From Master Assassin to a Random Extra: OP in a Dating Sim -
Chapter 70: Marcus and Cynthia (4)
Chapter 70: Marcus and Cynthia (4)
As the two of them remained huddled in the cramped artificial cavern, silence settled like a second skin. Their breathing slowed, steady but still tense, as they leaned against the cold, uneven stone wall—shoulder to shoulder, bodies still soaked from their desperate escape.
The only light was the flickering flame dancing on Marcus’s fingertip, casting long, warped shadows across the narrow space. Drips echoed faintly in the distance—occasional reminders of the subterranean lake just beyond the sealed stone.
"Now then... how do we escape this mess?" Marcus muttered under his breath, his eyes narrowed in deep thought, flicking across the stony ceiling like it held answers.
His mind raced with possibilities, none of them ideal.
While my full power might match it... using that again like I did against my own mirror would be way too suspicious.
Too risky. Too revealing.
He bit down lightly on his thumb, tension visible in his furrowed brow.
Combustion magic won’t cut it either. It’ll bounce right off those crystalline scales.
The necrotic rune... maybe. It could bypass its outer shell, rot it from within... but I’ve never used it long enough to know how fast the decay would take hold.
Marcus clicked his tongue, deep in tactical calculation, when a hesitant voice cut into his concentration.
"Hey, Marcus..." Cynthia’s voice was soft, just above a whisper, tinged with embarrassment.
"Huh?" He turned to her, eyes adjusting slightly to the dim light. The faint blush on her cheeks stood out even in the gloom.
"Do you, uh... know any drying runes, by any chance...?" she asked with a weak laugh, glancing down at her thoroughly soaked uniform. Water clung to every inch, translucent fabric sticking uncomfortably to her skin.
"Oh..." Marcus blinked, then scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
"Unfortunately... I don’t," he admitted, a faint, guilty smile tugging at his lips.
I still have one rune creation left, he mused. But... should I really waste it on this?
Cynthia exhaled, her eyes drifting to the ceiling in mild resignation. "Well... I guess it’s fine. I don’t think you’re the type to ogle anyway."
She chuckled, brushing a damp lock of hair behind her ear.
"I focus way too much on combat spells to learn support ones..." she added, giving a half-hearted shrug.
Marcus let out a quiet laugh as well, the tension in his shoulders loosening. The warmth from his fingertip flame glowed brighter for a moment, lighting their small chamber with a gentler hue.
"Better than only knowing three runes," he replied with a lopsided grin.
Cynthia turned her head with a look of disbelief. "Wait—you only know three runes?"
"No wonder you don’t use much magic variety," she said, clearly surprised.
Still, her tone softened. "It’s still impressive that you’re able to keep up even with just those..."
Her praise came with more than words. She leaned gently against his shoulder, the contact sending a small jolt of awareness between them. Despite the cold dampness of their clothes, her presence was warm.
Marcus stiffened slightly. "I think I’m starting to get self-conscious here."
"Hah?" Cynthia’s head snapped up in surprise, and she immediately pulled back, no longer leaning on him.
"Don’t say that! Now I’m way more aware of it too..."
Marcus sighed, deadpan. "Well... you probably shouldn’t have brought it up in the first place."
"I wouldn’t have noticed."
Cynthia squinted at him, face half-offended, half-teasing. "Well sorry for being a normal girl and getting awkward in an intimate situation."
Then she broke into a laugh.
"But... I’ll give you a pass this time." She smirked, her voice a little more playful now. "If I were paired with anyone else, I’d probably be dead or have failed this test already."
Marcus grinned at that, then suddenly stood up with a burst of energy, eyes alight with realization.
"I think I have an idea on how we’re getting out of this predicament," he declared, extending a hand to her.
Cynthia looked up at him, brow raised. "Well, none of your ideas have failed yet, so... lay it out."
She took his hand, his grip steady as he helped her to her feet.
"This plan’s going to make use of our dear Professor Trearch," Marcus said, a mischievous chuckle escaping him.
With a glint in his eye, he tapped the hollow ground beneath their feet—and a controlled explosion burst forth.
BOOM—!
The floor collapsed beneath them, sending both of them plunging back toward the subterranean lake below.
As Marcus fell, the rush of air whipped around him, his grin widening, eyes glowing once more with renewed intensity.
"The only step is to use as much magic as possible!" he shouted mid-fall, voice filled with reckless glee. "Even if it means we run out of mana!"
Cynthia yelped mid-air, yanking down the hem of her skirt with a scowl. Gravity had no shame—and neither did Marcus if he dared look.
"I think I get what you mean!" she shouted back, twisting her wrist in practiced motion. Wind responded to her will, swirling around her like invisible fabric, helping her regain control in the air as she slowly floated down.
"Get Professor Trearch’s attention by casting tons of magic—and get him to deal with the Wyrm!"
"Am I right?"
Marcus laughed, runes blazing to life on his palms and soles once more as he prepared for another burst of mobility.
"Ten out of ten answer!"
Wind howled, their hair whipping like storm-tossed streamers as they fell. The air tore past them in frigid gusts, biting at their soaked clothes and stinging their skin. Marcus’s flame flickered madly at his fingertip, dancing wildly in the chaos—until the runes etched along his palms reignited mid-fall with a bright, searing flash, stabilizing the light and his trajectory.
"Let’s make that professor do something else than just doze off while his students are out here dying!" Marcus roared over the wind, voice laced with a mix of manic adrenaline and justified fury.
He slammed his hands together, combustion runes spiraling to life in rapid succession—layer upon layer of volatile magic interwoven with almost reckless precision. The energy buzzed between his fingers like a barely-contained detonation, the glowing sigils pulsing in rhythm with his heartbeat.
He grinned sharply, eyes gleaming with challenge.
"And if this blast somehow damages the wyrm! Then hopefully extra points for us!"
He shouted, the corner of his mouth twitching upward in a smirk that hovered somewhere between genius and madness.
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