I got dressed in the academy uniform that was hanging in the wardrobe, a sharp black and silver outfit that looked way more expensive than anything I'd ever worn in my previous life. It fit perfectly, of course, since it was technically my body now.
Before leaving the room, I decided to test one more thing. "System, show me information about Ace Luminhart."
[Target Analysis: Ace Luminhart]
[Age: 17]
[Class: 2-A - Top Student]
[Abilities: Advanced Swordsmanship, Intermediate Fire/Lightning Magic, Hero's Blessing]
[Current Status: Confident, preparing for upcoming practical exam]
[Threat Level: Moderate]
[Note: This individual is the original protagonist of this world's story. His fate is now uncertain due to host presence.]
"Threat Level: Moderate," I read aloud, and laughed. "We'll see about that."
I opened the door and stepped out into the hallway of Aethermoor Academy. Other students were already moving around, heading to breakfast or morning classes, chatting with friends, looking like typical teenagers except for the fact that some of them were casually floating books with magic or had swords strapped to their backs.
A few of them glanced at me as I walked by, and I noticed their expressions change. Where before they might have looked right through Marcus Vale, now they seemed to actually see me. Some looked curious, others looked wary, like they could sense that something was different even if they couldn't put their finger on what.
Good. I wanted them to notice.
I made my way to the dining hall, a massive room with long tables and a ceiling that showed the sky outside through some kind of magical projection. Students were scattered around eating breakfast, and I could see the familiar faces from the novel. There was Elena Brightwater, the ice magic prodigy who would later become one of Ace's closest allies. There was Thomas Ironwood, the defensive specialist who served as the group's tank. And there, at the table near the windows, was Seraphina Cross.
She looked exactly like I'd imagined her from the novel descriptions. Silver hair that seemed to glow in the morning light, violet eyes that held wisdom beyond her years, and a face that was beautiful in an otherworldly way. She was eating quietly, occasionally glancing around the room with an expression that seemed almost sad.
Of course she looked sad. She was a regressor, someone who had lived through the entire story once before and been sent back to try to fix things. She knew about all the tragedies that were coming, all the friends who would die, all the disasters that would strike the world. And she was trying desperately to prevent them by guiding events along the same path as her first life.
My presence here was probably already giving her nightmares.
I grabbed a tray of food and found an empty table where I could observe the room. It didn't take long to spot Ace Luminhart. He was exactly what you'd expect from a protagonist: tall, handsome, with blonde hair and blue eyes that seemed to sparkle with determination. He was surrounded by friends, laughing at something one of them had said, looking like he didn't have a care in the world.
He had no idea that his destiny was about to get completely derailed.
As I ate breakfast, I started making plans. In the original timeline, the Crimson Wolf attack would happen during a routine training exercise in the forest outside the academy. It was supposed to be a surprise attack that caught everyone off guard, resulting in several student deaths and showcasing Ace's heroic nature when he saved as many people as possible.
But I knew it was coming. More than that, I now had abilities that could actually do something about it.
The question was: did I want to follow the original story, or did I want to completely rewrite it?
I looked around the dining hall at all these characters I'd read about, living their lives and following their destinies, unaware that someone with knowledge of their entire future was sitting just a few tables away.
The system screen appeared one more time, showing me a simple message.
[New Quest Available]
[Objective: Make your presence known]
[Reward: Advanced combat skills]
[Optional: Show the world that Marcus Vale is no longer just an extra]
I smiled and stood up from the table. Around me, students were finishing their breakfast and getting ready for morning classes. Soon they'd all be heading to their respective classrooms, following the same routines they'd followed for years.
But today was going to be different. Today, Marcus Vale was going to stop being a background character.
And if that broke the story completely, well, that wasn't really my problem. I just needed to make sure I came out on top.
"System," I said quietly as I walked toward the exit. "Learn Advanced Swordsmanship, Intermediate Lightning Magic, and Combat Leadership."
[Skill Acquired: Advanced Swordsmanship - Mastery Level Achieved]
[Skill Acquired: Intermediate Lightning Magic - Mastery Level Achieved]
[Skill Acquired: Combat Leadership - Mastery Level Achieved]
[Host combat capabilities have reached exceptional levels]
[Warning: Power increase detected by sensitive individuals in proximity]
The information flooded into my mind, and I felt my power grow exponentially. Students moved out of my way as I passed, some of them staring openly now, sensing the change in my presence even if they couldn't understand what they were seeing.
This was going to be fun.