ã€ŠI&#x27;m A Villain, So What?ã€‹


 Chapter 1: Marcus Rey Dimitri

    Marcus Rey Dimitri had never tasted failure.

    From the moment he could walk, he excelled in everything he attempted. His parents, members of the powerful ducal household of Dimitri, had expected much from him.

    But even they could not foresee just how far beyond expectation he would go. By the time Marcus entered the Akashic Magic Academy, it was clear to everyone¡ªclassmates and instructors alike¡ªthat he was destined for greatness.

    Swordsmanship, hand-to-hand combat, magic¡ªno matter the subject, he mastered it as if it were second nature.

    Marcus didn¡¯t think much of his talents. He was born superior, and he knew it. There was no point in pretending otherwise.

    The Academy was a stage for the gifted, but none of his classmates were even remotely close to his level.

    They tried to challenge him in duels or impress him with their magic techniques, but Marcus saw them all for what they were¡ªordinary, unimpressive.

    Marcus was simply superior, and there is no one that can prove him otherwise.

    That is, until the protagonist of the light novel "Tales of Heroes and Demons" appeared.

    For the first time in his life, Marcus tasted failure.

    It was a duel between the protagonist and the antagonist Marcus, which resulted in Marcus'' defeat.

    Readers called it a fluke, a moment of plot armor kicking in.

    And that was true.

    Despite being a much better mage and spear user, Marcus fought the protagonist with nothing but a sword. His arrogance also lead to him not going all out. And the protagonist suddenly achieved enlightenment and used a skill that caught him off guard.

    Although the readers doesn''t like such a heavy plot armor, they tolerated it. The author simply made Marcus way too strong for the current protagonist to handle.

    After Marcus suffered a lost, even though he knew it was merely a fluke, but he took it seriously.

    He suffered a mental breakdown and holed up in his dorm, refusing to come out.

    Eventually, he dropped out of the academy and was never mentioned again in the novels.

    Although according to some leaks, Marcus would make a reappearance in the final volume.

    And now. He was here. As that guy.

    "Pardon my language, but fucking hell. I really am Marcus. It looks so similar to the illustrations."

    He stared at the mirror, revealing a striking and handsome young man with slightly disheveled appearance.

    A tousled, wavy ash-blond hair and sharp golden eyes. His features are finely sculpted, with a well-defined jawline and slightly furrowed brows, adding to his enigmatic presence.

    He wears a white button-up shirt, left unbuttoned at the top, revealing part of his collarbone and chest, contributing to his effortlessly rebellious or carefree demeanor.

    The soft shadows and golden hues from the lighting enhance his striking appearance, making him look both elegant and untamed.

    His posture is relaxed yet commanding, as if he belongs but remains detached from his surroundings.

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    Overall, he exudes the energy of a prodigious yet emotionally guarded individual¡ªsomeone who might have once stood at the pinnacle, only to fall into introspection or quiet discontent.

    That man is him.

    Marcus Rey Dimitri.

    "Why now? Why do I have to take over right when Marcus was already defeated and holed up in his dorm?"

    Marcus let out a slow breath, rubbing his temples as he sat on the edge of the bed. His mind was a storm of thoughts, trying to process the absurdity of his situation.

    He had reincarnated¡ªor transmigrated, whatever the correct term was¡ªas Marcus Rey Dimitri, the arrogant prodigy who had ruled Akashic Magic Academy with overwhelming talent¡­ until he lost.

    "Until I lost."

    Marcus closed his eyes, recalling the details of the novel. His defeat was nothing more than a contrived plot twist, a moment meant to propel the protagonist forward.

    If he had taken that fight seriously, if he had used his full arsenal, there was no way the protagonist would have won.

    But none of that mattered anymore.

    He was here.

    And he had to decide his next course of action.

    Drop out? Stay in the Dimitri Household? Disappear from the story entirely?

    He exhaled sharply, shaking his head.

    No, not yet.

    Feeling a bit restless, Marcus stood up and walked over to the window. He unlocked the latch and pushed it open. A crisp breeze rolled into the room, carrying with it the scent of fresh leaves and distant flowers.

    Marcus let the cool air wash over him as he stood by the open window, his golden eyes drinking in the sight before him.

    The view from his dormitory room was nothing short of breathtaking¡ªa scene plucked straight from a fantasy epic.

    The Akashic Magic Academy, the most prestigious institution for magic and combat arts, stretched out before him like a living tapestry.

    The main courtyard, paved with intricate marble designs, was bustling with students clad in refined academy uniforms, some levitating spellbooks as they walked, others sparring in open fields with swords that shimmered with magical runes.

    Beyond the courtyard, a massive lake reflected the midday sun, its surface rippling gently from the floating islands that hovered just above the water.

    Majestic bridges of enchanted stone connected these islands, their edges glowing softly with magic.

    The tallest spire of the academy, the Grand Archive Tower, loomed in the distance, its structure pulsing with arcane energy, almost as if it were alive.

    And the sky¡ªMarcus had never seen anything so vibrant. The blue was richer, deeper, as if the heavens had been painted with an artist¡¯s finest brush.

    Even the clouds seemed to move with a grace that defied the laws of nature, drifting through the sky as if guided by an unseen hand.

    Marcus gripped the windowsill tightly, his knuckles whitening.

    This world¡­ was real.

    He was really here.

    He suddenly felt lightheaded, his mind flooded with memories.

    The sterile white of the hospital room.

    The monotonous beep of a heart monitor.

    The windowless walls that never changed.

    The television, his only connection to the outside world.

    A travel documentary played on the screen, showing vast, rolling green hills stretching endlessly toward the horizon.

    A camera panned over a golden desert, the sun dipping beneath the dunes, setting the sky ablaze with shades of crimson and gold.

    Snow-capped mountains, dense rainforests, bustling metropolises¡ªhe had seen them all.

    But only through a screen.

    The desire to see those places with his own eyes had burned inside him for years.

    But reality was cruel.

    His condition worsened, his treatments became routine, and one by one, his dreams faded into the background.

    ''I want to see the world.''

    The thought resurfaced like a long-buried treasure.

    A dream he had abandoned. A desire he had pushed aside.

    But now¡­

    He wasn¡¯t confined to a hospital bed. He wasn¡¯t a prisoner to fate.

    He had a strong, healthy body. He had magic. He had a sword.

    And nothing¡ªnothing¡ªwas stopping him from stepping beyond this academy¡¯s walls and seeing what lay beyond.

    His heart pounded. His hands clenched into fists.

    ''This time, I won¡¯t be stuck watching through a screen.''

    He turned away from the window, pacing the room. If he was going to make this dream a reality, he needed to think carefully.

    The original Marcus had locked himself in his room for weeks before eventually dropping out of the academy. That was the path that had been set for him in the novel.

    But Marcus had no intention of following that script.

    His mind whirled with possibilities.

    Should he stay in the academy and gain more knowledge and power?

    Or should he leave now and begin his journey as soon as possible?

    Would the protagonist care if he simply disappeared from the story?

    He ran a hand through his messy, ash-blond hair, his sharp golden eyes gleaming with newfound determination.

    For the first time since he had given up hope, he had a goal.

    He was going to explore this world.

    He was going to see sights that no one else had ever seen.

    He was going to live.

    Because he was sure of one thing¡ª

    There were sights out there even more amazing than this.

 Chapter 2: Athena Syr Olympia

    "I''m staying in the academy."

    That was what he decided.

    Although he wanted to travel the world, going from country to country would be hard even with his family''s influence.

    There is only one easy way to be able to come and go from any country without much trouble, and that is to join the Mage Tower.

    Mage Tower is an independent organization made up of mages from all over the world. They are not under any country''s jurisdiction at all.

    Mages under them can come and go to any countries they like in the name of research, as long as they do not get involved with politics or whatever is related to a particular country.

    However, to join the Mage Tower, one must complete a four year magic course education from an elite academy.

    And the Akashic Magic Academy is one such academy.

    Just then, the door of his room opened, and a figure walked in without a care as if they owned the place.

    Marcus frowned, but his eyes widened slightly seeing the figure.

    She is an ethereal beauty, exuding an aura of divinity and grace. Her long, flowing silver-white hair cascades around her, glowing softly in the celestial light.

    Golden laurels adorn her head, symbolizing nobility, blending seamlessly with her radiant golden eyes, which shimmer like molten sunlight.

    Her attire drapes elegantly over her form, accentuating her elegance while maintaining an air of untouchable majesty.

    Her expression is serene yet distant, as if she gazes beyond mortal comprehension, carrying the weight of wisdom intelligence.

    She embodies the image of a goddess¡ªpowerful, timeless, and utterly mesmerizing.

    Athena Syr Olympia.

    First Princess of the Olympia Kingdom, the capital of magic, where the Akashic Magic Academy is situated, and where majority of the events in the novel took place.

    A prodigy in magic and well versed in military tactics, politics, econimics, and will one day take over the throne of the Olympia Empire, becoming its first female monarch.

    She is also the main heroine of the novel, one day becoming the ''queen'' of the protagonist''s harem.

    But now, she is Marcus Rey Dimitri''s fianc¨¦e.

    "It seems like you''re done moping around." She stated, observing Marcus who now looked ''energetic'' compared to before.

    Marcus snapped out of his daze as he replied, his tone coming out as rude than his usual voice, "So what? Here to make fun of me?"

    ''That''s not what I wanted to say!''

    He doesn''t know what''s happening, but for some reason, words would come out of his mouth that is completely different from the one he wanted to convey.

    Athena appears to be used to this, "I am not. I came here because I wanted to see if you''re fine. Seems like you are."

    "Of course, who do you think I am?" Marcus snorted, turning his head away in annoyance.

    ''Seriously, I wanted to say thank you.''

    Athena remained silent, merely staring at him with her cold, calculating eyes.

    "You''re company is unneeded, but it''d be rude to chase you away." Continued Marcus, "I give you permission to stay."

    For a moment, Marcus thought that he saw Athena let out an exasperated sigh. But when he turned towards her, her expression remained as neutral as ever.

    "The Four Academy Tournament Finals is about to begin, do you want to take a look?"

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    Marcus eyes turned serious.

    Four Academy Tournament.

    An annual tournament between the four great magic academies in the empire to decide which academy can receive more funds for the year.

    The Akashic Magic Academy has remained undefeated for ten years.

    Marcus remembered that in the novels, the reason why Marcus and the protagonist fought was because Marcus doesn''t want the protagonist to be one of the seven representative of their academy.

    He sees the protagonist as lowly and weak and challenged him, betting that the protagonist would drop out if he lose.

    The result was Marcus'' defeat.

    The final round of the tournament, unlike the semi-finals and the eliminations, isn''t a 7-man team battle but a one-on-one duel between the strongest of each remaining two teams.

    The representative of the Akashic Academy was just some NPC and was stated to be the strongest first year student(Marcus is second year, and Athena is third year)

    The tournament only allows first and second years to participate.

    However, before the finals, their representative suffered an injury during the semi-finals and wasn''t completely healed yet.

    In the end, the protagonist decided to replace him and won the tournament.

    "What''s there to watch?" Marcus snorted, "Although if you insist, I can accompany you."

    ''Really, why do I have to be so rude!?''

    He wanted to watch the tournament, but the Marcus in him disdained the idea and consider it as nothing more than petty going ons of inferior creatures.

    "Let''s go." Athena turned her heels and walked out of the room.

    Marcus quickly followed, only wearing a black compression shirt that emphasized his toned and muscular physique that he achieved through years of traning.

    He paired it with a white sweatpants and white shoes.

    He doesn''t know why, probably because the author has no sense of fashion, but this world, despite being a fantasy medieval world, has a lot of modern clothing for casual wears.

    "You''re not even going to change?" Athena asked, raising her eyebrow as she observed him up and down.

    Marcus smirked, "Oh please, I could walk there wearing rags and I would still outshine anyone."

    Athena snorted in amusement. Her eyes widened in realization at what she had done, but quickly regained her composure and act like nothing happened.

    A lady like her do not snort.

    As Marcus and Athena walked through the grand corridors of the Akashic Magic Academy, students parted like the sea, making way for the two figures at the center of attention.

    Whispers spread like wildfire.

    "Wait¡­ isn''t that lord Marcus? He finally came out of his room!"

    "Yeah, look at him, still look the same as ever, as if he didn''t suffer any loss."

    "Well duh, that''s Lord Marcus! Besides, that loss was a total fluke!"

    "I agree. Lord Marcus didn''t even use any magic and was caught off guard due to that commoner''s sudden burst of strength."

    Their eyes flickered between him and Athena, the untouchable first princess of Olympia.

    It was rare to see them together, despite being engaged. Athena was usually seen alone or surrounded by her personal retinue.

    Marcus, on the other hand, had always carried himself in an arrogant manner, unapproachable to most.

    But now, they were walking side by side.

    Some students secretly admired the sight¡ªa perfect pair, both blessed with talent, beauty, and noble blood. Others watched with jealousy, knowing they could never reach such heights.

    Athena, as usual, paid no attention to the murmurs around them. Her expression remained unreadable, though her golden eyes occasionally flickered to Marcus, as if analyzing his every move.

    "You''re as popular as ever," she remarked, her tone indifferent.

    "Hmph," Marcus scoffed, crossing his arms. "Of course, I am. I am Marcus Rey Dimitri. Even a minor setback won''t make me any less remarkable."

    ''Seriously, I need to get my mouth under control.''

    Athena glanced at him, unimpressed. "You call locking yourself in your room for days a ¡®minor setback¡¯?"

    Marcus stiffened before quickly regaining his composure. He turned his head away, clicking his tongue. "Tch. It was strategic isolation. I was simply analyzing my mistakes, ensuring I never repeat such an incident again."

    ''Well, I was also planning about my global trip once I graduate and joined the the Mage Association. I heard the Alvarez Kingdom has some great natural wonders.''

    Athena raised an eyebrow. "I see. And what profound conclusions did you come to?"

    Marcus huffed, lifting his chin. "That everyone else is beneath me."

    ''That I need to quickly get this darn mouth under control.''

    Athena sighed. "And here I thought you might have learned some humility."

    "Tsk, as if I need something as pointless as humility." Marcus waved her off dismissively. "What I do need is to remind everyone of their place. That fight was nothing more than an anomaly, a fluke. A one-time mistake that will never happen again."

    ''Well, true. In this academy, aside from a few teachers and the principal, Marcus is the strongest.''

    "You seem awfully defensive for someone who doesn¡¯t care," Athena noted, her golden eyes watching him with amusement.

    Marcus flinched before scoffing. "I¡ªI¡¯m not defensive! It¡¯s just annoying that people are making such a fuss over one tiny, insignificant defeat!"

    ''Well, that certainly sound defensive.''

    Athena¡¯s lips twitched ever so slightly. "If it were truly insignificant, you wouldn¡¯t have locked yourself away for days."

    Marcus turned his head sharply, cheeks tinged slightly red from embarrassment. "Shut up. You talk too much."

    ''This girl seriously knows how to poke my sore spot.''

    Athena ignored his flustered reaction. "At least you¡¯re acting like yourself again."

    Marcus huffed. "Hmph. Of course, I am. Like I said, nothing can shake me. Now, don''t we have to see this stupid tournament? Let''s not waste time."

    "Of course," Athena said, already walking ahead.

    Marcus clicked his tongue, following behind her. "Tsk, making me follow you? You should consider yourself honored, Athena."

    ''Sigh, I give up.''

    "I¡¯ll cherish this moment forever," she said dryly.

    Marcus smirked, catching up to her as the arena came into view.

    ''Well now, let''s see tournament.''

 Chapter 3: Tournament

    The Grand Akashic Arena stood as the pride of the Olympia Kingdom, a monumental structure that symbolized both the kingdom''s commitment to magical excellence and its unyielding tradition of competition.

    Built centuries ago by the Founder of Akashic Magic Academy, it was a marvel of both magic and architecture, crafted with enchanted marble that never cracked, golden inscriptions that shimmered with arcane energy, and towering pillars that radiated the mana of generations of mages who had once stood upon its sacred grounds.

    It was first constructed during the founding years of the Akashic Magic Academy, intended as a place where scholars and warriors alike could demonstrate their prowess.

    Over the centuries, it had become the battleground of legends, where some of the greatest mages in history had once fought, earning their place in the annals of magical history.

    The arena was also a political stage, as the tournament it hosted was not merely for sport¡ªit was a matter of prestige.

    The Four Academy Tournament, held every year, was an event where the four greatest magic academies of the empire¡ªAkashic Magic Academy, St. Ardent Mage College, Zenith Arcane Institute, and Helios Magical Academy¡ªcompeted to determine which academy would receive the largest share of funding and international recognition.

    The tournament was more than just competition¡ªit was a proving ground.

    Many of the empire¡¯s future leaders, generals, court magicians, and grand mages had once stood in this very arena, their victories shaping the political and magical landscape of the kingdom itself.

    Every year, when the Four Academy Tournament began, the city surrounding the Akashic Academy would transform into a festival of magic.

    Merchants would flood the streets, selling magical artifacts, enchanted foods, and memorabilia of the competing academies.

    Citizens and nobles alike would gather, placing wagers, debating strategies, and discussing which academy would reign supreme.

    For students, the tournament was the most anticipated event of the year. Every student, from first-years to fourth-years, gathered to witness the grand duels between their academy¡¯s champions.

    Some watched with admiration, aspiring to one day take the stage themselves. Others watched with strategy in mind, analyzing the spells and techniques used by the competitors.

    The final round, in particular, was legendary. Unlike the earlier rounds, which consisted of team battles, the final match was a one-on-one duel¡ªa clash between the strongest representatives of the remaining two academies.

    It was here that the greatest battles were fought, where the best mages of their generation proved their worth before thousands of spectators.

    The arena itself was colossal. It could seat over 100,000 spectators, arranged in enchanted viewing sections that allowed every spectator¡ªno matter how far from the stage¡ªto see the battle with crystal-clear precision.

    A massive barrier of magical energy surrounded the central battlefield, shielding the audience from stray spells while allowing them to feel the raw power of the magic being cast.

    The battlefield was adaptive¡ªimbued with ancient magic, it could shift between different terrains at the will of the tournament¡¯s overseers.

    One match could take place in a rocky mountain landscape, another in a frozen tundra, or even a battlefield of pure mana, where only the strongest spellcasters could endure.

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    Above the arena, a massive floating crystal orb hovered, acting as a magical recording device, broadcasting the fights to the entire empire.

    Even those who couldn¡¯t attend in person could watch the duels through arcane projections in major cities, ensuring that the tournament was witnessed by millions.

    To stand in the final round was to prove oneself among the elite, to cement one''s name in history.

    But for others, it was a place where dreams were crushed. Defeat in the arena could mean humiliation, the loss of prestige, and in some cases, the end of a career before it even began.

    Some had stood at the edge of victory, only to be overwhelmed at the last moment, their names forgotten while their opponents were immortalized in legend.

    As Marcus stepped into the massive Grand Akashic Arena, his golden eyes flickered with intrigue. A sight like this is something he had only seen on movies and anime in his past life.

    The deafening cheers of thousands of students rang in his ears. Massive banners of the four academies hung from the stadium walls, rippling in the wind.

    The magical barrier surrounding the battlefield hummed with raw arcane energy.

    Despite himself, Marcus felt something stir within him.

    Excitement?

    No, it wasn¡¯t just excitement. It was anticipation.

    For the first time in a long while, Marcus felt something genuine. He wanted to see. To witness. To experience.

    ''This is so much better than reading it on the novel!''

    A smirk tugged at his lips.

    "Hmph. I suppose this might not be a complete waste of my time after all."

    He had already given up on trying to control his speech.

    The Grand Akashic Arena roared with life as thousands of students, professors, nobles, and even foreign dignitaries gathered to witness the climax of the Four Academy Tournament Finals.

    The sky above shimmered with floating luminescent runes, casting a mystical glow upon the battlefield below.

    Gerald Fortold of Zenith Arcane Institute, a second-year prodigy, stood on the left side of the battlefield, his dark violet robe embroidered with golden constellations, a testament to his mastery of gravitational magic.

    His expression was calm, calculating¡ªhis right hand rested on a grimoire floating beside him, the pages turning as it gave off a mystical glow.

    On the other side stood Leon Brave of Akashic Magic Academy, a first-year student with an unwavering gaze, his blond hair tousled yet carrying an air of rugged determination.

    Unlike Gerald, who donned the robes of a noble scholar, Leon wore a simple combat vest over his academy uniform, emphasizing his practical approach to battle.

    A sheathed sword was strapped to his back, the blade humming with an unseen power, an artifact given to participants as a standard weapon.

    It is to make sure that students would compete with their own skills rather than rely on artifacts.

    Marcus¡¯ gaze sharpened the moment he saw Leon Brave.

    He recognized him immediately.

    The protagonist of Tales of Heroes and Demons.

    The boy who defeated him.

    His fists clenched involuntarily, his nails digging into his palm as a wave of hatred that wasn¡¯t entirely his own surged through his body.

    He could feel it¡ªthe lingering will of the original Marcus Rey Dimitri, the proud aristocrat, the prodigy of House Dimitri, the man whose pride had been shattered by this very boy.

    His rational mind knew better.

    He wasn¡¯t truly Marcus Rey Dimitri. He was an earthling who had reincarnated into his body, a former reader of this very story.

    And yet¡­

    He felt it.

    A part of him wanted to crush Leon Brave.

    To prove his superiority.

    To rewrite fate itself.

    "Ah," Athena''s voice pulled him from his thoughts. She was observing him, her golden eyes glimmering with understanding. "I see."

    Marcus clicked his tongue, forcing himself to relax. "See what?"

    "You''re already invested," she said, a slight curve appearing at the edge of her lips, almost as if she were amused.

    "Hmph. Don''t be ridiculous," Marcus scoffed, crossing his arms. "That insignificant commoner means nothing to me."

    Athena didn¡¯t reply.

    She merely watched as Marcus continued to stare at the battlefield, his golden eyes narrowing as the match finally began.

    ''I didn''t say anything about commoner.''

    "Let the Finals¡­ Begin!"

    The moment the announcer¡¯s voice echoed through the arena, Gerald moved first.

    With a flick of his fingers, the mana around him responded.

    "Gravity press!"

    A surge of gravitational force crashed down on Leon like an invisible tidal wave, bending the space around him, the air itself warping under the sheer density of the spell.

    ''Gravity magic, how rare.'' Marcus crossed his arms.

    But Leon did not falter.

    A flash of light¡ªhis blade was drawn.

    And with a single step, he vanished from sight.

    Marcus'' eyes narrowed slightly.

    The battle had begun.

 Chapter 4: The Beginning

    The moment the announcer declared the beginning of the final match, the Grand Akashic Arena erupted into a cacophony of cheers and excitement.

    Thousands of students from the four great academies filled the seats, their voices blending into an overwhelming chorus as they witnessed the two young warriors face off.

    Gerald Fortold, the celestial prodigy of Zenith Arcane Institute, made the first move.

    With a flick of his wrist, the air trembled.

    "Gravity Press!"

    A dark ripple expanded from beneath him, and instantly, the space around Leon Brave became heavier.

    The very ground beneath Leon''s feet cracked as the weight of his own body doubled, no¡ªtripled in an instant.

    Yet¡ª

    He moved forward anyway.

    The announcer''s voice boomed across the arena, providing real-time commentary for the audience.

    "An immediate gravitational increase from Gerald Fortold! A classic opening move for any gravity mage! But look at Leon Brave¡ªhe¡¯s still moving forward!"

    Leon¡¯s body trembled under the intense force pressing down on him, but he did not slow down.

    Instead, he focused, drawing upon the only magic he could wield.

    "Reinforcement Magic: Full-Body Enhancement!"

    A faint glow enveloped his figure, veins pulsing with power as his muscles grew stronger, his speed faster, his mind sharper.

    With sheer brute force, Leon overcame the gravity magic and charged straight at Gerald.

    Marcus watched intently from his seat, golden eyes narrowing.

    ''Tch. That idiot is just brute forcing his way through magic with sheer physical strength. How inelegant.''

    And yet¡­

    His other self¡ªthe earthling buried deep within¡ªcouldn¡¯t help but feel awed.

    Leon had no talent in magic. In a world ruled by spells, formulas, and ancient incantations, he was nothing more than a swordsman.

    And yet, he still stood at the finals of the most prestigious magic tournament.

    Although it was due to the original participant not being able to participate and he was made a replacement, but still...

    That kind of resolve¡­

    It was admirable.

    Athena, sitting beside him, also observed closely. Her golden eyes shimmered as she analyzed the fight with the precision of a scholar.

    "Hmm. Gerald is playing it safe," she mused. "He¡¯s using only Basic and Elementary grade gravity magic, keeping Leon¡¯s movement restricted while minimizing his mana consumption."

    Marcus scoffed, crossing his arms. "Typical of Zenith Arcane Institute. Those fools always rely on calculated efficiency. Too scared to take risks."

    "You say that, but his approach is working," Athena countered, watching as Gerald continued layering multiple gravity spells onto Leon¡¯s path.

    "Gravity Pulse."

    A pulse of gravity exploded outward, distorting the air. Leon barely managed to leap out of the way, but the moment he landed¡ª

    "Gravity Well."

    A concentrated field of immense weight appeared right beneath Leon¡¯s feet. His body lurched downward, knees buckling as the force threatened to slam him into the ground.

    The crowd gasped as Leon struggled.

    "He¡¯s trapped!" the announcer called out. "Gerald Fortold has expertly guided his opponent into a gravitational kill zone! Can Leon Brave escape?!"

    For a moment, Marcus almost smirked.

    ''That idiot. This is what happens when you rely purely on brute force.''

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    Really, Marcus was still bitter from losing against Leon.

    But then¡ª

    Leon moved.

    "Not yet! I''m not done yet!"

    With a roar, he gathered all his strength and swung his sword downwards.

    A shockwave erupted as Leon¡¯s reinforced blade sliced through the very ground, disrupting the gravitational field by force.

    The sheer impact sent a ripple through the arena floor, momentarily breaking Gerald¡¯s hold on him.

    The entire stadium erupted in cheers.

    "HE BROKE OUT OF IT!!" the announcer shouted in disbelief.

    Athena¡¯s brows rose slightly.

    Marcus¡­ clenched his fist.

    That foolish, reckless, barbaric method, and yet¡­and yet...

    It was effective.

    Although he would''ve done better, it was still effective.

    Leon closed the distance before Gerald could react. His sword gleamed under the arena lights, an arc of silver light heading straight for his opponent.

    Gerald raised his hand.

    "Gravity Shield!"

    A translucent field of compressed gravity formed between them, attempting to deflect the blade.

    Clang!

    Leon¡¯s sword struck the barrier, sparks flying. The shield cracked but held¡ªbut just barely.

    Leon clicked his tongue, pushing his weight into the blade.

    The two fighters locked in a battle of will¡ªLeon with his sheer strength, and Gerald with his unyielding magical defenses.

    Marcus watched the spectacle, his emotions clashing.

    His arrogance¡ªthe prideful Marcus Rey Dimitri¡ªwanted to crush Leon for the humiliation of their past battle.

    And yet, the earthling inside of him was¡­

    Rooting for Leon.

    After all, while reading the novels, he had always admired the hardworking Leon, the one who didn''t give up despite his lack of talent.

    It was Leon who had given him hope to continue living.

    He quickly shook the thought away, scowling at himself.

    ''Seriously. I need to keep my emotions under control. It''s annoying.''

    Despite his annoyance, he kept watching.

    He couldn¡¯t look away.

    The fight wasn¡¯t over yet.

    "However..." Marcus turned his gaze towards Gerald.

    There is one major reason why he decided to watch this tournament, and that is to see the end of Volume 4, the tournament arc.

    "Break!"

    Gerald¡¯s Elementary Gravity Shield began to crack under Leon¡¯s relentless assault.

    Sweat dripped down the prodigy¡¯s forehead as he gritted his teeth. His calculations were perfect¡ªhe had accounted for Leon¡¯s raw strength, his speed, his stamina¡ªyet the swordsman kept pushing forward, ignoring all reason, all logic.

    ''This is why brutes like him are dangerous,'' Gerald thought. ''But I won¡¯t lose here!''

    He took a deep breath, raising both hands.

    "Gravity Vacuum!"

    The air distorted around them.

    A tremendous pull of force dragged everything toward a single point, like an invisible black hole forming in the middle of the arena.

    The sheer weight of the spell cracked the ground, the tiles beneath them crumbling into dust as Leon¡¯s feet sank into the stone.

    The entire stadium trembled.

    The crowd gasped in awe.

    "Gerald Fortold is using the strongest Elementary-grade gravity spell!" the announcer declared. "This could be the finishing blow¡ªLeon Brave is trapped!"

    And yet¡ª

    Leon''s eyes turned firm.

    His grip on his sword tightened, the veins on his arms bulging as he fought against the overwhelming gravity.

    Then¡ª

    With a roar, he slammed his foot into the ground, shattering the stone beneath him, freeing himself from the crushing force.

    Gerald¡¯s eyes widened in horror.

    Leon disappeared.

    A split second later¡ª

    BOOM!

    A gust of wind erupted as Leon burst forward, breaking through the gravitational field with nothing but pure physical strength.

    He closed the distance instantly, raising his sword high above his head.

    "END OF THE LINE!"

    The crowd held their breath.

    Gerald couldn¡¯t react in time.

    Leon¡¯s sword came down.

    But, before he could deal with the finishing blow, he stoppes just an inch away from hitting his opponent.

    Gerald, too stunned at the event, fell down on the ground, still in a daze, perhaps imagining what would happen if that sword had hit him.

    "Surrender." Leon pressed the sword to Gerald''s neck.

    Gerald snapped out of his daze, sweat dripping from his body as he raised his hands in defeat.

    "I¡ªI surrender."

    Leon smiled. He had won. He had won against the prodigy of another academy. He had proven that talent doesn''t determine one''s fate, it''s hard work and perseverance.

    However, before anyone could celebrate¡ªThe sky darkened.

    Marcus'' eyes  immediately turned serious as he observed the phenomenon. ''So it''s here.''

    A chilling wind swept through the arena.

    The sun¡ªso bright just moments ago¡ªwas eclipsed by a swirling mass of darkness.

    And then¡ª

    They came.

    From the sky, dark figures poured down like a rain of nightmares.

    "D-DEMONS! THERE ARE DEMONS!"

    The first screams came from the spectators.

    Then¡ªchaos erupted.

    Demons.

    Hundreds¡ªno, thousands of them¡ªdescended from the swirling abyss above.

    Horrific, twisted beings with razor-sharp claws, glowing red eyes, and monstrous wings. Some looked human-like, others grotesque beyond comprehension.

    And in the very center of the invasion¡ª

    Gerald Fortold screamed in agony.

    His body twisted and contorted, his skin ripping apart as something terrible emerged from within him.

    His once refined face melted into a grotesque snarl, his body expanding twice¡ªthree times¡ªits original size.

    His pale skin turned crimson, bulging with demonic veins pulsing with unholy power.

    His eyes¡ªonce filled with intelligence¡ªburned like molten fire.

    Gerald Fortold was no longer human.

    Or rather, he was never a human to begin with.

    "WHAT IS HAPPENING!? WHY ARE DEMONS ATTACKING?!" The announcer¡¯s voice cracked in terror.

    The crowd screamed, students fleeing in panic as the demonic army descended upon them.

    Athena shot up from her seat, her golden eyes glowing fiercely as she summoned magic circles around her.

    As for Marcus, he was observing the chaos, as if unaffected by the battle.

    His mind went back to the novel.

    The end of Volume 4, the Tournament Arc, is not when Leon defeated Gerald and won the championships.

    Volume 4 ended with the invasion of the demons who had remained silent for 100 years, catching humanity off guard.

    In fact, they did not just attack the Olympia Kingdom, but other nations as well.

    Although the Akashic Academy managed to resist the invasion and drove away the demons, they suffered great casualties.

    It was this event that marks the beginning of the Volume 5, the Demonic Night Parade.

    And also the start of Leon Brave''s journey of becoming a hero.

 Chapter 5: Limit Break

    Screams echoed throughout the arena.

    Mages and knights¡ªtrained in the arcane arts and battle tactics¡ªstood frozen in terror.

    They had studied demons in textbooks. They had memorized their weaknesses, their strengths, their classifications.

    But none of them had ever seen one in real life.

    Because for the past hundred years, demons had been nothing more than a historical threat.

    Something of the past.

    Something the world had forgotten.

    Until now.

    The barriers around the arena flared, cast by the academy¡¯s top mages and instructors as they rushed to contain the chaos.

    Explosions erupted as professors and students¡ªthose with quick reflexes and nerves of steel¡ªfought back.

    Flames roared, lightning crackled, ice spears rained from the sky.

    The strongest students and professors of each academy gathered together, unleashing their best spells, their mana flaring like beacons in the darkened sky.

    And yet¡ª

    For every demon they cut down, more poured in.

    The ground trembled as a monstrous beast¡ªa six-legged demon covered in molten armor¡ªcrashed through the audience stands, devouring an unfortunate mage whole.

    The scent of blood filled the air.

    The sickening sound of flesh being torn apart sent shivers down the spines of those too weak to fight.

    It was a battlefield.

    A true nightmare.

    ****

    Athena stood calmly amidst the destruction.

    Her golden eyes scanned the battlefield, her mind calculating the best course of action.

    Then¡ª

    A demon appeared before her.

    Its grotesque form dripped with malice, its jagged fangs grinning as it lunged¡ª

    And in an instant¡ª

    CRUNCH!

    The space twisted as the demon collapsed inward, its entire body compressed into a perfectly round sphere the size of a marble.

    With a flick of her wrist, Athena dismissed it, sending the crushed remains scattering into dust.

    Silence.

    Those who saw it stared in shock.

    They knew Athena was strong, but to see it first hand would leave most in shock by her display of power.

    Space Magic.

    A magic affinity so rare that only one person per century was ever born with the ability to wield it.

    And Athena Syr Olympia¡ªFirst Princess of the Olympia Empire¡ªwas that one person.

    She turned her gaze to Marcus, her expression calm.

    "Are you planning to intervene?" she asked.

    Marcus didn¡¯t answer.

    His sharp crimson eyes remained fixed on the battlefield.

    More specifically¡ª

    On Leon Brave.

    ****

    "You piece of garbage!" Gerald growled as he swiped his claws at him.

    Leon gritted his teeth as he narrowly dodged a massive clawed swipe from Gerald¡¯s demonic form.

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    The once-arrogant prodigy was now a hulking monstrosity, his muscular body pulsating with crimson veins, his horned skull-like face twisted in a bloodthirsty grin.

    "Think you can escape!? I am Gerald! Descendant of a Duke of Hell!"

    His speed was overwhelming, despite his massive size.

    "Tch! This isn¡¯t normal!" Leon muttered as he barely evaded another strike.

    He could tell¡ªthis wasn¡¯t just an ordinary demon.

    Gerald was evolving, adapting to battle in real-time.

    His intelligence remained intact, but his instincts had become more primal, more predatory.

    And worst of all¡ªhis magic was growing stronger.

    The arena shook violently as Gerald slammed his massive fists into the ground, sending waves of gravitational force surging outward.

    Leon barely had time to react before the air thickened, his movements slowing as the crushing weight pushed him down.

    ''Gravity magic combined with demonic strength?''

    Leon ground his teeth as he forced mana through his body.

    "Reinforcement Magic ¨C Maximum Output!"

    A golden aura exploded around him.

    The weight lifted slightly, giving him just enough room to move.

    But Gerald wasn¡¯t done.

    The demon lunged, his claws aiming straight for Leon¡¯s heart.

    And at that moment¡ª

    From the stands, Marcus clenched his fist.

    The last remnants of the original Marcus Dimitri inside him screamed for blood.

    He wanted to see how Leon was crushed by the demon.

    He wanted to see how he was erased from existence.

    And yet¡ª

    He said nothing. He did nothing.

    He simply watched.

    Because he needed to know. He needed to see...

    If Leon Brave truly was the hero of this world. If he truly was worthy of standing at the top. If he truly was...

    The protagonist.

    Reading him on novels and seeing it firsr hand is different after all. The novel always beautify the actions of the protagonist.

    But now, in this world, where the story is real, would Leon Brave still be the kind, selfless, and heroic idiot who never gives up?

    "Haa~, haa~,"

    Leon panted heavily, sweat dripping down his face.

    His arms ached, his legs burned, and his mana reserves were running dangerously low.

    But Gerald¡ªno, the demon he had become¡ªwas still going strong.

    The battlefield around them was in ruins. The once-glorious Grand Akashic Arena was now nothing more than crumbling debris, soaked in blood and fire.

    Yet Leon refused to fall.

    Gerald¡¯s red eyes glowed ominously, his demonic grin widening.

    "Tired already, trash?" The demon¡¯s voice rumbled, layered with something inhuman. "Give up. I am a descendant of one of the Seven Dukes of Hell that serves his majesty the Demon King, you cannot beat me."

    Leon didn¡¯t answer.

    He simply tightened his grip on his sword.

    Gerald smirked at the defiance. He always enjoyed crushing the hopes of people.

    A second later¡ª

    Gerald moved.

    The ground shattered beneath his monstrous frame as he lunged, his claws tearing through the air like a falling meteor.

    Leon barely had time to react.

    His body screamed as he dodged, rolling to the side just in time to see Gerald¡¯s claws gouge deep trenches into the stone beneath them.

    ''I can''t keep up¡­''

    Leon gritted his teeth.

    Reinforcement Magic¡ªhis only strength, his only weapon¡ªwas no longer enough.

    Gerald¡¯s gravity magic had evolved, his speed had increased, his strength had doubled.

    Every time Leon dodged, every time he parried, he could feel the gap between them widening.

    And if this continued¡ª

    He was going to lose.

    For the first time since the battle started¡ªdoubt crept into his mind.

    Was this it?

    Was this where his story ended?

    ''No.''

    ''No, I refuse.''

    Leon¡¯s breath steadied.

    His heartbeat pounded in his ears.

    Then¡ª

    He felt it.

    A strange, untapped power lurking beneath the surface, hidden deep within his very being.

    A power that had awakened only once before¡ª

    During his fight against Marcus.

    A power that had turned the tides in an instant.

    Leon gritted his teeth as he let go of all hesitation.

    He poured everything into Reinforcement Magic¡ª

    Not to strengthen his body¡ª

    But to surpass it.

    "Reinforcement Magic: Limit Break!"

    A dark golden aura erupted from Leon¡¯s body. It wasn¡¯t like normal Reinforcement Magic. It was purer. Denser.

    It didn¡¯t just push his body to its natural peak¡ªIt shattered that peak entirely.

    With a blink of an eye, Leon vanished.

    Gerald¡¯s demonic eyes widened, and before he could react, a sword flash tore through the air.

    SLASH!

    A deep gash appeared across Gerald¡¯s chest.

    For the first time since his transformation...

    The demon staggered.

    "What¡­?" Gerald gasped, his claws reaching for the wound, his red eyes filled with disbelief.

    Leon exhaled, steam rising from his skin.

    His entire body burned, his muscles screamed in agony.

    But he didn¡¯t stop.

    Because this was his answer.

    Not just brute force.

    Not just raw talent.

    But a power that allowed him to defy limits.

    A power that turned the impossible into reality.

    "This is my strength!"

    Leon charged forward, his sword glowing with power.

    Gerald roared and swung his clawed hand, trying to swat him away¡ª

    But Leon was faster.

    The next moment¡ª

    Leon¡¯s blade pierced through Gerald¡¯s chest, right through his corrupted heart.

    Gerald¡¯s eyes widened in shock.

    "No¡­" The demon choked, blood spilling from his lips.

    Then, the demon knelt on the ground, before falling down on his back.

    Silence fell over the battlefield.

    Before a deafening cheer erupted from the stands.

    The remaining demons who saw their leader lose began to lose morale and scrambled away, which immediately made the professors to chase after them.

    One by one, they fell, overwhelmed by the combined might of the academy¡¯s forces.

    Some tried to flee, vanishing back into the crimson rift in the sky.

    But the professors¡ªwith their years of experience¡ªcut them down before they could escape.

    The invasion had failed.

    The demons had lost.

    And the Four Academy Tournament¡ªonce a simple contest of skill, had become the site of the first demonic incursion in over a century.

    From the stands, Marcus watched everything.

    His golden eyes narrowed as he stared at Leon Brave, who stood victorious on the battlefield.

    "Limit Break¡­" he muttered.

    It was that magic.

    The very same technique that had caught him off guard during their fight in the original timeline.

    The magic that allowed Leon to surpass his limits, no matter how impossible the situation seemed.

    Marcus exhaled slowly, loosening his clenched fists.

    He now truly understood why Leon Brave was the protagonist of this world.

    "Indeed. You are still the same Leon that I know in the novels."

    Knowing this, Marcus can rest easy and leave the world to his hand while he''d go with his original plan and explore the world once he graduates.

 Chapter 6: The Eye

    "We won!"

    "We push back a demon invasion!"

    "I''m so gonna brag about this!"

    The students cheered in celebration, even the professors looked so relieved that there were not that many casualties in this invasion.

    Marcus remained quiet, ''No, it''s not over yet.''

    At this moment....

    The cheers and roars of victory died down the moment Gerald stood back up.

    "H-Hey, he''s getting up..."

    "Impossible..."

    He shouldn¡¯t have been able to.

    Leon¡¯s sword had pierced his heart. His body was torn apart by his fierce mana.

    And yet¡ª

    There he was.

    His demonic red skin cracked and flickered like a mirage, his body shifting as if reality itself struggled to contain him.

    His crimson pupils twisted, forming unnatural spirals as he grinned like a man who had just won everything.

    The professors and elite students reacted instantly, surrounding him from all sides.

    ''''Gerald Fortold! You are under arrest!" one of the professors declared, his staff raised, mana flaring.

    "Surrender yourself!"

    But before they could move¡ªGerald laughed. A deep, mocking and hollowed laugh that would send shivers down anyone''s spine.

    And then¡ª

    He activated his magic.

    "Heaven''s Wall."

    A pulse of black energy exploded from Gerald¡¯s body.

    The air distorted. The ground trembled.

    And in an instant¡ª

    Everyone was forced backward, their bodies weighed down by an unseen force.

    Leon gasped, his knees nearly buckling under the sheer pressure.

    The professors¡ªeven the strongest among them¡ªcould barely move, their magic being crushed before they could cast a spell.

    Marcus, watching from the stands, narrowed his eyes.

    "High grade Gravity Magic¡­?"

    A spell of that level should have been far beyond Gerald¡¯s capabilities.

    Although Heaven''s Wall was the weakeat High Grade magic and merely used for defense, it''s still not something that can be performed by a student.

    And yet¡ª

    He wielded it as if it were effortless.

    Gerald laughed wildly, stretching his arms toward the sky as he drew a massive magic circle in the air.

    But the symbols¡ª

    The symbols were alien, something that humans cannot comprehend.

    They were twisting, shifting, forming letters and glyphs that no one in the entire academy had ever seen before.

    A forbidden language.

    A devilish chant.

    "Tirn¡¯nal ishka voh¡¯thaz!" Gerald roared, his voice echoing across the heavens.

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    The moment the last word left his lips¡ª

    The sky cracked.

    A massive fracture in space appeared above the city, black veins spreading across the sky like a spider¡¯s web.

    Then...

    It opened.

    A colossal eye, bigger than the entire city, stared down upon them from the rift in the sky.

    It was not human.

    It was not mortal.

    It was something that should not exist in this world.

    A primordial being, an ancient horror, a demon beyond comprehension.

    The very air turned heavy with an overwhelming sense of dread, as if the world itself was rejecting its presence.

    Students collapsed, unable to withstand its gaze.

    Professors, despite their vast experience, felt a chill run down their spines¡ªa primal terror that whispered in their ears.

    Even Athena, for the first time, showed a flicker of discomfort.

    And Marcus?

    Marcus simply stared.

    His fists clenched.

    His breath unsteady.

    Because he recognized it.

    In the original novel¡ªthis was never supposed to happen. This demon¡ªthis entity¡ªwas not supposed to appear yet.

    And yet, here it was.

    Was him just watching the match causes such a drastic change that a mythical demonic creature appeared so early in the story?

    ''Although Leon dealt with this creature in the later volumes, but for now he was way too weak to handle this.''

    Gerald grinned, his cracked demonic body barely holding together as he raised a single hand.

    A black string shot out from his palm, connecting to the colossal eye in the sky.

    And then¡ª

    He pulled.

    Slowly¡ªinch by inch¡ªthe eye began to descend, tearing apart the very fabric of space as it tried to enter the world.

    Gerald laughed maniacally, his voice twisted with ecstasy.

    "Behold!" he screamed. "Behold the great devourer! The eater of mana! The consumer of souls! This summoning spell was taught to me by the demon king himself to destroy humanity!"

    The very ground shook, buildings cracked, and mana itself began to thin, as if the world¡¯s lifeblood was being drained away.

    Gerald turned to Leon, his mad grin widening.

    "You thought you won, worm?! You thought you were strong?!" He spread his arms wide. "But now, ALL OF YOU ARE NOTHING BUT FOOD!"

    And in that moment¡ª

    The colossal eye blinked.

    And the world itself shuddered in response.

    "S-STOP HIM!"

    The professors attacked desperately, their spells bombarding Gerald in a desperate attempt to stop his summoning.

    "Cease this madness, Gerald!" one of the senior mages bellowed, unleashing a barrage of fire and wind spells.

    But¡ª

    Nothing worked.

    The moment their magic approached him, it was crushed by his superior gravity field, dissipating into nothingness before it could even touch him.

    Leon gritted his teeth, his knuckles turning white as he clenched his sword.

    "Gerald! Stop this!" he roared, his voice filled with desperation. "You¡¯re going to get everyone killed!"

    But Gerald, he only laughed. A deep, guttural, bone-chilling laugh.

    "Stop? You want me to stop? Hahahaha! Fool!" His eyes gleamed with insanity. "I have already won! This world will be devoured, and I will become one with the abyss itself!"

    The colossal eye above twitched, the very space warping as a low, reverberating hum echoed across the arena.

    "STOP IT!"

    "NO!"

    And then¡ª

    A bolt of lightning tore through the heavens.

    CRACK!

    A thunderclap so loud that it shook the entire city followed an instant later.

    A blinding golden-white light descended.

    And then¡ªBOOM!

    An explosion erupted, sending a shockwave so powerful that even the strongest professors and students were flung backward.

    Dust and debris were kicked up into a storm, obscuring all vision.

    Even Gerald¡ªwho had withstood countless spells¡ªwas forced to stagger, his body smoking, burnt flesh peeling from his arms.

    For the first time¡ªhis manic grin wavered.

    His golden spiraling pupils darted to the side.

    And there...

    Floating above them all...

    Was Marcus Rey Dimitri.

    A pair of crackling lightning wings extended from Marcus¡¯s back, their energy arcing wildly as they radiated an overwhelming pressure.

    Lightning coiled around his body like a living entity, his golden eyes gleaming with an intensity that sent a shiver down the spine of all who looked upon him.

    Beside him, equally majestic, was Athena Syr Olympia.

    Her flowing silver-white hair gleamed under the flickering sky, and a faint aura of spatial distortion surrounded her.

    Even among monsters, even among heroes, their presence was undeniable.

    They were absolute.

    Marcus hovered in the air, his gaze locked onto Gerald with an expression of undisguised arrogance.

    And then¡ª

    He spoke.

    "I was just gone for a few days, and this happens?" His voice, laced with disdain, echoed across the battlefield. "Pathetic. You lot can''t even handle such trash without my help."

    "M-Marcus..." Leon struggled to raise his head after getting flung away by the blast. His hopeful eyes stared at the man he once fought.

    Yes, if it was him. If Marcus was here, he''d certainly be able to deal with this.

    "Marcus, you finally decided to make a move." A professor sighed in relief, as if Marcus'' presence was enough to reassure him.

    Gerald, despite his injuries, grinned wickedly. "Oh? And here I thought the noble Marcus Rey Dimitri was just going to keep watching from the stands like a coward."

    Marcus scoffed. "A coward? No. I simply wanted to see if you were worth my time."

    His golden eyes gleamed as he raised a hand, lightning crackling at his fingertips.

    "And now, I see that you are not."

    Athena, floating beside him, sighed softly, her golden laurel glinting.

    "Marcus, enough talking. We need to deal with that." She tilted her head toward the colossal eye that still loomed above them.

    Marcus followed her gaze, his smirk fading slightly as he clicked his tongue. "Tch. Ugly thing."

    Athena gave him a side glance. "The eye or Gerald?"

    Marcus shrugged. "Both."

    A faint, almost imperceptible smirk crossed Athena¡¯s lips.

    But then¡ª

    Her expression turned serious as she extended her hand, spatial distortions rippling around her.

    "No more delays. Let¡¯s erase them. I''ll deal with Gerald, can you handle that thing above?"

    Marcus¡¯s smirk widened.

    "Who do you think I am?"

    And with that¡ª

    Lightning and space magic surged toward the battlefield, shaking the heavens themselves.

 Chapter 7: The Miracle Born Into This World

    Far from the chaos¡ªon a small pocket dimension where a majestic tower stood¡ªfour figures can be seen, observing the unfolding disaster on the arena.

    The winds howled around them, yet they stood unshaken, their eyes fixed on the battle raging in the sky.

    They were the Four Headmasters¡ªthe overseers of the four greatest academies in the Olympia Kingdom.

    At the front stood a woman of undeniable majesty¡ªSylvia von Auschworth, the Headmaster of Akashic Magic Academy.

    Her crimson hair cascaded down her back, shimmering under the moonlight like liquid fire. She wore a deep violet robe, adorned with golden arcane inscriptions that pulsed faintly with mana.

    A large, pointed witch¡¯s hat rested atop her head, shadowing her piercing emerald eyes, which gleamed with an amused light.

    Behind her, three other figures stood.

    Each one cloaked in enchanted hoods, their identities hidden, yet their presence was unmistakably powerful.

    They were the rulers of magic education in this empire¡ªbeings who could shift the tides of war if they so wished.

    And yet¡ª

    Right now, their attention was solely on one person.

    Marcus Rey Dimitri.

    As Sylvia watched Marcus descend like a thunderous deity, wings of lightning blazing behind him, a small, knowing smile tugged at her lips.

    "So, he finally decided to make his move."

    The cloaked figures nodded, their voices echoing with deep amusement.

    "It was only a matter of time. That boy was never meant to be just an observer." One of them, an elderly voice, chuckled softly. "Do you remember? The day he was born?"

    At those words, the smile on Sylvia¡¯s face deepened, her emerald eyes gleaming with nostalgia.

    The day Marcus Rey Dimitri was born...

    It was a day the world itself would never forget.

    On that day, the sky wept with golden light, as if the heavens themselves had descended to welcome him.

    The winds shifted, whispering secrets of a new era.

    The oceans roared, tides rising unnaturally high as if bowing before a sovereign yet to be crowned.

    And most of all, the mana of the world¡ªthe very lifeblood of magic¡ªsang in celebration.

    Across the continent, mages felt their spells swell with untamed power.

    The earth itself pulsed with pure mana, blooming flowers where none should have grown, turning barren lands fertile.

    Even the dragons, ancient beings who rarely stirred, lifted their heads in silent acknowledgment.

    A being had been born¡ªone whom the world itself had accepted.

    A child who was not merely gifted with mana, but one who was loved by it.

    He is a ''Miracle'' Born Into This World.

    One of the cloaked headmasters exhaled, shaking his head. "A boy whose birth caused mana to rejoice¡­ It still sounds like a myth, even after all these years."

    Another chuckled. "And yet, here he is. No longer an infant, but a warrior, descending with the fury of a storm."

    Sylvia crossed her arms, gazing at Marcus with undeniable pride. "There were doubts. Many doubted him, believing he would simply be another noble child, lost in arrogance. But now? No one can doubt what he is."

    The other headmasters nodded. "He was never meant to be ordinary. And now, the world will remember why."

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    Their gazes turned back to the battle.

    Lightning clashed with darkness.

    The colossal eye twitched, reacting to Marcus''s overwhelming power.

    The true battle was about to begin.

    ****

    Athena wasted no time.

    Her golden eyes narrowed as she vanished¡ªdisappearing from sight in an instant.

    A heartbeat later...

    BOOM!

    A black sphere of compressed space detonated where Gerald stood, warping reality itself.

    But Gerald merely grinned. "Distorting space? Hah!"

    With a flick of his crimson claws, his gravity magic twisted the very fabric of reality, counteracting her spell.

    The shockwave rippled, creating fractures in the air itself.

    Athena reappeared midair, her flowing silver-white hair fluttering like silk in the turbulence.

    She did not hesitate¡ªcasting another spell.

    "Collapse."

    SHRRRIP!

    A ripple in space formed beneath Gerald, collapsing the area into a singularity. An invisible force tried to crush him¡ªerasing him from existence.

    But Gerald responded with his own spell.

    "Event Horizon."

    BOOM!

    His Gravity Magic pulsed outward¡ªforcefully expanding the singularity until it ruptured.

    The two forces clashed, the battlefield bending, twisting under the sheer warping of space.

    Athena¡¯s expression remained calm, but her eyes hardened.

    ''This isn''t going to be as easy as I thought.''

    ****

    High above.

    Marcus hovered, his lightning wings crackling against the night sky. He stared at the colossal eye, his gaze unreadable.

    This entity, The Devourer of Worlds¡ªwas watching him.

    Just then¡ªthe entity reacted.

    The air shuddered.

    The sky darkened further.

    And from the abyss, a swarm of pitch blacm tentacles with countless eyes burst forth¡ªendless, grotesque appendages, writhing as they surged toward Marcus like an endless tide.

    Each one pulsed with an aura of absolute erasure, capable of devouring anything they touched.

    A monstrous force meant to annihilate him.

    And yet Marcus did not move.

    He merely extended his arm.

    "Did you think something like this would work on me?"

    A single spark flickered at his fingertips, and then...

    The sky roared.

    A thunderstorm ignited, responding to his will. A blinding pillar of lightning crashed down from the heavens¡ª

    CRACK-KOOOOOM!

    The entire night sky erupted in a storm of divine wrath, vaporizing the tentacles instantly.

    The Devourer flinched. And for the first time, the colossal eye twitched as if it had felt fear.

    Marcus smirked.

    "So you can feel pain, huh?"

    ****

    Gerald growled as the gravitational field around him warped and twisted, but Athena remained unfazed.

    She raised a single hand, and in an instant, the space around Gerald collapsed.

    Like glass shattering, the very fabric of reality bent to her will.

    "You think you can outmatch me?" Gerald snarled, his arms trembling as he pushed back with his magic.

    His gravity surged, twisting the battlefield¡ªpulling debris, shattered stone, and even stray mana toward him like a vortex.

    But Athena¡¯s golden eyes remained cold.

    "Enough."

    She snapped her fingers.

    FWOOOM!

    A black sphere formed¡ªlarger than before, its core darker than the void of space itself.

    "Spatial Collapse."

    The sphere imploded, and in an instant...

    CRACK!

    Gerald screamed.

    His left arm¡ªvanished. Erased from existence. His eyes widened in shock, his demonic body faltering.

    "Y-You¡ª!"

    But Athena was already moving.

    Her figure blurred¡ªappearing right before him, her palm aimed at his chest.

    SHRIP!

    A thin spatial rift shot forward, cutting deep into his body.

    Gerald coughed blackened blood, staggering back.

    For the first time¡ªhe felt fear.

    "Y-You... You monster..."

    Athena''s expression remained impassive.

    "I don''t need to hear that from a demon." She raised her hand for the finishing blow.

    But suddenly.

    A dark pulse erupted from Gerald¡¯s broken form.

    BOOM!

    Athena was forced back, her body flickering as she warped away from the corrupted surge.

    Gerald laughed, blood dripping from his lips.

    "Heh¡­ heh¡­ you¡¯re strong, princess." His grin twisted. "But I¡­ I still have a purpose."

    He turned his eyes upward¡ªtoward Marcus and the colossal eye.

    And then, he poured every last ounce of his mana into the spell circle above him.

    "Witness, my final offering!"

    Athena reacted as fast she could, quickly ripping off his head and crushing it, before twisting space itself to fold his body into a cube.

    But it was already too late.

    The colossal eye in the sky trembled.

    And its attention shifted entirely.

    ****

    Above the battlefield.

    Marcus had been watching.

    The Devourer, the great abyssal being beyond comprehension, had ceased attacking him.

    Instead¡ª

    It was now focused on reality itself.

    The rift in space widened, the edges of existence eroding like burning parchment.

    It was trying to enter.

    "Not happening."

    Marcus¡¯s golden eyes gleamed with power.

    His lightning wings crackled, the storm above raging with divine fury.

    And then¡ª

    He moved.

    A single step.

    And in an instant¡ª

    He was above the eye.

    Directly above the entity that should not exist. The Devourer¡¯s titanic gaze snapped toward him, its monstrous presence pressing down like an endless abyss.

    It was as if the universe itself rejected his existence.

    Marcus? He merely grinned.

    "You don¡¯t belong here."

    He raised his hand, and the storm above roared in response.

    CRACK-KOOOOM!

    A pillar of pure lightning descended¡ª

    But¡ª

    The Devourer retaliated.

    A maelstrom of black void energy erupted, clashing against Marcus¡¯s attack.

    The impact tore apart the sky, sending shockwaves across the entire city.

    But Marcus pushed forward.

    Electricity coiled around his body like a god¡¯s divine mantle. He reached forward¡ªhis fingers stretching into the abyssal energy itself.

    And then...

    He grabbed it.

    The void that should have erased him?

    He held it in his grasp.

    And crushed it.

    The sky screamed.

    The Devourer¡¯s eye widened.

    And in that moment¡ª

    Marcus lunged forward.

 Chapter 8: The End

    The sky trembled with Marcus¡¯s relentless barrage of lightning.

    Each bolt roared down like divine punishment, vaporizing the eldritch tentacles before they could reach him.

    The Devourer¡¯s colossal eye twitched, its massive form shuddering as if it had finally realized...

    Marcus was an anomaly.

    A being that did not conform to the natural order. And that terrified it.

    It was hesitating.

    It was¡­ afraid.

    And yet, even as Marcus¡¯s assault tore through its appendages, the rift in space remained open.

    It was still trying to force itself into this world.

    Just then, a flash of silver light cut through the storm as Athena appeared beside Marcus, her golden eyes sharp and unwavering.

    "I¡¯ll handle the portal." Her voice was calm, but resolute.

    Marcus nodded. "Make sure to close it, or at the very least, prevent it from expanding."

    Athena nodded before she raised both of her hands. Immediately, the space itself began to collapse.

    A massive spatial seal formed, an intricate lattice of runes and glyphs, attempting to crush the portal shut.

    But the Devourer resisted.

    It twisted and writhed, its endless tentacles trying to force the space open.

    Then, much to Athena''s surprise, it ''bled''.

    Thick, black ichor dripped from the colossal eye.

    And the moment it touched the ground¡ª

    It shifted.

    It morphed.

    It became something else.

    A monstrous, abominable entity.

    Dozens of monstrous creature of horror, towering over the city, its entire body a mass of writhing tentacles, countless unblinking eyes, and gnashing, fanged maws.

    They shrieked.

    A sound that made reality itself warp and wail in agony.

    And then...

    They rampaged.

    Buildings crumbled, streets were torn apart, and even the barriers set by the professors began to crack.

    Thankfully, the civilians were already evacuated long ago when the invasion just began.

    Marcus clicked his tongue.

    "Tch."

    He understood.

    The Devourer wasn¡¯t fighting him anymore. It was trying to distract him. To force him to deal with these monsters while it focused on fully entering this world.

    Marcus gritted his teeth.

    "Not happening."

    He raised his hands...

    And the storm howled in fury. Thunder coalesced around him, forming into divine spears of lightning.

    He prepared to annihilate the eldritch giants.

    But then...

    A golden radiance shone from above.

    And in the next instant, one of the abominations was erased.

    As the light faded, a figure descended.

    A woman...

    She has a long, wavy fiery orange hair and piercing blue eyes.

    Her very presence exuded divinity, a warmth that seemed to repel the unnatural taint of the Devourer.

    Marcus immediately recognized her.

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    "Jeannette le Divinia¡­"

    The Saintess of the Holy Church.

    One of the heroines of the novel and is part of the protagonist harem.

    She hovered above the battlefield, her golden staff glowing, her expression serene yet unwavering.

    Her eyes met Marcus¡¯s, and she let out a small, polite smile.

    "The irregular, huh?" She muttered, having been taught in the church just how much of an anomalous existence the man before her is.

    Before Marcus could respond, a violent gale surged through the battlefield.

    A storm of fire and wind intertwined, creating a massive scorching tornado that incinerated another eldritch giant.

    From the smoke and embers, another figure emerged.

    A beautiful, mature woman, with long blue hair and piercing green eyes, wearing a purple robe while holding six foot wooden staff.

    She stepped forward, her mere presence commanding respect.

    Irene del Exterion.

    The strongest professor of Akashic Magic Academy. Although she wasn''t a heroine, her little sister is. She also became the protagonist''s master, allowing him to create variation of the most basic magic, allowing him to make for his lack of magical talent.

    Her emerald eyes flickered as she assessed the battlefield.

    "A troublesome situation," she murmured, adjusting the sorcerous gauntlets on her hands.

    Her gaze landed on Marcus. "It¡¯s been a while, Miracle Child. I see you''ve finally stepped out of your room."

    Marcus exhaled. First the Saintess, now her.

    But there was no time for pleasantries.

    The Devourer¡¯s colossal eye was still trying to break into this world. The monstrous horrors were still rampaging.

    This battle was far from over.

    Marcus turned back to the gaping rift in the sky. His golden eyes burned as lightning coiled all over his body.

    "Let¡¯s end this."

    ****

    "Do you think we should make a move?" Asked Sylvia, as she observed the battle.

    "Marcus alone can handle it, but putting Irene and the Saintess pretty much guaranteed the victory. There is no need to do something unnecessary."

    "I agree. That eye is barely even a threat compared to what lays beyond. Our world needs to get used to fighting against monstrous creatures."

    "Still, I''m surprised the demons actually managed to came into contact with those creatures and even developed a spell to summon them."

    Sylvia nodded, also not expecting this development.

    "Well, let''s just continue to observe."

    ****

    The battlefield burned, crackled, and raged.

    A holy radiance blazed across the sky, incinerating eldritch horrors where they stood.

    A tempest of fire and wind roared through the battlefield, tearing through the monstrous abominations.

    Jeannette, the Saintess of the Holy Church, wielded divine magic with absolute precision.

    Golden spears of light rained from the heavens, piercing through the writhing masses of eyes and maws, each spear bursting into purifying flames.

    Irene, the strongest professor of Akashic Academy, moved like a goddess of destruction, her blades of fire and wind carving through creatures that should not exist.

    The moment one of them regenerated, a second spell followed, disintegrating it before it could reform.

    The two legendary women danced through the battlefield, reducing the unspeakable horrors to ash and nothingness.

    Yet, despite their overwhelming strength, it was not enough to end the nightmare.

    Because above them, the Eye still remained.

    Athena floated in the sky, her body glowing with an aura of pure space magic.

    Her hands moved in precise, controlled motions, as if weaving the very fabric of reality.

    The rift in the sky trembled, resisting her. Trying to stay open.

    Sweat beaded on Athena¡¯s brow.

    "This thing¡­" she muttered.

    Her eyes narrowed in defiance. She would not let it descend into this world.

    At this moment, high above them all, Marcus stood alone before the colossal, unblinking eye.

    It stared at him.

    He stared back.

    He could feel it. A vast, alien intelligence. A hunger that had no beginning and no end.

    In the original story, this thing was supposed to be unbeatable.

    In the later volumes of the novel, it had taken Leon, Athena, Jeannette, Irene, the professors, and an entire army of heroes to push it back.

    And even then, it had barely been repelled.

    But now¡­

    Marcus clenched his fist.

    His mana flared. His body crackled with untamed power.

    "If this was a battle that was supposed to take an entire army¡ª" His golden eyes burned like molten lightning. "Then I¡¯ll fight it alone."

    Marcus took a deep breath, and called forth the mana of the world.

    The air stilled.

    The storm halted.

    For a single instant, the world held its breath.

    Mana surged like a tidal wave, rushing towards Marcus, pulled by his sheer will.

    The sky darkened, swirling with violent purple clouds. The earth shook beneath the weight of his power.

    The professors, the students, even the strongest figures on the battlefield¡ª

    All of them felt it.

    A force that defied reason.

    A magic beyond human limitations.

    The highest grade of magic a mage could wield.

    Ultimate Grade Magic.

    Marcus raised his hand, and whispered its name.

    "Ultimate Magic: Zorrhya El-Reika!"

    And then¡ª

    The sky erupted.

    A storm of purple lightning descended.

    No, not just lightning, but personification of pure annihilation.

    Each bolt was not simply destructive¡ª

    It erased.

    Reality itself fractured under the sheer force of the storm, each strike ripping away the existence of anything it touched.

    The colossal Eye trembled.

    The Devourer of Worlds, an entity that should not have been harmed by mortal magic, was being forced back.

    The storm roared, a symphony of divine eradication.

    The eldritch rift flickered, struggling to stay open. But Athena seized the moment.

    She gritted her teeth, pouring every ounce of her strength into her magic.

    Her hands moved in rapid succession, engraving countless runes into the very fabric of space.

    The rift screamed, like it was about to burst, and suddenly, it collapsed.

    The colossal eye, still writhing in pain, was dragged back into the abyss.

    The void snapped shut.

    "Finally..." Marcus took a deep breath, "It''s not as easy as I thought, but it''s still manageable."

    The battle¡­

    Was over.

    The once chaotic battlefield was eerily still. The storm above had vanished. The black blood that had turned into eldritch horrors had ceased to exist.

    The presence of the Devourer was gone.

    And all that remained¡ª

    Was the miracle.

    The proof that a single man had rewritten defied fate.

    The students and professors, still recovering from the sheer weight of the battle, could do nothing but stare at Marcus.

    Even Jeannette and Irene, despite their experience, could not hide their astonishment.

    Marcus exhaled, lowering his hand.

    He had done it.

    He had erased something that should have been impossible to erase.

    He turned to Athena, who was wobbling in the air, looking exhausted.

    "You okay?"

    "...fine." Athena took a deep breath to stabilize herself.

    Marcus nodded, before turning his gaze back to the sky where the eye once tried to enter.

    The story have completely change, and a big boss that was supposed to appear on the later parts of the novel appeared this early.

    ''Sigh, this is going to be troublesome.''

 Chapter 9: Aftermath

    The four headmasters stood quietly as they observed the aftermath of the demon invasion.

    Despite the battle ending in victory, the city was smoldered, remnants of destruction scattered across the once-pristine academy grounds.

    Knights and mages were already dealing with the aftermath, tending to the wounded, reinforcing defenses, and gathering intelligence on the now-defeated demons who invaded.

    Sylvia von Auschworth leaned lazily against the ornate stone railing, her scarlet hair swaying in the night breeze.

    "I guess it was too easy with Marcus around," she sighed.

    "That''s to be expected," one of the hooded figures nodded.

    "Indeed. We planned countermeasures, established security, prepared the best mages to respond in time¡­"

    "And yet, none of it mattered," the third hooded figure finished. "Because he exists."

    Sylvia smirked.

    Marcus Rey Dimitri.

    A year ago, he was already an anomaly¡ªa genius beyond geniuses. But now? Now he was far more than that.

    Seriously, when he suffered a loss and holed himself in his room, she had already considered that he would suffer a depression.

    After all, to a superior man who has never tasted a failure, being defeated by someone he consider as inferior...it would surely affect them.

    Especially someone as arrogant and prideful as Marcus.

    "He has become far more powerful than we anticipated," the first hooded figure admitted. "Give him a year, maybe two, and he¡¯ll already surpass us."

    "Except Sylvia, of course," the second figure chuckled.

    Sylvia¡¯s smirk deepened.

    "Obviously," she said, crossing her arms. "Unlike the rest of you, I refuse to be outdone by a brat."

    Even amongst the Four Headmasters of the Great Academies, Sylvia von Auschworth was legendary.

    Not only in Olympia Kingdom, but across the entire Algaea Continent.

    Her name carried weight on every battlefield, in every research institution, in every war council.

    Her magical theories had advanced humanity¡¯s understanding of magic by decades, redefining combat spells, enchantments, and magical applications.

    And in direct combat?

    There were few alive who could claim to stand on equal footing with her. She was hailed as the strongest mage in the Olympia Kingdom, and one of the Top Ten strongest mages across thr continent.

    Not even Marcus, as he is now, can defeat her¡ªnot yet, at least.

    But even as she reveled in her superiority, she knew...

    That boy, Marcus. He was dangerous.

    A monster born of this world¡¯s will.

    And soon, not even she could predict what he would become.

    Suddenly, one of the three hooded figures finally moved.

    His wrinkled hand reached up, pulling back the dark hood, revealing the weathered face of an old man. His long silver hair cascaded down his back, his flowing beard reaching down to his chest. His eyes, aged yet sharp as an eagle¡¯s, gleamed under the moonlight.

    Welsh Gran Dulf.

    The Grandmaster of Zenith Arcane Institute.

    A man who had lived through several great wars, and who had stood at the peak of magecraft and spell theory for over a century.

    He was once hailed as Magus of Stars, due to his mastery over Stellar Magic.

    "Haah¡­" the old man, Welsh, sighed deeply. "So our theories were correct after all."

    The other two hooded figures nodded.

    "The demons have infiltrated our academies."

    "It was always a possibility," Welsh muttered, stroking his long beard. "For decades, the demon race has remained quiet. Too quiet. But now¡­"

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    "They were waiting," Sylvia said, "until they had enough insiders to strike from within."

    "And this invasion was just the beginning," one of the hooded figures added.

    Welsh¡¯s eyes darkened.

    "We have no choice, then. We must hunt down every last demon hiding among our students. Let us start with my academy. With Gerald''s exposure and death, remaining demon spies would certainly get reckless and would expose themselves far easier."

    A deep silence fell over them.

    Then, Sylvia smirked.

    "In that case, I suppose it¡¯s time for the Annual Student Exchange Learning Program."

    Every year, the four great academies of the Algaea Continent conducted a Student Exchange Program, where their best students were sent to train and study in each other¡¯s institutions.

    On the surface¡ª

    It was meant to foster unity between rival kingdoms, share magical knowledge, and build diplomatic relationships between future leaders.

    But now?

    It would serve another purpose.

    A trap.

    A grand stage where hidden demons would be lured out.

    "Let''s call this, Operation Night Parade." Sylvia puffed her chest in pride.

    ****

    The scent of ash and blood still lingered in the air.

    Though the battle had ended in victory, the academy grounds bore deep scars from the invasion.

    Collapsed buildings. Charred earth. The lingering energy of countless spells still crackling in the air.

    Even with the threat gone, the city was far from peaceful.

    Knights and mages moved swiftly, combing through the ruins.

    Some worked to rescue the wounded, others sought out stragglers from the demon forces¡ªthough none were expected to have survived.

    At the center of it all, Jeannette le Divinia, the Saintess of the Holy Church, stood amidst the fallen, her hands glowing with a golden radiance.

    Her voice, gentle yet firm, carried a warmth that soothed even the gravely wounded.

    "Rest now," she whispered, pressing a hand to a knight¡¯s mangled chest. "You have done enough."

    The man''s body convulsed slightly before a wave of divine light washed over him.

    His wounds sealed, his breathing steadied, and his expression softened from one of agony to peace.

    She exhaled softly, wiping a thin layer of sweat from her brow.

    Healing magic wasn¡¯t simply about mending flesh¡ªit required a deep connection to the soul and immense stamina.

    And yet, she never stopped.

    There were too many who needed her.

    Behind her, a line of injured knights, students, and professors awaited treatment.

    Some lay on makeshift stretchers, barely clinging to life. Others, who had sustained minor injuries, were tending to one another, offering potions and bandages where they could.

    Despite their exhaustion, they moved with purpose¡ªas survivors of battle always did.

    They had won.

    That alone was enough motivation to keep moving.

    A short distance away, three figures stood amidst the battlefield, their eyes scanning the ruins.

    Marcus Rey Dimitri.

    Athena Syr Olynpia.

    Irene del Exterion.

    The strongest of the academy¡¯s combatants¡ªall gathered in one place.

    Irene¡¯s gaze flickered between the two younger mages, assessing them.

    She had seen Marcus¡¯s power firsthand.

    His lightning was no longer just powerful¡ªit had reached a level that warped the very laws of nature.

    And Athena¡ªher space magic had grown so refined that she had almost closed a gate between realms single-handedly.

    For students¡ªno, for any mage¡ªthis was unprecedented.

    "You two," Irene spoke, folding her arms. "Explain everything. From the beginning."

    Athena, still catching her breath, nodded.

    She detested weakness, so showing exhaustion in front of Irene was almost humiliating¡ªbut this battle had pushed her to her absolute limit.

    "Gerald wasn''t much," she stated. "He was weak and pathetic, I was able to easily beat him without using some of my stronger spells."

    "That much was obvious," Irene replied flatly.

    Athena frowned but continued. "But that creature he summoned is ...something else. It was way too powerful. I still find it hard to believe that a single eye possessed that much power. I can only imagine how powerful it would be if its true body managed to descend."

    Irene knew that. If she and the saintess did not deal with those creatures it summoned, then Marcus would surely not be able to focus dealing with it.

    If that happened, the eye would''ve been able to manifest more of its body parts and be able to use more of its power.

    Marcus, who had been silent until now, finally spoke.

    "Are we done here?" Marcus put a hand on Athena''s head, "She needs a rest. Can''t we postpone this question until she''s on her best condition?"

    Irene¡¯s gaze sharpened at his disrespectful tone, but soon let out a tired sigh as she massaged her forehead.

    "Very well, you may now go. But I expect your presence as soon as you are fully healed. I am sure the headmaster would love to have a word with you as well."

    Marcus nodded, "I understand."

    He turned towards Athena and motioned at her to follow him.

    Athena wanted to say that she''s fine, and that she doesn''t need rest and can continue with the questioning, but decided that arguing with an unreasonable guy like Marcus isn''t worth it.

    So she simply followed him.

    Irene observed their interaction, and noted that they are far more close than rumors told otherwise.

    She shook her head, it''s none of her business after all. For now, dealing with the aftermath is far more important.

    Back to the two.

    As Athena walked slightly behind Marcus, her body suddenly swayed from exhaustion.

    She grumbled under her breath.

    She hated showing weakness, but her legs felt like lead, and her magic reserves were nearly empty. The battle had really pushed her far beyond her limits.

    Marcus glanced at her from the corner of his eye, then sighed.

    Without a word, he scooped her up into his arms.

    Athena blinked, looking confused, and startled, yet her face still look as stern and serious as ever.

    "I can walk just fine." she said flatly.

    "Shut up and sleep," Marcus said bluntly, adjusting his hold so she wouldn¡¯t struggle. "You''re exhausted."

    Athena opened her mouth to argue but quickly shut it. Yeah, it''s not worth it to waste her breath arguing with this guy.

    She let out a frustrated sigh but didn¡¯t resist.

    "¡­Just this once," she muttered, resting her forehead against his chest.

    Marcus smirked slightly. "Yeah, yeah."

    The walk back to his dorm was quiet. The occasional patrol of knights and mages passed by, nodding in acknowledgment but not stopping them.

    The dormitory buildings had suffered minor damage but were still standing¡ªone of the few places untouched by the brunt of the invasion.

    Pushing open the door to his room, Marcus stepped inside and gently laid Athena down his bed.

    She groaned slightly but made no move to get up. Her breathing had already started to steady, exhaustion overtaking her pride.

    Marcus pulled a blanket over her before sitting on the chair opposite her.

    He leaned back, staring at the ceiling.

    ''Now with this over with, the Demonic Night Parade Arc is about to begin.''