Marcus awoke with a jolt, the words from the Aetheris watch still swirling in his mind. "The World Is Watching You." The message had disappeared, but its weight remained, gnawing at him with a sense of unease. Why was the system showing him such cryptic messages? And what exactly did it mean by "the world"? He pushed the thought aside for now, but he knew it was something he couldn't ignore forever.
Sitting at the edge of his bed, he ran a hand through his hair and sighed. The Valtherion Academy was looming on the horizon, and he needed to focus on that. There was no room for distraction, especially not now.
As he dressed, his mind wandered back to the academy itself. Valtherion Academy wasn't just a school—it was a power center, a place where noble families sent their children to make connections, form alliances, and sharpen their skills in both magic and technology. It was a dangerous place, and failure there could mean more than just academic disgrace. It could ruin his—or rather, Lucius's—reputation entirely.
He glanced down at his watch once more. The system had been unpredictable and erratic, but it had been useful in his training. That, at least, was something to be thankful for.
But as Marcus mulled over his situation, his thoughts turned to the main cast of characters in Decade Long Crusade. He knew them all too well—the hero, the love interests, and the antagonists. Getting involved with any of them was a surefire way to be dragged into the chaos of the main storyline, and Marcus wanted none of that.
Avoid the hero at all costs, Marcus reminded himself. And definitely avoid the love interests. The thought of being entangled in their drama sent a shiver down his spine. But then he paused. What about the hero's rival? In the story, the rival had been strong—someone who, if approached carefully, could be an ally. Marcus considered the possibility, wondering if forging a connection with the rival might give him an edge.
But even as he thought about it, he knew he had to be cautious. Elara and Caspian weren't part of the main cast—they were, like Lucius, unnamed extras. They didn't have major roles in the novel's events, which made them less of a threat in terms of derailing the story. But still, interacting with them could have consequences.
As he made his way to the training hall, the Aetheris watch flickered once again. This time, it showed something different: stat points. Marcus's brow furrowed in confusion as he examined the new screen. The system had allocated him 5 daily stat points, allowing him to distribute them across different attributes.
Why now? Marcus thought, questioning why the system had suddenly granted him this function. But he wasn't about to complain. If the system was offering him a way to improve, he'd take it.
Tentatively, he assigned one of the points to strength, and immediately, he felt his muscles tighten and condense. It wasn't a massive change, but it was noticeable. His body felt a little sturdier, a little more capable. Encouraged, he assigned another point to vitality, and a rush of energy surged through him, leaving him feeling healthier and more alert.
But the most intriguing part was that he could allocate stat points to his skills. When he assigned a point to Dagger Combat, he immediately noticed a difference in his proficiency. His movements during training became smoother, more refined. It was as if the system had given him an instant boost in his abilities.
This could be incredibly useful, Marcus thought with a small smile. The system might be unpredictable, but these stat points were a gift.
After his training session, Marcus shifted his focus to gathering information about the upcoming academy exams and the social structure within Valtherion Academy. He knew that raw power alone wouldn't be enough—he needed to navigate the complex political game that the academy represented.
As he gathered information, Marcus made a key realization: he didn't need to focus on the system's main quests right now. The system had been nudging him toward unraveling its mysteries, but Marcus decided that could wait. For now, his priority was surviving the academy and preparing for the exams. The quests could be put aside—he had more immediate concerns.
....
Later that day, Marcus approached Elara with caution. He knew that forming an alliance with her would be beneficial, but she was still guarded, and he couldn't risk revealing too much. As they met, Marcus decided to adopt the personality of the original Lucius—stoic, aloof, and a little arrogant. He remembered how Lucius interacted with others, how he carried himself with an air of superiority, and he adjusted his behavior accordingly.
"The exams are coming up," Marcus said, his voice cool and controlled. "I assume you've already prepared?"
Elara glanced at him, her teal-green eyes assessing him carefully. "I've been preparing for years, Lucius. But the academy isn't just about skill."
Her tone was calm, but there was a hint of something more beneath her words—something that Marcus couldn't quite place.
"And what else is it about, then?" Marcus asked, playing along with the original Lucius's egotistical demeanor.
Elara's lips curled into a faint smile. "There are forces at play that go far beyond the exams. Be careful who you trust—and be even more careful with what you reveal."
Marcus made a mental note of her words. She was hinting at something much larger going on within the academy's walls, and he would have to tread carefully.
.
.
.
.
Meanwhile, Caspian Greystone was growing more and more resentful. Watching Lucius train, Caspian's anger only deepened. In his mind, Lucius was still the same weak, insignificant noble who didn't deserve to stand among the other students. But something had changed about him, and that infuriated Caspian even more.
"He thinks he can suddenly grow and rise sbove me," Caspian muttered to himself, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. "I'll make sure he regrets it."
Later, Caspian met with his closest ally, Gareth, and together they began plotting ways to sabotage Marcus during the exams. Caspian was determined not only to humiliate him but to ensure that Lucius never rose above his station.
....
As the evening approached, Marcus found himself once again reviewing his progress and reflecting on the day's events. He had made some strides in his training, but he still felt far behind compared to the other nobles at the academy. His body was improving slowly, and the stat points had given him a small edge, but it wasn't enough—not yet.
The Aetheris watch flickered again, and this time, the leveling screen from earlier reappeared. His stats had improved marginally, but there was something else—a Locked Ability that caught his eye: Mana Augmentation. It was currently inaccessible, locked behind a stat threshold he hadn't reached yet, but it was there—a tantalizing possibility for future growth.
As Marcus studied the screen, another cryptic message appeared: "The World Is Watching You."
Marcus froze. It was the same message from before. Why had it repeated? Was the system trying to tell him something? Was it a warning? Or was there something else at play—something larger that he hadn't yet grasped?
Why does it keep showing me this? Marcus wondered, his heart racing. What does it mean?
....
The day of the academy exams arrived. Marcus stood outside the imposing gates of Valtherion Academy, a mixture of nerves and determination swirling inside him. Around him, nobles from all walks of life were preparing for the trials ahead.
He steeled himself, ready to face whatever lay inside. But just as he was about to step through the gates, the Aetheris watch flickered once more, displaying a new message:
"The World Snickers At You."
But Marcus didn't notice. His mind was too focused on the challenge ahead.