Master Librarian Do (Part 2)
In this world, Imae Mangnyang or yokai aren't just mere petty spirits. They're the crystallization of humanity's deeply rooted imagination throughout history. Whether born from fear or curiosity, they're creations of the human mind for whatever reason. And by claiming an Imae Mangnyang, yokai, or even gods as their own, a superpower user can become that very existence.
"I am the god of storms!"
"I am the god of storms!"
Whether myth or legend, as long as it doesn't actually exist, a superpower user can become a god through the power of mana.
"Ahh, the power to control electricity...?"
Take, for example, a superpower user who can manipulate lightning.
"Hey, Mr. Han! We invite you to Greece! You'll become Greece's one and only god, Zeus!"
"Me, Zeus? Isn't that the guy who goes around raping women?"
"If you come to Greece, you can actually be like Zeus! It'd be a crime in Korea, but Greece is on your side! Greek women will be by your side every night!"
"...Pardon?"
"It's worth it for you! If you defect to Greece, you'll get an insane salary and women lining up! Dye your hair blond first and get some plastic surgery!"
What if this man had grown up immersed in Greek mythology from childhood?
"I am Zeus, reincarnated in the modern age!!"
By identifying with an existing god from the past, one can maximize their imagination.
"So Zeus throws lightning bolts himself? Then I just need to practice javelin throwing."
The more detailed the mythological records, the more media humans have produced embodying that imagination...
"Bring me every Greek and Roman mythology resource in existence! Books, games, comics, anime, movies—everything!!"
...the stronger the superpower user's ability becomes.
"I am Zeus! God of Olympus! Those who defy me shall taste a million volts!"
"What the—Pikachu?"
"Pika—argh, no! Insolent fool!! I am the thunder god Zeus! If I win, I'll claim you!"
"Crazy bastard! Thinks he's Zeus! Badly put, he's been consumed by his own concept."
Well put, it's simply synchronizing oneself with the combat styles or weapons from existing myths without overcomplicating ability usage. In the original work, this was called [Synchro].
Identifying oneself with beings from myths, legends, or folktales. Creating a completely new existence is like crafting an original story, which is hard. But making an existing myth or legend your own is easy.
"Zeus! You are Greece's pride!"
"No! Zeus is Jupiter! Rome's pride!"
"Take me, Zeus! I'll be your Hera!"
This is the common reality for superpower users in this world.
'It's all just national pride buildup.'
Looking at it objectively since entering this world, it's a ploy to stir up nationalistic fervor.
'If everyone does national pride, Korea doing it won't stand out anymore.'
What if every country drapes their traditions and myths over superpower users to boost national prestige? Especially their own myths or legends—governments naturally use them as propaganda.
"Introducing the newly promoted A-rank superpower user, 'Naval War God'!"
"Hold on. Why is that armor like that? Are you insulting Admiral Yi Sun-sin?"
"This user's ability overlays turtle ships made of waves onto existing vessels! It creates invincible ships protected from enemy cannon fire!"
"Damn, that's kinda tempting."
The act of bringing past existences into the future and rebirthing them in the modern era—[Synchro]. It's vastly different from just putting a national flag-patterned suit on a physical enhancement user and calling them 'Taeguk General,' or dressing them in a mugunghwa flower suit as 'Rose of Sharon Guy.'
Claiming legendary existences as one's own. This applies equally to things known as yokai or petty spirits, just like me, Dokkaebi. Even gumiho.
"May I call you Student Yoon Isun? Student Yoon Isun. Do you think increasing mana is more important, or the ability to use superpowers... in other words, having rich imagination?"
"I think both are important. But if I had to pick one, mana is obviously more crucial."
"Yes. Mana. It's important. But sometimes, human imagination alone can grant tremendous power. A kind of technique, you could say. And the source of that imagination lies in human history."
"...Teacher Librarian, your words feel like hearing a new theory—it's a bit complicated."
"Is that so? I'm just reciting the facts as they are."
I'm merely explaining the original work's lore in my own words.
"Base your thoughts and concepts on existences from myths or legends, and make them your own. No need to follow the originals exactly—just incorporate material from existing media. Like how students develop their superpowers using the resources on the first and second floors."
"It feels like you gave an answer from a completely different world than my question."
"......You might be right."
Oh no. Got too excited meeting an original heroine and spilled the original settings like crazy.
"Sorry. I tend to think about this stuff a lot, so words just tumbled out. Contracts with demons or yokai, heh. Forget I said that."
"What if."
Hm? What if?
"If I made a contract with such an existence... or rather, as you said, Teacher Librarian Do, if I made it my own—what god would suit me?"
"Gumiho."
Sticking to canon. No need for weird suggestions.
"A gumiho would suit you."
"Gumiho eat people's livers."
"Depends on how you think about it. Gumiho encompass the entire East, and in China and Japan, they're practically 'gods' in their own right."
"I know that. The white-faced golden-furred one. But that's a yokai god."
"What about a Korean, modern-style gumiho, different from yokai gods?"
Yoon Isun's eyes widened in surprise at my words.
"Modern... gumiho?"
"Yes. Like throwing mana orbs far and retrieving them, creating foxfire around you to intercept enemies, or instantly transforming into a fox to charge while spawning foxfire."
That's the most iconic gumiho image I know.
"Eating livers feels a bit too much for a modern concept, don't you think?"
"Eating livers? That's old-school gumiho. And even if it's yokai-like, heroes can take beast forms too, right?"
Like that chaebol bat guy.
"Just because they were called yokai or monsters in ancient times doesn't mean they have to be villains now."
"Yokai as heroes?"
"Heroes. Nice ring to it, but you don't become a hero just by wanting to."
I placed my fist over my chest.
"Isn't someone who makes this resonate the real hero?"
"Someone who thinks they're a hero is a hero?"
"No."
Because there are psychopathic villains who think that. Pass.
"Not manufactured heroes, but those many people believe are 'heroes'—regardless of appearance."
"......Interesting."
Yoon Isun smiled faintly and checked her Taeguk Watch.
"Hmm... Got it. I'll keep that in mind. It wasn't really an interview, but thanks."
Yoon Isun stuffed all the books into her backpack and bowed deeply to me.
"Thanks for your time."
"Sure, take care."
I waved as I saw Yoon Isun off.
After that, I wondered if other heroines might show up, but none did.
"Jackpot."
Thanks to that, I could devour the books I'd borrowed to my heart's content.
Strange sophist. A man lost in his own world.
That was Yoon Isun's conclusion about the man wearing the name tag "Do Jihwan."
"Does he think he's some academy professor?"
Professors sometimes acted like that. Especially those immersed in their fields.
"Maybe he's gunning for a professor position after being a librarian. What a unique guy."
She'd just wanted opinions on mana, but the conversation veered off a cliff into another dimension.
Was he always like that? Or had being stuck underground eroded his social skills from lack of interaction?
"...Kinda pitiful."
Manning the desk on a weekend Saturday looked a little sad.
But.
"......A contract with a demon."
What he said offered a fresh, interesting perspective.
What is a hero?
"Regardless of form or origin, wield positive influence on others. Something like that...?"
It felt like a clear answer to why academy students attended, and what kind of hero to become after graduation.
"Interesting guy."
Slurp.
"And..."
Yoon Isun smacked her lips while gazing at her reflection in the mirror.
"A gumiho."
In the mirror stood Yoon Isun as a gumiho: fox ears atop her head, nine tails behind her hips, and an insanely voluptuous figure.
But.
"If I could become that..."
Reality was merely—
Thud.
Yoon Isun stepped on two AAA batteries rolling across the floor.