The Extra who regained his past life memories

[Gray’s POV]

I woke up as usual, but for a brief moment, it felt as though everything that had happened yesterday had been nothing more than a dream.

Awakening.

My Mana Core.

Eclipse.

Ice, Darkness, and Space.

The memories lingered vividly in my mind, almost too incredible to believe.

But when I raised my hand and felt the gentle flow of mana circulating through my body...

I knew it was real.

I wasn’t the same person I had been yesterday.

I had finally stepped onto the path of true strength.

And from this day forward, I could continue growing stronger.

Not just for myself.

But for my family.

To protect Mother.

To protect Amy.

To make them proud.

And someday...

To become the strongest.

Yet alongside that determination came another thought.

A darker one.

A warning.

This world still followed the future of the novel I had once read.

Somewhere out there, the original protagonist still existed.

Eventually, he would begin his journey and rise to the top of the world.

If I remained passive...

If I simply trained peacefully within the safety of my home...

Then history would continue exactly as it had before.

And that bastard...

He would eventually take my sister.

He would use my family for his own benefit.

Whether intentionally or not...

I refused to let them become stepping stones in someone else’s story.

My expression gradually hardened.

"No..."

I clenched my fist tightly.

"I won’t let that happen."

If fate had already been written...

Then I would rewrite it myself.

A dangerous determination flashed across my eyes.

Not fear.

Not hesitation.

Resolve.

Without wasting another moment, I got out of bed, headed to the bathroom, took a quick shower, and changed into fresh clothes.

Today...

Training would truly begin.

⸻

By the time I arrived at the dining room, Mother and Amy were already seated.

Amy looked up and waved casually.

"Morning, Gray."

Mother lifted her gaze from her tea and smiled gently.

"Good morning."

I smiled back.

"Good morning, Mom. Good morning, Amy."

I took my usual seat, and before long, breakfast was served.

For a short while, the atmosphere was peaceful.

Comfortable.

Warm.

The kind of morning I hoped would never disappear.

As we ate, Mother looked toward me.

"So, what’s your plan for today, Gray?"

"Are you going to begin practicing your katana arts?"

I thought for a moment before shaking my head.

"Not exactly."

I took a sip of juice before continuing.

"My original plan is to become familiar with my new affinities first."

"I want to understand how they work."

"I also want to figure out how to combine them with my swordsmanship."

A hint of excitement appeared on my face.

"I want to experiment with mana control too."

"And maybe create a few offensive spells."

The more I spoke, the brighter my smile became.

"I’m really looking forward to it."

Mother quietly observed me before smiling.

"Good."

She placed her cup down gently.

"Then I won’t assign anyone to teach you magic today."

I blinked.

"You won’t?"

Mother nodded.

"Magic is something you must understand yourself."

"Others can guide you..."

"But no one can teach you imagination."

Her expression became slightly more serious.

"Imagination is the foundation of every spell."

"If you can clearly imagine an effect..."

"And you possess enough knowledge, understanding, and mana..."

"Then you can create it."

She looked directly into my eyes.

"The only real limitations are your comprehension and your mana."

Her lips curved into a faint smile.

"So create your own spells."

"Just as you wish to create your own sword style."

"That is the path toward true strength."

I nodded immediately.

"Okay, Mom."

"I understand."

Then another question surfaced in my mind.

"Mom..."

"Hm?"

"If spells are created through imagination..."

"Does that mean I simply imagine the spell and it happens?"

Mother smiled slightly.

"That’s a good question."

"In a sense... yes."

"But there are limitations."

"If you attempt to create a spell that far exceeds your current abilities..."

"The spell won’t simply fail."

"It will automatically compress itself into a weaker version."

I blinked.

"It... adjusts itself?"

"Exactly."

"The concept remains the same."

"But the power scales down until your body and mana are capable of supporting it."

She paused briefly.

"It’s similar to learning swordsmanship."

"You may understand an advanced technique."

"But until your body catches up..."

"You won’t be able to perform it perfectly."

I nodded thoughtfully.

That made far more sense than I had expected.

Then Mother’s expression became noticeably more serious.

"And Gray..."

I straightened instinctively.

"Do not use your Space Affinity until every one of your basic attributes reaches at least F-Rank."

Her tone left no room for negotiation.

"No exceptions."

"No experiments."

"Not even for non-offensive purposes."

"It is simply too dangerous."

I was slightly surprised.

"Even something harmless... like creating a storage space?"

Mother immediately shook her head.

"No."

Her answer came without hesitation.

"Space is fundamentally different from ordinary affinities."

"It places tremendous strain on both the body and the mind."

"You are not ready."

She continued calmly.

"Rank is not determined by mana alone."

"Your body..."

"Your endurance..."

"Your reflexes..."

"Your mana control..."

"They all develop together."

"If one aspect lags behind..."

"Your overall rank cannot truly advance."

She looked at me seriously.

"If you force Space Affinity before your body is ready..."

"It could seriously injure you."

I remained silent for a moment before nodding.

"...I understand."

"I won’t use Space Affinity until I reach F-Rank."

Only then did the seriousness leave Mother’s expression.

She smiled faintly once again.

Amy immediately leaned forward with a bright smile.

"Don’t worry, Mom!"

"I’ll keep an eye on Gray."

"I won’t let him do anything reckless."

She proudly pounded her chest.

"I’ll protect my little brother!"

I immediately turned toward her with an exaggerated look of disbelief.

"Hey!"

"Who said I need protection?"

"I can take care of myself."

I puffed out my cheeks.

"Hmph..."

Mother and Amy stared at me for a second.

Then both of them burst into soft laughter.

Mother smiled warmly before reaching over and lightly tapped my forehead with her finger.

"Of course you will be able to protect yourself someday."

"But for now..."

"You’re still weak."

She spoke gently, yet there was no denying the truth behind her words.

"So let your sister protect you for a little while longer."

Her voice softened even more.

"And one day..."

"You’ll become strong enough to protect both Amy and me."

Those simple words settled deep inside my heart.

I didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, I quietly nodded.

"I will."

Although my voice was soft...

The determination behind it wasn’t.

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