Lucius stood at the edge of the arena, his heart racing as he watched the students battle fiercely before him. Each clash was a display of raw power and skill—students wielding advanced magic, others controlling high-tech weaponry with precision. The battlefield was a symphony of chaos, and Lucius could feel his anxiety building with every passing moment.
Yup, as I thought. They're strong, stronger than I expected. Faster too.
He swallowed hard, his eyes darting to the shimmering magical barriers that encased the arena. His fight was coming up soon, and the thought alone made his stomach twist into knots. His palms were sweaty, and his heart pounded in his chest.
I'm not ready for this, at all. How can I fight when I batknow how to use magic?
The internal conflict was overwhelming. Lucius felt entirely out of place. He was no longer just reading the novel from the comfort of his bed—he was living it. And the stakes were far higher than he had ever imagined. Here, he wasn't just turning a page to see what happened next. He was the one fighting for survival.
In the novel, i could just go to the next page. But now? His gaze lingering on the small after shocks of the fight in front of him. One wrong move, and I'm the one who gets hurt. Or worse.
….
The sound of the Aetheris devices beeping echoed through the air as the next matchups were revealed. Lucius's chest tightened as his name flashed on the screen, followed by the name of his opponent: Soren Caldrex.
Of course. Just my luck.
Soren Caldrex—a minor villain from the novel, a 3rd-rate character with a taste for cruelty. In the original story, Soren was supposed to fight one of the main heroines, only to lose miserably. But that loss had driven him to a dark path, seeking revenge by scheming to make the heroine his puppet. Now, Lucius was the one standing in her place.
I guess im saving her trouble… but still. A subtle frown found its way onto Lucius's face, why the hell am I getting dragged into the plot?
Across the arena, Soren stepped forward, his calm, confident demeanor unnerving Lucius. He was known for his quick reflexes and his dangerous mix of magic and technological prowess. Even worse, Soren was a schemer—a manipulative villain who would stop at nothing to win.
From what I can remember he's skilled. And he has the mindset of a typical bad guy. Lucius let out a defeated chuckle, Yeah, no way am I winning.
....
Before the battle began, Lucius and Soren were allowed to choose their weapons. Soren, without hesitation, summoned his weapon through a Wrap Ring—a magical ring that stored items within its green marble. His weapon of choice was a long sword crackling with magical energy, causing a few impressed murmurs from the crowd.
This guy's prepared. No, of course he is.
Lucius, on the other hand, made his way over to the weapons box, his mind spinning as the crowd watched him closely. He ignored the swords, shields, and spears lined up before him, instead reaching for a small dagger and a handgun.
As soon as he made his selection, whispers spread through the students like wildfire.
"A gun? Is he serious?"
"That's a coward's weapon! He's just going to shoot from a distance!"
"Cowardly and desperate. Typical."
Lucius ignored the comments. He could feel their judgmental stares on his back, but he didn't care. He wasn't here to impress anyone—he was here to survive. As he glanced toward the professors, he noticed a few raised eyebrows, but Ash, Seraphina, and Grandmaster Veridan remained stoic, their eyes locked on him with silent curiosity.
The tension in the arena thickened as Lucius and Soren took their positions. Soren's smirk widened when he saw Lucius's weapon choices, his voice dripping with condescension. "A gun and a dagger? I thought you were a noble. This is how you choose to fight?"
Lucius remained calm, his face blank as he gripped the handgun in his hand. "Are you going to attack, or are you just going to keep talking?"
Soren hesitated for a split second, his eyes narrowing. "If I rush in, you'll just—"
Lucius raised his handgun and fired a shot past Soren's head, the sound cracking through the air like thunder. Soren flinched, his confidence briefly shaken as the bullet whizzed by. Lucius's voice was cold, devoid of emotion. "Stop babbling and fight."
Soren's face contorted with anger, his pride wounded by Lucius's boldness.
The bell rang, and the fight began. Soren wasted no time, lunging forward with incredible speed, his sword swinging in a deadly arc. Lucius narrowly dodged the attack, firing several shots in rapid succession to keep Soren at bay. Each time Soren tried to close the distance, Lucius would retreat, using the handgun to maintain a safe distance.
Soren's attacks were relentless, his blade cutting through the air with precision. But Lucius had read about Soren's fighting style in the novel, and he knew what to expect. Soren was powerful, but he had blind spots. Lucius focused on exploiting them, dodging attacks and waiting for the right moment to strike.
The crowd watched in awe as the two clashed, Lucius using his dagger in short bursts when Soren got too close. He kept his face neutral throughout the fight, a tactic that only seemed to enrage Soren further.
"Is that all you've got?!" Soren shouted, his frustration bubbling to the surface. But Lucius remained silent, his calm demeanor infuriating his opponent.
Soren, now visibly angered, decided to up the ante. His body began to glow with a bright blue aura as he infused himself and his weapon with mana augmentation, increasing his speed, strength, and durability.
Lucius's eyes widened as Soren's movements became blindingly fast. He barely had time to react as Soren's blade grazed his skin, leaving thin, bloody scratches on his arms and legs.
Lucius fired three shots in different directions, trying to disorient Soren, but the augmented villain dodged them all with ease. "You're getting desperate!" Soren sneered, rushing in for a final blow.
Lucius, in a split-second decision, raised his handgun and fired a single shot upward toward the sky. Soren hesitated, confused by the strange action. "What are you doing?"
But Soren didn't stop. He swung his sword down with full force, aiming for Lucius's head. At the last second, Lucius fell back, dodging the attack by collapsing onto the arena floor.
Soren, preparing for a follow-up strike, suddenly froze as a sharp pain shot through his scalp. Blood began to trickle down his face, and the crowd gasped in shock.
Soren stumbled back, using his sword for support, his eyes wide in disbelief. "What…?"
Lucius slowly stood up, his neutral expression still firmly in place. Without hesitation, he raised his handgun and fired several rounds into Soren's body. The bullets tore through Soren's mana-enhanced defenses, one after the other, until Soren collapsed to his knees, blood dripping from his wounds.
The villain glared up at Lucius, his voice filled with bitterness. "Coward… You're nothing but a coward…"
Lucius scoffed, walking over to Soren and placing his foot on the back of his head, forcing him down onto the arena floor. "Strategic planning, not cowardice. You had too many blind spots."
Soren groaned, struggling against Lucius's foot. "How… did you hit me?"
Lucius sighed, irritated. "Use your head. The shot I fired earlier? It ricocheted off the barrier surrounding the arena."
Soren's eyes widened. "But…I had Mana augmenting my body…it should've bounced off like your previous shots."
Lucius narrowed his eyes, frustration visible in his gaze. "I told you to use your head." Lucius applied more pressure down onto Soren's head, blood seeping out from the bullet wound on his scalp.
A sharp yelp escaped Soren's lips as he tried to grit his teeth. Soren tried to use mana to enhance his body, but within that split second, a gun shot rang out throughout the expanse of the arena.
"Your doing something utterly ridiculous Soren Caldrex. If you move again, or even try to augment yourself with mana…I'll shoot you. I'll shoot you in your goddamn head if I have too." Lucius's voice was monotonous, all except his gaze.
His face was unmistakably neutral. But his gaze, his eyes. Lifeless. Devised of any sign of hesitation. Soren remained still, afraid of what may come, but his eyes darting over to Grandmaster Veridane, as if to convey his silent plea for help.
As if on cue though, the bell rang out, indicating that the match was over. Grandmaster Veridane's voice echoed aloud. "Enough, the winner is Lucius Foster."
....
As Lucius exited off the arena, he earned himself some sideways glances from his peers and fellow first years. Some even murmuring in hushed tones.
"That was…brutal"
"Yeah no shit…."
"Can't believe he threatened to shoot him..crazy"
Lucius continued on, his pace halting at the edge of the near by wall of the stadium walls of the arena. Leaning his back against the wall, Lucius gaze remained fixed on the upcoming match, outwardly he seemed unfazed.
But inwardly, he was in an uproar. Holy shit, I thought I was gonna die during that match. The bastard started using mana to augment his body. Ah, I should've seen it coming…
Lucius thoughts began to calm down, his eyes narrowing to the cement floor beneath him. Was what I said, enough? Or was it too much? I was only trying to make sure he didn't look down on me….but still.
Lucius-no, rather Marcus, was torn between his actions. If he didn't act that way, others might have began to see him as easy pickings. But since he did act in the original Lucius's personality, he felt a sense of guilt.
He wasn't like Lucius- or rather the old Lucius everyone sees-or heard him as. Rather, Marcus was a kind, awkward, ordinary fellow, who tried his best to avoid confrontation.
But today, maybe even further down the line. He'd have to abandon that way of thinking. He'd have to fully commit to being Lucius Foster, just like he did now.
Staring down at the palm of his hand, he clenched and opens his hand, noticing the blood from the match he just had against Soren.
A ting of nausea pulled at his stomach, quickly wiping the blood off of his palm, Lucius took short deep breaths. His gaze raising a bit, returning to look at the next match that was about to start.