The Association's New Mana Measurement System Is 'Milking' as Common Sense

"Huff, huff..."

Sweat droplets had already pooled on the wooden floor of my one-room officetel. It was early morning, and I was holding a horse-riding stance. Just staying still in this position made my legs tremble naturally, and my molars ground together with the strain. This wasn't bullshit—this was seriously going to kill me.

"...Still, how much longer?!"

"20 seconds."

"────!"

No, fuck. Still not done? I pictured a timer in my mind. Gritting my teeth until time was up, I collapsed onto the floor the instant the alarm went off.

"Ha, an hour... that was really an hour, right...?"

"Mm. Not bad. Better than yesterday—the momentum feels more stable. But your form broke at the end, so as punishment, let's add five more minutes."

"Ehh...?"

A week. Exactly seven days since starting training with Wi Seol-ah. And how had that time been?

'Lost 5kg.'

It was an insane number on paper. A grown man with a pretty solid build loses that much weight from exercise? And it wasn't even intentional dieting—my muscles had bulked up while my body got lighter? That meant I'd burned every last bit of fat.

'Even thinking about it now, it's ridiculous...'

I had no idea how it worked, but after a brutal week of rolling with it, my body had transformed like this. Was this what martial arts were? Wi Seol-ah suddenly seemed even more impressive.

Thwack──!!

"Ow! Hey, why'd you hit me?!"

"Did this lady not tell you to empty your mind? How can you not know that a lapse in focus makes the training meaningless?"

Wi Seol-ah now held my hunter terminal in her hand. It was heavier than it looked—unlike a phone—and it hurt like hell when it smacked you.

"...What's with all the noise first thing in the morning?"

Right on cue, Dayeon emerged ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠from the bathroom like a relief pitcher. One thing I'd learned over the week: Wi Seol-ah was unexpectedly weak to sharp personalities like Dayeon's.

"If you're gonna work out, do it outside? The place reeks of sweat now."

"In this weather, doing this shit outside... I'd actually die, Dayeon..."

"And Unnie Seol-ah, I told you to strip down, right? If you bundle up like that and get hot, you'll crawl into the freezer again."

"H-how can you tell a lady to wear only undergarments when men and women should keep their distance...!"

Hmm, maybe not? She just seemed to be a bitch to everyone. At least it was a relief that Wi Seol-ah and Dayeon had gotten close fast. Honestly, I couldn't complain if she kicked me out right then, but seeing them get along was nice.

Maybe it was because they were both women, but they were bonding day by day. I'd come home from gate runs to find Dayeon explaining something to Wi Seol-ah, who'd say something offbeat, making Dayeon burst out laughing.

...Well, good was good. Dayeon headed out for her lectures, leaving just me and Wi Seol-ah at home. In the returning peace, Wi Seol-ah spoke up.

"Amahya."

"Yes, Senior."

"Have you grasped the feel now?"

Taiheo Bingbaek Fist. The name of the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠martial art Wi Seol-ah had ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠passed down to me. It started with changing my breathing. When moving intensely and inhaling... short, rapid breaths in brief moments... settling the body's excitement... Every motion had its matching breath, and she'd imprinted them into my body. Not taught—literally beaten in. As a result, I could mimic them awkwardly after just two days.

On the third, I learned to deflect attacks. Wi Seol-ah's punches were weak. With her power still suppressed by Cheonhwa Munju, her strikes were at a level I could block. But her accumulated experience was different.

Wi Seol-ah would shift direction right before I blocked, pressing the attack. Blocking itself gave her the next option. So, deflect instead. After hundreds of strikes, my body read the flow on its own.

That wasn't all. Separately from training, I had to push my body to extremes through exercise. To build 'internal energy' inside.

That was the week. Short if short, long if long. I'd definitely changed.

"So, do you understand the essence of Taiheo Bingbaek Fist now?"

"...Not really."

"Honesty is good."

Wi Seol-ah grabbed my hand, pulling it to rest on her chest. The soft sensation after so long felt great.

"...This lady didn't say to grope."

"Ah, slipped out unconsciously."

"Read it. It's a cheat method, but with that eye of yours, you should see the flow."

I activated Appraisal Eye. An aura spread around Wi Seol-ah. Unlike any hunter I'd seen. Like a candle about to flicker out. The amount was ridiculously low—maybe even less than mine. Could you really use martial arts with a body this parched?

But.

'It's different.'

I couldn't pinpoint how. I hadn't learned properly myself. Her body was desiccated from mana theft, yet stubbornly alive. Like a cactus. The key was the method. Hunters burn mana. Pull it out when needed, it depletes, replenish with potions. Wi Seol-ah circulated internal energy. No consumption. Low fuel? Keep it spinning. Spin endlessly, and it never dries up.

"What do you see?"

"...A ring. Infinitely circulating."

"Not unworthy of my teachings. Well, at this speed, you've got decent talent. Make that ring like your veins. As natural as breathing."

I got why Wi Seol-ah taught me this. It fit me perfectly. Circulating mana like this gave even someone with low total capacity ways to use it variably. She'd demonstrated it herself.

I wiped sweat and stood.

"Hah, jumping straight to application?"

"...Gotta catch up on backlog first."

I turned on my hunter terminal. A name felt awkwardly unfamiliar after so long.

I remembered the name, even without it listed. Shin Se-hee, team leader? 'Yeah, time to check on this.' I'd been waiting for contact. Thought they'd forgotten after brushing it off, but apparently not.

"I'm heading out for a bit—keep the house safe? Listen to Dayeon when she gets back."

"Don't treat this lady like a child...!"

*

The Hunter Association Seoul Branch was busier than usual on my long-overdue visit. Crowded with people, everyone hustling.

"Ah, Hunter Kim Geon. This way."

After a short wait, Shin Se-hee called me directly. Hair tousled like she hadn't had mirror time amid the chaos, she spoke first.

"Sorry to call you when you're busy. Things have been hectic lately... The whole association's swamped, so the investigation dragged."

"No problem."

I'd expected indefinite delay. No one busier than the association now. Gates hit hardest by the anomaly. Heard female hunters vanishing mid-clearance—monster kidnappings and rapes. Even without that, staff uniforms, new regs, paperwork overload.

I was grateful Shin Se-hee carved out time.

"Bottom line: similar complaints since. Not many domestically or abroad, but the key is..."

"I might not be the only one?"

"Yes, for now."

Shin Se-hee glanced around, neatly stacking files, lowering her voice.

"...You're a registered hunter, not a regular complainant, so I'll tell you. Internally, it's seen as gate radiation side effect. Hypothesis: prolonged mana wave exposure causes cognitive distortion."

Hmm. So, I'm hallucinating from radiation? Logical for them, but I couldn't buy it. Would've been nice if true. I was still fighting not to stare at association staff cleavage.

"Still seeing it?"

Her eyes met mine.

"...?"

I paused, choosing words carefully. She was sharp. Competent enough to handle complaints personally amid chaos, with a knack for probing.

Honestly, unsure how much to reveal. Didn't distrust her—she seemed good. But...

'I'm just scared for no reason.'

I was too weak to face the phenomenon's source. Before my immunity leaked, I needed strength to protect at least myself.

"Not sure. Maybe used to it, or just hallucinated from stress then."

"Mm."

"Living normally now."

Strength via martial arts. That was the immediate goal.

"Thanks for the answer. Contact if anything odd—I'll keep looking."

"No, thank you for your time."

"Ah, and..."

As I stood, she added,

"You got the text? New mana measurement system pilot. Corrects old method errors—all Seoul Branch hunters targeted. Other dept asked me to pass it on."

"...What text?"

Hadn't noticed. I checked unread messages. Amid spam, one from association.

"Er... Can I do it now?"

"Starts today, probably. Hold on, the pamphlet from last time..."

Shin Se-hee handed me a sheet.

"...?"

I blinked, thinking I misread. No way. Not a typo here.

'What the fuck is mana milking?'

Looks like today won't pass peacefully either.