Chapter 175
Chapter 175
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 175
Chapter Title: Magic Lessons with Ji-hee
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Chapter 175
The association's practice room.
Inside the spacious area were two people.
Unlike their calm, stationary postures, their attitudes were intensely focused.
"So, what exactly am I supposed to do here?"
"You think of stretching the mana out long and thin, manifest it like that, then fling it forward..."
It was impossible to follow.
"No, hold on! This isn't working at all."
Jeong-hyeon removed the green ring from his finger and lay flat on the floor.
The green ring was, of course, the artifact from the Lizardman Sanctuary.
Why was Jeong-hyeon wearing it now?
Simple.
He had been learning magic from Ji-hee since that morning.
Even though he hadn't moved much, sweat poured from his entire body.
He had never once thought his comprehension was lacking in all his life, but this time it changed his mind.
"Sorry. I definitely use it that way..."
"No, it's not you, Ji-hee."
Ji-hee fidgeted anxiously as she approached Jeong-hyeon to apologize.
Originally, Jeong-hyeon had wanted to learn magic from Jeongjin Guild's Team Leader Cha Jun-won.
He looked intellectual at a glance, seemed like he'd teach well, and they shared the same Mana Sensitivity trait.
Sang-su had learned magic usage know-how from Jun-won before, so it didn't seem like a bad idea.
But there was one problem.
'Should I just make Team Leader Cha Jun-won sign a nondisclosure agreement...'
It was due to Jeong-hyeon's traits.
Jun-won had fought alongside him in the King's Playground before, but he didn't know for sure that Jeong-hyeon was S-Rank.
That alone posed a security issue.
Moreover, at that time, Jeong-hyeon hadn't used Mana Sensitivity noticeably.
Going to Jun-won now and suddenly asking to be taught magic would cause an uproar.
'That would mean revealing my traits to the association too...'
Even the association didn't fully know Jeong-hyeon's traits.
They only knew he was S-Rank agility-based. They didn't know he could use magic traits, just like Jun-won.
The promising trio who had been with him in the Lizardman Sanctuary kept quiet when he asked them to keep it secret.
The association wouldn't learn about Jeong-hyeon's traits through them, at least.
So the only remaining candidate was Ji-hee, who had hunted with him and posed no security concerns.
To be fair, it was hard to imagine Ji-hee blabbing about Jeong-hyeon.
She was more likely not to say anything even if asked.
Unfortunately, even Ji-hee wasn't a perfect magic teacher.
"So, Bash is like squeezing mana through your body as hard as you can..."
"Wave is like rippling waves..."
Jeong-hyeon knew all these spells, but the explanations were like this.
Vaguely abstract, making him think, "How do you even do that?"
This was actually much improved.
'It was really something at first...'
Jeong-hyeon recalled the first time Ji-hee tried teaching him magic.
- Shall we get started now?
- ...
After entering the practice room.
With no further words at his request to teach him magic properly, she simply cast a spell.
Whoooosh—
Very slowly.
At first, Jeong-hyeon wondered what she was doing.
- ...Bash.
- ?
Then Ji-hee quietly named the spell.
Seeing her just staring at him silently, Jeong-hyeon finally understood.
She had shown him the spell slowly, so now he should try imitating it.
'If you could cast magic just by watching that, no one would bother studying...'
Since she had demonstrated, Jeong-hyeon tried his best to mimic the mana flow she showed.
Psssh—
Of course, it failed.
- ...?
Ji-hee tilted her head at the sight.
Her expression screamed curiosity: "Why isn't this working?"
Even after trying a few more times, the result was the same.
She tried demonstrating other spells in panic, but failures continued.
Magic wasn't like in novels, popping out just by mimicking mana flow.
It required the teacher's detailed guidance and personalizing the formula to the learner's fit to manifest the same spell.
- ...Want some of that?
*Nod*
In desperation, seeing Jeong-hyeon fail to copy her magic, Ji-hee parted her lips repeatedly before finally taking a Trait Stabilizer from her pocket.
For some reason since the Lizardman Sanctuary, her speech had gradually increased, but she still needed the stabilizer for normal communication.
Her explanations grew a bit more detailed as she opened up, but as mentioned, they weren't explanations to Jeong-hyeon, so no noticeable change.
- Put this on.
- ...This too?
Finally, she even handed over the Lizardman Ring on her finger.
It definitely helped.
Whoooosh—
- Ooh.
It was rough, but he succeeded in manifesting Bash, the next step after Mana Bolt.
Of course, he hadn't progressed much beyond that, leading to the current situation.
Jeong-hyeon newly realized how grueling practice alone could be, without even hunting.
Though he said it was fine, Ji-hee, still blaming herself for his inability to use magic freely, paced anxiously beside him.
Unable to watch, Jeong-hyeon changed the subject.
'Well, how could I master magic in such a short time?'
He hadn't asked for her help expecting to master it in a day.
Yet her vibe implied constant failure, making him impatient too.
Ji-hee must have gone through trial and error for days when she first learned.
"How long did it take you to learn this, Ji-hee?"
"...A day?"
- ...
He regretted asking.
He hadn't considered it.
She had the ultimate cheat, an S-Rank trait, plus monstrous talent.
"It's super basic—sorry."
She even delivered the finishing blow.
She hastily added an apology, but the wound was deep.
'Is it her talent, or are all S-Ranks like that?'
Maybe both.
Come to think of it, he rarely saw Ji-hee use standard spells.
Her fire magic was uniquely her own original.
Even the basic mana spells she showed in the practice room were on another level.
Talent or trait, it left a bitter taste for Jeong-hyeon.
'I'll slot an S-Rank magic trait someday, even if out of spite.'
If no talent, crush with rank.
Ji-hee's trait was Ruler of Fire.
With that, at least fire magic would shine spectacularly.
For now, he was just a pitiful magic dropout.
"Guess I have no talent for magic."
"N-no. Your Mana Bolt—the tip feels alive? You definitely have talent. I don't know exactly, but your affinity feels unique... Like when it meets other affinities... Ah, no. Sorry!"
'That's synergy, not my talent.'
Jeong-hyeon's Mana Bolt was indeed above average.
But thanks to the synergy massively boosting Mana Sensitivity efficiency.
Her "unique affinity" meant neutral attribute.
That too was from upgrading synergy last time, enabling neutral attribute with basic mana spells—not his talent.
Nothing impressive she saw was his own ability.
'I don't know what she meant, but neutral must be pretty special.'
Curious about her trailed-off words, Jeong-hyeon let it go.
Too tired to probe now; ask later.
Still, with B-Rank Mana Sensitivity, he expected some progress on day one—but big miss.
Even so, no thought of quitting magic.
'Can't use freely, but good as a trump card.'
He was confident facing A-Rank hunters one or two levels higher physically.
Swinging the pickaxe so much raised Blunt Mastery to level 3; rapid growth intact.
Now eyeing S-Rank and level 6 gates.
"Ji-hee, no plans for level 6 gates?"
"Huh?"
Ji-hee widened her eyes at the sudden level 6 mention.
She pondered briefly, then shook her head.
"Sorry, not yet..."
"I see."
"If it's about the contract, anytime—"
"No, nothing like that."
He had recently cleared a level 5 standard gate with her.
To level up Won-ho too, killing two birds.
Artifact ring plus Trait Stabilizer synergized well; he could solo level 5s now.
Jeong-hyeon just watched for variables from behind; probably why she worried.
Level 5 standards no longer satisfied, but he wouldn't neglect building ties with her.
She was HJH's prospective employee, after all.
Perfect timing alone; probe her intentions.
Contract mentioned it, but no prior chance to ask directly.
Jeong-hyeon sat up slightly and broached.
"If you're okay with it, our office—"
Precisely, he tried to broach.
But he overlooked.
This was the association.
Lately rare encounters, but where the person he most dreaded worked.
Knock knock knock—
- ...?
- ?
About to ask if she'd hunt with the office, but the sudden knock made them tilt heads.
Sure, knocks happen.
To check if occupied.
But association practice rooms show occupancy outside; why knock?
Practice room and knock felt mismatched.
'Who is it?'
Jeong-hyeon rose to open the door.
Then tried slamming it shut.
But a shoe already wedged between door and frame.
"Excuse me, could you spare a moment?"
"Why is Chief Cha..."
Peeking through was none other than Cha Ye-rin.
How she knew they were here was secondary; her words pure Ye-rin.
"Two men and women sweating in this tiny space. Oh my."
"It's not like that."
Once cold upon learning he was S-Rank, she returned normal after he addressed it.
Only she could toss awkward jokes with deadpan seriousness.
But this time, conversation differed.
Ye-rin apologized seriously, bowed to Jeong-hyeon.
"Truth is, no time for jokes, Hunter Han Jeong-hyeon."
"W-what?"
"Could you help me?"
"Pardon?"
What was this sudden request.
She occasionally sent chit-chat—masked nonsense—but full-on help? Jeong-hyeon blinked.
"Right now?"
"Please."
Anyone would think he held her wish ticket.
Seeing her ask, Ye-rin looked off.
Usually composed, inscrutable, but face flushed—rushed from main building.
How fast must an A-Rank level 6 hunter move for that?
'Something fishy's up...'
Association matters, especially involving Ye-rin, always bad vibes. This too.