Just Another Reincarnation

IMPORTANT!!! This was NOT written by Einlion. Enjoy. 
MC POV:
After returning home from school, my parents called me to the living room while in the middle of discussing something.
"What it is?" I asked while looking at my parents.
It's probably something serious.
"We send some of your drawings to one of our friends, and you got an invitation to a drawing contest." my dad replied with a proud smile after glancing at my mom.
"That's all? Then why did you argue over it?" I inquired, visibly surprised.
What was there to discuss? There is no reason to decline.
I am also not surprised they showed my drawings to their friends. After all, parents love to show off their children. Not to mention that my drawings should be beyond any existing human's ability to replicate. The first time they saw them they were so stunned I had to call out to them several times before they reacted, before checking if it was real and calling me a genius.
"Well, the contest takes place in Britain, so we weren't sure if you are ready for something like that. Also, because of our work, we can't go with you, and you would have to go with our friend." my dad explained.
Now I get why they were so concerned about that. I may be an adult mentally, but for them, I am just a kid.
"When will the contest start?" I asked.
"Hmmm, there still should be around two months left before it starts." my mom replied this time, after pondering for a moment.
"Ok. I will &nbsp;gladly take part in that contest." I declared.
After talking a little more with my parents about school, and other matters, I returned to my room. There, after sprawling my body on the bed, I started thinking.
One of the things I have understood since coming to this world is that every record has at least one person that can be called the protagonist.
This record is a combination of more than one story. Considering one of them is an ecchi series, while the other also has a lot of cute girls, it's fair to assume that there are more such stories involved.
That led me to the conclusion that this record was based on the dreams of some pervert, and it's likely that he self-inserted himself as one of the original main characters or created an original and will appear only once the 'plot' starts.
I had no involvement in the creation of this record, nor do I remember reading a story about it. As such, I have no idea who the main character of this world may be. I can only wait and prepare for his inevitable appearance.
Even if I knew such a story, there is no certainty that it's the same record. I can't even be sure of events from original stories like To Love-ru or Amagi Brilliant Park, not to mention fanfiction.
[Flashback]
"So, there is an infinite number of different records?" I asked.
"Yes," Selen confirmed. "Most are born from dreams, desires, and thoughts of sentient beings," she added.
"If I got it right, It's not wrong to say that sentient beings of each record give birth to even more records in an endless cycle. Is that correct?" I asked.
"No," Selen instantly denied. "From the perspective of beings such as Matrucksa or Observers all records that could exist already do. That includes their endless iterations," she explained.
"Is it because they exist outside the records? And what do you mean by 'endless iterations'?" I inquired.
"Yes," Selen confirmed. "As for the second question. There is an endless amount of records that are 99.(9)% the same, and the only difference may be the placement of one atom or something even smaller," she added.
"So, I could keep traveling through Type-Moon records and never run out of them if I wanted to?" I asked.
"Yes, but while there are many stories describing people traveling from one world to another, in the end, it's something that happens inside one record," she explained.
"I see. What happened to me is travel between different records," I stated. "How rare is it? What are the differences?" I asked.&nbsp;
"It's not that rare. When there is no afterlife in their record of origin, souls leave them and get reincarnated in the central network. Most lose their memories, while the lucky ones get chosen by Concepts and receive cheats," Selen explained.
"I see," I said and nodded, confirming I understood everything so far.
"Once they get inside the record, unless they possess a cheat that turns them into a singularity, or the record has only one timeline, there will appear 'copies' of them," Selen continued. "However, if someone has an item like The Orb of Desires, not only there won't be any other iteration of themselves. Their fate will no longer be under the control of the Concepts, excluding the one, they received the gift from, and they will be able to travel into further records," she added.
"All in all, it has mostly positive effects, at least for the owner," I said.
"Yes. As for the negative effects. It's possible to cause the death of someone you never planned to kill, or had no enmity with," Selen said. "All abilities that rely on traveling back in time won't work because of you being a singularity," she added.
"Are there any ways around it?" I asked.
"Yes. You can reverse the entropy with enough power, authority, or both," she replied.
[End of flashback]
"Seriously... who is the real main character of this record?" I muttered while slowly closing my eyes and entering The Orb of Desires.
***
Inhale&hellip; Exhale&hellip; Inhale&hellip; Exhale&hellip; Inhale&hellip; Exhale&hellip;
I kept repeating these two things in my mind while going through various stances inside the training room, each breath filling me with energy while also increasing my focus and awareness of my body.
It was a technique I developed after studying various breathing styles that helped in training, keeping focus, and enhancing the body.
The day I chose the sword as my weapon, I already had in mind the anime I planned to draw inspiration from. Among these, the major ones were One Piece, with their ability to coat swords in haki, the manifestation of willpower, Bleach with their movement techniques and zanpakutos, Type-Moon series, with Miyamoto Mushashi in particular, and the most relevant to my current actions, Demon Slayer.
However, at that time, I was still too weak and inexperienced to start training the various breathing styles, like Water Breathing, Fire Breathing, Lightning Breathing, or the most powerful of them all, Sun Breathing. Thus I started with breathing techniques not coming from that world. They were a lot easier to learn and prepared me for more advanced techniques, finalizing in me learning Lightning Breathing as my first breathing style.
At the same time, I kept studying and analyzing how they all worked to create a style that would suit me perfectly. After all, that's how most of them came to be. They were tailor-made for the first users.
(A/N: Reminder. Level refers to the level/tier of existence. For example, level 1 is mortal while level 4 is a god or divine spirit.)
However, I didn't focus solely on the breathing techniques from the Demon Slayer I know. While they look powerful, the sad reality is that these techniques can't go past Lvl: 2 without improving them.
The reason is that they come from a record that's only level 2, or at least the version I am familiar with is of that level.
Fortunately, there are countless iterations of that world with various levels, which also means there are more advanced Breathing Styles.
My only complaint is that the higher the level, the more it starts resembling a cultivation novel, and going through these versions was painful at times, but it also helped me realize one more thing.
A major step on the path of swordsmanship is mastering and becoming one with the sword. It allows you to use even a simple stick like a mighty blade and cut through anything.
I took a bit different approach by mastering my own body first. After all, If I manage to do it, I will only need to accept the blade as part of me to master it completely.
Breathing techniques help with that, as even the breathing styles from Demon Slayer allow you to control the individual blood vessels and muscles.
So, after months of studying, practicing, analyzing, and experimenting, I managed to create my breathing style [Breath of Heaven and Hell].
Usually, a lot is said about being able to perceive, control, or destroy everything between heaven and earth, so I decided to go one step further, straight to hell!!! I sound chunni as fuck, but I don't mind it!!!
Based on my estimations, this ability in its current form should be able to exceed level 3 and reach level 4 if fully mastered. I couldn't even start wrapping my head around how techniques of higher levels than that worked, so if I want to make any improvements, it will have to wait.
The only reason I succeeded was that Einlion pointed me at the right books, and the [Heavenly Breath] technique I used as a template was pretty straightforward despite its high level.
"[Breath of Heaven and Hell], First Style: Hell of Flames!!!" I shouted as I swung my sword powerfully.
The force of the swing caused my body to spin, adding one overlapping slash after another to my target, a giant 216 cubic meters boulder made out of highly resistant material, as crimson flames erupted from my blade.
"That packed more than I expected&hellip;" I commented, seeing the aftermath of my attack.
The boulder got split in half while most of it melted, becoming bright red in the process.
"And to think I don't even need a sword to use these breathing techniques," I said finishing my training for the day.

IMPORTANT!!! This was NOT written by Einlion. Enjoy. 
MC POV:
Right now, I am on my way to the drawing contest taking place in England. Since my parents couldn't go with me, I am together with their acquaintance that lives there.
He was an average-looking Japanese man with black hair and eyes. He was on the taller side of the spectrum, measuring 175 cm, and had a thin beard.
He and my father know each other from their student years, but he had to leave japan because of his job. Then, while working in England, he met his wife, and after settling down, they had a daughter named Alice.
"Uncle, what do you think are my chances to win this contest?" I asked out of curiosity.
I was sure of my victory, but I wanted to hear what he thought about it and deal with the uncomfortable silence.
"I am sure you will win. The contestants are people around your age, and while most of them are talented, only one girl is worth mentioning when compared to your art. She is truly talented," my uncle said.
I wonder who she is.
"What is her name?" I inquired.
"Her name is Mashiro Shiina. She should be around one year younger than you. A true prodigy when it comes to art, but I heard that she is quite... special." my uncle answered, his smile cramping at the end.
Why am I hearing so many familiar names? Hey, creator of this world, are you perhaps one of my people?&nbsp;
No matter, as long as it doesn't bring me any harm, I can ignore it. Even if Mashiro is there, it's not like we will meet for sure.
"There are still a few days left until the contest. Do you want to go sightseeing with my family?" my uncle proposed.
"Sure, uncle," I replied with a smile.
***
The day after my arrival, we went on a trip around London. I was able to witness tourist attractions like London Eye and Big Ben up close, thanks to my uncle's connections, and since their family preferred Japanese cuisine, I had no qualms about the food.
Then, in the days leading to the contest, I mostly went with Alice to play with her friends.
At first, my uncle thought it was not a good idea since I don't know English, but I quickly proved him wrong, once again garnering his amazement. The first time, it was because of my artwork, while the second was how mature I acted.
He was also surprised when we met since he thought I was Japanese. He knew I was adopted since that was something that my parents told him about, but they failed to convey that I am a foreigner.
Since I looked Caucasian and could speak fluent English, I had no problem playing with the other kids. After all, kids are at the same time the most innocent and cruel beings. If someone is different, they won't hold back and will speak their mind without thinking about the consequences.
I had a bit of a problem in Japan because of that, but I managed to turn the situation in my favor.
To sum it up, during my stay here, I got to sightsee London and made new friends, which to my delight aren't calling me boss. I hope they will never find out about that.
***
Today is the day of the drawing contest.
Everything proceeded smoothly. Maybe too smoothly.
"...I have a bad feeling about this," I grumbled to myself.
"Did you say something?" my uncle inquired.
"No, it's nothing," I replied.
"Are you perhaps nervous because it's your first time?" my uncle asked with a gentle smile.
"Eh? Yeah. I don't know what to expect," I lied through my teeth, not wanting him to worry.
"Don't worry. I am sure you will win. Just give it your all, so you have nothing to regret," my uncle said, trying to sound supportive.
"Thank you, uncle," I said with a slight smile.
That's a piece of good advice, and it doesn't apply only to this contest. Perhaps that's the best way to live?
"No problem," he replied, also with a smile.
After that, we entered the venue of the contest.
It was a lot more underwhelming than I expected, just a big hall.
Each contestant had a chair accompanied by a desk or easel, depending on their request, prepared for them.
The tools and materials were also provided by the organizers to make things fair. After all, while it's possible to draw something decent even with common crayons if you have better tools, you can create something better.
The contest would take a few hours, so I decided to take a look around and see who will be sitting next to me. There were both boys and girls, most of them older than me, at least based on their appearance.
Yeah, most.
One girl sitting on the right was younger than me. She had red eyes and long pale blonde hair that reached her waist. Her skin was pale, and she wore casual clothes.
She looks so adorable. Like a cat? Yeah, that's the kind of aura she gives me.
"THE CONTEST STARTS IN FIVE MINUTES!!!" announced one of the staff through the speakers.
Come on, Arthur, you have to focus. Cute may be justice, but you have more important things to do right now.
Once more, I checked all my tools to be sure nothing gets in the way of my drawing. I slowly examined all of them, and as I was finishing checking the last one, I heard another announcement.
"THE CONTEST STARTS NOW!!!" announced the same staff member as before.
The moment I heard that I started drawing, as I already had something in mind, even before the competition.
While I was drawing, I stopped paying attention to my surroundings, time flew in the blink of an eye. I haven't even noticed when half of the time passed. Two hours before the end of the competition, I finally finished my drawing. I put it down, and just as I was checking how the other contestants fared, an unexpected announcement rang out.
"PLEASE, FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND GO TO THE NEAREST EXIT!!! DUE TO SOME UNEXPECTED CIRCUMSTANCES FIRE BROKE OUT IN THE EAST SECTOR!!! PLEASE STAY CALM!!!" once again, the same staff member announced.
As could be expected, the announcement fell on deaf ears, and the chaos broke out shortly after.
I fucking knew it!!! It was too calm for too long!!!
Most of the contestants abandoned their work and ran towards the exit, not giving their drawings a second thought.
Yes, most of them. Two people stayed in their places. Me and the blonde girl.
She didn't even seem aware of the announcement and the whole situation, completely lost in her work.
"We have to go. There was a fire, and it's not safe to stay here," I said while approaching.
No response? I guess I will have to grab her hand and bring her out.
"Nn? Who are you?" she asked as I stopped her hand, finally registering my existence.
"We have to go. There was fire and it's not safe to stay here," I repeated, this time having her full attention.
"Nn," she nodded in agreement.
She is quite obedient, and it doesn't look like she is scared. This is a bit abnormal.
I took her hand and started dragging her towards the exit, but soon after I realized something. She didn't want to leave her work here. Everyone else just abandoned their drawings, yet here she was, still thinking about it even in this situation.
*Sigh* It can't be helped.
I took both of our drawings and quickly brought us to the exit.
"Mashiro!!! Dear, I am so glad you are alright!!!" a woman resembling the girl next to me, likely her mother, exclaimed as she ran in our direction as we left the building.
Wait. Mashiro? It has to be a coincidence, right?
"Here," I said as I gave the girl her drawing and proceeded to look for my uncle.
However, before I could even start, I felt something tugging on my shirt. When I looked back, I saw the girl pulling it and her mother looking surprised.
"Name?" Mashiro asked.
"Eh? My name is Arthur," I replied.
"Nn. I will remember," she said and returned to her mother.
What a strange girl. She reminds me about Selen when we just met.
I thought and started looking for my uncle again.
***
&nbsp;
A few days after the fire incident, the competition took place once again.
Since it was impossible to determine which drawings were taken from the venue during the fire and which were drawn after it, everyone had to start from scratch.
Not wanting to draw the same thing the second time, I chose a different topic. My first drawing was a landscape, but this time I went along with a &nbsp;portrait.
Well, at least I had one more piece of art in my collection. I am glad I brought it out with me at that time.
While on that topic, I am glad I took that girl with me. Considering how little attention she paid to her surroundings, she would die there.
Firefighters and security blocked the entrance, so her mother couldn't go inside. She was forced to watch as the fire spread while praying that someone takes her daughter with them.
"Are you nervous about the results?" my uncle asked me suddenly, seeing that I was deep in thought.
"Just a little," I replied.
Today the results will be published at the end of the ceremony, and all the participants have been invited. The sponsors of the event were several influential figures, so even with all the losses caused by the fire, the rewards didn't diminish in the slightest. Rather, to keep their reputation, they increased them, and we are talking about a big sum of money and an award.
This may seem like too much, considering the contest was for children, but the truth is that without my uncle's connection, I would be unable to take part in it. In other words, the contest was for either genius that already gained recognition or children with influential backgrounds.
In contrast to the contest itself, the announcement of the results takes place in an old theatre, which once again shows how much attention the organizers pay to this event.
Currently, together with my uncle, I am sitting on the seats in the twelfth row from the scene, waiting for the ceremony to start.
Hmmm, there is no one I can recognize. Well, it can't be helped, I guess, the only people I paid attention to were the people sitting around me during the competition.
"WELCOME TO THE AWARD CEREMONY OF OUR ART CONTEST!!! THE CHILDREN WHOSE NAMES WILL BE READ OUT ARE ASKED TO ENTER THE SCENE!!! ARTHUR YUKI, MASHIRO SHIINA, SCOTT JACOBS, BETTY MERKEN, AND MAX PENLIZARD!!! THESE ARE OUR FIVE FINALISTS!!! PLEASE ENTER THE SCENE!!!" the staff member in charge of the event announced as the lights went off.
After entering the scene, all of us were instructed to stand in the back and wait for our turn. There, among the other four winners, stood the girl I helped during the fire incident, confirming once and for all her identity.
She looked at me with curiosity masked by her overall emotionless face.
It seems she remembers me, just like she said she will. that's unexpected with how much of a clutz she is supposed to be.
"THE FIFTH PLACE GOES TO MAX PENLIZARD!!!" the staff member announced.
The kid whose name got read out approached the announcer and received his reward. Based on his looks, he was the oldest one among us, yet took the last place. He bowed slightly to the audience and received applause. After that, he returned to his place among us. The same happened with the fourth and third place, with the only difference being the volume and time of the applauses.
"THE SECOND PLACE GOES TO..." the staff member started, followed by the sound of drums.*DUM**DUM**DUM**DUM* "...MASHIRO SHIINA!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!" the staff member finished with excitement.
She approached the announcer a little bit surprised, as the surprised voices of the audience could be heard In the background.
They are surprised that someone they have never heard about before, a nobody like me, won, aren't they?
Mashiro bowed slightly, just like her predecessors, also receiving applause, and returned to her previous place.
"FINALLY!!! THE UNQUESTIONABLE WINNER OF OUR COMPETITION!!! THE WINNER OF THE FIRST PLACE, ARTHUR YUKI!!!" the staff member announced with the most excitement so far.
I received the award and bowed, waiting for the applause, yet it never came.
Eh? Are they too stunned or something? But why?
I turned around and found the answer. On a big screen behind, my drawing was displayed. It depicted the Mashiro, as her cuteness became my inspiration and refused to leave my mind until I put it on paper.
Even just a picture of my work was enough to stun them so much despite how greatly it diminished its beauty.
After some time passed in complete silence, my uncle stood up and started applauding. Just like dominos, people around him also stood up and started applauding, while the domino effect spread further and further.
I smiled in satisfaction, grateful to my uncle for breaking the silence.
Now it's time to go home, I guess?

IMPORTANT!!! This was NOT written by Einlion. Enjoy. 
MC POV:
After getting to the meeting place a little earlier than I was supposed to, I found two children there. It was Raku and Kosaki, and as I previously expected, she was confessing to him.
Both of them were visibly embarrassed, making the whole ordeal look even more adorable from the outside.
I will just stay hidden until Chitoge comes here. I don't want to break this moment for them.
Then, something unexpected happened. Namely, Kosaki gave Raku a medallion with a keyhole, very similar to the one in the original story. Or rather, it was the same medallion.
I thought Chitoge was the one that gave it to him.
My confusion didn't last long, as a few minutes after Kosaki and Raku left, Chitoge appeared, holding another medallion with a keyhole. However, it was a mix of black and gold instead of golden and silver like Raku's.
Perhaps she talked with Kosaki and got a medallion for her as well?
They are friends, after all.
She kept looking at it with a big smile and sparkling eyes while rubbing it like a treasure from time to time.
Deciding not to make her wait any longer, I left my hiding spot and started approaching in a way that made me easy to see.
She instantly hid the medallion with one hand behind her back and another waving at me.
"Was there something important you wanted to tell me?" I asked, pretending not to know why she called me here. "If it was something simple, you would say it while everyone was around," I added, deciding to broach the subject without fooling around.
"Nn. I wanted to give you something!" Chitoge said with a radiant smile and slight blush. "Here! Please take it!" she added, giving me the medallion.
I thought she would confess first.
"What is this? It looks similar to that lock from your book," I inquired.
"Since I am leaving and I don't know when we will meet again, I wanted to give you something to remind you about me," Chitoge answered.
"You thought about it yourself?" I asked.
Hearing that, she averted her gaze while her blushing intensified slightly. So she did not.
"I asked Yui for help," Chitoge replied.
So it's her doing. Maybe that's why there are two medallions. She told both girls that would be a good idea.
"Is that so? I got it from you, so it doesn't matter. Is there anything else?" I inquired.
I could reject her, saying there is no need for a medallion with my memory instead of going deeper and deeper into this mess, but I would feel horrible if I made a little girl cry.
"Yes, I want it to be a symbol of a promise," Chitoge said, looking at me and smiling sweetly.
That's too adorable. Too much sugar for one day.
"What kind of promise?" I asked. "If it's just about not forgetting each other, you do not need to worry. You know how good I am at memorizing things," I added.
Suddenly, her complexion started becoming redder and redder, nearly matching her ribbon, as she stuttered, "I l-like y-y-you! So... w-when we meet again... let's marry!"
Then, she averted her gaze and only kept glancing at me, keeping her hands behind her back.
I am tempting fate, but... let's agree. I would hate to see her cry.
"Sure. If you don't change your mind until then." I replied with a gentle smile.
"Really!?! Yay!!!" Chitoge exclaimed with a radiant smile, then she jumped at me due to the rush of happiness and gave me a quick peck on the cheek, after which she ran away.
"You can come out, you peeping tom!" I said, directing my gaze towards a nearby rock.
"Eh!?! You knew I was here!?!" Yui exclaimed in surprise.
"Yeah. The whole time," I replied. "Seriously, Yui, first you give her this kind of advice, and then you come over to watch?" I questioned.
"I couldn't possibly refuse her! She is like a younger sister and a friend to me." Yui explained.
"You also want to say something, or did you come over just to peep?" I asked.
"Let's get married," Yui said with a warm smile.
"*Sigh* I refuse!" I said, putting on my best Jojo impression.
"What?! You want to make a girl cry?" Yui asked, teary-eyed.
These crocodile tears. You want to mess with me, but too bad. I won't give you that chance.
"I won't fall for such cheap tricks," I replied. "You realize that the person you called your sister and friend moments ago asked me for the same, right?" I added.
"Love is war! There is no such thing as friends when it comes to war." Yui said, seemingly proud of herself.
"You know, if you were more sincere instead of putting on this act, I wouldn't mind agreeing," I said. "After all, it would be up to you who marries me. First come, first serve," I added.
I waited for a moment, then turned back and started moving towards my home.
"I am already tired so I will go home. Bye." I said while leaving.
"Wait..." Yui muttered while grabbing my shirt from behind. "I was serious. I like you as much as Chitoge, if not more," she added.
"I see. Then my answer is the same," I replied. "If you don't change your mind until we are old enough, come back, and we will decide at that time," I added and started moving towards my home, this time uninterrupted.
I need some rest...
***
With the end of the summer break, the time kids could spend playing was cut down a lot. That included everyone left in our little group except me. I did not need to spend time studying, so I used it to increase my amount of training instead, making it seem like I was sleeping for most of the day.
I also started drawing again, deciding it was time to pick up my old hobby as a form of recreation, and the results were far better than I expected.
My drawing skill quickly jumped from Lvl: 1, Grade: A to Grade: SSS once I started putting in the effort.
It was a result of my increased dexterity and perfect memory, which allowed me to draw many times faster and more precisely than in my previous life, finishing a portrait on a B2 sheet of paper in under 30 minutes.
It prompted me to go to the Library to see what books about drawing it held, as I was curious about what lay ahead. After all, from Lvl: 2, the skill would likely develop into something more supernatural, like illusions.
My current guess is that it will allow me to imbue the drawings with emotions, allowing anyone to feel what I intended instead of interpreting it themselves.
"Could you prepare me the books and other media about drawing?" I asked Einlion after entering the Library and approaching his counter.
In the past, I would get stunned by its splendor each time I entered it, but now I am already used to it. Truly humans can adapt to anything.
"I would say you already have enough things to learn. Why start another one?" Einlion asked.
"Don't worry. It's for recreational purposes." I explained, and soon after, he got me what I asked.
"Thanks," I said and took everything to the reading section of the Library.
After immersing myself in reading for a few hours, I learned that my theory was partially correct.
To reach the next existential level in drawing, one must learn how to imbue his creation with not just emotions but also their will. It works like infusing your attacks with your will to make them stronger, albeit you add emotions or even memories to the mix. I do it every time I use Origin, so while a pencil isn't as responsive, I won't have to start from scratch.
There are methods of imbuing the finished drawing with a particular set of emotions, but it is considered a separate skill, often a type of magic, not to mention that's just cheating.
Deciding it's better to test it out instead of staying here and only reading, I went back to the training room. There, I pulled out a B2 format sheet of paper and started drawing while thinking about the summer break.
It's a bit embarrassing to say, but I came to truly love playing with the small groups of friends I made. All of them were mentally twenty years younger and could have been my children if I had any in my past life, but they were also unusually mature, intelligent, and caring for their age. In a few years, I will be able to proudly call them my friends as the age gap will get more and more insignificant as time flies.
With such thoughts in mind, I drew a group portrait of all eight with the secret hideout in the background and got so immersed that I could feel time flying, only once I was finished.
The result was... stunning. I honestly wasn't sure what else I could call it.
The number of details was comparable to an 8k picture. Despite being drawn with a pencil, the portrait looked as if it was in color. It was exuding the happiness and warmth of the summer.
"I am going to hang it in my room..." I muttered, not caring about the consequences it will have.

Chapter 14: Breathing is fun