorrow's your birthday, is there anything you wanted? I thought about a big birthday party, but we both know you're more of a recluse."
"Ah, no nothing much. If we have any spare books, I'd love to read more. Maybe something on maths or physics?" Bite me, I was a total nerd. I loved learning; even if it was stuff I had already learned in my previous life, I'd never dismiss another look.
Mr. Thompson chuckled warmly, before ruffling my hair. "Aye, will do. You get yourself some sleep. I'll see you in the morning." Shaking his head with a fond smile, he turned, flicking off the light before gently closing the door.
Hopping into bed, I watched the countdown on my system screen, my hands clutching the blanket in a mix of anticipation and excitement I couldn't quite separate.
[00:00:00:03]
[00:00:00:02]
[00:00:00:01]
[Ding! Congratulations! The x10 Reward System is now active!]
At those words, I felt my body begin to shake, my nerves sparking like a live wire, yet each jolt felt like a feather-light massage. A low hum vibrated through my bones, each one cracking and popping as if I'd just stretched for the first time in my life. My entire body thrummed with power, each heartbeat a rhythmic drumbeat infusing me with more. It was utterly intoxicating.
"God damn!" The breath I hadn't realized I was holding finally escaped, as I sighed in bliss as the feeling began to end.
"System? What the heck was that?" I asked.
[Ding! x10 Reward System had activated for the first time.]
[Congratulations, you have received the blessing "Hecate's Child.]
[Hecates Child - You are the child of magic! Every cell in your body generates magic. Unlike other magicals who use ambient magic to fuel their spells, you are a force of nature yourself. As you are your own Magical Reactor, exhaustion because of spell usage is impossible. Your body will continue to be strengthened by your own magic.]
"Well.. shit. If that isn't completely broken, I don't know what is." I scratched my chin as I felt the undercurrent of magic buzzing through my veins, filling me with vibrant vitality.
"So, if I'm getting this right, I have something like a magical core now, fundamentally different from how others in this world use magic. That word 'reactor'... it instantly brings to mind Marvel's Arc Reactor. Unlimited energy, constantly infusing my body with magic, making me stronger, faster, and probably slowing my aging. Who knows what other perks it comes with?"
Pausing momentarily, I wondered if the awakening of my magic had caused some kind of alert in the Ministry of Magic. "Unless they're somehow tracing the use of magic via the environment?" A theory I wasn't even sure was correct, but one I'd definitely need to be cautious about.
"System, can you explain your functions to me? I really only know your name and nothing else."
[The x10 Reward System has one primary function. Rewards are x10 for any task that is truly an attempt, be it education or training. For example, if the host spends one hour studying mathematics, you will be rewarded with ten hours' worth of knowledge and comprehension. Sometimes specific actions can also grant you unique rewards. There is also a status page, and a basic inventory.]
After reading the system message, I quickly wiped the drool from my mouth. "Basically, the more I try, the more rewards I gain. Thank God! I'd been worried about some restrictive, quest-based reward system. I'm truly free to decide my own fate!"
There was so much I could do with this, and I knew the next few years would be incredibly busy. My first objective: start some kind of workout routine. Nothing too specific, since my growth rate was going to be monstrous.
After that, I needed to figure out if this whole 'wandless' magic thing was legitimate. I'd read enough fan-fics about it, but Rowling really did a terrible job explaining the magical system. Was wandless magic some god-tier utilization, or just a simpler, more foundational skill set?
Leaning back on my pillow, I closed my eyes, though the smile on my face was almost Cheshire-like. "Let's start my magical journey tomorrow!"
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(A/N - Second chapter on the first day of release. I hope you enjoy it! Leave a review or some PS or my sect elders will come and find you for retribution!)