Marcus Rey Dimitri had never tasted failure.

From the moment he could walk, he excelled in everything he attempted. His parents, members of the powerful ducal household of Dimitri, had expected much from him. 

But even they could not foresee just how far beyond expectation he would go. By the time Marcus entered the Akashic Magic Academy, it was clear to everyone—classmates and instructors alike—that he was destined for greatness. 

Swordsmanship, hand-to-hand combat, magic—no matter the subject, he mastered it as if it were second nature.

Marcus didn’t think much of his talents. He was born superior, and he knew it. There was no point in pretending otherwise. 

The Academy was a stage for the gifted, but none of his classmates were even remotely close to his level. 

They tried to challenge him in duels or impress him with their magic techniques, but Marcus saw them all for what they were—ordinary, unimpressive.

Marcus was simply superior, and there is no one that can prove him otherwise.

That is, until the protagonist of the light novel "Tales of Heroes and Demons" appeared.

For the first time in his life, Marcus tasted failure.

It was a duel between the protagonist and the antagonist Marcus, which resulted in Marcus' defeat.

Readers called it a fluke, a moment of plot armor kicking in.

And that was true. 

Despite being a much better mage and spear user, Marcus fought the protagonist with nothing but a sword. His arrogance also lead to him not going all out. And the protagonist suddenly achieved enlightenment and used a skill that caught him off guard.

Although the readers doesn't like such a heavy plot armor, they tolerated it. The author simply made Marcus way too strong for the current protagonist to handle.

After Marcus suffered a lost, even though he knew it was merely a fluke, but he took it seriously. 

He suffered a mental breakdown and holed up in his dorm, refusing to come out.

Eventually, he dropped out of the academy and was never mentioned again in the novels.

Although according to some leaks, Marcus would make a reappearance in the final volume.  

And now. He was here. As that guy.

"Pardon my language, but fucking hell. I really am Marcus. It looks so similar to the illustrations." 

He stared at the mirror, revealing a striking and handsome young man with slightly disheveled appearance.

A tousled, wavy ash-blond hair and sharp golden eyes. His features are finely sculpted, with a well-defined jawline and slightly furrowed brows, adding to his enigmatic presence.

He wears a white button-up shirt, left unbuttoned at the top, revealing part of his collarbone and chest, contributing to his effortlessly rebellious or carefree demeanor. 

The soft shadows and golden hues from the lighting enhance his striking appearance, making him look both elegant and untamed. 

His posture is relaxed yet commanding, as if he belongs but remains detached from his surroundings.

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Overall, he exudes the energy of a prodigious yet emotionally guarded individual—someone who might have once stood at the pinnacle, only to fall into introspection or quiet discontent.

That man is him.

Marcus Rey Dimitri.

"Why now? Why do I have to take over right when Marcus was already defeated and holed up in his dorm?"

Marcus let out a slow breath, rubbing his temples as he sat on the edge of the bed. His mind was a storm of thoughts, trying to process the absurdity of his situation.

He had reincarnated—or transmigrated, whatever the correct term was—as Marcus Rey Dimitri, the arrogant prodigy who had ruled Akashic Magic Academy with overwhelming talent… until he lost.

"Until I lost."

Marcus closed his eyes, recalling the details of the novel. His defeat was nothing more than a contrived plot twist, a moment meant to propel the protagonist forward. 

If he had taken that fight seriously, if he had used his full arsenal, there was no way the protagonist would have won.

But none of that mattered anymore.

He was here.

And he had to decide his next course of action.

Drop out? Stay in the Dimitri Household? Disappear from the story entirely?

He exhaled sharply, shaking his head.

No, not yet.

Feeling a bit restless, Marcus stood up and walked over to the window. He unlocked the latch and pushed it open. A crisp breeze rolled into the room, carrying with it the scent of fresh leaves and distant flowers.

Marcus let the cool air wash over him as he stood by the open window, his golden eyes drinking in the sight before him. 

The view from his dormitory room was nothing short of breathtaking—a scene plucked straight from a fantasy epic.

The Akashic Magic Academy, the most prestigious institution for magic and combat arts, stretched out before him like a living tapestry. 

The main courtyard, paved with intricate marble designs, was bustling with students clad in refined academy uniforms, some levitating spellbooks as they walked, others sparring in open fields with swords that shimmered with magical runes.

Beyond the courtyard, a massive lake reflected the midday sun, its surface rippling gently from the floating islands that hovered just above the water. 

Majestic bridges of enchanted stone connected these islands, their edges glowing softly with magic. 

The tallest spire of the academy, the Grand Archive Tower, loomed in the distance, its structure pulsing with arcane energy, almost as if it were alive.

And the sky—Marcus had never seen anything so vibrant. The blue was richer, deeper, as if the heavens had been painted with an artist’s finest brush. 

Even the clouds seemed to move with a grace that defied the laws of nature, drifting through the sky as if guided by an unseen hand.

Marcus gripped the windowsill tightly, his knuckles whitening.

This world… was real.

He was really here.

He suddenly felt lightheaded, his mind flooded with memories.

The sterile white of the hospital room.

The monotonous beep of a heart monitor.

The windowless walls that never changed.

The television, his only connection to the outside world.

A travel documentary played on the screen, showing vast, rolling green hills stretching endlessly toward the horizon. 

A camera panned over a golden desert, the sun dipping beneath the dunes, setting the sky ablaze with shades of crimson and gold. 

Snow-capped mountains, dense rainforests, bustling metropolises—he had seen them all.

But only through a screen.

The desire to see those places with his own eyes had burned inside him for years. 

But reality was cruel. 

His condition worsened, his treatments became routine, and one by one, his dreams faded into the background.

'I want to see the world.'

The thought resurfaced like a long-buried treasure.

A dream he had abandoned. A desire he had pushed aside.

But now…

He wasn’t confined to a hospital bed. He wasn’t a prisoner to fate.

He had a strong, healthy body. He had magic. He had a sword.

And nothing—nothing—was stopping him from stepping beyond this academy’s walls and seeing what lay beyond.

His heart pounded. His hands clenched into fists.

'This time, I won’t be stuck watching through a screen.'

He turned away from the window, pacing the room. If he was going to make this dream a reality, he needed to think carefully. 

The original Marcus had locked himself in his room for weeks before eventually dropping out of the academy. That was the path that had been set for him in the novel.

But Marcus had no intention of following that script.

His mind whirled with possibilities.

Should he stay in the academy and gain more knowledge and power?

Or should he leave now and begin his journey as soon as possible?

Would the protagonist care if he simply disappeared from the story?

He ran a hand through his messy, ash-blond hair, his sharp golden eyes gleaming with newfound determination.

For the first time since he had given up hope, he had a goal.

He was going to explore this world.

He was going to see sights that no one else had ever seen.

He was going to live.

Because he was sure of one thing—

There were sights out there even more amazing than this.