Death and Rebirth
The last thing Han Seojun remembered was the blinding headlights of a truck.
He had been walking home from another grueling shift at the convenience store, earbuds in, listening to the audiobook of his favorite web novel—Chronicles of the Radiant Hero. It was a guilty pleasure, a story about a chosen hero named Lucien Ashford who attended the prestigious Celestia Royal Academy, gathered a harem of beautiful heroines, and saved the world from the Demon King.
Seojun had read the novel seventeen times. He knew every plot twist, every character's fate, every secret hidden in the story.
And now, apparently, he was going to die thinking about it.
What a pathetic way to go.
Darkness consumed him.

When Seojun opened his eyes, he was staring at an unfamiliar ceiling.
His body felt wrong—lighter, younger. His hands were pale and slender, not the calloused hands of a twenty-six-year-old who worked three jobs.
A translucent blue window materialized before his eyes.

[SYSTEM AWAKENING]
Welcome, Transmigrator.
You have been reborn as Ethan Blackwood, a background character in the novel Chronicles of the Radiant Hero.
Character Status: Extra (Cannon Fodder)
Original Fate: Death in Chapter 47 (Demon Beast Attack)
Days Until Death: 127
Would you like to activate the [Regressor's Advantage System]?
[YES] / [NO]

Seojun—no, Ethan now—felt his heart stop.
Ethan Blackwood. He remembered that name. A forgettable side character who appeared in exactly three scenes before being killed off to demonstrate the danger of the academy's practical exam.
"You've got to be kidding me," he whispered.
His voice was different. Younger. He stumbled to a mirror hanging on the wall of what appeared to be a modest dormitory room.
A handsome young man with ink-black hair and silver-gray eyes stared back at him. He was attractive—far more so than his previous life—but his features were forgettable in the way that background characters often were. Pleasant but unremarkable.
He was eighteen years old, a first-year student at Celestia Royal Academy.
And in 127 days, he was supposed to die.
"System," he said aloud. "Yes. Activate."

[REGRESSOR'S ADVANTAGE SYSTEM ACTIVATED]
As someone who has read the novel, you possess knowledge of future events. This system will help you leverage that knowledge.
SYSTEM FEATURES:

* Status Window: View your attributes
* Quest System: Complete quests for rewards
* Knowledge Archive: Access your memories of the novel
* Skill Shop: Purchase skills with points
* Affection Tracker: Monitor relationships with key characters

STARTING BONUS: 500 System Points
Current Quest:
Survive the First Week
Reward: 100 Points, Random Skill Box

Ethan took a deep breath. He could work with this.
He pulled up his status window.

[STATUS WINDOW]
Name: Ethan Blackwood
Age: 18
Class: Unawakened
Rank: F (Lowest)
ATTRIBUTES:

* Strength: 12
* Agility: 14
* Intelligence: 45
* Mana Capacity: 8
* Charm: 32

SKILLS: None
SPECIAL TRAIT: [Eyes of the Reader] - Can perceive hidden information about characters and items you remember from the novel.

His stats were abysmal. In a world where the average person had attributes around 20, his physical stats were below average. Only his intelligence was notable—a remnant of his previous life, perhaps.
But Ethan smiled grimly.
He didn't need to be strong. He had something far more valuable.
He knew the future.

The week following the demon beast attack was chaos.


Investigators from the Imperial Capital swarmed Celestia Academy. Professor Damien Graves was transferred to the Imperial Prison, awaiting trial for treason. Parents demanded answers. Students whispered about conspiracies.


And Ethan Blackwood found himself at the center of attention he never wanted.


"You've become famous," Elena observed, sitting across from him in the library. "The 'Prophet Student' they're calling you. The one who predicted the attack."


"Too late for that." She adjusted her glasses. "I've been analyzing the patterns of your predictions. They're too accurate to be coincidence, too specific to be general prophecy. You don't see possibilities—you see certainties. As if you've already witnessed them happen."


Ethan kept his expression neutral. Elena was too smart.


"Does it matter how I know?" he asked. "What matters is using the knowledge to help people."


"It matters to me." Her blue eyes were intense behind her lenses. "Because if I understand your ability, I can help you use it more effectively. We could save more lives."


Before Ethan could respond, a notification appeared.


New Quest Chain Initiated: "The Tournament Arc"


The Inter-Academy Tournament will begin in 89 days. Students from five major academies will compete for glory and resources.


Aria Evergreen kidnapping (Day 92) Assassination attempt on Seraphina (Day 95) Luna's father sends agents to retrieve her (Day 88) First Apostle appearance (Day 97)


Rewards for preventing all events: Legendary Skill Selection, 10,000 Points


Ethan's blood ran cold. Four major events, all within a single week. The original novel's tournament arc had been brutal—multiple named characters died, and Aria's kidnapping had traumatized her for the rest of the story.


"Ethan?" Elena's voice cut through his thoughts. "You've gone pale."


"I just remembered something important," he said. "The Inter-Academy Tournament. When is it?"


Three months to prepare for the hardest week of the story so far.


"No reason," Ethan lied. "Just thinking ahead."


Chapter 14 - Aftermath