The Cave Yielded a Top-Ranked Mana Crystal
Early morning light filtered through the mist, and Jin Chen faced the stone wall with a question.
“What? This appeared while digging the cave?”
“Yes. At first we had no idea what it was, so we piled it up somewhere. But Gannon returned and found it. He came charging like a dog.”
“Hmph. Charging like a dog? Lord Chujoo, your reputation for horses isn’t exactly high-class. I’m already an 8th-circle archmage now. Heh heh heh!”
Bbakbbaki coughed loudly, his face twisted in disgust at the words.
Not a single person paid any attention to him.
“Top-tier mana crystal. Even a 5th-circle mage would be tempted to rush at it like a dog.”
“B-Bbakbbaki-nim! I’m now an 8th-circle mage!”
“Are you questioning me right now?”
“H-how could I possibly…?”
“Then why did I tell you my realm? Just an 8th-circle, you say?”
“N-no! Absolutely not! Absolutely!”
“Using ‘absolutely’ twice is double negative. That’s basically a strong affirmation, meaning you’re looking down on me.”
“Hiiiiiik!”
Sybel began tearing into Gannon like he wanted to punish him for what Jin Chen had done.
No one cared.
Jin Chen examined the fist-sized mana crystal in his hand.
“Strong aura. Definitely.”
“I asked Gannon, and he said he can’t ingest it like a potion.”
“Really?”
Noticing Jin Chen was questioning him, Sybel nodded and replied.
“Even if mana crystals store mana, they’re rocks. Of course a human can’t digest them. Only our dragons could.”
“Bbakbbaki.”
“Yes, Boss.”
“From now on, no food for this brat. Looks like he’ll eat it himself anyway.”
“I’ll pass that on.”
Sybel suddenly cried out in alarm.
“That’s what I meant! Say it louder!”
“Huh? I thought dragons can live on rocks alone. What an overpowered life form. I was thinking…”
Whether he truly admired it or was just mocking, Sybel couldn’t keep up.
Jin Chen cut him off immediately.
“Can it be absorbed directly?”
“What kind of question is that? Absorbed directly?!”
Better to show than tell.
Jin Chen clenched the mana crystal tightly.
Wuuuung.
The crystal began to glow brightly, then dim as it released a strange resonance.
“It can be absorbed.”
A huge amount of pure energy.
If used wisely, it would help the kids a lot.
A moment later, a deafening crack echoed from the crystal.
Crack.
A spiderweb of cracks appeared, and the crystal shattered completely.
Crash!
“Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! The top-tier mana crystal!”
Gannon screamed in despair.
“How did you do it?”
Sybel asked with sparkling eyes.
“I’m just using one of my martial arts. Don’t worry about it. Since I absorbed it directly, I got a bit shortchanged on quantity. How do we use these here?”
“I already know they’re used in artifacts.”
Jin Chen nodded and glanced at the bracelet on his wrist.
Tiny mana stones were embedded tightly around the silver bracelet.
That was the communication artifact Sybel had created.
“They can also be used to install magic circles.”
“What kind are there?”
“Protection circles, summoning circles, illusion circles—whatever you can imagine.”
“Perfect. We’ll install one of the two we already have with these.”
“You want me to install the magic circle?”
“Don’t worry, I won’t make you do the hard part. Ah! Let’s test if they can be used right now.”
Even though he didn’t understand, Jin Chen had a strong premonition that he was being told to try something that would make Gannon suffer.
“Hmph. Good. Let’s install them with the appropriate ones.”
“Alright. Then I’ll just show you a rough diagram with a suitable formation.”
“Won’t it work properly if I install it myself?!”
“That’s what I thought you’d say.”
Jin Chen turned and told Bbakbbaki.
“Tell the kids to come and dig whenever they have time. We’ll need quite a few for the magic circles and artifacts.”
“I’ll pass that on.”
“Good. And Gannon.”
“Yes, Boss.”
“You know this strength is thanks to me, right?”
Jin Chen had never expected him to say it so openly.
Gannon gave an awkward smile.
Jin Chen narrowed his eyes.
“No answer? Did I say something wrong?”
“N-no! Thanks to Boss, I was able to reach the 8th circle I always dreamed of. I will never forget this favor.”
“You don’t just say ‘never forget.’ That’s not how it works.”
“Huh?”
“Favors must be repaid. Anyone who can’t repay them is less than an animal. Alright, problem time. What happens to someone less than an animal?”
“T-that, I…”
Jin Chen smiled coldly while watching Gannon stammer.
He slowly drew a line across his own throat with his thumb.
“You understand what I mean?”
“I-I’ll serve you as my lord for life!”
“I want a cow, not a lord. So work hard to repay me. Got it?”
“I will remember that twice over.”
The promise to beat him to death later had vanished into thin air.
Surprisingly, he didn’t feel any injustice or regret.
Life here was satisfying enough.
Where else in the world could you eat kigirash meat three times a day?
And a dragon slayer who had slain a dragon was right here.
Plus, the dragon right in front of you would probably be visiting often.
If you played your cards right, you might even reach 9th circle.
Or you might get another revelation like last time.
Thinking about it, he almost felt he should beg to stay.
Gannon lowered his head even deeper and shouted again.
“I will devote my loyalty!”
“Why did you suddenly get fired up? You’re giving off a heavy pressure. Bbakbbaki, where else are we going?”
“Follow me, please.”
Following the leading Bbakbbaki, Jin Chen moved forward, and Gannon bowed deeply.
“I will investigate, my lord!”
“Just call me Boss. Lord sounds weird.”
“Yes, Boss!”
“Since I’m leaving, separate the mana crystals for me. Oh, and if you steal or cause trouble, your head will fly.”
“Yes, yes! I’ll remember that!”
Jin Chen waved his hand and followed Bbakbbaki as they quickly disappeared.
Sybel naturally trailed behind and vanished as well.
Once the three had left, Gannon glanced around.
Seeing no one, he pulled a fist-sized mana crystal from his pocket.
“Hmph. Forgive me for sending you like this. I can’t trade my head for you.”
Gannon set the mana crystal down as if abandoning a woman and turned roughly.
He ran into the cave, which was full of misery.
It was time to do the classification work Jin Chen had assigned.
***
In front of the space where the Chulsool members lived.
A decent-sized courtyard was packed with men, women, and children of all ages.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh.
They exhaled slowly and moved at an unhurried pace.
Their movements were so precise it felt like watching one person.
Swish swish swish.
As the slow motions continued, wind gathered around them.
The mana within the wind was thick and dense, swirling as it passed each Chulsool.
Swooosh.
Taking a deep breath equal to the exhale, the mana absorbed into their bodies.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh.
The air that came out again carried a thick aura instead of mana.
Several people watched them quietly.
It was Jin Chen and Sybel, who had followed Bbakbbaki.
Jin Chen smiled with satisfaction and nodded.
“They’re all doing well.”
“What in the world… what is that? Why are the manas…”
“It’s called breathing method. Think of it as a training that stores mana inside the body.”
“Fascinating. I’ve lived over eight thousand years, but I’ve never seen such a breathing technique.”
I’ve taken humans as disciples when I was playing as a human, and I even created my own aura techniques, but I never imagined stacking mana while moving.
“Looking at them, it seems there’s no such thing in this world.”
“Some mercenaries repeat one movement to awaken mana. But that’s it. Even if they feel the mana by chance, they can only store a tiny fraction inside their bodies. No matter how hard they train, they can’t release aura.”
“They must be hopeless. In a place with this much natural energy, just breathing should let them pull out sword qi in no time.”
“Your world must have had less mana, so you developed the qi circulation method. You had to store it efficiently.”
“Now the situation is different.”
Instead of answering, Sybel watched the Chulsools who were deeply immersed in the breathing method.
The swirling manas around them and the faint aura radiating from their bodies.
Just seeing that told him the breathing method was anything but ordinary.
“It’s definitely different. With your technique, and you.”
“It’s just me.”
“Huh?”
“I created it, and I’ll be the one to strengthen them, so it’s just me.”
“You made that breathing technique?”
“Well, their bodies are weak, so I made it lightly.”
Sybel looked shocked, then nodded.
Jin Chen’s strength was more than enough to make it possible.
Then a sudden question popped up.
Sybel was about to open his mouth.
At that moment, the Chulsools who had finished the breathing method shouted one after another with bright smiles.
“Ah! Boss is here!”
“Boss! I reached the 6th level of the breathing method!”
“Boss, did you sleep well?”
“It’s been too long. Please visit often.”
Jin Chen waved his hand and said.
“Don’t get carried away just because a big shot came. If everything’s finished, go take care of your business. Let’s go! Bbakbbaki.”
“Yes, Boss.”
“Boss! Please come visit our house sometime. We made fruit wine. It gets intoxicating fast if you don’t drink it right away.”
“Wine? Then I have to go!”
“We’ll prepare side dishes. You must come!”
Jin Chen chuckled at the overly enthusiastic Chulsools.
“It’ll be no fun eating alone. Tell the kids to gather. Let’s have a big celebration after a long time.”
“Ha ha ha! I’ll drink heavily for the first time in a while.”
“I’ll bring out the wine and snacks you sent!”
“Then we’ll start preparing right away.”
The Chulsools’ faces grew even brighter at the long-awaited feast.
Jin Chen waved his hand and walked.
Bbakbbaki followed and asked.
“It’s been a while. Having a banquet together like this.”
“You could do it once. We fell from the sky into this strange world and will have to work hard from now on.”
“What about the guys who are out on duty?”
“First, tell them all to return. Today is a rest day.”
“Yes, Boss.”
“Ah! And…”
Jin Chen suddenly stopped walking and looked at Sybel beside him.
“How much alcohol do you have?”
“Why are you asking that?”
“I originally planned to have a party last night, but some idiot destroyed Boss’s room, so we couldn’t.”
“Hmph. If it’s alcohol, don’t worry. If it’s not enough, send Gannon to bring it.”
“That’s fine too. He’ll have to come and go often from now on.”
Jin Chen nodded and continued walking.
A short while later, they arrived at the place Bbakbbaki had pointed out.
The western end of the village, at the start of the fence connecting to the cliff.
Jin Chen narrowed his brow and stepped onto the fence.
Looking down, he asked.
“What are those? Why is he down there?”
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