Chapter 36
Chapter 36
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Monitor (4)
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"Party member?"
"Oh, Bunny sis? She's downstairs. No need for both of us to come up together, right?"
"I suppose not."
"Sis was waiting like crazy for you, hyung."
"For me?"
Before I could ask why, Kim Yul arrived at the basement level and flung open the door in front of me.
"Sis, our benefactor's here!"
Benefactor? I was about to frown at the weird choice of words when my eyes met those of the woman beyond the door.
A bob cut that barely reached her jaw.
Stubbornly pursed lips.
Around 170 cm tall.
She had an overall cold and rigid impression.
But her gaze on me burned hot for some reason.
'What the hell?'
What kind of situation makes her look at me like that?
It was utterly baffling.
My frown didn't ease up at all.
As I followed Kim Yul into the mirror room, my mood edged toward unpleasant.
Even with the hat and mask, being stared at so openly wasn't welcome.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Yang Hye-won. Code name Bunny Girl, 23 years old this year."
As the distance closed, Yang Hye-won extended her hand first and introduced herself.
"Ah, yeah."
I replied in a sour tone and shook her hand lightly.
Right after, Yang Hye-won, who had been staring straight through me, began rummaging in her pocket for something.
"I know it's sudden, but I really wanted to thank you if we met."
Thanks out of nowhere?
As my expression soured further, Yang Hye-won thrust an item from her hand toward me.
She held a resident registration card and a piece of paper.
Curious, I peered at it, and a totally unexpected term jumped out.
'Family relationship certificate?'
Why's that coming out of her pocket?
Before the doubt could settle, one name on the family relationship certificate stabbed into my eyes.
"...Yang Bae-jun?"
Muttering the familiar name, Yang Hye-won responded.
"My brother."
Today, as always, I had another chance to curse the system.
* * *
Yang Bae-jun, code name Assa.
The player who resisted Han Chang-sik to the end and got shot dead.
The silence after realizing he and Yang Hye-won were family didn't last long.
"I heard you also brought the video of Han Chang-sik that nailed him. Thanks to you, we learned what happened to my brother..."
"Let's just start the materialization practice. I want to wrap this up quick."
I cut off Yang Hye-won before she could spill her feelings in detail.
In this game, family dying is tragic, sure, but there's nothing I can do about it.
'It's not like offering condolences brings the dead back.'
On top of that, Han Chang-sik was a topic I wanted to avoid.
"...I was being thoughtless. Let's begin."
When I clicked my tongue and looked away, Yang Hye-won nodded without protest.
"You've unlocked Mana Operation?"
She sat within arm's reach as we took our positions.
"Yes."
"Proficiency?"
"Just over 2% now."
It had been two days since I heard her story from Kim Yul in the early morning, so not a bad result.
'She must've practiced steadily.'
I beckoned Yang Hye-won closer.
I'd agreed to teach, but I'd only ever explained the theory.
All I'd done was teach Ethan via comments or post on the community.
A bit of trial and error was inevitable.
Still, I wasn't too worried.
I trusted the proficiency I'd built through relentless effort.
"You know how to concentrate mana in one spot?"
"I practiced after seeing your post, but no results. I can circulate it through my whole body, but... partial movement didn't work."
She seemed decent at circulating inside her body but immature at gathering it in one place.
Pondering teaching methods, I grabbed Yang Hye-won's shoulder.
Then I tried pushing my mana into her body.
Result: failure.
'The repulsion's pretty strong.'
Instead of entering, the mana scattered sideways.
Felt like rejection because the mana source was different.
'Well, mana is basically life force, the root of living beings.'
Another being's power entering your body isn't natural.
In fact, absorbing mana from kills brings massive rejection.
I'd adapted enough not to flinch mid-battle now.
But the absorption process never felt good.
'Can't inject mana directly into the body, huh.'
Then find another way.
I spread my mana broadly over Yang Hye-won's body.
Her shoulder twitched, sensing the foreignness.
'As expected.'
I figured it'd work like cloaking, overlaying mana.
"Can you feel it?"
"Yes, something's... moving on my skin."
Good sign that she could sense my mana this way.
Today's lesson wouldn't be too tough.
"Concentrating mana on a specific spot feels like pushing it to one side..."
But you can't just shove it blindly one way.
The target area needs circulation too.
Understand the basic premise: once operation starts, mana movement never stops.
"It's not about forcing it one way. More like controlling it to move only where you want."
Like juggling while walking the direction you choose.
"First, left arm."
It took a bit over an hour for Yang Hye-won to mimic my mana flow.
"Compare this mana circulation to air swirling inside a puffy balloon."
"Yes."
Sweat beaded on Yang Hye-won's forehead, but she focused on my explanation.
"Materialization is like poking a hole in that balloon."
"A hole?"
I nodded and raised my hand to shoulder height.
Sending mana rapidly spinning inside the body out through a hole I make.
That was the basic principle of materialization I'd established.
"Small hole like this."
Crimson mana crept out from my right index finger.
"Ooh."
Kim Yul, sitting nearby watching us, let out an exclamation.
"Big hole on the other hand."
Mana that had bloomed only at my fingertip gradually covered my whole hand, then flowed from my entire body.
"Full-body materialization works like this too."
But there's a key caution for materialization.
"Even then, your internal mana operation speed can't drop."
Make a hole next to mana spinning in a sealed space, and it leaks out—internal pressure drops naturally.
Like losing propulsion when expelling mana.
I placed my hand on Yang Hye-won's shoulder again to demonstrate.
"Ugh..."
She broke a cold sweat trying to follow.
She was struggling hard, but I was certain she'd succeed.
'More talent than Ethan.'
She'd floundered not knowing how, but caught on quick once shown.
Unlocking Mana Operation in days wasn't luck.
I instructed Yang Hye-won on practice drills, then turned to Kim Yul lounging nearby.
"You too. Come here."
"Huh? Me too? Wasn't it just teaching sis?"
If Yang Hye-won couldn't keep up, yeah.
I didn't want to spend too much time on them.
But she followed the demo pretty well.
So it'd end sooner than expected.
In that case, teach Kim Yul Mana Operation too and close this chapter cleanly.
'And check on contributing directly or indirectly to player survival rates.'
No messages popped during Yang Hye-won's lesson.
'No need to explain reasons.'
I beckoned silently, and Kim Yul approached eagerly.
After setting his Mana Operation direction similarly, I opened the auction house.
To check if I could resell discounted potions.
'Used to sell to Ethan for 1 mana each.'
Sadly, this system wasn't a pushover.
「Items purchased at discount cannot be listed in the auction house.」
'Trying to make some mana.'
Already blocked. I confirmed the rejection and closed it.
Objectively, fair balance tweak.
But it felt like a personal shot, so irritating anyway.
'Damn system.'
Muttering my habit curse, I started personal training.
If Kim Yul or Yang Hye-won lost the feel and asked for help, I'd demo again.
When they practiced solo, I trained to extend materialization duration.
About three hours later?
"Got it!"
Kim Yul jumped up shouting.
「You have directly contributed to increasing a player's survival rate. Fame +0.5.」
System message followed.
'So that's the difference between direct and indirect contributions to player survival.'
Distinguishes in fame gains.
'Indirect's more efficient time-wise.'
Community posts target masses.
More players, more fame from guides.
No need to run around for direct contributions.
'Keep using the guidebook steadily.'
Stay top-tier, keep providing info.
Fame'll hit 10k soon.
That day's lesson was pretty successful.
By the time I stood, Yang Hye-won had faintly materialized mana, and fame rose another 0.5.
Taught both Mana Operation and materialization as promised.
My role was done.
Right before parting, they called the NIS agent in front of me.
I watched the same agent from the cafe take them away, then turned.
* * *
Eight days after killing Han Chang-sik, at dawn, the timer appeared.
≪Important Notice≫
Per new rules, failing to proceed with mission within 24 hours will force-start it.
Timer: 24:00:00
Now it was certain. All players must run missions at least once every ten days.
I saw no reason to wait the full 24 hours.
I'd only waited to confirm if the ten-day rule applied to me.
So at sunrise, I started the level 3 mission.
「Hole opens.」
「Entering mission zone.」
「This area is not a player protection zone.」
「You are the first to pass the beginner section. Fame +5.」
I entered the mission zone and drew my crossblade spear.
First sensation: thick fishy water stench.
Then shrill cricket chirps.
Bubbling water drops bursting somewhere.
Rustling bushes blending in.
But instead of scanning around, I fixed on the message window.
The long-missing mission entry message had changed.
'Where's the barrier line?'
Setting aside the new phrase, the usual barrier notice was gone.
Frowning at the messages, a chill made me look up.
Beyond the unknown plants densely surrounding me, I gazed at the sky.
"Ha!"
A complicated exclamation escaped.
I'd started the mission at sunrise, but the sky here was pitch black.
This confirmed my hypothesis from first entering a level 2 mission.
This wasn't Earth.
Proof: two blue moons of different sizes hung in the dark night sky.
Damn system