Chapter 5

Episode 5. Laying the Foundation (1)

Inside the old dorm room.

I sat alone on the bed, absentmindedly touching my still-stinging cheek.

“…What on earth just happened?”

Was this how Professor Lucas felt when he saw me regress?

The stark contrast between the gentle and kind Iris in my memories and the one who grabbed me by the collar and hurled curses was overwhelming.

‘My regression couldn’t have affected Iris.’

There was only one possible explanation.

“After all that time together… I didn’t even know my own lover.”

I let out a self-deprecating sigh and clicked my tongue softly.

Looking back now, Iris was usually kind and affectionate, but when facing demons or monsters, she could be ruthlessly brutal.

‘I thought that was just because she was the Saint of the Seven Stars Church.’

To the followers of the Seven Stars Church, who serve the seven gods, the minions of the Devil God were absolute enemies.

So, I had dismissed her occasional ferocity as an expression of her faith.

‘She was always a bit fiery, huh.’

I felt a mix of emotions realizing things I hadn’t known when we were lovers—or rather, things I hadn’t known because we were lovers.

There was joy in discovering a side of her I hadn’t noticed in my past life, but also bitterness in knowing that to her now, I was just a stranger not worth pretending for.

And anxiety about how I should face my ‘other comrades’ in the future.

“Come to think of it, besides Berald, I don’t really know how everyone was during their candidate days.”

Yuren, Senior Sophia, Iris.

We all attended the school around the same time, but aside from Berald, I hadn’t formed any close bonds with them.

Even with Berald, we only got to know each other through supplementary classes, and it wasn’t until long after graduation that we became what you could call ‘comrades.’

‘I guess meeting the kids will have to wait for now.’

I wanted to see my comrades right away, but…

If I lost control of my emotions like with Iris, I’d be labeled a lunatic from the get-go.

“Sigh. I need to take care of myself first before I can face the others.”

I let out a deep sigh and shook off the lingering regret.

Right now, reuniting with my longed-for comrades wasn’t the priority.

‘First, I need to assess my condition.’

I closed my eyes gently and slowly drew in my magic power.

A minuscule amount of magic spread from the Holy Mark throughout my body.

“What a mess.”

I frowned after checking my physical condition by spreading my magic.

Still, as a Hero candidate, my body was somewhat trained.

But it was just the level of ‘a clueless guy who only worked hard.’

The balance between upper and lower body muscles was a mess, and my core muscles, crucial for combat, were underdeveloped.

‘First, I need to start with basic strength and stamina training.’

Physical training wasn’t too hard since I had literally trained to death with Berald (since I could revive quickly anyway).

‘The real problem is this ant-sized magic power.’

In my past life, I suffered countless times due to insufficient magic, but now it’s even less than before.

“Ugh.”

No matter how skilled I was with swordsmanship and martial arts, there’s a limit to what pure ‘technique’ can achieve.

Magic power is like a weight class for Heroes.

When the difference is extreme, attacks might not even work.

If stabbing a vital point just makes the blade bounce off, what good is technique?

‘Well… it’s not like there’s no way.’

In my past life, I fought countless opponents with extreme magic differences, so I had a few tricks up my sleeve.

But.

Tricks are just tricks.

To avoid being at a disadvantage, I needed at least a minimum amount of magic.

“In the end, I need to increase my magic somehow.”

Sigh.

A deep sigh escaped my lips.

The way Heroes increase their magic is straightforward.

Seven types of breathing techniques corresponding to the Holy Marks.

By absorbing the divine breath into the body and accumulating it in the Holy Mark, Heroes increase their magic.

‘Sun, Moon, Star, Sky, Earth, Sea… and.’

Forest breathing.

I knew all seven types of breathing techniques.

“Tsk, what’s the point of knowing them? No matter what I do, my magic doesn’t increase.”

Whether it’s a lack of talent or some other reason, I couldn’t accumulate magic through breathing techniques.

‘Even if the amount varies from person to person, not being able to accumulate any is just too much.’

Remembering all the desperate efforts I made in my past life to increase my pitiful magic made my head throb.

“Hmm… but maybe I should try again?”

Maybe something changed after the regression.

“Inhale.”

I sat on the bed and slowly breathed in.

Starting with the Forest breathing, most effective for my Holy Mark of the Forest God.

Then, in order, Sun, Moon, Star, Sky, Earth, and Sea breathing.

“Exhale.”

After completing all seven types of breathing, I slowly opened my eyes.

The amount of magic in my Holy Mark… remained unchanged.

“Ugh, damn it.”

Right.

I shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up.

‘I guess I have to give up on increasing magic through breathing techniques.’

That leaves only ‘unconventional’ methods.

Magic-enhancing potions, spirits, artifacts, etc.

A few candidates came to mind.

‘But they’re hard to get right now.’

As a candidate, there were many restrictions on moving around, and even if I could, I wasn’t sure I could obtain them.

“Ugh.”

As I racked my brain, a record from an ancient ruin I found before came to mind.

“The reason magic was created was the Primordial Flame, right?”

To be precise.

In the distant past.

The Tree of Creation grew and created the world, and eight gods were born.

The eight gods, born from the Tree of Creation, began shaping the world according to their laws.

The first god created the Sun.

The second god created the Moon.

The third god created the Stars.

The fourth god created the Sky.

The fifth god created the Earth.

The sixth god created the Sea.

The seventh god created the Forest.

And the eighth god…

Broke the laws of creation and created the first ‘Flame.’

‘That’s the Primordial Flame.’

The eighth god, who broke the laws and betrayed the seven gods, later called the ‘Devil God,’ burned the Tree of Creation with the Primordial Flame.

As the Tree of Creation burned, magic was created.

A miraculous power also called the divine breath.

“…The Primordial Flame.”

I confirmed last time that the Primordial Flame I absorbed in my past life didn’t disappear after the regression.

But I had no idea how to control the ‘Primordial Flame.’

‘In my current state, I can’t even feel the spark of the Primordial Flame.’

I need to at least feel it to try controlling it.

“Let’s see… I definitely felt the Primordial Flame’s energy yesterday…”

As I sat on the bed, my gaze naturally turned to the sword by the bed.

Damn it.

A soft curse escaped my lips.

I sighed and drew the sword from its sheath.

The blade that had once severed my neck touched the back of my neck.

‘Well, it’s not like it’s the first time.’

Death didn’t scare me anymore.

-Slash!

With a familiar motion, I tightened my grip on the sword.

The sharp blade pierced my neck, sending a chilling sensation through my body.

Even after countless ‘deaths.’

This sensation of the blade cutting through flesh never got easier.

Thud, roll.

My severed head rolled on the floor.

As blood gushed from the severed neck, my vision darkened.

A few seconds passed.

Whoosh!

The Holy Mark on my left chest glowed, and my vision returned to normal.

“Phew.”

I let out a soft sigh and touched the back of my neck.

My head, which had rolled on the floor, was now perfectly attached to my neck as if time had reversed.

As I tried to shake off the lingering sensation of the blade.

“Ugh!”

Sizzle!

A searing pain, like being branded with a hot iron, and faint flames flickered around the Holy Mark.

A phenomenon I hadn’t experienced in my past life.

‘If this is because of the Primordial Flame.’

Then these faint flames around my Holy Mark must be the Primordial Flame.

“Inhale.”

I sat on the bed and closed my eyes gently.

Recalling the meditation technique I learned from Senior Sophia, I slowly regulated my breathing.

With a sensation of floating, I focused my mind on my left chest.

‘I can feel it.’

Faintly.

A fiercely burning spark.

‘Well, I managed to feel the Primordial Flame’s energy.’

But I had no idea what to do next.

‘It’s not moving.’

I poured all my focus into trying to move the Primordial Flame’s energy, but it remained motionless, like trying to grasp a blazing flame.

After about five minutes of sweating and concentrating.

The pain in my left chest disappeared, and I could no longer feel the Primordial Flame’s energy.

“Tsk.”

I clicked my tongue lightly and stopped meditating.

‘Guess I can’t control the Primordial Flame at will.’

I succeeded in feeling its energy, but that was it.

“Ugh.”

As I sighed in disappointment.

“…Huh?”

Something.

A different sensation from before came from the Holy Mark.

‘What’s this?’

To check, I spread the magic within the Holy Mark throughout my body.

It was a small amount, easy to miss if not paying attention.

“My magic increased?”

Before and after cutting my own neck.

There was a subtle difference, but I could feel the total amount of magic had increased.

“Ha.”

A hollow laugh escaped my lips.

“So now…”

Every time I die, my magic increases automatically?