The Otaku's Odyssey: Reincarnated with a Grand System

A week had passed since the Scarlet Vein incident.

Astrid lay sprawled across his bed like a retired hero who'd just lost his pension. His arm hung limply off the edge, his blue hair a tangled mess against the pillow. The ceiling stared back at him, offering no divine answers to his current crisis of identity.

Three days out of the hospital. Zero days out of his room.

"...Ugh."

He rolled over, burying his face into the pillow. A groan muffled by cotton followed. "So this is what rock bottom feels like. Nice. Very aesthetic."

He hadn't moved much since he got home. Not because of the pain. Oh no, the bruises were nothing. It was the shame. The mercenary leader had mopped the floor with him—literally. If his mom hadn't shown up, he'd probably be a splatter on the mall tiles right now.

A ten-year-old prodigy... who got bodied like a Level 1 mob.

Pathetic.

"Damn it," he whispered.

A heavy silence hung in the room. His thoughts churned.

If Mom hadn't appeared when she did… would I have died? Would the hostages have died too?

That possibility gnawed at his self esteem like termites on wood. He couldn't shake it. He was supposed to be the protagonist here—the reincarnated chosen one, gifted with anime knowledge and a broken system. Yet he was nearly wiped out before the opening arc was even finished.

He turned toward the window, sunlight washing over his tired face. A cool breeze rustled the curtains.

"I think... it's time I asked Mom to teach me magic."

His voice broke the silence like a sword unsheathing.

"I mean, I'm a damn Magic Swordsman, for crying out loud!"

The words echoed in the room, half declaration, half self-insult. It was true—relying on his sword alone felt incomplete. That mercenary leader hadn't just been strong; he was versatile, seamlessly weaving spells into swordplay like a chef seasoning with flair.

Astrid wanted that. No—he needed that.

Sure, he could ask his dad, Orion. The guy was a seasoned Magic Swordsman, after all. But… yeah, no thanks. Getting flung across the training yard every morning didn't exactly build trust. His mom, on the other hand—Lia Starlight—was one of the greatest mages alive. Refined. Legendary. Merciful… hopefully.

He was just about to hop off his bed when—

"Astrid!! Come downstairs for dinner!"

There it was. The Dinner Summon. Stronger than any system alert.

With a groan, he peeled himself off the bed like an old sticker, walked over to his closet, and opened it.

"Ahhh… finally. A closet that doesn't scream emergency mall hostage arc."

He dressed, muttering about how at least he now had clothes not stained with dried blood or embarrassment, and trudged downstairs to join his family.

---

At the dining table, Lia and Orion were already seated, regal as always. Maids moved like shadows, placing steaming dishes down.

"Come on, hurry up," Lia said, patting the seat beside her. "The food's getting cold."

Astrid sighed as he sat, picking at his food more than eating it.

His thoughts still wouldn't let go.

Then, finally—

"Mum," he said. "I think it's about time you taught me magic."

The fork paused mid-air. Both Lia and Orion exchanged glances. No surprise. It was like they'd been expecting this exact moment.

"Are you sure that is what you want?" Lia asked softly, a knowing smile forming. "This isn't a light decision."

"I'm sure," Astrid said firmly. "What happened at the mall… if you hadn't shown up, I would've died. I don't want to feel that helpless ever again."

There was steel in his voice now. No sarcasm. No jokes.

"I want to be strong."

Orion leaned back, a rare, proud smile on his face. Lia, however, let out a small sigh, the kind that said I knew this day would come. Her gaze lingered on her son a moment longer before she nodded.

"Very well. Training starts tomorrow morning."

Astrid's eyes lit up like someone had just dropped a legendary sword in his inventory.

"YES! Thank you so much, Mom!"

And with that, he inhaled the rest of his dinner like a vacuum possessed by the spirit of hunger, shouted a "Thanks!" and bolted back upstairs.

Down at the table, Orion chuckled as he chewed another bite. "Looks like that incident really matured him."

"I hope it doesn't change him too much," Lia said softly. "I love our boy just the way he is."

"He's a unique one, but incredibly stubborn and foul-mouthed!" Orion agreed, raising a brow. "So, what's your plan for training him?"

"Oh, that?" Lia's smile turned just a bit devilish. "That's a surprise."

Orion visibly paled. Memories of his own training with her back in the old days likely surfacing like PTSD on steroids.

'I pity you, my son,' he thought. 'You thought I was strict? You're about to meet the real demon.'

---

Next Morning – 7:00 a.m. – The Training Field

Astrid marched onto the training field like he was heading to paradise.

He'd even whistled on the way.

New tracksuit? Check.

Optimism at full charge? Check.

Zero understanding of what he'd just signed up for? Triple check.

He spotted his mother already standing at the center of the field, arms folded, her long hair tied up neatly. She looked like a goddess of war about to teach a mortal how to suffer in style.

"Hmph. You're late," Lia said, eyeing him with the calm of a predator.

Astrid froze. His instincts, honed from years of anime protagonist experience, screamed at him to RUN.

"I… overslept?" he offered, sweating.

"I'll let it go. Just this once," Lia replied sweetly.

Then she laughed.

It was a laugh that could curdle milk. Astrid gulped.

'Oh no. Why.... why does it feel like she is going to be worst than Dad?'

Lia clapped her hands once. The sound echoed across the empty training field like the start of an execution.

"Alright, Astrid. Today, we begin your foundation in magic. But before I let you play with the pretty lights, you'll explain something for me."

She stepped forward, her heels crunching on the gravel like an approaching boss battle.

"What do you know about Aether?"

Astrid blinked. "You mean basic tutorial dialogue? Pfft. Easy."

Lia raised a brow. "Then impress me."

Astrid cleared his throat dramatically. "Aether, also known as world energy, is the invisible force that blankets the world and allows living beings to evolve into Adepts. It's the foundation of all power in this world. Everything—Qi, Mana, even divine blessings—are manifestations of Aether in different forms."

Lia gave a slight nod. "Continue."

Astrid smirked. "Now, there are two primary branches Aether splits into: Qi and Mana."

He started pacing, one hand behind his back like a knockoff professor.

"Qi is the internalized form of Aether, absorbed and refined within a person's core. Swordsmen, martial artists, and physical combatants rely on Qi. It enhances physical attributes—strength, speed, endurance, agility, durability. You name it. Want to punch through a wall or leap across a canyon? That's Qi doing the work."

Lia folded her arms. "And Mana?"

Astrid spun and pointed at the sky with a grin. "Mana is the external manifestation of Aether. Unlike Qi, which stays internal, Mana is released through spells to manipulate elements. Fireballs, ice storms, lightning javelins? All Mana."

He paused for dramatic effect.

"Mages absorb Aether, convert it into Mana inside their core, and then cast it outward using incantations or formations. The type of Mana you produce depends on your elemental affinity—something you're born with. Though with training and breakthroughs, you can unlock more elements."

Lia's expression softened slightly. "You're not just quoting your TV shows, are you?"

Astrid's grin faltered for half a second. "...Define 'quoting.'"

She sighed. "Go on."

"Right. So, next up: Magic Swordsmen—like yours truly."

He puffed out his chest with pride. "We're special cases. While most people are born with either a Qi core or a Mana core, Magic Swordsmen have a hybrid core that can process both Qi and Mana. That means we get the best of both worlds—enhanced body and elemental attacks."

"But," Astrid added, raising a finger, "there's a drawback. Because the core has to absorb and refine both types of energy, the progress is slower. Breakthroughs take more time. But the trade-off? Magic Swordsmen are powerhouses who can outperform normal Adepts of the same stage."

Lia nodded again, clearly pleased.

Astrid smirked proudly. "What, did I pass the test?"

She didn't answer. She just turned and snapped her fingers.

Suddenly, an immense pressure blanketed the field.

Astrid stumbled slightly as the air thickened around him.

"What the hell—?!"

"This," Lia said, her tone now serious, "is raw Aether. This is the energy you'll be absorbing into your body. The first step of any Adept is to develop their core—and yours is already awakened."

She held up her hand, and shimmering blue threads of energy floated around her like mist. "Your core has already begun absorbing Aether on its own, and you've already experienced a breakthrough before, but that time you brokethrough, it was done unconsciously, but now it's time for you to do it consciously."

Astrid blinked. "Wait, wait, wait. Back up. How does breakthrough actually work again?"

Lia turned to him again, this time activating a glowing projection behind her with a flick of her finger—a visual of a crystalline orb inside a body.

"In the early stages, your core is small—like a gemstone. You absorb Aether, and over time, it fills the core. Once it's saturated, it begins to crack under pressure. That cracking is called the pre-breakthrough phase."

The projection showed the core shaking and glowing brighter.

"Once it breaks into fragments," Lia continued, "you experience the Shattering. Then your body forcefully reconstructs the core—bigger, stronger, more efficient. That marks a breakthrough to the next realm."

Astrid nodded slowly. "So… explode, rebuild, profit?"

Lia rolled her eyes. "Essentially."

"And the more advanced you get, the harder it is to saturate the core?"

"Exactly. The amount of Aether you need increases exponentially. That's why most people hit bottlenecks. Their bodies or minds can't handle the stress."

Astrid scratched his head. "So, just to clarify—breakthroughs hurt like hell?"

"Like your soul's being ripped in half while someone plays drums on your bones," she said with a serene smile.

"…Delightful."

She stepped back and raised a hand again. "Now, I'll lower the field's Aether resistance and let you try absorbing it. Feel it flow into your core."

Astrid closed his eyes.

At first—nothing.

Then, slowly, he felt it. Like a warm wind swirling through his chest. His core pulsed faintly. Tiny threads of energy trickled into him, coiling toward the center of his being.

It was peaceful. Calming, even.

'Wow… so this is it, huh? This is what Mana feels like, it's a nice sensation, addictive even.'

But then—

BOOM.

A spike of energy zapped into his system like a thunderbolt. His eyes shot open.

"Gah—!"

He stumbled, falling onto his butt.

"Easy," Lia said. "Don't try to suck it all in at once. You're not a vacuum cleaner."

"Could've fooled me with how it just drop-kicked my soul," Astrid muttered, rubbing his chest.

"Try again. This time, visualize the Aether like water flowing into a sponge. Let it soak, not surge."

Astrid nodded and tried again. This time, the sensation was gentler—like sinking into a warm bath. Slowly, he felt his core hum with life.

His lips curled into a grin.

'This… this is good. This is the beginning. My rise to power is now becoming partly complete!'

"Good," Lia said. "Now keep doing that every morning. Once your Mana capacity stabilizes, we'll begin elemental activation."

Astrid blinked. "Wait. We're done already?"

Lia smiled. "For today."

Astrid relaxed.

Then she raised her hand.

"Oh no—what are you doing—?"

BOOM!

A giant water ball smacked him in the face.

He lay on the ground, drenched and sputtering.

"...Why?"

Lia giggled. "Lesson one: expect the unexpected."

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