NOVEL NEXT Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Bzz bzz, the shadow’s sword slipped from my grasp. Even if I dropped it, the floor would only suffer a little.
I thought about selling wooden swords, but these fine pieces bore unique identification numbers, and selling them would surely get the attention of Namgung Seong, ruining any friendship I had with him.
At least in this case, it was like, “the wooden sword and I will be together for life,” so maybe I could get away with it. For now, I was content to expand on concepts I could replicate.
“Is the reason Baek In-hwa was rejected, while I wasn’t, due to my dark elemental mana?”
[Yeah, it seems like it.]
Surely, saying that eliminates other reasons. It’s not about gender. If it’s because of mana, then that’s straightforward and preferable.
There are others besides Yeon-woo who handle dark attributes, but what I possess is the mana of a Doppleganger. That’s not something that should get overshadowed by handling the Doppleganger’s stuff.
“Then do you perhaps know how to handle dark attributes?”
[Honestly, I don’t really know. If it were magic, maybe, but elemental mana lies within the realm of the mana core. Wouldn’t it be better to ask Baek In-hwa or others?]
“Perhaps that’s true….”
[But it would be wise to be cautious. Dad might also be capable of using other elemental mana besides dark.]
“…Huh?”
What kind of nonsense is that? As Yeon-woo gazed at Shar with a puzzled expression, Shar bobbed its head like a chick.
[What do you think, how do you think Dad absorbed dark mana?]
“Uh, perhaps it’s thanks to the Dragon Heart?”
Yeon-woo answered absently. The Dragon Heart absorbs mana. Didn’t Shar also use goblin mana to hasten its hatching?
Even without that, just sitting still, the Dragon Heart can absorb the surrounding mana.
“It doesn’t make sense for me to have absorbed it because of something other than the Dragon Heart.”
[What you said is correct; the method of absorption is indeed the Dragon Heart. However, a dragon only possesses one elemental mana. Sometimes it seems like there are two, but that’s merely splitting the capacity to handle two attributes.]
“So, although the absorption was via the Dragon Heart, it doesn’t mean one can absorb elemental mana just because they have the Dragon Heart?”
That means there must be another unique reason for Yeon-woo to have been able to absorb.
“I really can’t figure this out. What on earth is it? Did Shar know?”
[It seems to be because Dad is a mana misfit.]
“Huh?”
[As you know, the problem with Dad absorbing elemental mana lies in the fact that elemental mana is closely linked to unique mana. If what Dad absorbed was from an awakening individual rather than a monster, one could say he stole their future.]
Unique mana, huh. Honestly, that word isn’t all that familiar to me.
The realm of unique mana overlaps with the levels of Sword Masters and the like. It’s a realm only those chosen by fate can reach.
It felt worlds apart from someone like me, a mid-ranking Hunter.
But it was something I idolized, so I had a good understanding of what it meant.
Every awakened individual possesses their own unique mana. Of course, just because it is unique doesn’t mean it can’t overlap. In cases like the Ice Palace, where one can externally correct their elemental mana, it’s said that unique mana can show similar tendencies.
It’s evident enough that developing unique mana requires significant effort and talent. Elemental mana can somehow develop with enough effort, even without talent. Obviously, Yeon-woo had none of that.
Understanding that, absorbing the elemental mana of another life to make it one’s own…means that, depending on one’s efforts, one could potentially acquire the unique mana of others and have multiple unique manas.
Of course, this comes with a crucial condition.
The condition is that Yeon-woo must not have issues even if possessing multiple elemental manas simultaneously.
With a possible glimmer of hope, Yeon-woo gazed at the spinning Shar above. Isn’t it going bald? Fortunately, it’s said that awakened beings have a low chance of suffering from hair loss, so I felt a bit relieved.
[As for why I came to such a conclusion, you see, in our world… I mean, ■■■■■, misfits are like chronic diseases.]
Huh? Misfits are chronic diseases? No, that aside, what did you just say?
“Uh, um? What, what did you say? I couldn’t hear you right. It sounded like noise….”
Shar shook its head in realization.
[O-Oh, it’s nothing. It’s probably my pronunciation. Anyway, that’s how it was in our hometown. Theoretically, there’s a cure, but it was regarded as so difficult it was nearly impossible…that’s how it was thought.]
“What? There’s such a thing? …Ah? Could it be?”
[Yeah, contracting with a dragon or eating a dragon’s heart. Naturally, it would be viewed as close to a chronic illness. Who would charge a dragon with a body that has no mana? The former is the same. There was no dragon wanting to contract with a human.]
“Oh, I see….”
Knowing that, Alkeinea must have arranged that contract.
As expected, our Nea is smart. I suspect that there are several nations that have fallen into ruin because their kings harassed dragons, hoping to cure their offspring of being misfits. It’s hard to think otherwise.
[There surely are, yes. Dad is lucky.]
“Really….”
[The reason I’m bringing this up is, I don’t know how many dragon contractors there have been throughout history, but there’s at least one more person besides Dad that I know of.]
Oh, so there was a senior! I wonder if they’re still alive? Please grant me great knowledge….
[From the perspective of dragon time, long ago, a dragon knight contracted with a great ancestral dragon. The environment of the ancient world and the present might differ, but there is a passage saying he wielded great elements…]
“Oh? So a legendary dragon knight being a misfit means our situations are similar, huh?”
[Yes, indeed. I think that storyline could very well exist.]
That was certain.
But while it’s understandable that a misfit might gain mana through a contract, I still don’t see why such phenomena occur.
And if that’s the case, why was unique mana even mentioned?
[I think it’s a matter of capacity. Awakened individuals possess mana from birth. Since they have mana, they also have elemental mana, and since they possess elemental mana, they also have unique mana, right? But what about a misfit?]
“Uh, nothing at all, I guess?”
[Even if you contract with a dragon, what you can obtain is only mana. You’ve got a new jar in place, but it’s still lacking the 20-year-old and 10-year-old kimchi that should be in the jar.]
“……Aha.”
That was indeed a plausible narrative. A somewhat unusual metaphor aside, of course.
“But if that’s the case….”
[Yes, Dad never inherited his own unique mana. While it’s not impossible for it to be formed in the future, he also lacks elemental mana. This has already been confirmed.]
“Ugh, my plan of awakening an incredibly cool unique mana and going to meet Alkeinea…!”
As Shar circled around subtly, Yeon-woo reacted dramatically.
“Instead, it means I can use the elemental mana absorbed through the Dragon Heart as my own elemental mana. It’s not entirely impossible for it to take shape. That’s fine. From now on, I need to be a bit more proactive about hunting monsters.”
As he said this with a grin, Shar let out a sigh of relief.
[Stating it as a multi-elemental trait achieved under special conditions would certainly make Dad feel good, right?]
“Shar, you understand the minds of men well? You’re going to make quite the heartbreaker when you grow up.”
[Of course, whose daughter am I?]
Shar giggled playfully. What a cute little thing.
As for whether this theory was correct, I honestly didn’t know.
However, for now, Shar was the only one who could explain this phenomenon, and if Shar spoke with any degree of certainty, I thought it might be okay to trust this theory. After all, there’s some persuasive materials to back it up.
So, what should I do next? It was a painfully obvious continuation.
“Maybe I should practice a bit, with elemental mana?”
[Hmm, Dad hasn’t entered the realm yet, so just a little. Just enough to not overexert. Got it?]
“I know that kind of thing by now. Don’t worry, my daughter.”
Having reached an agreement with Shar, Yeon-woo began to chew down on the now-cold chicken that had been forgotten during their chat.
*
Perched on a severed tree stump, a boy gazed up at the sky. A boy who looked only five or six years old, smiling gently as Sister Claire seemed to say something to him with sad eyes.
Watching from afar, Yeon-woo retained that scene in his memory.
Why did he view himself as another in his dreams? While he could guess the reason, Yeon-woo found himself thinking about it.
What had Claire said after splashing her face with water? Regrettably, those words remained entrenched deep within his heart.
“Is it okay for me to leave my dream to you, Yeon-woo?”
The voice that had come from his own mouth echoed alongside Sister Claire’s words, reaching the boy’s ear.
The boy… the young Choi Yeon-woo nodded repeatedly with a bright smile.
And Yeon-woo smiled faintly at that sight. It was just spoken words, yet why did it feel so good?
*
“Hey hey, Choi Yeon-woo! Choi Yeon-woo!”
Now a staple of our morning routine, right after finishing a refreshing shower, a bright voice rang in Yeon-woo’s ears. What the heck?
As he turned around, with a squeak, the guy stumbled back in surprise. Yeon-woo was drying his hair while wearing nothing but pants.
“What are you doing, you exhibitionist perv!!”
“Whoa, but you’re the one peeking into the guys’ locker room!”
“Ah, is that so!? I’m leaving!”
His face turning beet red, the guy turned and scurried away, his dark ponytail swaying gently.
I wonder if I should’ve pulled him back. Why did he come all the way here?
Sure, it’s an empty time aside from Yeon-woo, but I wish he’d restrain himself since he has the nerve to do so. It’s now been two weeks since we enrolled; have I grown that friendly with Kim Yoo-min? I hope that’s the case.
Yeon-woo shook off the water with a towel, dried his hair with a hairdryer, and slathered on some academy lotion.
In his previous life, scars had given him a rough appearance, but now, he was quite decent-looking.
Not to brag, but it was truly true that I’m at least average looking—no, genuinely so.
Compared to his previous life, where he gave up on managing himself, now he was keeping at it diligently, as Sister Claire had advised.
“So why did you come, Kim Yoo-min?”
“Today, your class and my class are having a spar, right!? It’s gonna be fun, isn’t it!!”
“Now that you mention it… oh yeah, that sounds fun.”
Thinking back, I realized today was that day. The academy’s training is gradually becoming more practical. Sparring isn’t something exceptional. Understanding monsters now includes strategies and weaknesses, while magic classes have started teaching how to use more aggressive mana. Next week, we’ll have practical gate exploration.
It’s only been three weeks since the semester started. While it sounds fast, it’s just the right timing to put these fresh-faced newcomers in their place.
This first-year group is special. There’s never been a generation this strong when I was in first year. The average abilities are amazing, and each individual stands out. Even professors are left scratching their heads, wondering if the previous years’ second-years were this impressive. And that’s happened in just three weeks.
Brushing aside his slightly damp bangs, Yeon-woo activated his information ring.
Name: Choi Yeon-woo
Grade: First Year
–
Strength: 2
Agility: 2
Stamina: 3
Mana (Quantity): 1
Mana (Quality): 6
Swordsmanship: 3
Although his attributes hadn’t increased, given that he was at the beginning of the third week, Yeon-woo’s parameters had noticeably risen at least a level, if not more.
It was somewhat bitter that he didn’t have a single Hunter student he could beat purely on physical ability, but now that he could manage to match their level when using mana, he was content. It’s thanks to the overwhelming output derived from innate mana.
Yeon-woo felt that things were going well. He mentally organized his schedule. Shar would likely hatch next week, so I need to pay close attention to next week’s schedule. Maybe I’ll visit Relin’s Archive the week after. Yeon-woo made a memo of that on his smartphone and set an alarm.
“Who do you want to fight?! Is there someone you have your eyes on in our class!? I’m thinking Namgung Seong or Baek In-hwa! Or maybe you!”
“Hey, leave the last one out. Don’t you feel sorry for me when I’m right in front of you?”
“Still, you should at least feel grateful since I’d rank you around third!”
“Considering I’m in front of you, is there really much to be grateful for?”
Pushed up against the wall, Kim Yoo-min scoffed at Yeon-woo, who was decked in a tracksuit. Well, he wouldn’t stand a chance anyway. Isn’t it clearly Je Gal Seong-ryong who should be in that match? Maybe he’s just avoiding it because of the dynamics?
“Hmm, someone I’ve got my eyes on… well, you, and also Albert Lionel. For one more, maybe Park Sung-in?”
“Hehe, that’s embarrassing!”
“Since I didn’t even single you out, what’s there to feel embarrassed about? Probably won’t end up fighting any of those three, anyway.”
“That seems… hmm, is that true?”
“Is there any academy that would pit the bottom student against someone in the top 30? If that ever happens, I’d be rushing to the Department Head’s Office to question it. Have you lost your mind?”
“But you’ve got quite the reputation now.”
“What are you talking about?”
Yeon-woo, who’d been acting tough, shot back, confused by Kim Yoo-min’s calm response. What’s this reputation they’re talking about? Is it about me being a contractee?
“You’re said to be the disciple of Department Head Yuri.”
“What? How did you know?”
“They say the Department Head goes around spreading the news.”
No way? That crazy old man?
“The professors are all reportedly giving the Department Head quite a bit of pressure, asking if they’re going to favor their disciple. They say if you’re the Department Head’s disciple, shouldn’t you show corresponding talent?”
“……Ah….”
Yeon-woo let out an involuntary groan. Yuri wasn’t exactly known for being patient.
Being exceptionally skilled in one field often meant one’s way of thinking was distorted. It’s known throughout the world that every famed swordsman fought with their lives on the line to prove themselves before Yuri.
Just looking at how Hunter Guild gamblers lost half their money when a man who had lost his clan returned from Yuri without a scratch proves that.
Moreover, even if he beat someone up, he would still respond. That’s the common perception of all parties involved.
If you ask, you’ll get answered. If you press, it becomes bothersome. And if it becomes bothersome, it gets thrown onto the disciple. Yeon-woo could naturally picture this entire process.
“Wow, I really am in it now.”
“Don’t use such vulgar language, Choi Yeon-woo!”
Hey, don’t hit me. Stop hitting me. It really hurts, so don’t hit me!
(To be continued in the next episode)