Reconstruction

Pain. 

At first, it was subtle—a slow, creeping sensation threading through my body. Then, without warning, it exploded, igniting a wildfire deep within my bones.

I clenched my teeth, my hands clawing at the sheets beneath me. I had experienced pain before—burns, broken ribs, stab wounds, even poison. But this?

This was different.

It felt like my body was being ripped apart, burned from the inside out, every nerve set ablaze.

"T-Thanks… but a l-little warning would've been n-next time!" I ground out between gasps.

"That's not the point—!"

Then it got worse.

A violent shockwave tore through my veins, sending molten heat spiraling through every fiber of my being. My vision blurred. My breath came in ragged, uneven gasps.

My body was breaking—literally breaking.

And then rebuilding itself.

I had assassinated hundreds—no, thousands—in my past life, yet this? It felt like I was paying for every single one of their lives in agony.

Was this what being reforged felt like? Like an iron blade in a blacksmith's hands, hammered relentlessly until it became something deadly?

Until it became unstoppable.

Then, after what felt like hours, the pain began to fade.

Not instantly. Not mercifully.

It withdrew slowly, like a beast reluctantly retreating into the shadows. My body no longer felt as if it was being burned alive—instead, there was something else.

Something new.

Power.

I flexed my fingers, feeling an unfamiliar strength coursing through my limbs. My body no longer felt fragile. No longer weak.

It felt lighter.

Stronger.

My old abilities?

I smirked. "So, if I keep growing stronger, I'll regain my full potential?"

A spark of excitement flickered in my chest.

Good.

First Steps

I sat up, the motion far easier than before. Then, I stood.

Immediately, my knees buckled. My legs trembled as if crumbling under my own weight.

I reached for the wall, steadying myself. It made sense—I hadn't walked in three months. Even with Sage reconstructing my body, I had spent far too long confined to this bed.

But something was different.

My body wasn't frail anymore. It no longer felt like a fragile, sickly frame waiting to collapse.

There was muscle now. I wasn't overly built, but the foundation had been laid. I could feel it—the potential, the power just waiting to be honed.

Sickly and weak…

I paused. That explained a lot.

A father who only respected strength. A son who was the weakest.

And yet, this body was my perfect vessel?

"…How?"

There was a long pause.

My breath hitched.

Poison?

What. The. Hell.

I ran a hand through my hair, trying to process this.

The original Kaito wasn't just weak by nature. He was being crippled.

Someone had deliberately ensured he never reached his potential.

And judging by how slowly and precisely the poisoning had been done, they hadn't wanted him to die too quickly.

No.

They wanted him weak. Helpless. A disgrace.

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palm.

Who the hell was responsible for this?

Who had wanted this body to remain powerless?

And more importantly…

Did they know I was still alive?

A slow, cold smile crept onto my lips.

They would find out soon enough.

But I have to get stronger now then let's give Ki a try. 

I exhaled, steadying my breath. My legs still trembled from standing, but I forced them to hold my weight. The reconstructed body Sage had given me was stronger, but I could feel its limitations.

It was like a freshly forged blade—sharp, but untested.

I needed to refine it.

Slowly, I lowered myself into a cross-legged position on the floor. My muscles ached, protesting after months of dormancy, but I ignored the discomfort.

I closed my eyes, focusing on my body.

I tried.

At first, there was nothing. No familiar surge of mana like in my past life. No natural energy waiting to be harnessed.

Just silence.

I furrowed my brow. Where was it?

I inhaled, slow and deep, forcing my senses inward.

And then—I felt it.

A faint pulse in my chest, subtle yet unmistakable. It wasn't like mana, which felt cool and weightless, an external force bending to my will.

No.

Ki was alive.

It thrummed deep within me, woven into the very fabric of my being. A part of me.

I focused, reaching for that pulse, willing it to rise.

At first, it resisted—like a dormant beast unwilling to wake. But as I persisted, the pulse stirred.

Then, it moved.

A slow warmth spread through my limbs, the faintest trickle of power responding to my call.

I furrowed my brow, attempting to guide the energy to my fingertips. It was sluggish, unrefined—like trying to redirect a river with bare hands.

I clenched my fists, frustration bubbling in my chest. In my past life, mana had obeyed me instantly—why was Ki so difficult?

I took another deep breath.

Harmonize with it.

Instead of trying to seize control, I followed the pulse, syncing my breathing with its rhythm.

The result was instant.

The sluggish resistance faded, and the warmth surged freely, flowing through my arms, down to my fingertips.

Then—

A spark.

A faint glow of golden energy flickered over my palm before vanishing.

My eyes snapped open.

I had done it.

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

A moment later, a surge of power erupted in my chest, slamming into my core like a tidal wave.

I gasped, my entire body locking up.

"Sage—what the hell is this?!"

I barely had time to process his words before the real sensation hit.

A storm raged inside me.

Ki, no longer a trickle, became an unstoppable flood. My meridians burned as raw energy coursed through them, stretching, expanding.

I clenched my jaw, fists trembling. It felt like my body was breaking again—no, evolving.

Seconds stretched into an eternity as the storm continued. My heartbeat roared in my ears, every fiber of my being forced to adapt to the sheer influx of power.

Then, suddenly—stillness.

The pressure eased.

I inhaled sharply, blinking away the sweat dripping down my face.

I felt different.

Lighter. Stronger.

The once sluggish Ki now flowed effortlessly through me. The difference was night and day.

"…That was insane."

I flexed my fingers, feeling the raw energy at my disposal.

I wasn't just stronger.

I had control.

I stood again, this time without hesitation.

There was no trembling. No weakness.

I took a deep breath, drawing Ki to my hands. This time, there was no resistance. Golden wisps of energy curled around my fingers, smooth and natural.

A smirk tugged at my lips.

Finally.

I was beginning to understand this power.

I glanced toward the window, watching the first glint of dawn creep over the horizon.

My training had just begun.

And I would make sure the world knew Kaito Ryoma was not weak.

Not anymore.