Page III: The Honored One…

"I need to go to the Forgotten Ruins; my status window is too ordinary. I have to change that; otherwise, I won't know how I'll die if I encounter a main story villain," contemplated Authorius, with his hand on his chin. "However, if I want to survive, I have to have a talent comparable to the main character."

Authorius knew the strength of his main character; after all, he was the one who created him.

However, this character was a magnet for problems, attracting them wherever he went. Yet, that was what made him a qualified main character.

With his ultra-rare profession of Magic-Knight, he grew quickly compared to other characters in the story who didn't possess a talent like his, facing the challenges presented before him.

"To become a Magic-Knight, you must be born with this profession and wait until you're 10 years old to awaken it, but no one in this world knew what professions or sub-professions they would have."

"Everything depended on each person's luck and what they would awaken during the Awakening Ceremony at the age of 10," Authorius said with a serious tone.

Authorius closed his eyes. "But something no one in this world, except me, the author of the novel, knew, was that you could become a Magic-Knight even after going through the Awakening Ceremony at the age of 10 or even after awakening your profession or sub-profession."

In the novel "The Hero's Advent," achieving the feat of being a Knight and Mage simultaneously, often referred to as a Magic-Knight, was an extraordinary and extremely rare achievement.

Something never seen since the Cataclysm that affected the Ancient Earth in the past.

This was because it involved mastering magical and combat skills, essentially becoming a hybrid of prestigious professions in "The Hero's Advent."

This was one of the reasons why the main character was so hunted by villains in the story.

Initially, they wanted to recruit him for his talent and profession as a Magic-Knight.

However, would someone as just as the protagonist of a novel accept such a proposal?

Clearly, he refused, and thus began the hunt by the villains because they wouldn't let someone with such potential grow and threaten them in the near future, a highly reasonable outcome.

Authorius smiled maliciously. "However, in my novel 'The Hero's Advent,' there's an unconventional path to becoming a Magic-Knight without conforming to the standard conditions. I named this path the Pact of the Outlier!" Authorius continued: "The Pact of the Outlier is a secret and forbidden pact that makes the initiator of the pact become a Magic-Knight. However, it's something I created spontaneously and haven't officially formalized in my novel. So, I'm not so sure this method will work..."

Authorius's face fell as he uttered his last words.

I have no other option... I have to try anyway; I don't have much time to become strong.

If I go to the admission test of the Arcane Academy with such stats, I'll just be massacred like a punching bag and would only be able to enter the academy after a year.

A year is too long; by then, various arcs of my novel will have already unfolded.

"So, it's decided; tomorrow, I'll head to the Forgotten Ruins!" Authorius stood up from his chair and pressed the red button on the sphere he found on his writing desk.

Soon, the transparent blue hologram in his field of vision disappeared in the blink of an eye.

"I guess it's time to go to sleep because tomorrow I have to wake up early to catch the train to the Forgotten Ruins," Authorius said as he marched towards his bed.

He climbed into his bed and lay down at once, closing his beautiful blue eyes.

A day unfolded, and the golden rays of the sun could be seen in the distance, carrying its gentle light over the world, as if gracefully painting every contour of the landscape.

"Hm..." Authorius reluctantly rose from his comfortable cotton-like bed and took off his pajamas.

The latter was made of a material called Chrysofilos, extremely rare in Ancient Earth but common in Arcane Earth. Chrysofilos had an absorption effect, able to absorb the natural mana from the outside world and transplant it into the user's body.

This prevented people in Arcane Earth from getting sick with normal diseases from Ancient Earth, but it didn't mean that these diseases had already been extinct.

Only the percentage of their occurrences had been reduced to almost 1%. We could even say they had been extinct, but after all, there were still some people who suffered from these diseases.

Already in just his underwear after removing his pajamas, Authorius headed to his entirely glass-made wardrobe, reflecting his reflection.

He could see a young man with short, slightly curly black hair shining with a natural luster.

His eyes, beautiful and blue like an ocean, sparkled like a shooting star, adding more charm to his already handsome face. His body was normally defined, with good musculature.

Authorius looked at himself and couldn't help but think: 'What a handsome man... I almost fell in love with myself... However, I hope that looking like this won't give me as much trouble as the main character... Probably, that would be impossible unless these third-rate villains become more intellectual than usual.

'But, I think that's unlikely because there will always be an envious idiot who doesn't want to improve himself and spends his time envying you for reasons of minimal importance. Ah... if people were like me, handsome and just, there would be no wars and disputes in this world.'

Authorius had an expression of pity with a bit of smugness hidden in it.

Without further ado, Authorius opened his wardrobe and began to dress. He put on a black jacket with white stripes at the ends, elastic pants of his size in black, and white sneakers.

Authorius looked at his reflection, feeling once again how good it was to have a fit body and well-fitting clothes.

Soon, he left his room. As he walked, he came across a pink door; he could see a name written on it: "Lumina."

Authorius stopped.

Looking at that door, he saw his vision distorting as his stomach bubbled. A liquid almost rose from his stomach, but he forced it back.

"I'm sorry...."

After saying this, he headed to the entrance door of his apartment, of course, not forgetting to pack, as it would be a long journey.

Shortly afterward, he encountered an extraordinary world!

He could see cars gracefully floating in the air, their aerodynamic shapes dancing in harmony, without a single wisp of smoke clouding the sky.

Not only cars but majestic buildings also hovered in the air, defying gravity with their presence.

A gentle breeze caressed his face, carrying with it fresh and invigorating fragrances, as if each breath were a symphony of aromas embracing his senses.

The air, pure and crystalline, contrasted with his previous world, which was polluted, and he could feel this clarity enveloping him after the gentle burst of wind touched his skin.

Awakening from his stupor, Authorius quickly headed to the Central Domain Train Station.

The world after the Cataclysm had changed drastically; continents had shifted in shape and size. The territory of humanity was divided into various regions and territories, each with distinct characteristics.

The Central Domain was where the heart of human civilization and the political-administrative center lay; where human leaders and councils made crucial decisions regarding humanity.

The Central Domain was also the location of the prestigious Arcane Academy, research institutions, and more.

Arriving at the Central Domain Train Station, Authorius noticed several people coming and going as he walked. The station was gigantic; he had never seen anything compared to it in his previous world.

It was a sight to behold.

Waking from his stupor, Authorius quickly went to a machine to buy a ticket heading towards the Forgotten Ruins.

"Hehe, the beginning of my adventure in this world will start here if everything goes according to my wishes... Soon, it will be the Arcane Academy that will be my next target!" Authorius's eyes gleamed with excitement.

...

While Authorius headed to the Forgotten Ruins, in a pitch-dark place, a strangely old man could be seen, his face incomparably aged.

"So... The Honored One hath arrived... It appeareth the flames of chaos shall be ignited.."