I woke to luxury.
Silk sheets brushed against my skin. The air was warm, scented faintly with something expensive—floral, refined, deliberate. Even without moving, I could tell.
Wealth.
Power.
Control.
Slowly, I sat up.
The room around me was vast—vaulted ceilings, elegant pillars, intricate gold-lined architecture. A fusion between a royal castle and a noble mansion. Every detail screamed dominance disguised as beauty.
Perfect.
I swung my legs over the bed and stood.
Fourteen.
My body was young—light, graceful, undeveloped compared to what it would become—but it didn't matter.
Because my body wasn't me.
I walked toward the mirror.
And when I looked…
I smiled.
I was identical to Homura Akemi.
Long, dark hair framed my face, smooth and flawless. My eyes—cold, calculating—held a depth far beyond my apparent age. Detached. Observing. Evaluating.
Good.
This form suited me.
Without hesitation, I raised my hand.
And summoned it.
A soft glow flickered into existence.
My Soul Gem.
A beautiful, polished purple crystal hovered just above my palm, radiating quiet, immense power.
The moment it appeared—
I felt everything.
Not in my body.
In my soul.
Because that's where I existed now.
And what I felt…
Was absurd.
Using the analytical processing of the Six Eyes, I examined myself.
Energy.
Layers upon layers of it.
Perfectly refined. Near-zero loss. Infinite efficiency.
My magical reserves weren't just large—
They were monstrous.
Of course they were.
I wasn't human.
Not anymore.
My soul was that of a Maiar—a primordial, immortal being. A divine entity shaped from pure spiritual power.
And a magical girl's strength?
Was directly tied to her soul.
And her destiny.
My lips curved slightly.
My karmic destiny… must be catastrophic.
A girl who nearly conquered the world.
Who died reaching for absolute control.
Who was reborn with intention.
Yes.
Of course it would be this high.
And now?
That destiny fed my Soul Gem.
Which in turn fueled my magic.
Which meant—
I had access to a level of power that should not exist.
Good.
I closed my fingers slightly, stabilizing the gem as I tested my connection.
It responded instantly.
Naturally.
As if it had always been part of me.
Because it had.
Magic flowed.
Time bent.
For a fraction of a second—
The world stopped.
Silence.
Absolute.
Complete.
Everything froze.
Dust in the air.
The faint movement of curtains.
Even the subtle creaks of the building itself.
All of it—halted.
And I…
Moved.
I stepped forward, calm, controlled, observing everything in stillness.
No resistance.
No strain.
No cost worth mentioning.
Then I released it.
And time resumed.
Perfect.
I didn't need practice.
I understood.
Instinctively.
Every function. Every limitation. Every possibility.
I turned back toward the mirror, dismissing the Soul Gem for now.
Then—
I focused outward.
My sensory ability expanded.
Exploded.
Energy signatures flooded my perception.
Life.
Magic.
Intent.
Emotion.
Thousands.
No—
Tens of thousands.
Every individual within range was laid bare before me.
Their positions.
Their identities.
Their emotional states.
Even subtle fluctuations—
Fear.
Ambition.
Deception.
And that's when I felt it.
Not one.
Not two.
Several.
Presences within this very palace.
Close.
Careful.
Hidden behind layers of composure.
But they couldn't hide from me.
Greed.
Ambition.
Calculation.
People already thinking about my throne.
Of course they were.
A fourteen-year-old Empress?
A perfect opportunity.
I smiled.
Cold.
Sharp.
Interested.
"Predictable."
I began analyzing them immediately.
Cross-referencing behavior patterns.
Likely alliances.
Risk levels.
Motivations.
My mind moved faster than ever before.
Simulations within simulations.
Outcomes branching endlessly.
And one truth became clear.
They would move soon.
A power vacuum always attracted vultures.
And I—
Was expected to be weak.
Good.
That made this easier.
I turned slightly, my gaze sharpening.
"Then let's see…"
Magic stirred beneath the surface of reality.
Time itself felt like something I could reach out and grip.
"...how long it takes before you make your move."
Because when they did—
I would already be ten steps ahead.
And unlike last time…
I wasn't climbing toward power.
I had been reborn at the top.