The Journey!…(So Far)

"Hey, you. Yes, you. Don't think I don't see you there, just jumping into the middle of my story. You're probably wondering what a 'normal' guy like me is doing here. I mean, if we're going to be real, this wasn't exactly my first choice, and if I had known things would get this insane, well…maybe I'd have read a different book. Let me start from the beginning."

Lucius leans in, as if about to share a great secret, but his tone remains light and slightly sarcastic as he tells readers how his life was turned upside down, pulling them right into his predicament.

Marcus, who's now Lucius, was once just an average person—a guy who worked, had friends, and enjoyed reading fantasy novels. Nothing special, he says, except that those stories were his escape. They were a world he could dive into where life was simpler, more straightforward: the hero fights, he gets stronger, and good prevails. "You know, the usual clichés, the kind where everyone knows their role," he muses.

Then, fate—or whatever twisted hand controls these things—decided to put him inside the very book he was reading, Decade Long Crusade.

"Ever thought about what would happen if you were thrown into one of your favorite books? Well, turns out, it's less fun than it sounds. Try waking up as an unloved noble kid, surrounded by people who don't even think you're worth the air you breathe."

Lucius recounts his horror upon realizing he was in the novel as Lucius Foster, a character deemed unworthy and weak in both magic and combat. At first, he was in denial, stumbling through life as "the noble beat nobody cared about," trying to stay out of the main storyline, convinced that would keep him safe.

….

Lucius quickly realized he had more going for him than the original Lucius ever did, thanks to a "System" that seemed intent on keeping him alive—if in the most mocking, infuriating way possible. The System provided him with some skills, but it also occasionally sent him cryptic messages like, "The World Watches You."

"As if I didn't feel paranoid enough," he jokes.

With the System, he managed to gain proficiency in firearms and a few strategic skills. The catch? "It only seems to give me useful things after I nearly die," he sighs, recounting his experiences in the earliest stages of the tournament.

His first big challenge? The Admission Tournament, a brutal entrance exam designed to push students to their limits. Lucius shares the initial sense of dread as he realized he had to survive against other students, creatures, and an ever-changing set of rules. He summarizes how he planned to keep his head down, avoid attention, and play the "innocent noble kid" card.

Unfortunately, things didn't go according to plan. He tried avoiding the main characters, like the hero Ash, the cold strategist Seraphina, and other high-profile students. However, they kept crossing his path. He recounts his introduction to Ash:

"Ash seems to think we're best friends. I, on the other hand, haven't decided if he's my ally or just another headache. In any case, the guy's annoying, always smiling like life's one big party."

Despite his reluctance, Lucius was drawn further into the main storyline through a series of missteps and surprising alliances.

During the tournament, Lucius faced opponents and challenges that should've been well out of his league. He recalls his first real fight with Soren, a battle that took every ounce of skill, luck, and cunning to survive. It was in these fights that Lucius discovered his knack for quick thinking, adapting to his opponents' strengths and exploiting their weaknesses.

"I'd love to say I fought valiantly, but really, it was more like clinging on for dear life and hoping I didn't die."

He admits his preference for staying at a distance, firing his handgun strategically, and relying on his System to give him an edge. Lucius recounts how the System leveled up his skills at critical moments, like during the Admission Tournament's first phase. But every small victory was followed by another problem.

....

Lucius explains his relationships with the main cast members, throwing in humorous observations:

• Ash: The hero and golden boy of the story. "He's the classic nice guy. But sometimes, nice is the last thing I need."

• Seraphina: Cold, calculating, and…almost amused by Lucius. "She's dangerous, that one. Her calculating stare could probably freeze you on the spot, and yet, she's oddly funny. In a terrifying way."

• Kallus: The brute. "I'm pretty sure he'd happily knock my head off, given the chance. I try to avoid him, but luck rarely seems to be on my side."

He explains how, despite his intentions to remain neutral, he couldn't fully avoid them. He ended up forming reluctant alliances, including one with Elena, the quiet noble girl who seems a little too curious about him. He keeps his tone light but hints that, despite their complexity, these relationships have started to matter to him.

...

Lucius dives into the second phase of the Admission Tournament, which turned into a nightmare with the introduction of the dark mana mist. He explains how the forest became a death trap, with twisted mana that turned magical beasts into frenzied, monstrous versions of themselves. He describes the eerie, suffocating mist that seemed to corrupt everything it touched.

The grotesque creature he encountered with Elandrialith still haunts his memory. Teaming up with the dark elf woman was a risk, but her knowledge of the forest and her deadly skillset made her invaluable. Lucius notes the desperation he felt during this phase, where every turn seemed to bring new threats. He recalls the fight with the grotesque creature vividly, how he used the white lily flower to help Ash recover, a calculated risk that saved their lives.

Against the "walking nightmare" he had to admit, he didn't expect to survive. The creature was a nightmarish product of raw, corrupted mana, and fighting it nearly pushed him to his limits.

He tells readers about the moment Elandrialith used the forest's life force to strengthen herself, and how he tried to outsmart the creature rather than overpower it, using his handgun and dagger to exploit its weak points. As he reflects, he admits how strange it was to feel genuine sorrow for Elandrialith when she began to fade away with the simulation's end.

"It's ridiculous. She's not even real, just a simulation, but somehow…seeing her go left a mark." He laughs it off, reminding himself that sympathy won't keep him alive.

"Maybe it's the whole 'me against the world' mentality that got to me, but a part of me couldn't help but wonder…who else am I going watch lose?"

Lucius admits his reluctance to get close to anyone, even Ash and Elena, fearing they'll pull him deeper into the storyline.

After the battle, Lucius used his System to check his stats and skills. He hints that the System rewarded him with a mysterious new skill after defeating the creature. He leaves it ambiguous, only describing it as something that'll be "useful under certain…circumstances." The System also warned him, again cryptically, with "The World Watches You."

"Great. Just when I think I can finally relax, the System hints there's more going on than I thought."

He notes that the white lily flower he used on Ash had a noticeable effect, hinting that Ash's power may be growing faster than even the original plot intended.

"Look, if you're still here, I appreciate it. It's not exactly the easy life I had back home, but if I'm going to survive, I need to keep moving forward. There are things I don't understand, and plenty that I'm pretty sure is out to get me."

He gives a small smirk, his dismissive attitude back, and tells the reader to stick around, because the road ahead isn't going to get easier. There's a strange new phase coming in the Admission Tournament, and he suspects the stakes are higher than anyone realizes.

"If you're brave—or maybe just reckless—enough to stick with me, we'll see if I can make it out of this nightmare alive. So buckle up. We're just getting started."