The scene unfolded within the confines of what appeared to be a sealed stone cave, its walls rough and jagged, illuminated by the flickering glow of flames that danced wildly across the space. Marcus's body hurtled through the air, not by his own will, but as a result of a brutal force that sent him crashing into the opposite wall.
The impact was bone-jarring, his back slamming against the unyielding stone with a sickening thud. The sword he had been clutching was ripped from his grasp, skidding across the ground and coming to rest several feet away. Pain shot through his body as he crumpled to the floor, his vision blurring for a moment before he forced himself to focus. With a grimace, he spat out a mouthful of blood, the metallic taste lingering on his tongue as he struggled to push himself up, his arms trembling under the strain.
Around him, the cave was a scene of devastation. The bodies of his fellow students lay scattered across the ground, some unconscious, others unmoving—perhaps worse. The air was thick with the acrid smell of smoke and burning, the flames that licked at the walls and floor casting an oppressive heat that made it hard to breathe.
Sweat dripped down Marcus's face, mingling with the blood that trickled from a cut on his forehead. His eyes darted upward, and there it was—the source of their torment. A monstrous figure loomed in the dim light, its form a grotesque fusion of serpent and human. Its lower body coiled like a snake, scales glinting in the firelight, while its upper torso was disturbingly humanoid, muscular and menacing. It was the C rank monster [Flame Serpent]
But this was no ordinary C-rank [Flame Serpent], if it was, even with some casualties, with how huge their group was, it wouldn't be difficult for them to defeat it. But this particular Flame Serpent was different. It was an awakened monster, its intelligence far beyond that of its kind, and its strength teetering on the edge of B-rank. Its eyes glowed with a malevolent light, fixed on Marcus as if savoring his struggle.
"Am I really going to die here?" The thought flashed through Marcus's mind, unbidden but persistent. Just a month ago, he had been Park Jin-woo, an ordinary man living an unremarkable life in Seoul. His death had been as mundane as his existence—until he was reborn in this world as Marcus Turner. Here, he was no longer ordinary. Some would say that he was at least a level above ordinary. Literally! His Top Level talent was actually one level above ordinary talent.
He possessed a top-level sword intent talent, a gift that set him leagues above the average. His potential had earned him an invitation to the kingdom's most prestigious magic academy, a place where the elite honed their skills. But none of that mattered now. The monster before him didn't care about his talent or his potential. In the face of its overwhelming power, he was just another student, another victim. The disparity between them was stark, and Marcus felt the weight of it pressing down on him.
His gaze fell to the bracelet on his wrist, a device provided by the academy for emergencies. He didn't bother pressing it; he already knew it was useless. Others had tried, and their attempts had ended in failure, their bodies now lying broken around him. Despair threatened to take hold, but then a voice cut through the chaos. "Marcus! Marcus! Gosh will you snap out of it already! Do you want all of us to die here?" It was Lysander, his tone urgent but laced with a calculated concern.
Marcus turned his head, spotting Lysander standing a short distance away, staff in hand, poised as if ready to cast a spell. Actually, he had already begun casting the spell but had to stop when Marcus was flung away as there was now an opening for the monster to attack him through.
Three others stood protectively around him, their expressions tense. Lysander's eyes flicked toward Marcus, his concern seeming genuine, but Marcus couldn't see the thoughts racing behind them. "Dammit! If you don't become my meat shield so I can cast my ultimate spell, how are we supposed to survive?" Lysander's mind was a whirlwind of strategy and self-preservation, but Marcus remained oblivious to his true intentions.
Gritting his teeth, Marcus pushed himself to his feet, using the wall for support as he staggered toward his sword. Each step was agony, his body protesting every movement, but he refused to give up. When he finally reached the blade, he gripped it with such force that his knuckles turned white, the edges of the hilt digging into his palm.
With a sudden, decisive motion, he swung the sword toward his wrist, severing the academy-issued bracelet. It clattered to the ground, a symbol of reliance he no longer wanted. "I don't want to rely on anyone anymore! I want to have my own power! I want to decide my own fate from now on!" His voice rang out, fierce and resolute, echoing through the cave.
As if in response to his declaration, the wall behind him crumbled, revealing a sight that made his breath catch. A mana crystal, radiant and pulsing with energy, emerged from the debris, its brilliance casting an ethereal glow over the scene. In that moment, Marcus—no, Park Jin-woo, the most ordinary man from Seoul—felt something shift within him. This was the turning point, the moment he began to shed his past and embrace the destiny of Marcus Turner, the hero.
A/N - end of flashback
Now, as Marcus stood watching Lysander and his group being pursued by the [Flame Serpent], the memories of that day flooded back. He wasn't surprised to see Lysander here; it was common for students to cross paths in these trials. But the presence of the [Flame Serpent] outside the cave was unexpected. Did they aggro it out of the cave? Or was there something more at play?
Marcus pushed the questions aside, his focus narrowing to the task at hand. A cold determination settled over him as he tightened his grip on his sword. A light blue aura began to emanate from the blade, swirling and coalescing around it like a living force. He turned to Ambrose, who had already positioned the group in a battle formation, ready for whatever came next. Marcus's voice was steady, filled with conviction as he spoke. "I want to fight solo."
…
Ambrose's sharp eyes swept over the newcomers who had stumbled onto their territory, even managing to bring a not so friendly guest with them. His mind worked quickly to assess the situation. The group of four was led by a young man who exuded an air of authority, though his disheveled appearance and the panic in his eyes betrayed the gravity of their predicament.
Behind him trailed three others, Ambrose quickly scanned through them with his [Mind's Eye]—Sarah Winters, Thomas Fletcher, and Edwin Mills. By their names alone, he could tell that they were commoners, and a quick scan with his Mind's Eye confirmed that none of them had awakened their talents. They were out of their depth, and their presence here, especially with the monstrous [Flame Serpent] hot on their heels, was nothing short of a disaster.
Ambrose's gaze lingered on the leader, Lysander Blackvale. Ambrose remembered him from the talent test before. He knew almost everyone with a decent talent, not that there were many of them anyways. His Mind's Eye immediately pulled up the young man's stats, and Ambrose's brows furrowed slightly as he processed the information:
[Name: Lysander Blackvale]
[Level: D]
[Talent: Arcane Dominion (Legendary)]
[Health: 1000/1000]
[Mana: 200/200]
[Strength: 5]
[Stamina: 10]
[Agility: 6]
[Arcane Dominion (Intrinsic) - A rare talent that grants the user extraordinary control over raw magical energy, allowing for efficient manipulation of mana and heightened understanding of magical principles. The user possesses an innate connection to arcane forces that grows stronger with use. (Subskills: [Mana Dominance](S), [Arcane Weaving](A), [Spell Intuition](B), [Magical Resonance](B), [Energy Sense](C), [Arcane Barrier](D))]
Lysander's stats were comparable to Adelaide's, slightly higher than Meihua's. But from his talent and skill, Ambrose could tell that he wasn't an intelligence type. He looked to be more of a support type specialising in magic.
Ambrose's thoughts briefly wandered to whether support types like Lysander also scaled off intelligence stats, much like intelligence types, but he quickly dismissed the question. It wasn't relevant to the immediate crisis. Instead, he focused on the task at hand. Using Thought Transmission, he alerted his team to prepare for battle. "Everyone, battle formation. Now," he commanded, his voice calm but firm. The members of his group moved swiftly, falling into their assigned positions with practiced ease—all except one.
Marcus stood apart, his expression dark and stormy. His jaw was clenched, his fists trembling at his sides, and his eyes burned with a mixture of rage and something deeper—something Ambrose couldn't quite place. It was as if the sight of the [Flame Serpent] had triggered a flood of memories, none of them pleasant. Ambrose's gaze lingered on Marcus for a moment, a flicker of concern crossing his features. If the regressor has some not so good memories with this monster, it could compromise our entire strategy, he thought. Marcus's emotional state was a wildcard, and in a battle like this, even the smallest misstep could be fatal.
Shifting his attention to the monster, Ambrose activated Mind's Eye once more, scanning the [Flame Serpent] for weaknesses:
[Name: Flame Serpent]
[Level: C]
[Type: Mage]
[Weakness: Water, Close combat]
[Description: A serpentine monster wreathed in flames that can cast powerful fire magic. Shows unusual intelligence in combat, preferring to attack from range with concentrated fireballs and area-of-effect spells.]
The creature was a C-rank, the same as Hualing. While Hualing's close-combat prowess might give her an edge, Ambrose knew that taking on the [Flame Serpent] alone would be risky, especially considering it had intelligence while Hualing had yet to awaken mana. The monster's intelligence and ranged capabilities made it a formidable opponent, and its mastery of fire magic meant it had the advantage in the forest they were currently in.
Before Ambrose could formulate a plan, Marcus's voice cut through the tension. "Solo!" he declared, his tone fierce and unyielding. "I want to fight it solo!"
A/N - I'm trying out a different writing style, tell me if you like it or dislike it (or if you don't notice the difference). I wanted to explore Adelaide's character in this volume because she looked like the most interesting character. But I feel like we should first give the OG mc a chance. The next chapter will be about Marcus, and after that will be Victoria, I'll then end the volume with a MASSIVE cliffhanger before activating premium lol. Does anyone have suggestions for the name of this volume?
Also, today will probably be just one chapter just like yesterday since I'm readjusting the pacing and preparing for the next volume.