My head hurt like someone had hit me with a hammer. I opened my eyes slowly, and everything looked blurry. The ceiling above me was made of old wood, with cracks running through it like spider webs. This wasn't my apartment.
I tried to sit up, but my whole body felt weak and sore. Where was I? What happened to me?
Then the memories came flooding back. But they weren't my memories.
I remembered being Marcus Blackwood, sixteen years old, the third son of a small noble family. I remembered studying books all day instead of training with swords. I remembered being excited about taking the entrance exam for Crimson Academy, the most famous magic school in the kingdom.
But I also remembered my real life. I was thirty years old, worked in an office, and had been reading a web novel called "Chronicles of the Azure Realm" during my lunch break. The last thing I remembered was falling asleep at my desk.
Now I was inside that novel. And I was Marcus Blackwood, a character who was going to die in exactly seventy-two days.
"No way," I said out loud, my voice cracking. "This can't be real."
But I knew it was real. I could feel the cold air on my skin, smell the musty scent of old books in the room, hear birds chirping outside the window. This was definitely real.
In the novel, Marcus Blackwood was barely mentioned. He was just a background character who died during the entrance exam to make the main character look better. The wiki page about him was only two lines long:
*Marcus Blackwood - Minor noble, dies during practical examination. Cause of death: attacked by Shadowfang Wolf while trying to run away.*
I remembered reading that part. The main character, some guy named Alex, had tried to save Marcus but arrived too late. Marcus died screaming, and Alex felt really bad about it, which made him train harder.
"I'm not dying for someone else's character development," I said, sitting up in the narrow bed. "No way in hell."
I looked around the room. It was small and plain, with just a bed, a wooden desk covered in dusty books, and a cracked mirror on the wall. Sunlight was coming through a dirty window, and I could see a forest in the distance. This must be the Blackwood family estate in Millbrook Village.
I tried to remember everything I knew about Marcus from the novel. His family was poor for nobles, which meant they were still richer than most people but couldn't afford good teachers or equipment. Marcus was smart but weak, spending all his time reading instead of exercising or learning to fight. He had applied to Crimson Academy because he thought his book knowledge would be enough.
It wasn't.
The entrance exam was held in the Whispering Forest, where students had to survive for three days while hunting magical beasts. Most of the dangerous creatures were kept away from the exam area, but some still got through. Marcus would encounter a Shadowfang Wolf on the second day, panic, try to run, and get killed.
"But I know what's coming," I said to myself. "I can change this."
As soon as I said that, something amazing happened. A translucent blue window appeared in front of my eyes, floating in the air like a computer screen.
**[SYSTEM INITIALIZATION COMPLETE]**
I blinked hard, but the window was still there. More text appeared:
**[Welcome, User Marcus Blackwood]**
**[You have been selected for the SURVIVAL PROTOCOL]**
**[Mission: Survive your predetermined death]**
**[Reward: Continued existence]**
**[Failure: Death]**
"A system?" I whispered. I had read enough novels to know what this meant. "Like in those reincarnation stories?"
**[Correct. This system exists to help you survive.]**
**[Would you like to view your current status?]**
"Yes," I said immediately.
A new window popped up:
**[STATUS WINDOW]**
- Name: Marcus Blackwood
- Age: 16
- Level: 1
- Health: 50/50
- Mana: 30/30
- Strength: 8/20 (Very Weak)
- Speed: 7/20 (Very Slow)
- Intelligence: 12/20 (Above Average)
- Survival Rate: 0.03%
**[Skills:** Reading (Advanced), Writing (Intermediate), History (Advanced), Sword Fighting (None), Magic (Beginner)]
I stared at the numbers. "Zero point zero three percent chance of survival? That's terrible!"
**[Your current physical condition is extremely poor. The original Marcus Blackwood spent all his time studying and never exercised.]**
**[However, your knowledge of future events gives you a significant advantage.]**
**[New Quest Available!]**
Another window appeared:
**[EMERGENCY SURVIVAL QUEST]**
**[Goal:** Survive the Crimson Academy entrance exam in 72 days]
**[Requirements:** Improve physical fitness, learn combat skills, prepare for specific threats]
[Rewards: 100 Experience Points, Basic Combat Skills, Survival Instincts ability]
[Failure: Death by Shadowfang Wolf]
**[Do you accept this quest?]**
"Do I have a choice?" I muttered, then said louder, "Yes, I accept."
**[Quest Accepted!]**
**[Emergency Shop now available!]**
**[Daily Training Missions activated!]**
A shop window opened, showing various items:
- **Basic Sword Manual** - 500 Points
- **Fitness Training Guide** - 300 Points
- **Small Health Potion** - 50 Points
- **Stamina Boost Pill** - 100 Points
- **Monster Encyclopedia (Basic)** - 400 Points
**[Current Points: 0]**
"Great, I'm broke in this world too," I sighed.
**[You can earn points by completing daily missions and achieving goals.]**
**[First Daily Mission Available!]**
**[DAILY MISSION: Foundation Building]**
- Do 50 push-ups (0/50)
- Run for 30 minutes (0/30)
- Practice sword swings for 1 hour (0/60)
- Read about monsters for 2 hours (0/120)
[Rewards: 25 Points, +1 Strength, +1 Speed]
I looked down at my skinny arms. Marcus's body was pathetically weak. In my old life, I at least went to the gym sometimes, but this body had never done any real exercise.
"Alright," I said, standing up from the bed. My legs felt shaky, but I managed to stay upright. "Time to stop being weak."
I walked over to the cracked mirror and looked at myself. Marcus had black hair that needed cutting, gray eyes that looked too big for his thin face, and pale skin that never saw sunlight. He looked exactly like the kind of person who would die first in a horror movie.
"Not anymore," I told my reflection. "I'm going to live."
I started with the push-ups. The first ten were okay, but by number twenty, my arms were shaking. By thirty, I could barely push myself up. I collapsed after thirty-five, breathing hard.
**[Push-ups completed: 35/50]**
**[Your determination is noted. Bonus willpower detected.]**
"Only thirty-five," I panted. "This body is worse than I thought."
I rested for a few minutes, then tried again. This time I managed to do ten more before my arms gave out. Then five more after another rest. I kept going until I hit fifty, even though the last few were more like flopping around on the floor than actual push-ups.
**[Push-ups completed: 50/50]**
**[Well done! Your muscles are already adapting.]**