The Brandon Household (Part 2)

The Vessels of the former gods were bestowed with powers that hinted at their divine heritage, a lineage that marked them as the next gods destined to reign over the world. For Elijah, the main character of the series, his godly abilities awakened much later in life, as the god of Light was not one to rush. Even without the full extent of his powers, Elijah was still considered one of the most formidable characters in The Adventurer's Crusade. However, even with the complete power of Asura coursing through him, he found himself unable to one-shot the formidable Demon Lord.

Supreme, a god whose story remained largely untold, was a being of immense power and influence. Kai knew one thing for certain: Supreme was unparalleled. His mere presence had been sufficient to unite the original gods, prompting them to create kingdoms over which they could rule. That immense power flowed through Kai's veins, fortifying him for the battles that lay ahead. He could hardly contain his excitement as he prepared to face them head-on.

"Come on, it'll soon be dinner time," Kai taunted Cecilia, a smug grin plastered across his face. She stood before him, breathing heavily as she struggled to maintain her stance. Their earlier sparring sessions had taken a toll on her, her palms numb from the repeated clashes. "Why don't you just give up already?"

Cecilia, despite being years older than Kai, found herself challenged by her younger brother's unique ability to foresee his opponent's moves. This skill proved invaluable, allowing him to conserve energy while engaging in combat. Yet, this ability was merely a fraction of the true potential bestowed upon him by Supreme.

Determined, Cecilia took a deep breath, her palm gripping the hilt of her wooden sword. She advanced once more, attempting to overwhelm Kai. But he was always one step ahead. His eyes gleamed as he met her strike mid-air. The two of them grunted, locked in a standstill, but it was clear who held the advantage. Although Cecilia possessed raw strength that surpassed what one would expect from a seven-year-old, she had already exhausted herself from their previous confrontations.

In an instant, her wooden sword slipped from her grasp, spinning through the air before embedding itself into the ground a few feet away. Kai raised his wooden sword, its tip resting against her neck in a mock threat.

"Surrender," he commanded, his voice tinged with seriousness. Cecilia stared at the wooden blade, a futile tool that wouldn't injure her, yet the weight of defeat settled heavily upon her. She could muster the strength to power through, but what would it achieve?

She would lose again…

"I surrender," Cecilia admitted, panting heavily.

Only then did Kai retract his sword, lifting it triumphantly over his shoulder with a beaming smile. "I had a fun spar, sis."

Cecilia managed a smile in return as she picked herself off the ground, dusting off her knees. "Next time then," she said, turning to head inside the mansion through the back door.

As soon as she was out of sight, Kai glanced at the sun dipping below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and purple. He took a moment to gather his thoughts before accessing the [Status] screen.

[Name: Kai Brandon] 

[Age: 7] 

[Titles: Reincarnator, A God's Reincarnation] 

[Magic Endowment: ??? (Locked)] 

[Endowment Rank: ??? (Locked)] 

[Endowment Details: Your Endowment hasn't been decided yet] 

[Strength: 50 -> 52] 

[Intelligence: 1000] 

[Agility: 32 -> 33] 

[Endurance: 40 -> 41] 

[Mana: 60] 

As the status unfolded before him, Kai let out a small sigh. There wasn't much he could do about it; his training was limited to the Brandon household's backyard. His only source of growth stemmed from the spars with his sister, and even those were starting to feel repetitive. His progress was stalling, and he felt the pressure mounting on his shoulders.

'And the Magic Endowments are still blank, huh?' Kai thought with a desperate sigh.

A Magic Endowment represented the type of magical energy that a Magus could potentially awaken. Each endowment had rankings, and the higher the rank, the greater the compatibility one had with the awakened magic. Supreme, the god from whom Kai was reincarnated, was said to master all elements. Yet, even he knew that awakening all elements simultaneously was a formidable challenge, requiring time and effort for the current host to reclaim the powers once wielded by the god.

Kai dismissed the status screen and walked over to the sword Cecilia had used, pulling it from the ground. The weight of the weapon felt familiar in his hands, a reminder of their playful battles. He couldn't venture beyond the mansion's walls without drawing attention to himself; being a Brandon came with considerable fame within the Imperial City, and he was restricted from hunting monsters in the wild.

"This is so unfair," he muttered under his breath. There was war looming on the horizon. He was certain that the Biora Kingdom had begun amassing troops, and the Imperial City would be the first prominent target in the Asura Kingdom.

In the original novel, not much was revealed about the fall of the Asura Kingdom, as Elijah's home lay far from the Imperial City. But now, living in it, Kai was determined to prevent its fall. The loss of vital resources during the invasion had plunged Asura Kingdom into decline, and by the time they had reclaimed the city from Biora's soldiers, all that was important had been stripped away. This had only escalated tensions, leading to a war that concluded with the rise of the Demon Lord. Each kingdom was forced to form alliances, dispatching their strongest parties to combat him—a plan that ultimately failed, leaving Elijah to face the final boss alone.

'If I want to change this fate, I need to grow stronger—and I need to do it fast,' Kai thought, a renewed determination flooding through him as he made his way toward the back door. He entered the mansion, the scent of freshly prepared food wafting through the air.

As he approached the dining room, he couldn't shake the feeling that time was running out. The weight of his responsibilities pressed heavily on his young shoulders. There was so much at stake, and he felt a fire igniting within him—a need to train harder and to push his limits to the very brink, something that was guaranteed to awaken something strong within him.

"Dinner's ready!" his mother called from the kitchen, pulling him from his thoughts. The warmth of family and the love that surrounded him brought a moment of comfort amidst the storm of his worries.

Kai took a seat at the table, surrounded by the warmth of home and the chatter of his family. But even as they enjoyed their meal together, a part of him remained restless, yearning for the strength to protect those he loved and the resolve to change the future that awaited them.