Regnum Aetern: Dual Rebirth

Adrian stood in a massive field along with all ‌the cadets who enrolled in the academy this year. Many of them were still trying to catch their breath after the intense exercise.

In front of them stood a man with a muscular build, wearing a white shirt and black pants. This was their instructor.

The instructor scanned the cadets and frowned.

"What? Are you all panting like that with only this much? The empire’s future is in danger if it’s filled with youth like you all."

A lot of cadets gave the man looks of frustration, but he shrugged them off as he crossed his hands.

This was a training session that happened once a week and was mandatory for every cadet, regardless of the subjects they chose.

What was common to every Phase was an increase in physical strength as well as an increase in mana capacity.

But since the physical strength increase was instant instead of ‌gradual, most couldn’t control it or get used to it easily. That was why this training session was being conducted: to help everyone get used to the strength increase by making them do things like exercise or light spars.

’Of course, I don’t really need this training since I have been a Phase three for a few years now.’

But that was not the case for most of the cadets. Even Evangeline hadn’t been able to get a grasp of her increased strength yet. There had been instances where she accidentally broke things because she held them too tightly.

The instructor addressed the resting cadets once again.

"You all have to work a lot harder than this if you ever hope to rise above the masses. Until now, you must have reached your current Phase without doing anything or putting in any effort, right?"

Nobody was able to answer. And that was because...

’He’s right.’

Ascending to a higher Phase was not something one could consciously do. As long as one had the genetic potential, one would ascend to a higher Phase ‌whenever their intent grew strong enough.

And intent grew stronger the longer one lived, which meant that as long as one wasn’t limited by genetic potential, they would grow stronger by simply continuing to live.

The instructor spoke in a louder and more firm tone, as if declaring.

"That is only going to be the case until Phase Five. After that, you will have to fulfill certain conditions to ascend to a higher Phase even if you do have the genetic potential. Every Phase beyond Phase Five requires different conditions, and those conditions grow harder to fulfill the higher you climb. Most can’t even fulfill the condition to reach Phase Six."

The expressions of the cadets changed.

Some seemed shocked by the news while others simply lowered their heads. Adrian, meanwhile, wasn’t surprised in the slightest since he had learned this fact during the five years he had spent in the truth cult.

’The reason that the Prophet was still Phase Five despite growing so old was that he wasn’t able to fulfil the conditions for reaching Phase Six.’

This had come as quite a shock to Adrian since the Prophet had possessed a power like future sight. Since then, he had been rather curious about the condition to reach Phase Six.

"There is a popular saying within the empire," the instructor said as he scanned the cadets. "The saying is that Phase Three is the end of hard work and Phase Five is the end of talent. Most of you who come from a commoner background would unfortunately not be able to rise above Phase Three due to your low genetic potential. My words may sound harsh to you, but that is the truth."

Then he turned toward the noble cadets.

"And even though you all were born with high genetic potential because of your noble lineage, it doesn’t mean you will amount to much without putting in significant effort. Remember, most of the nobles in the empire are Phase Five. Do not dream of rising to the level of Duke Ravenshade if you can’t put in the effort."

The cadets were all silent as they stared at the instructor. Adrian even saw the eyes of a few noble cadets twitch briefly, but that was as far as that went.

"There is one thing I want you all to remember. If you want to become someone, then you must walk ahead of the crowd. Someone who can’t do that is not even a person."

But just as the instructor finished speaking, someone among the cadets raised their hand.

"Sir, I have something I wish to ask. Can I speak?"

Adrian furrowed his brow. It was Evangeline who was raising her hand with a curious expression.

The instructor calmly nodded.

"Sure, ask away."

Evangeline smiled brightly.

"You just said that for someone to be a person, they must walk ahead of the crowd. But it’s just that... if everyone walks ahead of the crowd, then wouldn’t that, um, create a new crowd instead?"

"..."

"..."

"..."

Evangeline tilted her head in confusion.

"Why is everyone looking at me like that?"

Adrian let out a tired sigh.

’This girl is a lost cause.’

***

The training had ended, and after attending a few more lectures, Adrian was leaving to return to his room in the dormitory.

’I think Nelliel’s report should be coming soon. Let’s hope the cult didn’t encounter any significant problems in fulfilling the task I gave them.’

He had tasked them with establishing an underworld organization, but that didn’t mean he was ignorant of how hard a task that was. In most cases, if a new underworld organization is trying to establish itself, then the local organizations of the area will get in its way.

Just as ‌he was about to leave the building, he heard someone call out to him from behind.

"Adrian, wait!"

The voice belonged to Ravian.

Adrian stopped and looked over his shoulder.

"What is it?"

Ravian showed him a bright, excited smile as he replied.

"I have something to show you. It’s really amazing, so give me some of your time, my friend."

Adrian raised a brow.

’I don’t remember ever seeing him this excited.’

"You have my attention." Adrian nodded. "So you can show me this ’amazing’ thing."

Ravian shook his head.

"I can’t show it to you here, so please come with me."

After that, Ravian brought him to an empty lecture hall and closed the door after looking around to check if there was anyone nearby.

Adrian frowned.

"Ravian, why are you being so secretive?"

"I am not permitted to show this to others yet, so I have no choice."

’What is this ’It’?’

Ravian had made him rather curious at this point.

Moments later, Ravian rolled the sleeves of his academy uniform, revealing something tattooed on his right forearm. The tattoo was a strange pattern that was quite hard to describe. The closest description would be that it looked like a random scribble with no pattern whatsoever.

Adrian paused as he saw that tattoo.

"That’s..."

’...Engraving, right?’

Before the current spell formula was invented, the old method was to engrave the primitive formula onto one’s body and channel mana into that engraving to cast the spell.

The engraving was no longer being used in elemental spell-casting. Only neutral spells still somewhat required it.

’So why does he...?’

But just as Adrian was lost in thought, Ravian channeled his mana into the strange scribble-like tattoo on his forearm, and the tattoo soon began glowing. And then, without warning, Ravian placed that hand on Adrian’s shoulder.

And the moment he did, Adrian’s vision changed. The scenery of the lecture hall was gone, replaced by...

’...A library?’

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